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Pulliam HR, Springer SD, Rice DL, Ende GC, Johnson HJ, Willett MP, Wilson TW, Taylor BK. Neurotoxic effects of home radon exposure on oscillatory dynamics serving attentional orienting in children and adolescents. Neuroimage 2024; 292:120606. [PMID: 38604538 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that contributes significantly to radiation in the environment and is the second leading cause of lung cancer globally. Previous studies have shown that other environmental toxins have deleterious effects on brain development, though radon has not been studied as thoroughly in this context. This study examined the impact of home radon exposure on the neural oscillatory activity serving attention reorientation in youths. Fifty-six participants (ages 6-14 years) completed a classic Posner cuing task during magnetoencephalography (MEG), and home radon levels were measured for each participant. Time-frequency spectrograms indicated stronger theta (3-7 Hz, 300-800 ms), alpha (9-13 Hz, 400-900 ms), and beta responses (14-24 Hz, 400-900 ms) during the task relative to baseline. Source reconstruction of each significant oscillatory response was performed, and validity maps were computed by subtracting the task conditions (invalidly cued - validly cued). These validity maps were examined for associations with radon exposure, age, and their interaction in a linear regression design. Children with greater radon exposure showed aberrant oscillatory activity across distributed regions critical for attentional processing and attention reorientation (e.g., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex). Generally, youths with greater radon exposure exhibited a reverse neural validity effect in almost all regions and showed greater overall power relative to peers with lesser radon exposure. We also detected an interactive effect between radon exposure and age where youths with greater radon exposure exhibited divergent developmental trajectories in neural substrates implicated in attentional processing (e.g., bilateral prefrontal cortices, superior temporal gyri, and inferior parietal lobules). These data suggest aberrant, but potentially compensatory neural processing as a function of increasing home radon exposure in areas critical for attention and higher order cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley R Pulliam
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Danielle L Rice
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Grace C Ende
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Brittany K Taylor
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
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McDonald KM, Schantell M, Horne LK, John JA, Rempe MP, Glesinger R, Okelberry HJ, Coutant AT, Springer SD, Mansouri A, Embury CM, Arif Y, Wilson TW. The neural oscillations serving task switching are altered in cannabis users. J Psychopharmacol 2024:2698811241235204. [PMID: 38418434 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241235204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regular cannabis is known to impact higher-order cognitive processes such as attention, but far less is known regarding cognitive flexibility, a component of executive function. Moreover, whether such changes are related to aberrations in the neural oscillatory dynamics serving flexibility remains poorly understood. AIMS Quantify the neural oscillatory dynamics serving cognitive flexibility by having participants complete a task-switching paradigm during magnetoencephalography (MEG). Probe whole-brain maps to identify alterations in chronic cannabis users relative to nonusers and determine how these alterations relate to the degree of cannabis use involvement. METHODS In all, 25 chronic cannabis users and 30 demographically matched nonuser controls completed neuropsychological testing, an interview regarding their substance use, a urinalysis, and a task switch paradigm during MEG. Time-frequency windows of interest were identified using a data-driven statistical approach and these were imaged using a beamformer. Whole-brain neural switch cost maps were computed by subtracting the oscillatory maps of the no-switch condition from the switch condition per participant. These were examined for group differences. RESULTS Cannabis users had weaker theta switch cost responses in the dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortices, while nonusers showed the typical pattern of greater recruitment during switch relative to no switch trials. In addition, theta activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was significantly correlated with cannabis use involvement. CONCLUSIONS Cannabis users exhibited altered theta switch cost activity compared to nonusers in prefrontal cortical regions, which are critical for cognitive flexibility. This activity scaled with cannabis use involvement, indicating a link between cannabis use and aberrant oscillatory activity underlying cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellen M McDonald
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Lucy K Horne
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Jason A John
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Maggie P Rempe
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ryan Glesinger
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Anna T Coutant
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Amirsalar Mansouri
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Christine M Embury
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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Springer SD, Okelberry HJ, Willett MP, Johnson HJ, Meehan CE, Schantell M, Embury CM, Rempe MP, Wilson TW. Age-related alterations in the oscillatory dynamics serving verbal working memory processing. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:14574-14590. [PMID: 38154102 PMCID: PMC10781444 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is a foundational cognitive function involving the temporary storage of information. Unfortunately, WM is also one of the most sensitive cognitive functions to the detrimental effects of aging. Expanding the field's understanding of age-related WM changes is critical to advancing the development of strategies to mitigate age-related WM declines. In the current study, we investigated the neural mechanisms serving WM function in seventy-eight healthy aging adults (range: 20.2-65.2 years) using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a Sternberg WM task with letter stimuli. Neural activity during the different phases of the WM task (i.e., encoding, maintenance, and retrieval) were imaged using a time-frequency resolved beamformer and whole-brain statistics were performed. We found stronger increases in theta activity and stronger decreases in alpha and beta activity (i.e., more negative relative to baseline) as a function of healthy aging. Specifically, age-related increases in theta activity were detected during the encoding period in the primary visual and left prefrontal cortices. Additionally, alpha and beta oscillations were stronger (i.e., more negative) during both encoding and maintenance in the left prefrontal cortex in older individuals. Finally, alpha and beta oscillations during the retrieval phase were stronger (i.e., more negative) in older participants within the prefrontal, parietal, and temporal cortices. Together, these results indicate that healthy aging strongly modulates the neural oscillatory dynamics serving WM function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D. Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Hannah J. Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Madelyn P. Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Hallie J. Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Chloe E. Meehan
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Christine M. Embury
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
| | - Maggie P. Rempe
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
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Ward TW, Springer SD, Schantell M, John JA, Horne LK, Coutant AT, Okelberry HJ, Willett MP, Johnson HJ, Killanin AD, Heinrichs‐Graham E, Wilson TW. Regular cannabis use alters the neural dynamics serving complex motor control. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:6511-6522. [PMID: 37955378 PMCID: PMC10681654 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis is the most widely used recreational drug in the United States and regular use has been linked to deficits in attention and memory. However, the effects of regular use on motor control are less understood, with some studies showing deficits and others indicating normal performance. Eighteen users and 23 nonusers performed a motor sequencing task during high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG). The MEG data was transformed into the time-frequency domain and beta responses (16-24 Hz) during motor planning and execution phases were imaged separately using a beamformer approach. Whole-brain maps were examined for group (cannabis user/nonuser) and time window (planning/execution) effects. As expected, there were no group differences in task performance (e.g., reaction time, accuracy, etc.). Regular cannabis users exhibited stronger beta oscillations in the contralateral primary motor cortex compared to nonusers during the execution phase of the motor sequences, but not during the motor planning phase. Similar group-by-time window interactions were observed in the left superior parietal, right inferior frontal cortices, right posterior insular cortex, and the bilateral motor cortex. We observed differences in the neural dynamics serving motor control in regular cannabis users compared to nonusers, suggesting regular users may employ compensatory processing in both primary motor and higher-order motor cortices to maintain adequate task performance. Future studies will need to examine more complex motor control tasks to ascertain whether this putative compensatory activity eventually becomes exhausted and behavioral differences emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Ward
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- Department of Pharmacology & NeuroscienceCreighton UniversityOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Seth D. Springer
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Jason A. John
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Lucy K. Horne
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Anna T. Coutant
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Hannah J. Okelberry
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Madelyn P. Willett
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Hallie J. Johnson
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Abraham D. Killanin
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Elizabeth Heinrichs‐Graham
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- Department of Pharmacology & NeuroscienceCreighton UniversityOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- Department of Pharmacology & NeuroscienceCreighton UniversityOmahaNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
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Horne LK, Schantell M, Mansouri A, Springer SD, Wiesman AI, Johnson HJ, Okelberry HJ, May PE, Wilson TW. A - 23 Neuropsychological Assessments Are Highly Predictive of Β-Amyloid Positive Alzheimer's Disease. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2023; 38:1185. [PMID: 37807147 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acad067.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alzheimer's disease (ad) is the most common cause of dementia, but it is often difficult to accurately diagnose. The current gold standard is β-amyloid positivity on a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. However, these scans are not covered by insurance and are cost prohibitive, making them infeasible for many patients. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the accuracy of a neuropsychological battery in distinguishing people with biomarker-confirmed ad versus people who are amyloid-negative. METHOD In total, 60 participants completed a full neuropsychological assessment and Florbetapir-PET imaging. We then used linear discriminant analysis to assess the extent to which a neuropsychological battery could accurately distinguish the biomarker-confirmed groups. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio, area under the curve (AUC), and accuracy were computed for each model using the classification results based on neuropsychological assessments versus Florbetapir-PET imaging. RESULTS Participants between the ages of 55-84 years (M = 70.17, SD = 6.65), including 37 with amyloid-positive ad and 23 amyloid-negative participants, completed all aspects of the present study. Overall, the sensitivity of the model was 94.59% (95% CI: 81.81%-99.34%), specificity was 91.30% (95% CI: 71.96%-98.93%), the AUC was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85-1.00), the positive likelihood ratio was 10.88 (95% CI: 2.89-40.99), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.06 (95% CI: 0.02-0.23). CONCLUSIONS Assessments from a neuropsychological battery accurately discriminated β-amyloid positive participants with ad from β-amyloid negative participants. These findings represent a potential alternative, cost-effective method for confirming ad status. Further research is warranted to investigate the most optimal neuropsychological battery for ad diagnosis.
