Neuro-immune dysfunction during brain aging: new insights in microglial cell regulation.

PubMed

Matt, Stephanie M; Johnson, Rodney W

2016-02-01

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, are at the center of communication between the central nervous system and immune system. While these brain-immune interactions are balanced in healthy adulthood, the ability to maintain homeostasis during aging is impaired. Microglia develop a loss of integrated regulatory networks including aberrant signaling from other brain cells, immune sensors, and epigenetic modifiers. The low-grade chronic neuroinflammation associated with this dysfunctional activity likely contributes to cognitive deficits and susceptibility to age-related pathologies. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for neuro-immune dysregulation with age is crucial for providing targeted therapeutic strategies to support brain repair and healthy aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Why Should I Read to My Baby? The Importance of Early Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High, Pamela C.

2013-01-01

"Early Brain and Child Development" as a strategic priority of the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that early literacy and language skills build a strong foundation for healthy development and academic success. Promoting early literacy in the context of pediatric primary care supports early brain development and positive,…

Cortical brain development in nonpsychotic siblings of patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia.

PubMed

Gogtay, Nitin; Greenstein, Deanna; Lenane, Marge; Clasen, Liv; Sharp, Wendy; Gochman, Pete; Butler, Philip; Evans, Alan; Rapoport, Judith

2007-07-01

Cortical gray matter (GM) loss is marked and progressive in childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) during adolescence but becomes more circumscribed by early adulthood. Nonpsychotic siblings of COS probands could help evaluate whether the cortical GM abnormalities are familial/trait markers. To map cortical development in nonpsychotic siblings of COS probands. Using an automated measurement and prospectively acquired anatomical brain magnetic resonance images, we mapped cortical GM thickness in healthy full siblings (n = 52, 113 scans; age 8 through 28 years) of patients with COS, contrasting them with age-, sex-, and scan interval-matched healthy controls (n = 52, 108 scans). The false-discovery rate procedure was used to control for type I errors due to multiple comparisons. An ongoing COS study at the National Institute of Mental Health. Fifty-two healthy full siblings of patients with COS, aged 8 through 28 years, and 52 healthy controls. Longitudinal trajectories of cortical GM development in healthy siblings of patients with COS compared with matched healthy controls and exploratory measure of the relationship between developmental GM trajectories and the overall functioning as defined by the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) score. Younger, healthy siblings of patients with COS showed significant GM deficits in the left prefrontal and bilateral temporal cortices and smaller deficits in the right prefrontal and inferior parietal cortices compared with the controls. These cortical deficits in siblings disappeared by age 20 years and the process of deficit reduction correlated with overall functioning (GAS scores) at the last scan. Prefrontal and temporal GM loss in COS appears to be a familial/trait marker. Amelioration of regional GM deficits in healthy siblings was associated with higher global functioning (GAS scores), suggesting a relationship between brain plasticity and functional outcome for these nonpsychotic, nonspectrum siblings.

Relationships among Cortical Glutathione Levels, Brain Amyloidosis, and Memory in Healthy Older Adults Investigated In Vivo with 1H-MRS and Pittsburgh Compound-B PET.

PubMed

Chiang, G C; Mao, X; Kang, G; Chang, E; Pandya, S; Vallabhajosula, S; Isaacson, R; Ravdin, L D; Shungu, D C

2017-06-01

Oxidative stress has been implicated as an important pathologic mechanism in the development of Alzheimer disease. The purpose of this study was to assess whether glutathione levels, detected noninvasively with proton MR spectroscopy, are associated with brain amyloidosis and memory in a community-dwelling cohort of healthy older adults. Fifteen cognitively healthy subjects were prospectively enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent 1 H-MR spectroscopy of glutathione, a positron-emission tomography scan with an amyloid tracer, and neuropsychological testing by using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. Associations among glutathione levels, brain amyloidosis, and memory were assessed by using multivariate regression models. Lower glutathione levels were associated with greater brain amyloidosis in the temporal ( P = .03) and parietal ( P = .05) regions, adjusted for apolipoprotein E ε4 carrier status. There were no significant associations between glutathione levels and cognitive scores. This study found an association between cortical glutathione levels and brain amyloidosis in healthy older adults, suggesting a potential role for 1 H-MR spectroscopy measures of glutathione as a noninvasive biomarker of early Alzheimer disease pathogenesis. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Parcellation of the Healthy Neonatal Brain into 107 Regions Using Atlas Propagation through Intermediate Time Points in Childhood.

PubMed

Blesa, Manuel; Serag, Ahmed; Wilkinson, Alastair G; Anblagan, Devasuda; Telford, Emma J; Pataky, Rozalia; Sparrow, Sarah A; Macnaught, Gillian; Semple, Scott I; Bastin, Mark E; Boardman, James P

2016-01-01

Neuroimage analysis pipelines rely on parcellated atlases generated from healthy individuals to provide anatomic context to structural and diffusion MRI data. Atlases constructed using adult data introduce bias into studies of early brain development. We aimed to create a neonatal brain atlas of healthy subjects that can be applied to multi-modal MRI data. Structural and diffusion 3T MRI scans were acquired soon after birth from 33 typically developing neonates born at term (mean postmenstrual age at birth 39(+5) weeks, range 37(+2)-41(+6)). An adult brain atlas (SRI24/TZO) was propagated to the neonatal data using temporal registration via childhood templates with dense temporal samples (NIH Pediatric Database), with the final atlas (Edinburgh Neonatal Atlas, ENA33) constructed using the Symmetric Group Normalization (SyGN) method. After this step, the computed final transformations were applied to T2-weighted data, and fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tissue segmentations to provide a multi-modal atlas with 107 anatomical regions; a symmetric version was also created to facilitate studies of laterality. Volumes of each region of interest were measured to provide reference data from normal subjects. Because this atlas is generated from step-wise propagation of adult labels through intermediate time points in childhood, it may serve as a useful starting point for modeling brain growth during development.

Computational Modeling of Resting-State Activity Demonstrates Markers of Normalcy in Children with Prenatal or Perinatal Stroke

PubMed Central

Raja Beharelle, Anjali; Griffa, Alessandra; Hagmann, Patric; Solodkin, Ana; McIntosh, Anthony R.; Small, Steven L.; Deco, Gustavo

2015-01-01

Children who sustain a prenatal or perinatal brain injury in the form of a stroke develop remarkably normal cognitive functions in certain areas, with a particular strength in language skills. A dominant explanation for this is that brain regions from the contralesional hemisphere “take over” their functions, whereas the damaged areas and other ipsilesional regions play much less of a role. However, it is difficult to tease apart whether changes in neural activity after early brain injury are due to damage caused by the lesion or by processes related to postinjury reorganization. We sought to differentiate between these two causes by investigating the functional connectivity (FC) of brain areas during the resting state in human children with early brain injury using a computational model. We simulated a large-scale network consisting of realistic models of local brain areas coupled through anatomical connectivity information of healthy and injured participants. We then compared the resulting simulated FC values of healthy and injured participants with the empirical ones. We found that the empirical connectivity values, especially of the damaged areas, correlated better with simulated values of a healthy brain than those of an injured brain. This result indicates that the structural damage caused by an early brain injury is unlikely to have an adverse and sustained impact on the functional connections, albeit during the resting state, of damaged areas. Therefore, these areas could continue to play a role in the development of near-normal function in certain domains such as language in these children. PMID:26063923

Infancy and Early Childhood: Opportunities and Risks for Pennsylvania and Its Children. A Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Harrisburg.

This Kids Count special report examines brain development during infancy and early childhood in order to provide a basis for an informed discussion about the need for preventive programs to foster healthy child development. The report summarizes information on early brain development and how experience shapes neural connections. It focuses on the…

Reliability of Task-Based fMRI for Preoperative Planning: A Test-Retest Study in Brain Tumor Patients and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Morrison, Melanie A.; Churchill, Nathan W.; Cusimano, Michael D.; Schweizer, Tom A.; Das, Sunit; Graham, Simon J.

2016-01-01

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) continues to develop as a clinical tool for patients with brain cancer, offering data that may directly influence surgical decisions. Unfortunately, routine integration of preoperative fMRI has been limited by concerns about reliability. Many pertinent studies have been undertaken involving healthy controls, but work involving brain tumor patients has been limited. To develop fMRI fully as a clinical tool, it will be critical to examine these reliability issues among patients with brain tumors. The present work is the first to extensively characterize differences in activation map quality between brain tumor patients and healthy controls, including the effects of tumor grade and the chosen behavioral testing paradigm on reliability outcomes. Method Test-retest data were collected for a group of low-grade (n = 6) and high-grade glioma (n = 6) patients, and for matched healthy controls (n = 12), who performed motor and language tasks during a single fMRI session. Reliability was characterized by the spatial overlap and displacement of brain activity clusters, BOLD signal stability, and the laterality index. Significance testing was performed to assess differences in reliability between the patients and controls, and low-grade and high-grade patients; as well as between different fMRI testing paradigms. Results There were few significant differences in fMRI reliability measures between patients and controls. Reliability was significantly lower when comparing high-grade tumor patients to controls, or to low-grade tumor patients. The motor task produced more reliable activation patterns than the language tasks, as did the rhyming task in comparison to the phonemic fluency task. Conclusion In low-grade glioma patients, fMRI data are as reliable as healthy control subjects. For high-grade glioma patients, further investigation is required to determine the underlying causes of reduced reliability. To maximize reliability outcomes, testing paradigms should be carefully selected to generate robust activation patterns. PMID:26894279

Differences in brain functional connectivity at resting state in neonates born to healthy obese or normal-weight mothers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent studies have shown associations between maternal obesity at pre- or early pregnancy and long-term neurodevelopment in children, suggesting in utero effects of maternal obesity on offspring brain development. In this study, we examined whether brain functional connectivity to the prefrontal lo...

Computational modeling of resting-state activity demonstrates markers of normalcy in children with prenatal or perinatal stroke.

PubMed

Adhikari, Mohit H; Raja Beharelle, Anjali; Griffa, Alessandra; Hagmann, Patric; Solodkin, Ana; McIntosh, Anthony R; Small, Steven L; Deco, Gustavo

2015-06-10

Children who sustain a prenatal or perinatal brain injury in the form of a stroke develop remarkably normal cognitive functions in certain areas, with a particular strength in language skills. A dominant explanation for this is that brain regions from the contralesional hemisphere "take over" their functions, whereas the damaged areas and other ipsilesional regions play much less of a role. However, it is difficult to tease apart whether changes in neural activity after early brain injury are due to damage caused by the lesion or by processes related to postinjury reorganization. We sought to differentiate between these two causes by investigating the functional connectivity (FC) of brain areas during the resting state in human children with early brain injury using a computational model. We simulated a large-scale network consisting of realistic models of local brain areas coupled through anatomical connectivity information of healthy and injured participants. We then compared the resulting simulated FC values of healthy and injured participants with the empirical ones. We found that the empirical connectivity values, especially of the damaged areas, correlated better with simulated values of a healthy brain than those of an injured brain. This result indicates that the structural damage caused by an early brain injury is unlikely to have an adverse and sustained impact on the functional connections, albeit during the resting state, of damaged areas. Therefore, these areas could continue to play a role in the development of near-normal function in certain domains such as language in these children. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/358914-11$15.00/0.

Associations between IQ, total and regional brain volumes, and demography in a large normative sample of healthy children and adolescents.

PubMed

Lange, Nicholas; Froimowitz, Michael P; Bigler, Erin D; Lainhart, Janet E

2010-01-01

In the course of efforts to establish quantitative norms for healthy brain development by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Brain Development Cooperative Group, 2006), previously unreported associations of parental education and temporal and frontal lobe volumes with full scale IQ and its verbal and performance subscales were discovered. Our findings were derived from the largest, most representative MRI sample to date of healthy children and adolescents, ages 4 years 10 months to 18 years 4 months. We first find that parental education has a strong association with IQ in children that is not mediated by total or regional brain volumes. Second, we find that our observed correlations between temporal gray matter, temporal white matter and frontal white matter volumes with full scale IQ, between 0.14 to 0.27 in children and adolescents, are due in large part to their correlations with performance IQ and not verbal IQ. The volumes of other lobar gray and white matter, subcortical gray matter (thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus), cerebellum, and brainstem do not contribute significantly to IQ variation. Third, we find that head circumference is an insufficient index of cerebral volume in typically developing older children and adolescents. The relations between total and regional brain volumes and IQ can best be discerned when additional variables known to be associated with IQ, especially parental education and other demographic measures, are considered concurrently.

Cortical and Subcortical Brain Morphometry Differences Between Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Healthy Individuals Across the Lifespan: Results From the ENIGMA ASD Working Group.

PubMed

van Rooij, Daan; Anagnostou, Evdokia; Arango, Celso; Auzias, Guillaume; Behrmann, Marlene; Busatto, Geraldo F; Calderoni, Sara; Daly, Eileen; Deruelle, Christine; Di Martino, Adriana; Dinstein, Ilan; Duran, Fabio Luis Souza; Durston, Sarah; Ecker, Christine; Fair, Damien; Fedor, Jennifer; Fitzgerald, Jackie; Freitag, Christine M; Gallagher, Louise; Gori, Ilaria; Haar, Shlomi; Hoekstra, Liesbeth; Jahanshad, Neda; Jalbrzikowski, Maria; Janssen, Joost; Lerch, Jason; Luna, Beatriz; Martinho, Mauricio Moller; McGrath, Jane; Muratori, Filippo; Murphy, Clodagh M; Murphy, Declan G M; O'Hearn, Kirsten; Oranje, Bob; Parellada, Mara; Retico, Alessandra; Rosa, Pedro; Rubia, Katya; Shook, Devon; Taylor, Margot; Thompson, Paul M; Tosetti, Michela; Wallace, Gregory L; Zhou, Fengfeng; Buitelaar, Jan K

2018-04-01

Neuroimaging studies show structural differences in both cortical and subcortical brain regions in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with healthy subjects. Findings are inconsistent, however, and it is unclear how differences develop across the lifespan. The authors investigated brain morphometry differences between individuals with ASD and healthy subjects, cross-sectionally across the lifespan, in a large multinational sample from the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics Through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) ASD working group. The sample comprised 1,571 patients with ASD and 1,651 healthy control subjects (age range, 2-64 years) from 49 participating sites. MRI scans were preprocessed at individual sites with a harmonized protocol based on a validated automated-segmentation software program. Mega-analyses were used to test for case-control differences in subcortical volumes, cortical thickness, and surface area. Development of brain morphometry over the lifespan was modeled using a fractional polynomial approach. The case-control mega-analysis demonstrated that ASD was associated with smaller subcortical volumes of the pallidum, putamen, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens (effect sizes [Cohen's d], 0.13 to -0.13), as well as increased cortical thickness in the frontal cortex and decreased thickness in the temporal cortex (effect sizes, -0.21 to 0.20). Analyses of age effects indicate that the development of cortical thickness is altered in ASD, with the largest differences occurring around adolescence. No age-by-ASD interactions were observed in the subcortical partitions. The ENIGMA ASD working group provides the largest study of brain morphometry differences in ASD to date, using a well-established, validated, publicly available analysis pipeline. ASD patients showed altered morphometry in the cognitive and affective parts of the striatum, frontal cortex, and temporal cortex. Complex developmental trajectories were observed for the different regions, with a developmental peak around adolescence. These findings suggest an interplay in the abnormal development of the striatal, frontal, and temporal regions in ASD across the lifespan.

