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Molloy CJ, Cooke J, Gatford NJF, Rivera-Olvera A, Avazzadeh S, Homberg JR, Grandjean J, Fernandes C, Shen S, Loth E, Srivastava DP, Gallagher L. Bridging the translational gap: what can synaptopathies tell us about autism? Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1191323. [PMID: 37441676 PMCID: PMC10333541 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1191323] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple molecular pathways and cellular processes have been implicated in the neurobiology of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. There is a current focus on synaptic gene conditions, or synaptopathies, which refer to clinical conditions associated with rare genetic variants disrupting genes involved in synaptic biology. Synaptopathies are commonly associated with autism and developmental delay and may be associated with a range of other neuropsychiatric outcomes. Altered synaptic biology is suggested by both preclinical and clinical studies in autism based on evidence of differences in early brain structural development and altered glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission potentially perturbing excitatory and inhibitory balance. This review focusses on the NRXN-NLGN-SHANK pathway, which is implicated in the synaptic assembly, trans-synaptic signalling, and synaptic functioning. We provide an overview of the insights from preclinical molecular studies of the pathway. Concentrating on NRXN1 deletion and SHANK3 mutations, we discuss emerging understanding of cellular processes and electrophysiology from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) models derived from individuals with synaptopathies, neuroimaging and behavioural findings in animal models of Nrxn1 and Shank3 synaptic gene conditions, and key findings regarding autism features, brain and behavioural phenotypes from human clinical studies of synaptopathies. The identification of molecular-based biomarkers from preclinical models aims to advance the development of targeted therapeutic treatments. However, it remains challenging to translate preclinical animal models and iPSC studies to interpret human brain development and autism features. We discuss the existing challenges in preclinical and clinical synaptopathy research, and potential solutions to align methodologies across preclinical and clinical research. Bridging the translational gap between preclinical and clinical studies will be necessary to understand biological mechanisms, to identify targeted therapies, and ultimately to progress towards personalised approaches for complex neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara J. Molloy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Cooke
- Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. F. Gatford
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alejandro Rivera-Olvera
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sahar Avazzadeh
- Physiology and Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory, CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Joanes Grandjean
- Physiology and Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory, CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, The SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eva Loth
- Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Deepak P. Srivastava
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- The Hospital for SickKids, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Shakeshaft A, Laiou P, Abela E, Stavropoulos I, Richardson MP, Pal DK, Howell A, Hyde A, McQueen A, Duran A, Gaurav A, Collingwood A, Kitching A, Shakeshaft A, Papathanasiou A, Clough A, Gribbin A, Swain A, Needle A, Hall A, Smith A, Macleod A, Chhibda A, Fonferko-Shadrach B, Camara B, Petrova B, Stuart C, Hamilton C, Peacey C, Campbell C, Cotter C, Edwards C, Picton C, Busby C, Quamina C, Waite C, West C, Ng CC, Giavasi C, Backhouse C, Holliday C, Mewies C, Thow C, Egginton D, Dickerson D, Rice D, Mullan D, Daly D, Mcaleer D, Gardella E, Stephen E, Irvine E, Sacre E, Lin F, Castle G, Mackay G, Salim H, Cock H, Collier H, Cockerill H, Navarra H, Mhandu H, Crudgington H, Hayes I, Stavropoulos I, Daglish J, Smith J, Bartholomew J, Cotta J, Ceballos JP, Natarajan J, Crooks J, Quirk J, Bland J, Sidebottom J, Gesche J, Glenton J, Henry J, Davis J, Ball J, Selmer KK, Rhodes K, Holroyd K, Lim KS, O’Brien K, Thrasyvoulou L, Makawa L, Charles L, Richardson L, Nelson L, Walding L, Woodhead L, Ehiorobo L, Hawkins L, Adams L, Connon M, Home M, Baker M, Mencias M, Richardson MP, Sargent M, Syvertsen M, Milner M, Recto M, Chang M, O'Donoghue M, Young M, Ray M, Panjwani N, Ghaus N, Sudarsan N, Said N, Pickrell O, Easton P, Frattaroli P, McAlinden P, Harrison R, Swingler R, Wane R, Ramsay R, Møller RS, McDowall R, Clegg R, Uka S, White S, Truscott S, Francis S, Tittensor S, Sharman SJ, Chung SK, Patel S, Ellawela S, Begum S, Kempson