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Picci G, Ott LR, Petro NM, Casagrande CC, Killanin AD, Rice DL, Coutant AT, Arif Y, Embury CM, Okelberry HJ, Johnson HJ, Springer SD, Pulliam HR, Wang YP, Calhoun VD, Stephen JM, Heinrichs-Graham E, Taylor BK, Wilson TW. Developmental alterations in the neural oscillatory dynamics underlying attentional reorienting. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101288. [PMID: 37567094 PMCID: PMC10432959 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural and cognitive processes underlying the flexible allocation of attention undergo a protracted developmental course with changes occurring throughout adolescence. Despite documented age-related improvements in attentional reorienting throughout childhood and adolescence, the neural correlates underlying such changes in reorienting remain unclear. Herein, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine neural dynamics during a Posner attention-reorienting task in 80 healthy youth (6-14 years old). The MEG data were examined in the time-frequency domain and significant oscillatory responses were imaged in anatomical space. During the reorienting of attention, youth recruited a distributed network of regions in the fronto-parietal network, along with higher-order visual regions within the theta (3-7 Hz) and alpha-beta (10-24 Hz) spectral windows. Beyond the expected developmental improvements in behavioral performance, we found stronger theta oscillatory activity as a function of age across a network of prefrontal brain regions irrespective of condition, as well as more limited age- and validity-related effects for alpha-beta responses. Distinct brain-behavior associations between theta oscillations and attention-related symptomology were also uncovered across a network of brain regions. Taken together, these data are the first to demonstrate developmental effects in the spectrally-specific neural oscillations serving the flexible allocation of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Picci
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Lauren R Ott
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Nathan M Petro
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Chloe C Casagrande
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Abraham D Killanin
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Danielle L Rice
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Anna T Coutant
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Christine M Embury
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Haley R Pulliam
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Yu-Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS) [Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University], Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Heinrichs-Graham
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Brittany K Taylor
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
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Meehan CE, Schantell M, Springer SD, Wiesman AI, Wolfson SL, O'Neill J, Murman DL, Bares SH, May PE, Johnson CM, Wilson TW. Movement-related beta and gamma oscillations indicate parallels and disparities between Alzheimer's disease and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 186:106283. [PMID: 37683957 PMCID: PMC10545947 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
People with HIV (PWH) often develop HIV-related neurological impairments known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), but cognitive dysfunction in older PWH may also be due to age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Discerning these two conditions is challenging since the specific neural characteristics are not well understood and limited studies have probed HAND and AD spectrum (ADS) directly. We examined the neural dynamics underlying motor processing during cognitive interference using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 22 biomarker-confirmed patients on the ADS, 22 older participants diagnosed with HAND, and 30 healthy aging controls. MEG data were transformed into the time-frequency domain to examine movement-related oscillatory activity and the impact of cognitive interference on distinct stages of motor programming. Both cognitively impaired groups (ADS/HAND) performed significantly worse on the task (e.g., less accurate and slower reaction time) and exhibited reductions in frontal and cerebellar beta and parietal gamma activity relative to controls. Disease-specific aberrations were also detected such that those with HAND exhibited weaker gamma interference effects than those on the ADS in frontoparietal and motor areas. Additionally, temporally distinct beta interference effects were identified, with ADS participants exhibiting stronger beta interference activity in the temporal cortex during motor planning, along with weaker beta interference oscillations dispersed across frontoparietal and cerebellar cortices during movement execution relative to those with HAND. These results indicate both overlapping and distinct neurophysiological aberrations in those with ADS disorders or HAND in key motor and top-down cognitive processing regions during cognitive interference and provide new evidence for distinct neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe E Meehan
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Alex I Wiesman
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Jennifer O'Neill
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Daniel L Murman
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Memory Disorders & Behavioral Neurology Program, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Sara H Bares
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Pamela E May
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
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Casagrande CC, Rempe MP, Springer SD, Wilson TW. Comprehensive review of task-based neuroimaging studies of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease using electrophysiological methods. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 88:101950. [PMID: 37156399 PMCID: PMC10261850 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