Healthy Brain Development: Precursor to Learning. National Health/Education Consortium (1st, Baltimore, Maryland, December 6, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Educational Leadership, Washington, DC.

This report presents the proceedings of a consortium at which leading developmental neuroscientists from across the United States and Canada met at Johns Hopkins University to explore the relationship between children's health and learning and to propose policy changes. Early brain development and its relationship to intelligence, learning, and…

Real-time simulation and visualization of volumetric brain deformation for image-guided neurosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrant, Matthieu; Nabavi, Arya; Macq, Benoit M. M.; Kikinis, Ron; Warfield, Simon K.

2001-05-01

During neurosurgery, the challenge for the neurosurgeon is to remove as much as possible of a tumor without destroying healthy tissue. This can be difficult because healthy and diseased tissue can have the same visual appearance. To this aim, and because the surgeon cannot see underneath the brain surface, image-guided neurosurgery systems are being increasingly used. However, during surgery, deformation of the brain occurs (due to brain shift and tumor resection), therefore causing errors in the surgical planning with respect to preoperative imaging. In our previous work, we developed software for capturing the deformation of the brain during neurosurgery. The software also allows preoperative data to be updated according to the intraoperative imaging so as to reflect the shape changes of the brain during surgery. Our goal in this paper was to rapidly visualize and characterize this deformation over the course of surgery with appropriate tools. Therefore, we developed tools allowing the doctor to visualize (in 2D and 3D) deformations, as well as the stress tensors characterizing the deformation along with the updated preoperative and intraoperative imaging during the course of surgery. Such tools significantly add to the value of intraoperative imaging and hence could improve surgical outcomes.

Progressive gender differences of structural brain networks in healthy adults: a longitudinal, diffusion tensor imaging study.

PubMed

Sun, Yu; Lee, Renick; Chen, Yu; Collinson, Simon; Thakor, Nitish; Bezerianos, Anastasios; Sim, Kang

2015-01-01

Sexual dimorphism in the brain maturation during childhood and adolescence has been repeatedly documented, which may underlie the differences in behaviors and cognitive performance. However, our understanding of how gender modulates the development of structural connectome in healthy adults is still not entirely clear. Here we utilized graph theoretical analysis of longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging data over a five-year period to investigate the progressive gender differences of brain network topology. The brain networks of both genders showed prominent economical "small-world" architecture (high local clustering and short paths between nodes). Additional analysis revealed a more economical "small-world" architecture in females as well as a greater global efficiency in males regardless of scan time point. At the regional level, both increased and decreased efficiency were found across the cerebral cortex for both males and females, indicating a compensation mechanism of cortical network reorganization over time. Furthermore, we found that weighted clustering coefficient exhibited significant gender-time interactions, implying different development trends between males and females. Moreover, several specific brain regions (e.g., insula, superior temporal gyrus, cuneus, putamen, and parahippocampal gyrus) exhibited different development trajectories between males and females. Our findings further prove the presence of sexual dimorphism in brain structures that may underlie gender differences in behavioral and cognitive functioning. The sex-specific progress trajectories in brain connectome revealed in this work provide an important foundation to delineate the gender related pathophysiological mechanisms in various neuropsychiatric disorders, which may potentially guide the development of sex-specific treatments for these devastating brain disorders.

In vitro models and systems for evaluating the dynamics of drug delivery to the healthy and diseased brain.

PubMed

Modarres, Hassan Pezeshgi; Janmaleki, Mohsen; Novin, Mana; Saliba, John; El-Hajj, Fatima; RezayatiCharan, Mahdi; Seyfoori, Amir; Sadabadi, Hamid; Vandal, Milène; Nguyen, Minh Dang; Hasan, Anwarul; Sanati-Nezhad, Amir

2018-03-10

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a crucial role in maintaining brain homeostasis and transport of drugs to the brain. The conventional animal and Transwell BBB models along with emerging microfluidic-based BBB-on-chip systems have provided fundamental functionalities of the BBB and facilitated the testing of drug delivery to the brain tissue. However, developing biomimetic and predictive BBB models capable of reasonably mimicking essential characteristics of the BBB functions is still a challenge. In addition, detailed analysis of the dynamics of drug delivery to the healthy or diseased brain requires not only biomimetic BBB tissue models but also new systems capable of monitoring the BBB microenvironment and dynamics of barrier function and delivery mechanisms. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in microengineering of BBB models with different functional complexity and mimicking capability of healthy and diseased states. It also discusses new technologies that can make the next generation of biomimetic human BBBs containing integrated biosensors for real-time monitoring the tissue microenvironment and barrier function and correlating it with the dynamics of drug delivery. Such integrated system addresses important brain drug delivery questions related to the treatment of brain diseases. We further discuss how the combination of in vitro BBB systems, computational models and nanotechnology supports for characterization of the dynamics of drug delivery to the brain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brain anatomical networks in early human brain development.

PubMed

Fan, Yong; Shi, Feng; Smith, Jeffrey Keith; Lin, Weili; Gilmore, John H; Shen, Dinggang

2011-02-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that human brain networks have economic small-world topology and modular organization, enabling efficient information transfer among brain regions. However, it remains largely unknown how the small-world topology and modular organization of human brain networks emerge and develop. Using longitudinal MRI data of 28 healthy pediatric subjects, collected at their ages of 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years, we analyzed development patterns of brain anatomical networks derived from morphological correlations of brain regional volumes. The results show that the brain network of 1-month-olds has the characteristically economic small-world topology and nonrandom modular organization. The network's cost efficiency increases with the brain development to 1 year and 2 years, so does the modularity, providing supportive evidence for the hypothesis that the small-world topology and the modular organization of brain networks are established during early brain development to support rapid synchronization and information transfer with minimal rewiring cost, as well as to balance between local processing and global integration of information. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Altered structural brain changes and neurocognitive performance in pediatric HIV.

PubMed

Yadav, Santosh K; Gupta, Rakesh K; Garg, Ravindra K; Venkatesh, Vimala; Gupta, Pradeep K; Singh, Alok K; Hashem, Sheema; Al-Sulaiti, Asma; Kaura, Deepak; Wang, Ena; Marincola, Francesco M; Haris, Mohammad

2017-01-01

Pediatric HIV patients often suffer with neurodevelopmental delay and subsequently cognitive impairment. While tissue injury in cortical and subcortical regions in the brain of adult HIV patients has been well reported there is sparse knowledge about these changes in perinatally HIV infected pediatric patients. We analyzed cortical thickness, subcortical volume, structural connectivity, and neurocognitive functions in pediatric HIV patients and compared with those of pediatric healthy controls. With informed consent, 34 perinatally infected pediatric HIV patients and 32 age and gender matched pediatric healthy controls underwent neurocognitive assessment and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a 3 T clinical scanner. Altered cortical thickness, subcortical volumes, and abnormal neuropsychological test scores were observed in pediatric HIV patients. The structural network connectivity analysis depicted lower connection strengths, lower clustering coefficients, and higher path length in pediatric HIV patients than healthy controls. The network betweenness and network hubs in cortico-limbic regions were distorted in pediatric HIV patients. The findings suggest that altered cortical and subcortical structures and regional brain connectivity in pediatric HIV patients may contribute to deficits in their neurocognitive functions. Further, longitudinal studies are required for better understanding of the effect of HIV pathogenesis on brain structural changes throughout the brain development process under standard ART treatment.

Complex Trajectories of Brain Development in the Healthy Human Fetus.

PubMed

Andescavage, Nickie N; du Plessis, Adre; McCarter, Robert; Serag, Ahmed; Evangelou, Iordanis; Vezina, Gilbert; Robertson, Richard; Limperopoulos, Catherine

2017-11-01

This study characterizes global and hemispheric brain growth in healthy human fetuses during the second half of pregnancy using three-dimensional MRI techniques. We studied 166 healthy fetuses that underwent MRI between 18 and 39 completed weeks gestation. We created three-dimensional high-resolution reconstructions of the brain and calculated volumes for left and right cortical gray matter (CGM), fetal white matter (FWM), deep subcortical structures (DSS), and the cerebellum. We calculated the rate of growth for each tissue class according to gestational age and described patterns of hemispheric growth. Each brain region demonstrated major increases in volume during the second half of gestation, the most pronounced being the cerebellum (34-fold), followed by FWM (22-fold), CGM (21-fold), and DSS (10-fold). The left cerebellar hemisphere, CGM, and DSS had larger volumes early in gestation, but these equalized by term. It has been increasingly recognized that brain asymmetry evolves throughout the human life span. Advanced quantitative MRI provides noninvasive measurements of early structural asymmetry between the left and right fetal brain that may inform functional and behavioral laterality differences seen in children and young adulthood. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Spatial distribution of resting-state BOLD regional homogeneity as a predictor of brain glucose uptake: A study in healthy aging.

PubMed

Bernier, Michaël; Croteau, Etienne; Castellano, Christian-Alexandre; Cunnane, Stephen C; Whittingstall, Kevin

2017-04-15

Positron emission tomography using [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (PET-FDG) is the primary imaging modality used to measure glucose metabolism in the brain (CMRGlu). CMRGlu has been used as a biomarker of brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, but the complexity and invasive nature of PET often limits its use in research. There is therefore great interest in developing non-invasive metrics for estimating brain CMRGlu. We therefore investigated resting state fMRI metrics such as regional homogeneity (ReHo), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional global connectivity (Closeness) with multiple analytical approaches to determine their relationship to CMRGlu. We investigated this relation in two distinct cognitively healthy populations separated by age (27 young adults and 35 older adults). Overall, we found that both regionally and across participants, ReHo strongly correlated with CMRGlu in healthy young and older adults. Moreover, ReHo demonstrated the same age-related differences as CMRGlu throughout all cortical regions, particularly in the default network and frontal areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Joint Attention and Brain Functional Connectivity in Infants and Toddlers.

PubMed

Eggebrecht, Adam T; Elison, Jed T; Feczko, Eric; Todorov, Alexandre; Wolff, Jason J; Kandala, Sridhar; Adams, Chloe M; Snyder, Abraham Z; Lewis, John D; Estes, Annette M; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Botteron, Kelly N; McKinstry, Robert C; Constantino, John N; Evans, Alan; Hazlett, Heather C; Dager, Stephen; Paterson, Sarah J; Schultz, Robert T; Styner, Martin A; Gerig, Guido; Das, Samir; Kostopoulos, Penelope; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E; Piven, Joseph; Pruett, John R

2017-03-01

Initiating joint attention (IJA), the behavioral instigation of coordinated focus of 2 people on an object, emerges over the first 2 years of life and supports social-communicative functioning related to the healthy development of aspects of language, empathy, and theory of mind. Deficits in IJA provide strong early indicators for autism spectrum disorder, and therapies targeting joint attention have shown tremendous promise. However, the brain systems underlying IJA in early childhood are poorly understood, due in part to significant methodological challenges in imaging localized brain function that supports social behaviors during the first 2 years of life. Herein, we show that the functional organization of the brain is intimately related to the emergence of IJA using functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging and dimensional behavioral assessments in a large semilongitudinal cohort of infants and toddlers. In particular, though functional connections spanning the brain are involved in IJA, the strongest brain-behavior associations cluster within connections between a small subset of functional brain networks; namely between the visual network and dorsal attention network and between the visual network and posterior cingulate aspects of the default mode network. These observations mark the earliest known description of how functional brain systems underlie a burgeoning fundamental social behavior, may help improve the design of targeted therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders, and, more generally, elucidate physiological mechanisms essential to healthy social behavior development. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Joint Attention and Brain Functional Connectivity in Infants and Toddlers

PubMed Central

Eggebrecht, Adam T.; Elison, Jed T.; Feczko, Eric; Todorov, Alexandre; Wolff, Jason J.; Kandala, Sridhar; Adams, Chloe M.; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Lewis, John D.; Estes, Annette M.; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Botteron, Kelly N.; McKinstry, Robert C.; Constantino, John N.; Evans, Alan; Hazlett, Heather C.; Dager, Stephen; Paterson, Sarah J.; Schultz, Robert T.; Styner, Martin A.; Gerig, Guido; Das, Samir; Kostopoulos, Penelope; Schlaggar, Bradley L.; Petersen, Steven E.; Piven, Joseph; Pruett, John R.

2017-01-01

Abstract Initiating joint attention (IJA), the behavioral instigation of coordinated focus of 2 people on an object, emerges over the first 2 years of life and supports social-communicative functioning related to the healthy development of aspects of language, empathy, and theory of mind. Deficits in IJA provide strong early indicators for autism spectrum disorder, and therapies targeting joint attention have shown tremendous promise. However, the brain systems underlying IJA in early childhood are poorly understood, due in part to significant methodological challenges in imaging localized brain function that supports social behaviors during the first 2 years of life. Herein, we show that the functional organization of the brain is intimately related to the emergence of IJA using functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging and dimensional behavioral assessments in a large semilongitudinal cohort of infants and toddlers. In particular, though functional connections spanning the brain are involved in IJA, the strongest brain-behavior associations cluster within connections between a small subset of functional brain networks; namely between the visual network and dorsal attention network and between the visual network and posterior cingulate aspects of the default mode network. These observations mark the earliest known description of how functional brain systems underlie a burgeoning fundamental social behavior, may help improve the design of targeted therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders, and, more generally, elucidate physiological mechanisms essential to healthy social behavior development. PMID:28062515

Getting the message out about cognitive health: a cross-cultural comparison of older adults' media awareness and communication needs on how to maintain a healthy brain.

PubMed

Friedman, Daniela B; Laditka, James N; Hunter, Rebecca; Ivey, Susan L; Wu, Bei; Laditka, Sarah B; Tseng, Winston; Corwin, Sara J; Liu, Rui; Mathews, Anna E

2009-06-01

Evidence suggests that physical activity and healthy diets may help to maintain cognitive function, reducing risks of developing Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Using a cross-cultural focus, we describe older adults' awareness about cognitive health, and their ideas about how to inform and motivate others to engage in activities that may maintain brain health. Nineteen focus groups were conducted in 3 states (California, North Carolina, South Carolina) with 177 adults aged 50 years and older. Six groups were with African Americans (AAs), 4 with Chinese, 3 with Vietnamese, 4 with non-Hispanic Whites, and 2 with American Indians (AIs). A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted. Many participants did not recall reading or hearing about brain health in the media. Participants recommended a multimedia approach to inform others about brain health. Both interpersonal and social/group motivational strategies were suggested. Word of mouth and testimonials were recommended most often by Chinese and Vietnamese. AAs and AIs suggested brain health education at church; AAs, Chinese, and Vietnamese said brain health slogans should be spiritual. Participants' perceived barriers to seeking brain health information included watching too much TV and confusing media information. Findings on communication strategies for reaching racial/ethnic groups with brain health information will help guide message and intervention development for diverse older adults.