S, Raj S, Bayley S, Warriner S, Kilroy S, MacFarlane S, Brown T, Samakomva T, Nortcliffe T, Calder V, Collins V, Parker V, Richmond V, Stern W, Haslam Z, Šobíšková Z, Agrawal A, Whiting A, Pratico A, Desurkar A, Saraswatula A, MacDonald B, Fong CY, Beier CP, Andrade D, Pauldhas D, Greenberg DA, Deekollu D, Pal DK, Jayachandran D, Lozsadi D, Galizia E, Scott F, Rubboli G, Angus-Leppan H, Talvik I, Takon I, Zarubova J, Koht J, Aram J, Lanyon K, Irwin K, Hamandi K, Yeung L, Strug LJ, Rees M, Reuber M, Kirkpatrick M, Taylor M, Maguire M, Koutroumanidis M, Khan M, Moran N, Striano P, Bala P, Bharat R, Pandey R, Mohanraj R, Thomas R, Belderbos R, Slaght SJ, Delamont S, Sastry S, Mariguddi S, Kumar S, Kumar S, Majeed T, Jegathasan U, Whitehouse W. Heterogeneity of resting-state EEG features in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and controls. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac180. [PMID: 35873918 PMCID: PMC9301584 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal EEG features are a hallmark of epilepsy, and abnormal frequency and network features are apparent in EEGs from people with idiopathic generalized epilepsy in both ictal and interictal states. Here, we characterize differences in the resting-state EEG of individuals with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and assess factors influencing the heterogeneity of EEG features. We collected EEG data from 147 participants with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy through the Biology of Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy study. Ninety-five control EEGs were acquired from two independent studies [Chowdhury et al. (2014) and EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project]. We extracted frequency and functional network-based features from 10 to 20 s epochs of resting-state EEG, including relative power spectral density, peak alpha frequency, network topology measures and brain network ictogenicity: a computational measure of the propensity of networks to generate seizure dynamics. We tested for differences between epilepsy and control EEGs using univariate, multivariable and receiver operating curve analysis. In addition, we explored the heterogeneity of EEG features within and between cohorts by testing for associations with potentially influential factors such as age, sex, epoch length and time, as well as testing for associations with clinical phenotypes including anti-seizure medication, and seizure characteristics in the epilepsy cohort. P-values were corrected for multiple comparisons. Univariate analysis showed significant differences in power spectral density in delta (2-5 Hz) (P = 0.0007, hedges' g = 0.55) and low-alpha (6-9 Hz) (P = 2.9 × 10-8, g = 0.80) frequency bands, peak alpha frequency (P = 0.000007, g = 0.66), functional network mean degree (P = 0.0006, g = 0.48) and brain network ictogenicity (P = 0.00006, g = 0.56) between epilepsy and controls. Since age (P = 0.009) and epoch length (P = 1.7 × 10-8) differed between the two groups and were potential confounders, we controlled for these covariates in multivariable analysis where disparities in EEG features between epilepsy and controls remained. Receiver operating curve analysis showed low-alpha power spectral density was optimal at distinguishing epilepsy from controls, with an area under the curve of 0.72. Lower average normalized clustering coefficient and shorter average normalized path length were associated with poorer seizure control in epilepsy patients. To conclude, individuals with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy have increased power of neural oscillatory activity at low-alpha frequencies, and increased brain network ictogenicity compared with controls, supporting evidence from studies in other epilepsies with considerable external validity. In addition, the impact of confounders on different frequency-based and network-based EEG features observed in this study highlights the need for careful consideration and control of these factors in future EEG research in idiopathic generalized epilepsy particularly for their use as biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Shakeshaft
- Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Petroula Laiou
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Eugenio Abela
- Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Mark P Richardson
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Professor Mark P Richardson Maurice Wohl Clinical Neurosciences Institute Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience King’s College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RX, UK E-mail:
| | - Deb K Pal
- Correspondence to: Professor Deb K Pal Maurice Wohl Clinical Neurosciences Institute Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience King’s College London 5 Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RX, UK E-mail:
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