With an aging population, cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders are an emerging public health crises with enormous, yet still under-recognized burdens. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, and the number of cases is expected to dramatically rise in the upcoming decades. Substantial efforts have been placed into understanding the disease. One of the primary avenues of research is neuroimaging, and while positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are most common, crucial recent advancements in electrophysiological methods such as magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) have provided novel insight into the aberrant neural dynamics at play in AD pathology. In this review, we outline task-based M/EEG studies published since 2010 using paradigms probing the cognitive domains most affected by AD, including memory, attention, and executive functioning. Furthermore, we provide important recommendations for adapting cognitive tasks for optimal use in this population and adjusting recruitment efforts to improve and expand future neuroimaging work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe C Casagrande
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
| | - Maggie P Rempe
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
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9
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Springer SD, Erker TD, Schantell M, Johnson HJ, Willett MP, Okelberry HJ, Rempe MP, Wilson TW. Disturbances in primary visual processing as a function of healthy aging. Neuroimage 2023; 271:120020. [PMID: 36914104 PMCID: PMC10123380 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, visual entrainment paradigms have been widely used to investigate basic visual processing in healthy individuals and those with neurological disorders. While healthy aging is known to be associated with alterations in visual processing, whether this extends to visual entrainment responses and the precise cortical regions involved is not fully understood. Such knowledge is imperative given the recent surge in interest surrounding the use of flicker stimulation and entrainment in the context of identifying and treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the current study, we examined visual entrainment in eighty healthy aging adults using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a 15 Hz entrainment paradigm, while controlling for age-related cortical thinning. MEG data were imaged using a time-frequency resolved beamformer and peak voxel time series were extracted to quantify the oscillatory dynamics underlying the processing of the visual flicker stimuli. We found that, as age increased, the mean amplitude of entrainment responses decreased and the latency of these responses increased. However, there was no effect of age on the trial-to-trial consistency in phase (i.e., inter-trial phase locking) nor amplitude (i.e., coefficient of variation) of these visual responses. Importantly, we discovered that the relationship between age and response amplitude was fully mediated by the latency of visual processing. These results indicate that aging is associated with robust changes in the latency and amplitude of visual entrainment responses within regions surrounding the calcarine fissure, which should be considered in studies examining neurological disorders such as AD and other conditions associated with increased age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tara D Erker
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Engineering, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Maggie P Rempe
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
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Springer SD, Spooner RK, Schantell M, Arif Y, Frenzel MR, Eastman JA, Wilson TW. Regular recreational Cannabis users exhibit altered neural oscillatory dynamics during attention reorientation. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1205-1214. [PMID: 34889178 PMCID: PMC9250753 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721002671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and is often associated with changes in attention function, which may ultimately impact numerous other cognitive faculties (e.g. memory, executive function). Importantly, despite the increasing rates of cannabis use and widespread legalization in the United States, the neural mechanisms underlying attentional dysfunction in chronic users are poorly understood. METHODS We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a modified Posner cueing task in 21 regular cannabis users and 32 demographically matched non-user controls. MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain using a beamformer and peak voxel time series were extracted to quantify the oscillatory dynamics underlying use-related aberrations in attentional reorienting, as well as the impact on spontaneous neural activity immediately preceding stimulus onset. RESULTS Behavioral performance on the task (e.g. reaction time) was similar between regular cannabis users and non-user controls. However, the neural data indicated robust theta-band synchronizations across a distributed network during attentional reorienting, with activity in the bilateral inferior frontal gyri being markedly stronger in users relative to controls (p's < 0.036). Additionally, we observed significantly reduced spontaneous theta activity across this distributed network during the pre-stimulus baseline in cannabis users relative to controls (p's < 0.020). CONCLUSIONS Despite similar performance on the task, we observed specific alterations in the neural dynamics serving attentional reorienting in regular cannabis users compared to controls. These data suggest that regular cannabis users may employ compensatory processing in the prefrontal cortices to efficiently reorient their attention relative to non-user controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D. Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Rachel K. Spooner
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Michaela R. Frenzel