Gray and white matter volume abnormalities in monozygotic and same-gender dizygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E; Brans, Rachel G H; van Haren, Neeltje E M; Schnack, Hugo G; Langen, Marieke; Baaré, Wim F C; van Oel, Clarine J; Kahn, René S

2004-01-15

Whole brain tissue volume decreases in schizophrenia have been related to both genetic risk factors and disease-related (possibly nongenetic) factors; however, whether genetic and environmental risk factors in the brains of patients with schizophrenia are differentially reflected in gray or white matter volume change is not known. Magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) brain scans of 11 monozygotic and 11 same-gender dizygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia were acquired and compared with 11 monozygotic and 11 same-gender dizygotic healthy control twin pairs. Repeated-measures volume analysis of covariance revealed decreased whole brain volume in the patients with schizophrenia as compared with their co-twins and with healthy twin pairs. Decreased white matter volume was found in discordant twin pairs compared with healthy twin pairs, particularly in the monozygotic twin pairs. A decrease in gray matter was found in the patients compared with their co-twins and compared with the healthy twins. The results suggest that the decreases in white matter volume reflect the increased genetic risk to develop schizophrenia, whereas the decreases in gray matter volume are related to environmental risk factors. Study of genes involved in the (maintenance) of white matter structures may be particularly fruitful in schizophrenia.

Greater regional brain atrophy rate in healthy elders with a history of cigarette smoking

PubMed Central

Durazzo, Timothy C.; Insel, Philip S.; Weiner, Michael W.; Initiative, the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging

2011-01-01

Background Little is known about the effects of cigarette smoking on brain morphological changes in the elderly. This study investigated the effects of a history of cigarette smoking on changes in regional brain volumes over 2-years in healthy, cognitively-intact elderly individuals. We predicted individuals with a history of cigarette smoking, compared to never smokers, demonstrate greater rate of atrophy over 2-years in regions that manifest morphological abnormalities in the early stages of Alzheimer Disease (AD), as well as the extended brain reward system (BRS), which is implicated in the development and maintenance of substance use disorders. Methods Participants were healthy, cognitively normal elderly controls (75.9±4.8 years of age) with any lifetime history of cigarette smoking (n = 68) and no history of smoking (n = 118). Data was obtained via the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative from 2005–2010. Participants completed four magnetic resonance scans over 2-years. A standardized protocol employing high resolution 3D T1-weighted sequences at 1.5 Tesla was used for structural imaging and regional brain volumetric analyses. Results Smokers demonstrated significantly greater rate atrophy over 2-years than non-smokers in multiple brain regions associated with the early stages of AD as well as in the BRS. Groups were not different on rate of global cortical atrophy. Conclusions A history of cigarette smoking in this healthy elderly cohort was associated with decreased structural integrity of multiple brain regions, which was manifest as a greater rate of atrophy over 2-years in regions specifically affected by incipient AD as well as chronic substance abuse. PMID:23102121

A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training

PubMed Central

Sherwood, Matthew S.; Diller, Emily E.; Ey, Elizabeth; Ganapathy, Subhashini; Nelson, Jeremy T.; Parker, Jason G.

2017-01-01

Neurologic disorders are characterized by abnormal cellular-, molecular-, and circuit-level functions in the brain. New methods to induce and control neuroplastic processes and correct abnormal function, or even shift functions from damaged tissue to physiologically healthy brain regions, hold the potential to dramatically improve overall health. Of the current neuroplastic interventions in development, neurofeedback training (NFT) from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has the advantages of being completely non-invasive, non-pharmacologic, and spatially localized to target brain regions, as well as having no known side effects. Furthermore, NFT techniques, initially developed using fMRI, can often be translated to exercises that can be performed outside of the scanner without the aid of medical professionals or sophisticated medical equipment. In fMRI NFT, the fMRI signal is measured from specific regions of the brain, processed, and presented to the participant in real-time. Through training, self-directed mental processing techniques, that regulate this signal and its underlying neurophysiologic correlates, are developed. FMRI NFT has been used to train volitional control over a wide range of brain regions with implications for several different cognitive, behavioral, and motor systems. Additionally, fMRI NFT has shown promise in a broad range of applications such as the treatment of neurologic disorders and the augmentation of baseline human performance. In this article, we present an fMRI NFT protocol developed at our institution for modulation of both healthy and abnormal brain function, as well as examples of using the method to target both cognitive and auditory regions of the brain. PMID:28872110

A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training.

PubMed

Sherwood, Matthew S; Diller, Emily E; Ey, Elizabeth; Ganapathy, Subhashini; Nelson, Jeremy T; Parker, Jason G

2017-08-24

Neurologic disorders are characterized by abnormal cellular-, molecular-, and circuit-level functions in the brain. New methods to induce and control neuroplastic processes and correct abnormal function, or even shift functions from damaged tissue to physiologically healthy brain regions, hold the potential to dramatically improve overall health. Of the current neuroplastic interventions in development, neurofeedback training (NFT) from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has the advantages of being completely non-invasive, non-pharmacologic, and spatially localized to target brain regions, as well as having no known side effects. Furthermore, NFT techniques, initially developed using fMRI, can often be translated to exercises that can be performed outside of the scanner without the aid of medical professionals or sophisticated medical equipment. In fMRI NFT, the fMRI signal is measured from specific regions of the brain, processed, and presented to the participant in real-time. Through training, self-directed mental processing techniques, that regulate this signal and its underlying neurophysiologic correlates, are developed. FMRI NFT has been used to train volitional control over a wide range of brain regions with implications for several different cognitive, behavioral, and motor systems. Additionally, fMRI NFT has shown promise in a broad range of applications such as the treatment of neurologic disorders and the augmentation of baseline human performance. In this article, we present an fMRI NFT protocol developed at our institution for modulation of both healthy and abnormal brain function, as well as examples of using the method to target both cognitive and auditory regions of the brain.

Evolving knowledge of sex differences in brain structure, function, and chemistry.

PubMed

Cosgrove, Kelly P; Mazure, Carolyn M; Staley, Julie K

2007-10-15

Clinical and epidemiologic evidence demonstrates sex differences in the prevalence and course of various psychiatric disorders. Understanding sex-specific brain differences in healthy individuals is a critical first step toward understanding sex-specific expression of psychiatric disorders. Here, we evaluate evidence on sex differences in brain structure, chemistry, and function using imaging methodologies, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in mentally healthy individuals. MEDLINE searches of English-language literature (1980-November 2006) using the terms sex, gender, PET, SPECT, MRI, fMRI, morphometry, neurochemistry, and neurotransmission were performed to extract relevant sources. The literature suggests that while there are many similarities in brain structure, function, and neurotransmission in healthy men and women, there are important differences that distinguish the male from the female brain. Overall, brain volume is greater in men than women; yet, when controlling for total volume, women have a higher percentage of gray matter and men a higher percentage of white matter. Regional volume differences are less consistent. Global cerebral blood flow is higher in women than in men. Sex-specific differences in dopaminergic, serotonergic, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic markers indicate that male and female brains are neurochemically distinct. Insight into the etiology of sex differences in the normal living human brain provides an important foundation to delineate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders and to guide the development of sex-specific treatments for these devastating brain disorders.

Development of an autofluorescent probe designed to help brain tumor removal: study on an animal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siebert, R.; Leh, B.; Charon, Y.; Collado-Hilly, M.; Duval, M.-A.; Menard, L.; Monnet, F. P.; Varlet, P.

2010-02-01

The complete resection of the brain tumour is crucial to the patient life quality and prognosis. An autofluorescence probe aiming at helping the surgeon to improve the completeness of the removal is being developed. Autofluorescence spectroscopy is a promising approach to define whether the tissue is cancerous or not. First ex vivo measurements have been realised on an animal model. After tumorous cell injection in rat brain, autofluorescence intensity is revealed from the extracted brain. These autofluorescence data are compared to results from a histological analysis of same brains. First indicators are identified that may have the ability to differentiate tumorous and healthy tissues.

Three-dimensional brain growth abnormalities in childhood-onset schizophrenia visualized by using tensor-based morphometry.

PubMed

Gogtay, Nitin; Lu, Allen; Leow, Alex D; Klunder, Andrea D; Lee, Agatha D; Chavez, Alex; Greenstein, Deanna; Giedd, Jay N; Toga, Arthur W; Rapoport, Judith L; Thompson, Paul M

2008-10-14

Earlier studies revealed progressive cortical gray matter (GM) loss in childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) across both lateral and medial surfaces of the developing brain. Here, we use tensor-based morphometry to visualize white matter (WM) growth abnormalities in COS throughout the brain. Using high-dimensional elastic image registration, we compared 3D maps of local WM growth rates in COS patients and healthy children over a 5-year period, based on analyzing longitudinal brain MRIs from 12 COS patients and 12 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and scan interval. COS patients showed up to 2.2% slower growth rates per year than healthy controls in WM (P = 0.02, all P values corrected). The greatest differences were in the right hemisphere (P = 0.006). This asymmetry was attributable to a right slower than left hemisphere growth rate mapped in COS patients (P = 0.037) but not in healthy controls. WM growth rates reached 2.6% per year in healthy controls (P = 0.0002). COS patients showed only a 1.3% per year trend for growth in the left hemisphere (P = 0.066). In COS, WM growth rates were associated with improvement in the Children's Global Assessment Scale (R = 0.64, P = 0.029). Growth rates were reduced throughout the brain in COS, but this process appeared to progress in a front-to-back (frontal-parietal) fashion, and this effect was not attributable to lower IQ. Growth rates were correlated with functional prognosis and were visualized as detailed 3D maps. Finally, these findings also confirm that the progressive GM deficits seen in schizophrenia are not the result of WM overgrowth.

Segmentation of tumor and edema along with healthy tissues of brain using wavelets and neural networks.

PubMed

Demirhan, Ayşe; Toru, Mustafa; Guler, Inan

2015-07-01

Robust brain magnetic resonance (MR) segmentation algorithms are critical to analyze tissues and diagnose tumor and edema in a quantitative way. In this study, we present a new tissue segmentation algorithm that segments brain MR images into tumor, edema, white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The detection of the healthy tissues is performed simultaneously with the diseased tissues because examining the change caused by the spread of tumor and edema on healthy tissues is very important for treatment planning. We used T1, T2, and FLAIR MR images of 20 subjects suffering from glial tumor. We developed an algorithm for stripping the skull before the segmentation process. The segmentation is performed using self-organizing map (SOM) that is trained with unsupervised learning algorithm and fine-tuned with learning vector quantization (LVQ). Unlike other studies, we developed an algorithm for clustering the SOM instead of using an additional network. Input feature vector is constructed with the features obtained from stationary wavelet transform (SWT) coefficients. The results showed that average dice similarity indexes are 91% for WM, 87% for GM, 96% for CSF, 61% for tumor, and 77% for edema.

Developmental Topographical Disorientation in a Healthy Subject

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bianchini, F.; Incoccia, C.; Palermo, L.; Piccardi, L.; Zompanti, L.; Sabatini, U.; Peran, P.; Guariglia, C.

2010-01-01

We present the case of F.G., a healthy, normally developed 22-year-old male subject affected by a pervasive disorder in environmental orientation and navigation who presents no history of neurological or psychiatric disease. A neuro-radiological examination showed no evidence of anatomical or structural alterations to the brain. We submitted the…

Brain surface contraction mapped in first-episode schizophrenia: a longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study

PubMed Central

Sun, D; Stuart, GW; Jenkinson, M; Wood, SJ; McGorry, PD; Velakoulis, D; van Erp, TGM; Thompson, PM; Toga, AW; Smith, DJ; Cannon, TD; Pantelis, C

2009-01-01

Schizophrenia is associated with structural brain abnormalities, but the timing of onset and course of these changes remains unclear. Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated progressive brain volume decreases in patients around and after the onset of illness, although considerable discrepancies exist regarding which brain regions are affected. The anatomical pattern of these progressive changes in schizophrenia is largely unknown. In this study, MRI scans were acquired repeatedly from 16 schizophrenia patients approximately 2 years apart following their first episode of illness, and also from 14 age-matched healthy subjects. Cortical Pattern Matching, in combination with Structural Image Evaluation, using Normalisation, of Atrophy, was applied to compare the rates of cortical surface contraction between patients and controls. Surface contraction in the dorsal surfaces of the frontal lobe was significantly greater in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FESZ) compared with healthy controls. Overall, brain surface contraction in patients and healthy controls showed similar anatomical patterns, with that of the former group exaggerated in magnitude across the entire brain surface. That the pattern of structural change in the early course of schizophrenia corresponds so closely to that associated with normal development is consistent with the hypothesis that a schizophrenia-related factor interacts with normal adolescent brain developmental processes in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The exaggerated progressive changes seen in patients with schizophrenia may reflect an increased rate of synaptic pruning, resulting in excessive loss of neuronal connectivity, as predicted by the late neurodevelopmental hypothesis of the illness. PMID:18607377

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates.

PubMed

Tyas, Suzanne L; Snowdon, David A; Desrosiers, Mark F; Riley, Kathryn P; Markesbery, William R

2007-11-01

Although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. To develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. The biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing.

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates

PubMed Central

Tyas, Suzanne L.; Snowdon, David A.; Desrosiers, Mark F.; Riley, Kathryn P.; Markesbery, William R.

2008-01-01

Background although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. Objective to develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Methods analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Results only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. Conclusions the biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing. PMID:17906306

Effect of Experimental Thyrotoxicosis on Brain Gray Matter: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study.

PubMed

Göbel, Anna; Heldmann, Marcus; Göttlich, Martin; Dirk, Anna-Luise; Brabant, Georg; Münte, Thomas F

2015-09-01

Hyper-as well hypothyroidism have an effect on behavior and brain function. Moreover, during development thyroid hormones influence brain structure. This study aimed to demonstrate an effect of experimentally induced hyperthyroidism on brain gray matter in healthy adult humans. High-resolution 3D T1-weighted images were acquired in 29 healthy young subjects prior to as well as after receiving 250 µg of T4 per day for 8 weeks. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed using Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 (SPM8). Laboratory testing confirmed the induction of hyperthyroidism. In the hyperthyroid condition, gray matter volumes were increased in the right posterior cerebellum (lobule VI) and decreased in the bilateral visual cortex and anterior cerebellum (lobules I-IV) compared to the euthyroid condition. Our study provides evidence that short periods of hyperthyroidism induce distinct alterations in brain structures of cerebellar regions that have been associated with sensorimotor functions as well as working memory in the literature.

Global and Regional Differences in Brain Anatomy of Young Children Born Small for Gestational Age

PubMed Central

De Bie, Henrica M. A.; Oostrom, Kim J.; Boersma, Maria; Veltman, Dick J.; Barkhof, Frederik

2011-01-01

In children who are born small for gestational age (SGA), an adverse intrauterine environment has led to underdevelopment of both the body and the brain. The delay in body growth is (partially) restored during the first two years in a majority of these children. In addition to a negative influence on these physical parameters, decreased levels of intelligence and cognitive impairments have been described in children born SGA. In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain anatomy in 4- to 7-year-old SGA children with and without complete bodily catch-up growth and compared them to healthy children born appropriate for gestational age. Our findings demonstrate that these children strongly differ on brain organisation when compared with healthy controls relating to both global and regional anatomical differences. Children born SGA displayed reduced cerebral and cerebellar grey and white matter volumes, smaller volumes of subcortical structures and reduced cortical surface area. Regional differences in prefrontal cortical thickness suggest a different development of the cerebral cortex. SGA children with bodily catch-up growth constitute an intermediate between those children without catch-up growth and healthy controls. Therefore, bodily catch-up growth in children born SGA does not implicate full catch-up growth of the brain. PMID:21931650

Activity of antioxidant enzymes and concentration of lipid peroxidation products in selected tissues of mice of different ages, both healthy and melanoma-bearing.

PubMed

Woźniak, A; Drewa, G; Woźniak, B; Schachtschabel, D O

2004-06-01

The activity of antioxidant enzymes and the concentration of the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) as indicator of oxidative damage were determined in selected tissues of healthy mice and transplanted B16 melanoma-bearing mice with increasing age. A total of 60 male mice were divided into 6 groups. Groups 1, 2 and 3 consisted of tumor-free, healthy mice aged 1, 9 and 16 months, respectively (average life span: 2 years). Groups 4, 5 and 6 consisted of mice of the same age as the healthy mice, but given intraperitoneally 10(6) cells of B16 melanoma for 2 weeks. An increase in the concentration of MDA was found in all the studied tissues (brain, liver, lungs, erythrocytes) and blood plasma of 16-month old healthy mice compared with the younger ones. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) was elevated in the brain and the activity of CAT and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver of aged healthy mice. The transplantation of melanoma caused an increase of the concentration of MDA and of the activity of all studied enzymes in all tissues. This elevation was most pronounced in the youngest mice group 4 and was higher than in the oldest healthy group 3. Thus, these early changes of the "(anti-)oxidative status" in the investigated tissues caused by the tumor development have similarities with age-associated alterations of healthy mice, especially in regard to MDA in all tissues or SOD and CAT in brain.

REVISITING GLYCOGEN CONTENT IN THE HUMAN BRAIN

PubMed Central

Öz, Gülin; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Kumar, Anjali; Moheet, Amir; Seaquist, Elizabeth R.

2015-01-01

Glycogen provides an important glucose reservoir in the brain since the concentration of glucosyl units stored in glycogen is several fold higher than free glucose available in brain tissue. We have previously reported 3–4 µmol/g brain glycogen content using in vivo 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in conjunction with [1-13C]glucose administration in healthy humans, while higher levels were reported in the rodent brain. Due to the slow turnover of bulk brain glycogen in humans, complete turnover of the glycogen pool, estimated to take 3–5 days, was not observed in these prior studies. In an attempt to reach complete turnover and thereby steady state 13C labeling in glycogen, here we administered [1-13C]glucose to healthy volunteers for 80 hours. To eliminate any net glycogen synthesis during this period and thereby achieve an accurate estimate of glycogen concentration, volunteers were maintained at euglycemic blood glucose levels during [1-13C]glucose administration and 13C-glycogen levels in the occipital lobe were measured by 13C MRS approximately every 12 hours. Finally, we fitted the data with a biophysical model that was recently developed to take into account the tiered structure of the glycogen molecule and additionally incorporated blood glucose levels and isotopic enrichments as input function in the model. We obtained excellent fits of the model to the 13C-glycogen data, and glycogen content in the healthy human brain tissue was found to be 7.8 ± 0.3 µmol/g, a value substantially higher than previous estimates of glycogen content in the human brain. PMID:26202425

Revisiting Glycogen Content in the Human Brain.

PubMed

Öz, Gülin; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Kumar, Anjali; Moheet, Amir; Seaquist, Elizabeth R

2015-12-01

Glycogen provides an important glucose reservoir in the brain since the concentration of glucosyl units stored in glycogen is several fold higher than free glucose available in brain tissue. We have previously reported 3-4 µmol/g brain glycogen content using in vivo (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in conjunction with [1-(13)C]glucose administration in healthy humans, while higher levels were reported in the rodent brain. Due to the slow turnover of bulk brain glycogen in humans, complete turnover of the glycogen pool, estimated to take 3-5 days, was not observed in these prior studies. In an attempt to reach complete turnover and thereby steady state (13)C labeling in glycogen, here we administered [1-(13)C]glucose to healthy volunteers for 80 h. To eliminate any net glycogen synthesis during this period and thereby achieve an accurate estimate of glycogen concentration, volunteers were maintained at euglycemic blood glucose levels during [1-(13)C]glucose administration and (13)C-glycogen levels in the occipital lobe were measured by (13)C MRS approximately every 12 h. Finally, we fitted the data with a biophysical model that was recently developed to take into account the tiered structure of the glycogen molecule and additionally incorporated blood glucose levels and isotopic enrichments as input function in the model. We obtained excellent fits of the model to the (13)C-glycogen data, and glycogen content in the healthy human brain tissue was found to be 7.8 ± 0.3 µmol/g, a value substantially higher than previous estimates of glycogen content in the human brain.

Permeability of blood-brain barrier in macaque model of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Thiollier, Thibaud; Wu, Caisheng; Contamin, Hugues; Li, Qin; Zhang, Jinlan; Bezard, Erwan

2016-06-01

Brain bioavailability of drugs developed to address central nervous system diseases is classically documented through cerebrospinal fluid collected in normal animals, i.e., through an approximation as there are fundamental differences between cerebrospinal fluid and tissue contents. The fact that disease might affect brain availability of drugs is almost never considered at this stage although several conditions are associated with blood-brain barrier damage. Building upon our expertise in Parkinson's disease translational research, the present study addressed this gap comparing plasma and cerebrospinal fluid bioavailability of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, carbamazepine, quinidine, lovastatin, and simvastatin, in healthy and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-treated macaques, the gold standard model of Parkinson's disease. The drugs were selected based upon their differential transport across the blood-brain barrier. Interestingly, brain bioavailability of quinidine was decreased while others were unaffected. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics experiments of drugs addressing Parkinson's disease might thus be performed in healthy animals unless the drugs are known to interact with the organic cation transporter. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abnormal functional activation and maturation of ventromedial prefrontal cortex and cerebellum during temporal discounting in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Murphy, Clodagh M; Christakou, Anastasia; Giampietro, Vincent; Brammer, Michael; Daly, Eileen M; Ecker, Christine; Johnston, Patrick; Spain, Debbie; Robertson, Dene M; Murphy, Declan G; Rubia, Katya

2017-11-01

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have poor decision-making and temporal foresight. This may adversely impact on their everyday life, mental health, and productivity. However, the neural substrates underlying poor choice behavior in people with ASD, or its' neurofunctional development from childhood to adulthood, are unknown. Despite evidence of atypical structural brain development in ASD, investigation of functional brain maturation in people with ASD is lacking. This cross-sectional developmental fMRI study investigated the neural substrates underlying performance on a temporal discounting (TD) task in 38 healthy (11-35 years old) male adolescents and adults with ASD and 40 age, sex, and IQ-matched typically developing healthy controls. Most importantly, we assessed group differences in the neurofunctional maturation of TD across childhood and adulthood. Males with ASD had significantly poorer task performance and significantly lower brain activation in typical regions that mediate TD for delayed choices, in predominantly right hemispheric regions of ventrolateral/dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, striatolimbic regions, and cerebellum. Importantly, differential activation in ventromedial frontal cortex and cerebellum was associated with abnormal functional brain maturation; controls, in contrast to people with ASD, showed progressively increasing activation with increasing age in these regions; which furthermore was associated with performance measures and clinical ASD measures (stereotyped/restricted interests). Findings provide first cross-sectional evidence that reduced activation of TD mediating brain regions in people with ASD during TD is associated with abnormal functional brain development in these regions between childhood and adulthood, and this is related to poor task performance and clinical measures of ASD. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5343-5355, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

What does brain response to neutral faces tell us about major depression? evidence from machine learning and fMRI.

PubMed

Oliveira, Leticia; Ladouceur, Cecile D; Phillips, Mary L; Brammer, Michael; Mourao-Miranda, Janaina

2013-01-01

A considerable number of previous studies have shown abnormalities in the processing of emotional faces in major depression. Fewer studies, however, have focused specifically on abnormal processing of neutral faces despite evidence that depressed patients are slow and less accurate at recognizing neutral expressions in comparison with healthy controls. The current study aimed to investigate whether this misclassification described behaviourally for neutral faces also occurred when classifying patterns of brain activation to neutral faces for these patients. TWO INDEPENDENT DEPRESSED SAMPLES: (1) Nineteen medication-free patients with depression and 19 healthy volunteers and (2) Eighteen depressed individuals and 18 age and gender-ratio-matched healthy volunteers viewed emotional faces (sad/neutral; happy/neutral) during an fMRI experiment. We used a new pattern recognition framework: first, we trained the classifier to discriminate between two brain states (e.g. viewing happy faces vs. viewing neutral faces) using data only from healthy controls (HC). Second, we tested the classifier using patterns of brain activation of a patient and a healthy control for the same stimuli. Finally, we tested if the classifier's predictions (predictive probabilities) for emotional and neutral face classification were different for healthy controls and depressed patients. Predictive probabilities to patterns of brain activation to neutral faces in both groups of patients were significantly lower in comparison to the healthy controls. This difference was specific to neutral faces. There were no significant differences in predictive probabilities to patterns of brain activation to sad faces (sample 1) and happy faces (samples 2) between depressed patients and healthy controls. Our results suggest that the pattern of brain activation to neutral faces in depressed patients is not consistent with the pattern observed in healthy controls subject to the same stimuli. This difference in brain activation might underlie the behavioural misinterpretation of the neutral faces content by the depressed patients.

Memory activation in healthy nonagenarians.

PubMed

Beeri, Michal Schnaider; Lee, Hedok; Cheng, Hu; Wollman, Daniel; Silverman, Jeremy M; Prohovnik, Isak

2011-03-01

Little is known about brain function in the oldest old, although this is the fastest growing segment of the population in developed countries and is of paramount importance in public health considerations. In this study, we investigated the cerebral response to a memory task in healthy subjects over age 90 compared with healthy younger elderly. We studied 29 healthy elderly subjects, 12 over age 90 and 17 between age 70 and 80. All subjects were cognitively intact, as verified by a neuropsychological battery, and performed a nonverbal memory task while undergoing a functional MRI (fMRI). Activation results were analyzed by a random-effects ANCOVA using SPM5. The task resulted in activation of similar areas of the posterior temporal, parietal, and posterior frontal cortexes, but the activation was more robust in the younger subjects, especially in the right hippocampus, and parietal and temporal cortices. This finding remained after controlling for education, cognition, task performance or cerebral atrophy. The phenomenon of relatively maintained performance, despite significant brain atrophy and lower activation is consistent with the cognitive reserve theory and may be specific to subjects with extremely successful aging. Further investigation of brain activation patterns in the oldest old is warranted. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural Correlates of Self and Its Interaction With Memory in Healthy Adolescents.

PubMed

Dégeilh, Fanny; Guillery-Girard, Bérengère; Dayan, Jacques; Gaubert, Malo; Chételat, Gaël; Egler, Pierre-Jean; Baleyte, Jean-Marc; Eustache, Francis; Viard, Armelle

2015-01-01

Adolescence is marked by the development of personal identity and is associated with structural and functional changes in brain regions associated with Self processing. Yet, little is known about the neural correlates of self-reference processing and self-reference effect in adolescents. This functional magnetic resonance imaging study consists of a self-reference paradigm followed by a recognition test proposed to 30 healthy adolescents aged 13-18 years old. Results showed that the rostral anterior cingulate cortex is specifically involved in self-reference processing and that this specialization develops gradually from 13 to 18 years old. The self-reference effect is associated with increased brain activation changes during encoding, suggesting that the beneficial effect of Self on memory may occur at encoding of self-referential information, rather than at retrieval. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Recommendations for Development of New Standardized Forms of Cocoa Breeds and Cocoa Extract Processing for the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease: Role of Cocoa in Promotion of Cognitive Resilience and Healthy Brain Aging.

PubMed

Dubner, Lauren; Wang, Jun; Ho, Lap; Ward, Libby; Pasinetti, Giulio M

2015-01-01

It is currently thought that the lackluster performance of translational paradigms in the prevention of age-related cognitive deteriorative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), may be due to the inadequacy of the prevailing approach of targeting only a single mechanism. Age-related cognitive deterioration and certain neurodegenerative disorders, including AD, are characterized by complex relationships between interrelated biological phenotypes. Thus, alternative strategies that simultaneously target multiple underlying mechanisms may represent a more effective approach to prevention, which is a strategic priority of the National Alzheimer's Project Act and the National Institute on Aging. In this review article, we discuss recent strategies designed to clarify the mechanisms by which certain brain-bioavailable, bioactive polyphenols, in particular, flavan-3-ols also known as flavanols, which are highly represented in cocoa extracts, may beneficially influence cognitive deterioration, such as in AD, while promoting healthy brain aging. However, we note that key issues to improve consistency and reproducibility in the development of cocoa extracts as a potential future therapeutic agent requires a better understanding of the cocoa extract sources, their processing, and more standardized testing including brain bioavailability of bioactive metabolites and brain target engagement studies. The ultimate goal of this review is to provide recommendations for future developments of cocoa extracts as a therapeutic agent in AD.

Onset of multiple sclerosis before adulthood leads to failure of age-expected brain growth

PubMed Central

Aubert-Broche, Bérengère; Fonov, Vladimir; Narayanan, Sridar; Arnold, Douglas L.; Araujo, David; Fetco, Dumitru; Till, Christine; Sled, John G.; Collins, D. Louis

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the impact of pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) on age-expected brain growth. Methods: Whole brain and regional volumes of 36 patients with relapsing-remitting MS onset prior to 18 years of age were segmented in 185 longitudinal MRI scans (2–11 scans per participant, 3-month to 2-year scan intervals). MRI scans of 25 age- and sex-matched healthy normal controls (NC) were also acquired at baseline and 2 years later on the same scanner as the MS group. A total of 874 scans from 339 participants from the NIH-funded MRI study of normal brain development acquired at 2-year intervals were used as an age-expected healthy growth reference. All data were analyzed with an automatic image processing pipeline to estimate the volume of brain and brain substructures. Mixed-effect models were built using age, sex, and group as fixed effects. Results: Significant group and age interactions were found with the adjusted models fitting brain volumes and normalized thalamus volumes (p < 10−4). These findings indicate a failure of age-normative brain growth for the MS group, and an even greater failure of thalamic growth. In patients with MS, T2 lesion volume correlated with a greater reduction in age-expected thalamic volume. To exclude any scanner-related influence on our data, we confirmed no significant interaction of group in the adjusted models between the NC and NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development groups. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that the onset of MS during childhood and adolescence limits age-expected primary brain growth and leads to subsequent brain atrophy, implicating an early onset of the neurodegenerative aspect of MS. PMID:25378667

Sleep in adolescence: physiology, cognition and mental health

PubMed Central

Tarokh, Leila; Saletin, Jared M.; Carskadon, Mary A.