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jacob A. Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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Schantell M, Springer SD, Arif Y, Sandal ME, Willett MP, Johnson HJ, Okelberry HJ, O’Neill JL, May PE, Bares SH, Wilson TW. Regular cannabis use modulates the impact of HIV on the neural dynamics serving cognitive control. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:1324-1337. [PMID: 36416285 PMCID: PMC9835727 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221138934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis use and HIV are independently associated with decrements in cognitive control. However, the combined effects of HIV and regular cannabis use on the brain circuitry serving higher-order cognition are unclear. AIMS Investigate the interaction between cannabis and HIV on neural interference effects during the flanker task and spontaneous activity in regions underlying higher-order cognition. METHODS The sample consisted of 100 participants, including people with HIV (PWH) who use cannabis, PWH who do not use cannabis, uninfected cannabis users, and uninfected nonusers. Participants underwent an interview regarding their substance use history and completed the Eriksen flanker task during magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain and oscillatory maps depicting the neural flanker interference effect were probed for group differences. Voxel time series were then assessed for group-level differences in spontaneous activity. RESULTS Group differences in behavioral performance were identified along with group differences in theta and alpha neural interference responses in higher-order regions across the cortex, with nonusers with HIV generally exhibiting the most aberrant responses. Likewise, time series analyses indicated that nonusers with HIV also had significantly elevated spontaneous alpha activity in the left inferior frontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (dlPFC). Finally, we found that spontaneous and oscillatory alpha activity were significantly coupled in the inferior frontal cortex and dlPFC among cannabis users, but not nonusers. CONCLUSIONS Regular cannabis use appears to suppress the impact of HIV on spontaneous and oscillatory alpha deficits in the left inferior frontal cortex and dlPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Megan E Sandal
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Jennifer L O’Neill
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Pamela E May
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Sara H Bares
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA,Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
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Springer SD, Wiesman AI, May PE, Schantell M, Johnson HJ, Willett MP, Castelblanco CA, Eastman JA, Christopher-Hayes NJ, Wolfson SL, Johnson CM, Murman DL, Wilson TW. Altered visual entrainment in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: magnetoencephalography evidence. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac198. [PMID: 35974799 PMCID: PMC9374481 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research has indicated that rhythmic visual entrainment may be useful in clearing pathological protein deposits in the central nervous system of mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. However, visual entrainment studies in human patients with Alzheimer’s disease are rare, and as such the degree to which these patients exhibit aberrations in the neural tracking of rhythmic visual stimuli is unknown. To fill this gap, we recorded magnetoencephalography during a 15 Hz visual entrainment paradigm in amyloid-positive patients on the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum and compared their neural responses to a demographically matched group of biomarker-negative healthy controls. Magnetoencephalography data were imaged using a beamformer and virtual sensor data were extracted from the peak visual entrainment responses. Our results indicated that, relative to healthy controls, participants on the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum exhibited significantly stronger 15 Hz entrainment in primary visual cortices relative to a pre-stimulus baseline period. However, the two groups exhibited comparable absolute levels of neural entrainment, and higher absolute levels of entertainment predicted greater Mini-mental Status Examination scores, such that those patients whose absolute entrainment amplitude was closer to the level seen in controls had better cognitive function. In addition, 15 Hz periodic activity, but not aperiodic activity, during the pre-stimulus baseline period was significantly decreased in patients on the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum. This pattern of results indicates that patients on the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum exhibited increased visual entrainment to rhythmic stimuli and that this increase is likely compensatory in nature. More broadly, these results show that visual entrainment is altered in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and should be further examined in future studies, as changes in the capacity to entrain visual stimuli may prove useful as a marker of Alzheimer’s disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
| | - Alex I Wiesman
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University , Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 , Canada
| | - Pamela E May
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
| | - Camilo A Castelblanco
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
| | - Jacob A Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
| | - Nicholas J Christopher-Hayes
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis , Davis, CA 95616 , USA
| | - Sara L Wolfson
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
| | - Craig M Johnson
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
| | - Daniel L Murman
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
- Memory Disorders & Behavioral Neurology Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital , Omaha, NE 68010 , USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, NE 68198 , USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University , Omaha, NE 68178 , USA
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Springer SD, Wiesman AI, May PE, Schantell MD, Christopher‐Hayes N, Johnson HJ, Willet MP, Eastman JA, Wolfson SL, Johnson CM, Murman DL, Wilson TW. Visual entrainment responses are altered in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.054546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seth D. Springer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha NE USA
- Boys Town National Research Hospital Omaha NE USA
| | | | | | - Mikki D. Schantell
- University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha NE USA
- Boys Town National Research Hospital Omaha NE USA
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