2016-01-01

Sleep is a core behavior of adolescents, consuming up to a third or more of each day. As part of this special issue on the adolescent brain, we review changes to sleep behaviors and sleep physiology during adolescence with a particular focus on the sleeping brain. We posit that brain activity during sleep may provide a unique window onto adolescent cortical maturation and compliment waking measures. In addition, we review how sleep actively supports waking cognitive functioning in adolescence. Though this review is focused on sleep in healthy adolescents, the striking comorbidity of sleep disruption with nearly all psychiatric and developmental disorders (for reviews see 1,2) further highlights the importance of understanding the determinants and consequences of adolescent sleep for the developing brain. Figure 1 illustrates the overarching themes of our review, linking brain development, sleep development, and behavioral outcomes. PMID:27531236

Altered Markers of Brain Development in Crohn’s Disease with Extraintestinal Manifestations – A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Thomann, Philipp A.; Wolf, Robert C.; Hirjak, Dusan; Schmahl, Christian; Ebert, Matthias P.; Szabo, Kristina; Reindl, Wolfgang; Griebe, Martin

2016-01-01

Background and Objective Alterations of brain morphology in Crohn’s disease have been reported, but data is scarce and heterogenous and the possible impact of disease predisposition on brain development is unknown. Assuming a systemic course of the disease, brain involvement seems more probable in presence of extraintestinal manifestations, but this question has not yet been addressed. The present study examined the relationship between Crohn’s disease and brain structure and focused on the connection with extraintestinal manifestations and markers of brain development. Methods In a pilot study, brains of 15 patients with Crohn’s disease (of which 9 had a history of extraintestinal manifestations, i.e. arthritis, erythema nodosum and primary sclerosing cholangitis) were compared to matched healthy controls using high resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Patients and controls were tested for depression, fatigue and global cognitive function. Cortical thickness, surface area and folding were determined via cortical surface modeling. Results The overall group comparison (i.e. all patients vs. controls) yielded no significant results. In the patient subgroup with extraintestinal manifestations, changes in cortical area and folding, but not thickness, were identified: Patients showed elevated cortical surface area in the left middle frontal lobe (p<0.05) and hypergyrification in the left lingual gyrus (p<0.001) compared to healthy controls. Hypogyrification of the right insular cortex (p<0.05) and hypergyrification of the right anterior cingulate cortex (p<0.001) were detected in the subgroup comparison of patients with against without extraintestinal manifestations. P-values are corrected for multiple comparisons. Conclusions Our findings lend further support to the hypothesis that Crohn’s disease is associated with aberrant brain structure and preliminary support for the hypothesis that these changes are associated with a systemic course of the disease as indicated by extraintestinal manifestations. Changes in cortical surface area and folding suggest a possible involvement of Crohn’s disease or its predisposition during brain development. PMID:27655165

Rich Experiences, Physical Activity Create Healthy Brains: An Interview with Developmental Psychologist William Greenough. Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Marcy, Ed.

2006-01-01

In this interview, Council member William Greenough discusses the need for rich, complex experiences combined with physical activity in early childhood to help build a strong foundation for learning. He explains how rich, complex experiences are necessary for the development of sound brain architecture, particularly during early childhood, but…

Keep Your Brain Fit! A Psychoeducational Training Program for Healthy Cognitive Aging: A Feasibility Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reijnders, Jennifer; van Heugten, Caroline; van Boxtel, Martin

2015-01-01

A psychoeducational face-to-face training program (Keep Your Brain Fit!) was developed to support the working population in coping with age-related cognitive changes and taking proactive preventive measures to maintain cognitive health. A feasibility study was conducted to test the training program presented in a workshop format. Participants…

Spiritually Responsive Education and Care: Nurturing Infants and Toddlers in a Changing Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Darla Ferris

2014-01-01

Long before empirical neurological research validated her insight, Montessori understood that healthy, full-term babies come equipped with a physiological passion for learning. Brain studies have confirmed that most of the brain's development and inner wiring occurs during the first 2 years of life. A newborn's neurons have sparse, weak…

Effects of Insulin on Brain Glucose Metabolism in Impaired Glucose Tolerance

PubMed Central

Hirvonen, Jussi; Virtanen, Kirsi A.; Nummenmaa, Lauri; Hannukainen, Jarna C.; Honka, Miikka-Juhani; Bucci, Marco; Nesterov, Sergey V.; Parkkola, Riitta; Rinne, Juha; Iozzo, Patricia; Nuutila, Pirjo

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE Insulin stimulates brain glucose metabolism, but this effect of insulin is already maximal at fasting concentrations in healthy subjects. It is not known whether insulin is able to stimulate glucose metabolism above fasting concentrations in patients with impaired glucose tolerance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied the effects of insulin on brain glucose metabolism and cerebral blood flow in 13 patients with impaired glucose tolerance and nine healthy subjects using positron emission tomography (PET). All subjects underwent PET with both [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (for brain glucose metabolism) and [15O]H2O (for cerebral blood flow) in two separate conditions (in the fasting state and during a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp). Arterial blood samples were acquired during the PET scans to allow fully quantitative modeling. RESULTS The hyperinsulinemic clamp increased brain glucose metabolism only in patients with impaired glucose tolerance (whole brain: +18%, P = 0.001) but not in healthy subjects (whole brain: +3.9%, P = 0.373). The hyperinsulinemic clamp did not alter cerebral blood flow in either group. CONCLUSIONS We found that insulin stimulates brain glucose metabolism at physiological postprandial levels in patients with impaired glucose tolerance but not in healthy subjects. These results suggest that insulin stimulation of brain glucose metabolism is maximal at fasting concentrations in healthy subjects but not in patients with impaired glucose tolerance. PMID:21270256

Increased frequency of brain pathology in inmates of a high-security forensic institution: a qualitative CT and MRI scan study.

PubMed

Witzel, Joachim G; Bogerts, Bernhard; Schiltz, Kolja

2016-09-01

This study aimed to assess whether brain pathology might be more abundant in forensic inpatients in a high-security setting than in non-criminal individuals. By using a previously used reliable approach, we explored the frequency and extent of brain pathology in a large group of institutionalized offenders who had not previously been considered to be suffering from structural brain damage and compare it to healthy, non-offending subjects. MRI and CT brain scans from 148 male inpatients of a high-security mental health institution (offense type: 51 sex, 80 violent, 9 arson, and 8 nonviolent) that were obtained due to headache, vertigo, or psychological complaints during imprisonment were assessed and compared to 52 non-criminal healthy controls. Brain scans were assessed qualitatively with respect to evidence of structural brain damage. Each case received a semiquantitative rating of "normal" (=0), "questionably abnormal" (=1), or "definitely abnormal" (=2) for the lateral ventricles, frontal/parietal cortex, and medial temporal structures bilaterally as well as third ventricle. Forensic inpatients displayed signs of brain damage to a significantly higher degree than healthy controls (p < 0.001). Even after adjustment for age, in the patients, being younger than the controls (p < 0.05), every offender type group displayed a higher proportion of subjects with brain regions categorized as definitely abnormal than the non-criminal controls. Within the forensic inpatients, offense type groups did not significantly differ in brain pathology. The astonishingly high prevalence of brain pathology in institutionalized inmates of a high-security mental health institution who previously had not been considered to be suffering from an organic brain syndrome raises questions on whether such neuroradiological assessment might be considered as a routine procedure in newly admitted patients. Furthermore, it highlights that organic changes, detectable under clinical routine conditions, may play a role in the development of legally relevant behavioral disturbances which might be underestimated.

Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience: Innovations for Healthy Brain Aging.

PubMed

Zamroziewicz, Marta K; Barbey, Aron K

2016-01-01

Nutritional cognitive neuroscience is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to understand nutrition's impact on cognition and brain health across the life span. Research in this burgeoning field demonstrates that many aspects of nutrition-from entire diets to specific nutrients-affect brain structure and function, and therefore have profound implications for understanding the nature of healthy brain aging. The aim of this Focused Review is to examine recent advances in nutritional cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on methods that enable discovery of nutrient biomarkers that predict healthy brain aging. We propose an integrative framework that calls for the synthesis of research in nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, incorporating: (i) methods for the precise characterization of nutritional health based on the analysis of nutrient biomarker patterns (NBPs), along with (ii) modern indices of brain health derived from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By integrating cutting-edge techniques from nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, nutritional cognitive neuroscience will continue to advance our understanding of the beneficial effects of nutrition on the aging brain and establish effective nutritional interventions to promote healthy brain aging.

Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience: Innovations for Healthy Brain Aging

PubMed Central

Zamroziewicz, Marta K.; Barbey, Aron K.

2016-01-01

Nutritional cognitive neuroscience is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to understand nutrition's impact on cognition and brain health across the life span. Research in this burgeoning field demonstrates that many aspects of nutrition—from entire diets to specific nutrients—affect brain structure and function, and therefore have profound implications for understanding the nature of healthy brain aging. The aim of this Focused Review is to examine recent advances in nutritional cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on methods that enable discovery of nutrient biomarkers that predict healthy brain aging. We propose an integrative framework that calls for the synthesis of research in nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, incorporating: (i) methods for the precise characterization of nutritional health based on the analysis of nutrient biomarker patterns (NBPs), along with (ii) modern indices of brain health derived from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By integrating cutting-edge techniques from nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, nutritional cognitive neuroscience will continue to advance our understanding of the beneficial effects of nutrition on the aging brain and establish effective nutritional interventions to promote healthy brain aging. PMID:27375409

The Future of Preschool Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention.

PubMed

Hudziak, Jim; Archangeli, Christopher

2017-07-01

Preschoolers are in the most rapid period of brain development. Environment shapes the structure and function of the developing brain. Promoting brain health requires cultivation of healthy environments at home, school, and in the community. This improves the emotional-behavioral and physical health of all children, can prevent problems in children at risk, and can alter the trajectory of children already suffering. For clinicians, this starts with assessing and treating the entire family, equipping parents with the principles of parent management training, and incorporating wellness prescriptions for nutrition, physical activity, music, and mindfulness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Roles of microglia in brain development, tissue maintenance and repair.

PubMed

Michell-Robinson, Mackenzie A; Touil, Hanane; Healy, Luke M; Owen, David R; Durafourt, Bryce A; Bar-Or, Amit; Antel, Jack P; Moore, Craig S

2015-05-01

The emerging roles of microglia are currently being investigated in the healthy and diseased brain with a growing interest in their diverse functions. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that microglia are not only immunocentric, but also neurobiological and can impact neural development and the maintenance of neuronal cell function in both healthy and pathological contexts. In the disease context, there is widespread consensus that microglia are dynamic cells with a potential to contribute to both central nervous system damage and repair. Indeed, a number of studies have found that microenvironmental conditions can selectively modify unique microglia phenotypes and functions. One novel mechanism that has garnered interest involves the regulation of microglial function by microRNAs, which has therapeutic implications such as enhancing microglia-mediated suppression of brain injury and promoting repair following inflammatory injury. Furthermore, recently published articles have identified molecular signatures of myeloid cells, suggesting that microglia are a distinct cell population compared to other cells of myeloid lineage that access the central nervous system under pathological conditions. Thus, new opportunities exist to help distinguish microglia in the brain and permit the study of their unique functions in health and disease. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Simultaneous NIRS and kinematics study of planning and execution of motor skill task: towards cerebral palsy rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhary, Ujwal; Thompson, Bryant; Gonzalez, Jean; Jung, Young-Jin; Davis, Jennifer; Gonzalez, Patricia; Rice, Kyle; Bloyer, Martha; Elbaum, Leonard; Godavarty, Anuradha

2013-03-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term that describes a group of motor impairment syndromes secondary to genetic and/or acquired disorders of the developing brain. In the current study, NIRS and motion capture were used simultaneously to correlate the brain's planning and execution activity during and with arm movement in healthy individual. The prefrontal region of the brain is non-invasively imaged using a custom built continuous-wave based near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system. The kinematics of the arm movement during the studies is recorded using an infrared based motion capture system, Qualisys. During the study, the subjects (over 18 years) performed 30 sec of arm movement followed by 30 sec rest for 5 times, both with their dominant and non-dominant arm. The optical signal acquired from NIRS system was processed to elucidate the activation and lateralization in the prefrontal region of participants. The preliminary results show difference, in terms of change in optical response, between task and rest in healthy adults. Currently simultaneous NIRS imaging and kinematics data are acquired in healthy individual and individual with CP in order to correlate brain activity to arm movement in real-time. The study has significant implication in elucidating the evolution in the functional activity of the brain as the physical movement of the arm evolves using NIRS. Hence the study has potential in augmenting the designing of training and hence rehabilitation regime for individuals with CP via kinematic monitoring and imaging brain activity.

A starring role for microglia in brain sex differences.

PubMed

Lenz, Kathryn M; McCarthy, Margaret M

2015-06-01

Microglia, the resident innate immune cells in the brain, have long been understood to be crucial to maintenance in the nervous system, by clearing debris, monitoring for infiltration of infectious agents, and mediating the brain's inflammatory and repair response to traumatic injury, stroke, or neurodegeneration. A wave of new research has shown that microglia are also active players in many basic processes in the healthy brain, including cell proliferation, synaptic connectivity, and physiology. Microglia, both in their capacity as phagocytic cells and via secretion of many neuroactive molecules, including cytokines and growth factors, play a central role in early brain development, including sexual differentiation of the brain. In this review, we present the vast roles microglia play in normal brain development and how perturbations in the normal neuroimmune environment during development may contribute to the etiology of brain-based disorders. There are notable differences between microglia and neuroimmune signaling in the male and female brain throughout the life span, and these differences may contribute to the vast differences in the incidence of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders between males and females. © The Author(s) 2014.

The brain effects of cannabis in healthy adolescents and in adolescents with schizophrenia: a systematic review.

PubMed

James, Anthony; James, Christine; Thwaites, Thomas

2013-12-30

Cannabis is widely used in adolescence; however, the effects of cannabis on the developing brain remain unclear. Cannabis might be expected to have increased effects upon brain development and cognition during adolescence. There is extensive re-organisation of grey (GM) and white matter (WM) at this time, while the endocannabinoid (eCB) system, which is involved in the normal physiological regulation of neural transmission, is still developing. In healthy adolescent cannabis users there is a suggestion of greater memory loss and hippocampal volume changes. Functional studies point to recruitment of greater brain areas under cognitive load. Structural and DTI studies are few, and limited by comorbid drug and alcohol use. The studies of cannabis use in adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) differ, with one study pointing to extensive GM and WM changes. There is an intriguing suggestion that the left parietal lobe may be more vulnerable to the effects of cannabis in AOS. As in adult schizophrenia cognition does not appear to be adversely affected in AOS following cannabis use. Given the limited number of studies it is not possible to draw firm conclusions. There is a need for adequately powered, longitudinal studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of Self and its interaction with memory in healthy adolescents

PubMed Central

Dégeilh, Fanny; Guillery-Girard, Bérengère; Dayan, Jacques; Gaubert, Malo; Chételat, Gael; Egler, Pierre-Jean; Baleyte, Jean-Marc; Eustache, Francis; Viard, Armelle

2015-01-01

Adolescence is marked by the development of personal identity and is associated with structural and functional changes in brain regions associated with Self processing. Yet, little is known about the neural correlates of self-reference processing and self-reference effect in adolescents. This fMRI study consists in a self-reference paradigm followed by a recognition test proposed to 30 healthy adolescents aged 13–18 years old. Results showed that the rostral anterior cingulate cortex is specifically involved in self-reference processing and that this specialization develops gradually from 13 to 18 years old. The self-reference effect is associated with increased brain activation changes during encoding, suggesting that the beneficial effect of Self on memory may occur at encoding of self-referential information, rather than at retrieval. PMID:26443236

The development, past achievements, and future directions of brain PET

PubMed Central

Jones, Terry; Rabiner, Eugenii A

2012-01-01

The early developments of brain positron emission tomography (PET), including the methodological advances that have driven progress, are outlined. The considerable past achievements of brain PET have been summarized in collaboration with contributing experts in specific clinical applications including cerebrovascular disease, movement disorders, dementia, epilepsy, schizophrenia, addiction, depression and anxiety, brain tumors, drug development, and the normal healthy brain. Despite a history of improving methodology and considerable achievements, brain PET research activity is not growing and appears to have diminished. Assessments of the reasons for decline are presented and strategies proposed for reinvigorating brain PET research. Central to this is widening the access to advanced PET procedures through the introduction of lower cost cyclotron and radiochemistry technologies. The support and expertize of the existing major PET centers, and the recruitment of new biologists, bio-mathematicians and chemists to the field would be important for such a revival. New future applications need to be identified, the scope of targets imaged broadened, and the developed expertize exploited in other areas of medical research. Such reinvigoration of the field would enable PET to continue making significant contributions to advance the understanding of the normal and diseased brain and support the development of advanced treatments. PMID:22434067

Methylphenidate and the Juvenile Brain: Enhancement of Attention at the Expense of Cortical Plasticity?

PubMed Central

Urban, Kimberly R.; Gao, Wen-Jun

2013-01-01

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is the most commonly prescribed psychoactive drug for juveniles and adolescents. Used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and for cognitive enhancement in healthy individuals, it has been regarded as a relatively safe medication for the past several decades. However, a thorough review of the literature reveals that the age-dependent activities of the drug, as well as potential developmental effects, are largely ignored. In addition, the diagnosis of ADHD is subjective, leaving open the possibility of misdiagnosis and excessive prescription of the drug. Recent studies have suggested that early life exposure of healthy rodent models to methylphenidate resulted in altered sleep/wake cycle, heightened stress reactivity, and, in fact, a dosage previously thought of as therapeutic depressed neuronal function in juvenile rats. Furthermore, juvenile rats exposed to low-dose methylphenidate displayed alterations in neural markers of plasticity, indicating that the drug might alter the basic properties of prefrontal cortical circuits. In this review of the current literature, we propose that juvenile exposure to methylphenidate may cause abnormal prefrontal function and impaired plasticity in the healthy brain, strengthening the case for developing a more thorough understanding of methylphenidate’s actions on the developing, juvenile brain, as well as better diagnostic measures for ADHD. PMID:24095262

Changes in functional and structural brain connectome along the Alzheimer's disease continuum.

PubMed

Filippi, Massimo; Basaia, Silvia; Canu, Elisa; Imperiale, Francesca; Magnani, Giuseppe; Falautano, Monica; Comi, Giancarlo; Falini, Andrea; Agosta, Federica

2018-05-09

The aim of this study was two-fold: (i) to investigate structural and functional brain network architecture in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), stratified in converters (c-aMCI) and non-converters (nc-aMCI) to AD; and to assess the relationship between healthy brain network functional connectivity and the topography of brain atrophy in patients along the AD continuum. Ninety-four AD patients, 47 aMCI patients (25 c-aMCI within 36 months) and 53 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were studied. Graph analysis and connectomics assessed global and local, structural and functional topological network properties and regional connectivity. Healthy topological features of brain regions were assessed based on their connectivity with the point of maximal atrophy (epicenter) in AD and aMCI patients. Brain network graph analysis properties were severely altered in AD patients. Structural brain network was already altered in c-aMCI patients relative to healthy controls in particular in the temporal and parietal brain regions, while functional connectivity did not change. Structural connectivity alterations distinguished c-aMCI from nc-aMCI cases. In both AD and c-aMCI, the point of maximal atrophy was located in left hippocampus (disease-epicenter). Brain regions most strongly connected with the disease-epicenter in the healthy functional connectome were also the most atrophic in both AD and c-aMCI patients. Progressive degeneration in the AD continuum is associated with an early breakdown of anatomical brain connections and follows the strongest connections with the disease-epicenter. These findings support the hypothesis that the topography of brain connectional architecture can modulate the spread of AD through the brain.

Plasticity during Early Brain Development Is Determined by Ontogenetic Potential.

PubMed

Krägeloh-Mann, Ingeborg; Lidzba, Karen; Pavlova, Marina A; Wilke, Marko; Staudt, Martin

2017-04-01

Two competing hypotheses address neuroplasticity during early brain development: the "Kennard principle" describes the compensatory capacities of the immature developing CNS as superior to those of the adult brain, whereas the "Hebb principle" argues that the young brain is especially sensitive to insults. We provide evidence that these principles are not mutually exclusive. Following early brain lesions that are unilateral, the brain can refer to homotopic areas of the healthy hemisphere. This potential for reorganization is unique to the young brain but available only when, during ontogenesis of brain development, these areas have been used for the functions addressed. With respect to motor function, ipsilateral motor tracts can be recruited, which are only available during early brain development. Language can be reorganized to the right after early left hemispheric lesions, as the representation of the language network is initially bilateral. However, even in these situations, compensatory capacities of the developing brain are found to have limitations, probably defined by early determinants. Thus, plasticity and adaptivity are seen only within ontogenetic potential; that is, axonal or cortical structures cannot be recruited beyond early developmental possibilities. The young brain is probably more sensitive and vulnerable to lesions when these are bilateral. This is shown here for bilateral periventricular white matter lesions that clearly have an impact on cortical architecture and function, thus probably interfering with early network building. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Radiation Injury to the Brain

MedlinePlus

... healthy cells. The Merck Manual states the following: Radiation Injury to the Nervous System: The nervous system can be damaged by radiation therapy. Acute and subacute transient symptoms may develop early, but ...

Successful classification of cocaine dependence using brain imaging: a generalizable machine learning approach.

PubMed

Mete, Mutlu; Sakoglu, Unal; Spence, Jeffrey S; Devous, Michael D; Harris, Thomas S; Adinoff, Bryon

2016-10-06

Neuroimaging studies have yielded significant advances in the understanding of neural processes relevant to the development and persistence of addiction. However, these advances have not explored extensively for diagnostic accuracy in human subjects. The aim of this study was to develop a statistical approach, using a machine learning framework, to correctly classify brain images of cocaine-dependent participants and healthy controls. In this study, a framework suitable for educing potential brain regions that differed between the two groups was developed and implemented. Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) images obtained during rest or a saline infusion in three cohorts of 2-4 week abstinent cocaine-dependent participants (n = 93) and healthy controls (n = 69) were used to develop a classification model. An information theoretic-based feature selection algorithm was first conducted to reduce the number of voxels. A density-based clustering algorithm was then used to form spatially connected voxel clouds in three-dimensional space. A statistical classifier, Support Vectors Machine (SVM), was then used for participant classification. Statistically insignificant voxels of spatially connected brain regions were removed iteratively and classification accuracy was reported through the iterations. The voxel-based analysis identified 1,500 spatially connected voxels in 30 distinct clusters after a grid search in SVM parameters. Participants were successfully classified with 0.88 and 0.89 F-measure accuracies in 10-fold cross validation (10xCV) and leave-one-out (LOO) approaches, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.90 and 0.89 for LOO; 0.83 and 0.83 for 10xCV. Many of the 30 selected clusters are highly relevant to the addictive process, including regions relevant to cognitive control, default mode network related self-referential thought, behavioral inhibition, and contextual memories. Relative hyperactivity and hypoactivity of regional cerebral blood flow in brain regions in cocaine-dependent participants are presented with corresponding level of significance. The SVM-based approach successfully classified cocaine-dependent and healthy control participants using voxels selected with information theoretic-based and statistical methods from participants' SPECT data. The regions found in this study align with brain regions reported in the literature. These findings support the future use of brain imaging and SVM-based classifier in the diagnosis of substance use disorders and furthering an understanding of their underlying pathology.

Assessing dynamic brain graphs of time-varying connectivity in fMRI data: application to healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Yu, Qingbao; Erhardt, Erik B.; Sui, Jing; Du, Yuhui; He, Hao; Hjelm, Devon; Cetin, Mustafa S.; Rachakonda, Srinivas; Miller, Robyn L.; Pearlson, Godfrey; Calhoun, Vince D.

2014-01-01

Graph theory-based analysis has been widely employed in brain imaging studies, and altered topological properties of brain connectivity have emerged as important features of mental diseases such as schizophrenia. However, most previous studies have focused on graph metrics of stationary brain graphs, ignoring that brain connectivity exhibits fluctuations over time. Here we develop a new framework for accessing dynamic graph properties of time-varying functional brain connectivity in resting state fMRI data and apply it to healthy controls (HCs) and patients with schizophrenia (SZs). Specifically, nodes of brain graphs are defined by intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) identified by group independent component analysis (ICA). Dynamic graph metrics of the time-varying brain connectivity estimated by the correlation of sliding time-windowed ICA time courses of ICNs are calculated. First- and second-level connectivity states are detected based on the correlation of nodal connectivity strength between time-varying brain graphs. Our results indicate that SZs show decreased variance in the dynamic graph metrics. Consistent with prior stationary functional brain connectivity works, graph measures of identified first-level connectivity states show lower values in SZs. In addition, more first-level connectivity states are disassociated with the second-level connectivity state which resembles the stationary connectivity pattern computed by the entire scan. Collectively, the findings provide new evidence about altered dynamic brain graphs in schizophrenia which may underscore the abnormal brain performance in this mental illness. PMID:25514514

Roles of microglia in brain development, tissue maintenance and repair

PubMed Central

Michell-Robinson, Mackenzie A.; Touil, Hanane; Healy, Luke M.; Owen, David R.; Durafourt, Bryce A.; Bar-Or, Amit; Antel, Jack P.

2015-01-01

The emerging roles of microglia are currently being investigated in the healthy and diseased brain with a growing interest in their diverse functions. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that microglia are not only immunocentric, but also neurobiological and can impact neural development and the maintenance of neuronal cell function in both healthy and pathological contexts. In the disease context, there is widespread consensus that microglia are dynamic cells with a potential to contribute to both central nervous system damage and repair. Indeed, a number of studies have found that microenvironmental conditions can selectively modify unique microglia phenotypes and functions. One novel mechanism that has garnered interest involves the regulation of microglial function by microRNAs, which has therapeutic implications such as enhancing microglia-mediated suppression of brain injury and promoting repair following inflammatory injury. Furthermore, recently published articles have identified molecular signatures of myeloid cells, suggesting that microglia are a distinct cell population compared to other cells of myeloid lineage that access the central nervous system under pathological conditions. Thus, new opportunities exist to help distinguish microglia in the brain and permit the study of their unique functions in health and disease. PMID:25823474

Evidence That Brain MAO A Activity Does Not Correspond to MAO A Genotype in Healthy Male Subjects

PubMed Central

Fowler, Joanna S.; Alia-Klein, Nelly; Kriplani, Aarti; Logan, Jean; Williams, Benjamin; Zhu, Wei; Craig, Ian W.; Telang, Frank; Goldstein, Rita; Volkow, Nora D.; Vaska, Paul; Wang, Gene-Jack

2009-01-01

Background A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) gene has two common alleles that are referred to as the high and low MAO A genotypes. We report the first in vivo human study to determine whether there is an association between MAO A genotype and brain MAO A activity in healthy male subjects. Methods Brain MAO A activity was measured with positron emission tomography and [11C]clorgyline in 38 healthy adult male nonsmokers genotyped for MAO A polymorphism. Results There was no significant difference in brain MAO A activity between the high (n = 26) and low (n = 12) MAO A genotypes. Conclusions The lack of an association between the high and low MAO A genotype and brain MAO A activity suggests that this polymorphism by itself does not contribute to differences in brain MAO A activity in healthy adult male subjects. PMID:17141746

Disrupted Brain Functional Organization in Epilepsy Revealed by Graph Theory Analysis.

PubMed

Song, Jie; Nair, Veena A; Gaggl, Wolfgang; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2015-06-01

The human brain is a complex and dynamic system that can be modeled as a large-scale brain network to better understand the reorganizational changes secondary to epilepsy. In this study, we developed a brain functional network model using graph theory methods applied to resting-state fMRI data acquired from a group of epilepsy patients and age- and gender-matched healthy controls. A brain functional network model was constructed based on resting-state functional connectivity. A minimum spanning tree combined with proportional thresholding approach was used to obtain sparse connectivity matrices for each subject, which formed the basis of brain networks. We examined the brain reorganizational changes in epilepsy thoroughly at the level of the whole brain, the functional network, and individual brain regions. At the whole-brain level, local efficiency was significantly decreased in epilepsy patients compared with the healthy controls. However, global efficiency was significantly increased in epilepsy due to increased number of functional connections between networks (although weakly connected). At the functional network level, there were significant proportions of newly formed connections between the default mode network and other networks and between the subcortical network and other networks. There was a significant proportion of decreasing connections between the cingulo-opercular task control network and other networks. Individual brain regions from different functional networks, however, showed a distinct pattern of reorganizational changes in epilepsy. These findings suggest that epilepsy alters brain efficiency in a consistent pattern at the whole-brain level, yet alters brain functional networks and individual brain regions differently.

Caffeine restores regional brain activation in acute hypoglycaemia in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Rosenthal, M J; Smith, D; Yaguez, L; Giampietro, V; Kerr, D; Bullmore, E; Brammer, M; Williams, S C R; Amiel, S A

2007-07-01

Caffeine enhances counterregulatory responses to acute hypoglycaemia. Our aim was to explore its effects on cortical function, which are not known at present. Regional brain activation during performance of the four-choice reaction time (4CRT) at different levels of complexity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at euglycaemia (5 mmol/l) and hypoglycaemia (2.6 mmol/l) in the presence and absence of caffeine in six healthy right-handed men. During hypoglycaemia, caffeine enhanced adrenaline responses to hypoglycaemia (2.5 +/- 0.7 nmol/l to 4.0 +/- 1.0 nmol/l, P = 0.01) and restored the brain activation response to the non-cued 4CRT, the linear increases in regional brain activation associated with increased task complexity and the ability to respond to a cue that were lost in hypoglycaemia alone. Caffeine can sustain regional brain activation patterns lost in acute hypoglycaemia, with some restoration of cortical function and enhanced adrenaline responsiveness. A methodology has been established that may help in the development of therapies to protect against severe hypoglycaemia in insulin therapy for patients with diabetes and problematic hypoglycaemia.

101 Labeled Brain Images and a Consistent Human Cortical Labeling Protocol

PubMed Central

Klein, Arno; Tourville, Jason

2012-01-01

We introduce the Mindboggle-101 dataset, the largest and most complete set of free, publicly accessible, manually labeled human brain images. To manually label the macroscopic anatomy in magnetic resonance images of 101 healthy participants, we created a new cortical labeling protocol that relies on robust anatomical landmarks and minimal manual edits after initialization with automated labels. The “Desikan–Killiany–Tourville” (DKT) protocol is intended to improve the ease, consistency, and accuracy of labeling human cortical areas. Given how difficult it is to label brains, the Mindboggle-101 dataset is intended to serve as brain atlases for use in labeling other brains, as a normative dataset to establish morphometric variation in a healthy population for comparison against clinical populations, and contribute to the development, training, testing, and evaluation of automated registration and labeling algorithms. To this end, we also introduce benchmarks for the evaluation of such algorithms by comparing our manual labels with labels automatically generated by probabilistic and multi-atlas registration-based approaches. All data and related software and updated information are available on the http://mindboggle.info/data website. PMID:23227001

An independent SSVEP-based brain-computer interface in locked-in syndrome.

PubMed

Lesenfants, D; Habbal, D; Lugo, Z; Lebeau, M; Horki, P; Amico, E; Pokorny, C; Gómez, F; Soddu, A; Müller-Putz, G; Laureys, S; Noirhomme, Q

2014-06-01

Steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) allow healthy subjects to communicate. However, their dependence on gaze control prevents their use with severely disabled patients. Gaze-independent SSVEP-BCIs have been designed but have shown a drop in accuracy and have not been tested in brain-injured patients. In the present paper, we propose a novel independent SSVEP-BCI based on covert attention with an improved classification rate. We study the influence of feature extraction algorithms and the number of harmonics. Finally, we test online communication on healthy volunteers and patients with locked-in syndrome (LIS). Twenty-four healthy subjects and six LIS patients participated in this study. An independent covert two-class SSVEP paradigm was used with a newly developed portable light emitting diode-based 'interlaced squares' stimulation pattern. Mean offline and online accuracies on healthy subjects were respectively 85 ± 2% and 74 ± 13%, with eight out of twelve subjects succeeding to communicate efficiently with 80 ± 9% accuracy. Two out of six LIS patients reached an offline accuracy above the chance level, illustrating a response to a command. One out of four LIS patients could communicate online. We have demonstrated the feasibility of online communication with a covert SSVEP paradigm that is truly independent of all neuromuscular functions. The potential clinical use of the presented BCI system as a diagnostic (i.e., detecting command-following) and communication tool for severely brain-injured patients will need to be further explored.

Gray-matter macrostructure in cognitively healthy older persons: Associations with age and cognition

PubMed Central

Fleischman, Debra A.; Leurgans, Sue; Arfanakis, Konstantinos; Arvanitakis, Zoe; Barnes, Lisa L.; Boyle, Patricia A.; Han, S. Duke; Bennett, David A.

2013-01-01

A deeper understanding of brain macrostructure and its associations with cognition in persons who are considered cognitively healthy is critical to the early detection of persons at risk of developing dementia. Few studies have examined the associations of all three gray-matter macrostructural brain indices (volume, thickness, surface area) with age and cognition, in the same persons who are over the age of 65 and do not have cognitive impairment. We performed automated morphometric reconstruction of total gray matter, cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter and 84 individual regions in 186 participants (60% over the age of 80) without cognitive impairment. Morphometric measures were scaled and expressed as difference per decade of age and an adjusted score was created to identify those regions in which there was greater atrophy per decade of age compared to cortical or subcortical brain averages. The results showed that there is substantial total volume loss and cortical thinning in cognitively healthy older persons. Thinning was more widespread than volume loss, but volume loss, particularly in temporoparietal and hippocampal regions, was more strongly associated with cognition. PMID:23955313

A Starring Role for Microglia in Brain Sex Differences

PubMed Central

Lenz, Kathryn M.; McCarthy, Margaret M.

2017-01-01

Microglia, the resident innate immune cells in the brain, have long been understood to be crucial to maintenance in the nervous system, by clearing debris, monitoring for infiltration of infectious agents, and mediating the brain’s inflammatory and repair response to traumatic injury, stroke, or neurodegeneration. A wave of new research has shown that microglia are also active players in many basic processes in the healthy brain, including cell proliferation, synaptic connectivity, and physiology. Microglia, both in their capacity as phagocytic cells and via secretion of many neuroactive molecules, including cytokines and growth factors, play a central role in early brain development, including sexual differentiation of the brain. In this review, we present the vast roles microglia play in normal brain development and how perturbations in the normal neuroimmune environment during development may contribute to the etiology of brain-based disorders. There are notable differences between microglia and neuroimmune signaling in the male and female brain throughout the life span, and these differences may contribute to the vast differences in the incidence of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders between males and females. PMID:24871624

Language and Brain Volumes in Children with Epilepsy

PubMed Central

Caplan, Rochelle; Levitt, Jennifer; Siddarth, Prabha; Wu, Keng Nei; Gurbani, Suresh; Shields, W. Donald; Sankar, Raman

2010-01-01

This study compared the relationship of language skill with fronto-temporal volumes in 69 medically treated epilepsy subjects and 34 healthy children, aged 6.1-16.6 years. It also determined if the patients with linguistic deficits had abnormal volumes and atypical associations between volumes and language skills in these brain regions. The children underwent language testing and magnetic resonance imaging scans at 1.5 Tesla. Brain tissue was segmented and fronto-temporal volumes were computed. Higher mean language scores were significantly associated with larger inferior frontal gyrus, temporal lobe, and posterior superior temporal gyrus gray matter volumes in the epilepsy group and in the children with epilepsy with average language scores. Increased total brain and dorsolateral prefrontal gray and white matter volumes, however, were associated with higher language scores in the healthy controls. Within the epilepsy group, linguistic deficits were related to smaller anterior superior temporal gyrus gray matter volumes and a negative association between language scores and dorsolateral prefrontal gray matter volumes. These findings demonstrate abnormal development of language related brain regions, and imply differential reorganization of brain regions subserving language in children with epilepsy with normal linguistic skills and in those with impaired language. PMID:20149755

Reduced integration and improved segregation of functional brain networks in Alzheimer’s disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabbara, A.; Eid, H.; El Falou, W.; Khalil, M.; Wendling, F.; Hassan, M.

2018-04-01

Objective. Emerging evidence shows that cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are associated with disruptions in brain functional connectivity. Thus, the identification of alterations in AD functional networks has become a topic of increasing interest. However, to what extent AD induces disruption of the balance of local and global information processing in the human brain remains elusive. The main objective of this study is to explore the dynamic topological changes of AD networks in terms of brain network segregation and integration. Approach. We used electroencephalography (EEG) data recorded from 20 participants (10 AD patients and 10 healthy controls) during resting state. Functional brain networks were reconstructed using EEG source connectivity computed in different frequency bands. Graph theoretical analyses were performed assess differences between both groups. Main results. Results revealed that AD networks, compared to networks of age-matched healthy controls, are characterized by lower global information processing (integration) and higher local information processing (segregation). Results showed also significant correlation between the alterations in the AD patients’ functional brain networks and their cognitive scores. Significance. These findings may contribute to the development of EEG network-based test that could strengthen results obtained from currently-used neurophysiological tests in neurodegenerative diseases.

Reduced integration and improved segregation of functional brain networks in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Kabbara, A; Eid, H; El Falou, W; Khalil, M; Wendling, F; Hassan, M

2018-04-01

Emerging evidence shows that cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are associated with disruptions in brain functional connectivity. Thus, the identification of alterations in AD functional networks has become a topic of increasing interest. However, to what extent AD induces disruption of the balance of local and global information processing in the human brain remains elusive. The main objective of this study is to explore the dynamic topological changes of AD networks in terms of brain network segregation and integration. We used electroencephalography (EEG) data recorded from 20 participants (10 AD patients and 10 healthy controls) during resting state. Functional brain networks were reconstructed using EEG source connectivity computed in different frequency bands. Graph theoretical analyses were performed assess differences between both groups. Results revealed that AD networks, compared to networks of age-matched healthy controls, are characterized by lower global information processing (integration) and higher local information processing (segregation). Results showed also significant correlation between the alterations in the AD patients' functional brain networks and their cognitive scores. These findings may contribute to the development of EEG network-based test that could strengthen results obtained from currently-used neurophysiological tests in neurodegenerative diseases.

Effects of Cannabis Use on Human Brain Structure in Psychosis: A Systematic Review Combining In Vivo Structural Neuroimaging and Post Mortem Studies

PubMed Central

Rapp, Charlotte; Bugra, Hilal; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Tamagni, Corinne; Borgwardt, Stefan

2012-01-01

It is unclear yet whether cannabis use is a moderating or causal factor contributing to grey matter alterations in schizophrenia and the development of psychotic symptoms. We therefore systematically reviewed structural brain imaging and post mortem studies addressing the effects of cannabis use on brain structure in psychosis. Studies with schizophrenia (SCZ) and first episode psychosis (FEP) patients as well as individuals at genetic (GHR) or clinical high risk for psychosis (ARMS) were included. We identified 15 structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (12 cross sectional / 3 longitudinal) and 4 post mortem studies. The total number of subjects encompassed 601 schizophrenia or first episode psychosis patients, 255 individuals at clinical or genetic high risk for psychosis and 397 healthy controls. We found evidence for consistent brain structural abnormalities in cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor enhanced brain areas as the cingulate and prefrontal cortices and the cerebellum. As these effects have not consistently been reported in studies examining non-psychotic and healthy samples, psychosis patients and subjects at risk for psychosis might be particularly vulnerable to brain volume loss due to cannabis exposure PMID:22716152

The Hierarchy of Brain Networks Is Related to Insulin Growth Factor-1 in a Large, Middle-Aged, Healthy Cohort: An Exploratory Magnetoencephalography Study.

PubMed

Sorrentino, Pierpaolo; Nieboer, Dagmar; Twisk, Jos W R; Stam, Cornelis J; Douw, Linda; Hillebrand, Arjan

2017-06-01

Recently, a large study demonstrated that lower serum levels of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) relate to brain atrophy and to a greater risk for developing Alzheimer's disease in a healthy elderly population. We set out to test if functional brain networks relate to IGF-1 levels in the middle aged. Hence, we studied the association between IGF-1 and magnetoencephalography-based functional network characteristics in a middle-aged population. The functional connections between brain areas were estimated for six frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, beta, gamma) using the phase lag index. Subsequently, the topology of the frequency-specific functional networks was characterized using the minimum spanning tree. Our results showed that lower levels of serum IGF-1 relate to a globally less integrated functional network in the beta and theta band. The associations remained significant when correcting for gender and systemic effects of IGF-1 that might indirectly affect the brain. The value of this exploratory study is the demonstration that lower levels of IGF-1 are associated with brain network topology in the middle aged.

A virtual shopping test for realistic assessment of cognitive function

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Cognitive dysfunction caused by brain injury often prevents a patient from achieving a healthy and high quality of life. By now, each cognitive function is assessed precisely by neuropsychological tests. However, it is also important to provide an overall assessment of the patients’ ability in their everyday life. We have developed a Virtual Shopping Test (VST) using virtual reality technology. The objective of this study was to clarify 1) the significance of VST by comparing VST with other conventional tests, 2) the applicability of VST to brain-damaged patients, and 3) the performance of VST in relation to age differences. Methods The participants included 10 patients with brain damage, 10 age-matched healthy subjects for controls, 10 old healthy subjects, and 10 young healthy subjects. VST and neuropsychological tests/questionnaires about attention, memory and executive function were conducted on the patients, while VST and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were conducted on the controls and healthy subjects. Within the VST, the participants were asked to buy four items in the virtual shopping mall quickly in a rational way. The score for evaluation included the number of items bought correctly, the number of times to refer to hints, the number of movements between shops, and the total time spent to complete the shopping. Results Some variables on VST correlated with the scores of conventional assessment about attention and everyday memory. The mean number of times referring to hints and the mean number of movements were significantly larger for the patients with brain damage, and the mean total time was significantly longer for the patients than for the controls. In addition, the mean total time was significantly longer for the old than for the young. Conclusions The results suggest that VST is able to evaluate the ability of attention and everyday memory in patients with brain damage. The time of VST is increased by age. PMID:23777412

A virtual shopping test for realistic assessment of cognitive function.

PubMed

Okahashi, Sayaka; Seki, Keiko; Nagano, Akinori; Luo, Zhiwei; Kojima, Maki; Futaki, Toshiko

2013-06-18

Cognitive dysfunction caused by brain injury often prevents a patient from achieving a healthy and high quality of life. By now, each cognitive function is assessed precisely by neuropsychological tests. However, it is also important to provide an overall assessment of the patients' ability in their everyday life. We have developed a Virtual Shopping Test (VST) using virtual reality technology. The objective of this study was to clarify 1) the significance of VST by comparing VST with other conventional tests, 2) the applicability of VST to brain-damaged patients, and 3) the performance of VST in relation to age differences. The participants included 10 patients with brain damage, 10 age-matched healthy subjects for controls, 10 old healthy subjects, and 10 young healthy subjects. VST and neuropsychological tests/questionnaires about attention, memory and executive function were conducted on the patients, while VST and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were conducted on the controls and healthy subjects. Within the VST, the participants were asked to buy four items in the virtual shopping mall quickly in a rational way. The score for evaluation included the number of items bought correctly, the number of times to refer to hints, the number of movements between shops, and the total time spent to complete the shopping. Some variables on VST correlated with the scores of conventional assessment about attention and everyday memory. The mean number of times referring to hints and the mean number of movements were significantly larger for the patients with brain damage, and the mean total time was significantly longer for the patients than for the controls. In addition, the mean total time was significantly longer for the old than for the young. The results suggest that VST is able to evaluate the ability of attention and everyday memory in patients with brain damage. The time of VST is increased by age.

White matter changes in early phase schizophrenia and cannabis use: an update and systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies.

PubMed

Cookey, Jacob; Bernier, Denise; Tibbo, Philip G

2014-07-01

The impact of cannabis use on the brain tissue is still unclear, both in the healthy developing brain and in people with schizophrenia. The focus of this review is on white matter, the primary connective infrastructure of the brain. We systematically reviewed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of early phase schizophrenia (illness effect), of cannabis use in otherwise healthy brains (drug effect), and of early phase schizophrenia with cannabis use (combined effects). Studies had to include a healthy, non-cannabis using, control group as well as report on fractional anisotropy as it is the most commonly used DTI index. We excluded cohorts with heavy alcohol or illicit drug use and studies with a sample size of less than 20 in the clinical group. We retained 17 studies of early phase schizophrenia, which together indicate deficits in white matter integrity observed in all fiber tract families, but most frequently in association, callosal and projection fibers. In otherwise healthy cannabis users (2 studies), deficits in white matter tracts were reported mainly in callosal fibers, but also in projection and limbic fibers. In cannabis users with early phase schizophrenia (1 study), deficits in white matter integrity were also observed in all fiber tract families, except for limbic fibers. The current literature points to several families of white matter tracts being differentially affected in early phase schizophrenia. Further work is required to reveal the impact of cannabis use in otherwise healthy people as well as those with schizophrenia. Paucity of available studies as well as restricting analysis to FA values represent the main limitations of this review. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adolescents with current major depressive disorder show dissimilar patterns of age-related differences in ACC and thalamus

PubMed Central

Hagan, Cindy C.; Graham, Julia M.E.; Tait, Roger; Widmer, Barry; van Nieuwenhuizen, Adrienne O.; Ooi, Cinly; Whitaker, Kirstie J.; Simas, Tiago; Bullmore, Edward T.; Lennox, Belinda R.; Sahakian, Barbara J.; Goodyer, Ian M.; Suckling, John

2015-01-01

Objective There is little understanding of the neural system abnormalities subserving adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD). In a cross-sectional study we compare currently unipolar depressed with healthy adolescents to determine if group differences in grey matter volume (GMV) were influenced by age and illness severity. Method Structural neuroimaging was performed on 109 adolescents with current MDD and 36 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and handedness. GMV differences were examined within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and across the whole-brain. The effects of age and self-reported depressive symptoms were also examined in regions showing significant main or interaction effects. Results Whole-brain voxel based morphometry revealed no significant group differences. At the whole-brain level, both groups showed a main effect of age on GMV, although this effect was more pronounced in controls. Significant group-by-age interactions were noted: A significant regional group-by-age interaction was observed in the ACC. GMV in the ACC showed patterns of age-related differences that were dissimilar between adolescents with MDD and healthy controls. GMV in the thalamus showed an opposite pattern of age-related differences in adolescent patients compared to healthy controls. In patients, GMV in the thalamus, but not the ACC, was inversely related with self-reported depressive symptoms. Conclusions The depressed adolescent brain shows dissimilar age-related and symptom-sensitive patterns of GMV differences compared with controls. The thalamus and ACC may comprise neural markers for detecting these effects in youth. Further investigations therefore need to take both age and level of current symptoms into account when disaggregating antecedent neural vulnerabilities for MDD from the effects of MDD on the developing brain. PMID:25685707

Adolescents with current major depressive disorder show dissimilar patterns of age-related differences in ACC and thalamus.

PubMed

Hagan, Cindy C; Graham, Julia M E; Tait, Roger; Widmer, Barry; van Nieuwenhuizen, Adrienne O; Ooi, Cinly; Whitaker, Kirstie J; Simas, Tiago; Bullmore, Edward T; Lennox, Belinda R; Sahakian, Barbara J; Goodyer, Ian M; Suckling, John

2015-01-01

There is little understanding of the neural system abnormalities subserving adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD). In a cross-sectional study we compare currently unipolar depressed with healthy adolescents to determine if group differences in grey matter volume (GMV) were influenced by age and illness severity. Structural neuroimaging was performed on 109 adolescents with current MDD and 36 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and handedness. GMV differences were examined within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and across the whole-brain. The effects of age and self-reported depressive symptoms were also examined in regions showing significant main or interaction effects. Whole-brain voxel based morphometry revealed no significant group differences. At the whole-brain level, both groups showed a main effect of age on GMV, although this effect was more pronounced in controls. Significant group-by-age interactions were noted: A significant regional group-by-age interaction was observed in the ACC. GMV in the ACC showed patterns of age-related differences that were dissimilar between adolescents with MDD and healthy controls. GMV in the thalamus showed an opposite pattern of age-related differences in adolescent patients compared to healthy controls. In patients, GMV in the thalamus, but not the ACC, was inversely related with self-reported depressive symptoms. The depressed adolescent brain shows dissimilar age-related and symptom-sensitive patterns of GMV differences compared with controls. The thalamus and ACC may comprise neural markers for detecting these effects in youth. Further investigations therefore need to take both age and level of current symptoms into account when disaggregating antecedent neural vulnerabilities for MDD from the effects of MDD on the developing brain.

Development and maintenance of the brain's immune toolkit: Microglia and non-parenchymal brain macrophages.

PubMed

Lopez-Atalaya, Jose P; Askew, Katharine E; Sierra, Amanda; Gomez-Nicola, Diego

2018-06-01

Microglia and non-parenchymal macrophages located in the perivascular space, the meninges and the choroid plexus are independent immune populations that play vital roles in brain development, homeostasis, and tissue healing. Resident macrophages account for a significant proportion of cells in the brain and their density remains stable throughout the lifespan thanks to constant turnover. Microglia develop from yolk sac progenitors, later evolving through intermediate progenitors in a fine-tuned process in which intrinsic factors and external stimuli combine to progressively sculpt their cell type-specific transcriptional profiles. Recent evidence demonstrates that non-parenchymal macrophages are also generated during early embryonic development. In recent years, the development of powerful fate mapping approaches combined with novel genomic and transcriptomic methodologies have greatly expanded our understanding of how brain macrophages develop and acquire specialized functions, and how cell population dynamics are regulated. Here, we review the transcription factors, epigenetic remodeling, and signaling pathways orchestrating the embryonic development of microglia and non-parenchymal macrophages. Next, we describe the dynamics of the macrophage populations of the brain and discuss the role of progenitor cells, to gain a better understanding of their functions in the healthy and diseased brain. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 78: 561-579, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Developmental Neurobiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perinatal Asphyxia and Brain Development: Mitochondrial Damage Without Anatomical or Cellular Losses.

PubMed

Lima, Jean Pierre Mendes; Rayêe, Danielle; Silva-Rodrigues, Thaia; Pereira, Paula Ribeiro Paes; Mendonca, Ana Paula Miranda; Rodrigues-Ferreira, Clara; Szczupak, Diego; Fonseca, Anna; Oliveira, Marcus F; Lima, Flavia Regina Souza; Lent, Roberto; Galina, Antonio; Uziel, Daniela

2018-03-26

Perinatal asphyxia remains a significant cause of neonatal mortality and is associated with long-term neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, we evaluated cellular and subcellular damages to brain development in a model of mild perinatal asphyxia. Survival rate in the experimental group was 67%. One hour after the insult, intraperitoneally injected Evans blue could be detected in the fetuses' brains, indicating disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Although brain mass and absolute cell numbers (neurons and non-neurons) were not reduced after perinatal asphyxia immediately and in late brain development, subcellular alterations were detected. Cortical oxygen consumption increased immediately after asphyxia, and remained high up to 7 days, returning to normal levels after 14 days. We observed an increased resistance to mitochondrial membrane permeability transition, and calcium buffering capacity in asphyxiated animals from birth to 14 days after the insult. In contrast to ex vivo data, mitochondrial oxygen consumption in primary cell cultures of neurons and astrocytes was not altered after 1% hypoxia. Taken together, our results demonstrate that although newborns were viable and apparently healthy, brain development is subcellularly altered by perinatal asphyxia. Our findings place the neonate brain mitochondria as a potential target for therapeutic protective interventions.

Large-scale structural alteration of brain in epileptic children with SCN1A mutation.

PubMed

Lee, Yun-Jeong; Yum, Mi-Sun; Kim, Min-Jee; Shim, Woo-Hyun; Yoon, Hee Mang; Yoo, Il Han; Lee, Jiwon; Lim, Byung Chan; Kim, Ki Joong; Ko, Tae-Sung

2017-01-01

Mutations in SCN1A gene encoding the alpha 1 subunit of the voltage gated sodium channel are associated with several epilepsy syndromes including genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS +) and severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI). However, in most patients with SCN1A mutation, brain imaging has reported normal or non-specific findings including cerebral or cerebellar atrophy. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in brain morphometry in epileptic children with SCN1A mutation compared to healthy control subjects. We obtained cortical morphology (thickness, and surface area) and brain volume (global, subcortical, and regional) measurements using FreeSurfer (version 5.3.0, https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu) and compared measurements of children with epilepsy and SCN1A gene mutation ( n  = 21) with those of age and gender matched healthy controls ( n  = 42). Compared to the healthy control group, children with epilepsy and SCN1A gene mutation exhibited smaller total brain, total gray matter and white matter, cerebellar white matter, and subcortical volumes, as well as mean surface area and mean cortical thickness. A regional analysis revealed significantly reduced gray matter volume in the patient group in the bilateral inferior parietal, left lateral orbitofrontal, left precentral, right postcentral, right isthmus cingulate, right middle temporal area with smaller surface area and white matter volume in some of these areas. However, the regional cortical thickness was not significantly different in two groups. This study showed large-scale developmental brain changes in patients with epilepsy and SCN1A gene mutation, which may be associated with the core symptoms of the patients. Further longitudinal MRI studies with larger cohorts are required to confirm the effect of SCN1A gene mutation on structural brain development.

Diet and Gender Influences on Processing and Discrimination of Speech Sounds in 3- and 6-Month-Old Infants: A Developmental ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pivik, R. T.; Andres, Aline; Badger, Thomas M.

2011-01-01

Early post-natal nutrition influences later development, but there are no studies comparing brain function in healthy infants as a function of dietary intake even though the major infant diets differ significantly in nutrient composition. We studied brain responses (event-related potentials; ERPs) to speech sounds for infants who were fed either…

Health and Pleasure in Consumers' Dietary Food Choices: Individual Differences in the Brain's Value System

PubMed Central

Petit, Olivia; Merunka, Dwight; Anton, Jean-Luc; Nazarian, Bruno; Spence, Charles; Cheok, Adrian David; Raccah, Denis; Oullier, Olivier

2016-01-01

Taking into account how people value the healthiness and tastiness of food at both the behavioral and brain levels may help to better understand and address overweight and obesity-related issues. Here, we investigate whether brain activity in those areas involved in self-control may increase significantly when individuals with a high body-mass index (BMI) focus their attention on the taste rather than on the health benefits related to healthy food choices. Under such conditions, BMI is positively correlated with both the neural responses to healthy food choices in those brain areas associated with gustation (insula), reward value (orbitofrontal cortex), and self-control (inferior frontal gyrus), and with the percent of healthy food choices. By contrast, when attention is directed towards health benefits, BMI is negatively correlated with neural activity in gustatory and reward-related brain areas (insula, inferior frontal operculum). Taken together, these findings suggest that those individuals with a high BMI do not necessarily have reduced capacities for self-control but that they may be facilitated by external cues that direct their attention toward the tastiness of healthy food. Thus, promoting the taste of healthy food in communication campaigns and/or food packaging may lead to more successful self-control and healthy food behaviors for consumers with a higher BMI, an issue which needs to be further researched. PMID:27428267

Health and Pleasure in Consumers' Dietary Food Choices: Individual Differences in the Brain's Value System.

PubMed

Petit, Olivia; Merunka, Dwight; Anton, Jean-Luc; Nazarian, Bruno; Spence, Charles; Cheok, Adrian David; Raccah, Denis; Oullier, Olivier

2016-01-01

Taking into account how people value the healthiness and tastiness of food at both the behavioral and brain levels may help to better understand and address overweight and obesity-related issues. Here, we investigate whether brain activity in those areas involved in self-control may increase significantly when individuals with a high body-mass index (BMI) focus their attention on the taste rather than on the health benefits related to healthy food choices. Under such conditions, BMI is positively correlated with both the neural responses to healthy food choices in those brain areas associated with gustation (insula), reward value (orbitofrontal cortex), and self-control (inferior frontal gyrus), and with the percent of healthy food choices. By contrast, when attention is directed towards health benefits, BMI is negatively correlated with neural activity in gustatory and reward-related brain areas (insula, inferior frontal operculum). Taken together, these findings suggest that those individuals with a high BMI do not necessarily have reduced capacities for self-control but that they may be facilitated by external cues that direct their attention toward the tastiness of healthy food. Thus, promoting the taste of healthy food in communication campaigns and/or food packaging may lead to more successful self-control and healthy food behaviors for consumers with a higher BMI, an issue which needs to be further researched.

Physical Exercise Keeps the Brain Connected: Biking Increases White Matter Integrity in Patients With Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Svatkova, Alena; Mandl, René C.W.; Scheewe, Thomas W.; Cahn, Wiepke; Kahn, René S.; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E.

2015-01-01

It has been shown that learning a new skill leads to structural changes in the brain. However, it is unclear whether it is the acquisition or continuous practicing of the skill that causes this effect and whether brain connectivity of patients with schizophrenia can benefit from such practice. We examined the effect of 6 months exercise on a stationary bicycle on the brain in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Biking is an endemic skill in the Netherlands and thus offers an ideal situation to disentangle the effects of learning vs practice. The 33 participating patients with schizophrenia and 48 healthy individuals were assigned to either one of two conditions, ie, physical exercise or life-as-usual, balanced for diagnosis. Diffusion tensor imaging brain scans were made prior to and after intervention. We demonstrate that irrespective of diagnosis regular physical exercise of an overlearned skill, such as bicycling, significantly increases the integrity, especially of motor functioning related, white matter fiber tracts whereas life-as-usual leads to a decrease in fiber integrity. Our findings imply that exercise of an overlearned physical skill improves brain connectivity in patients and healthy individuals. This has important implications for understanding the effect of fitness programs on the brain in both healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia. Moreover, the outcome may even apply to the nonphysical realm. PMID:25829377

Human-brain ferritin studied by muon spin rotation: a pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossoni, Lucia; Grand Moursel, Laure; Bulk, Marjolein; Simon, Brecht G.; Webb, Andrew; van der Weerd, Louise; Huber, Martina; Carretta, Pietro; Lascialfari, Alessandro; Oosterkamp, Tjerk H.

2017-10-01

Muon spin rotation is employed to investigate the spin dynamics of ferritin proteins isolated from the brain of an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patient and of a healthy control, using a sample of horse-spleen ferritin as a reference. A model based on the Néel theory of superparamagnetism is developed in order to interpret the spin relaxation rate of the muons stopped by the core of the protein. Using this model, our preliminary observations show that ferritins from the healthy control are filled with a mineral compatible with ferrihydrite, while ferritins from the AD patient contain a crystalline phase with a larger magnetocrystalline anisotropy, possibly compatible with magnetite or maghemite.

Distinct patterns of brain activity evoked by histamine-induced itch reveal an association with itch intensity and disease severity in atopic dermatitis

PubMed Central

Ishiuji, Y.; Coghill, R.C.; Patel, T.S.; Oshiro, Y.; Kraft, R.A.; Yosipovitch, G.

2009-01-01

Summary Background Little is known about brain mechanisms supporting the experience of chronic puritus in disease states. Objectives To examine the difference in brain processing of histamine-induced itch in patients with active atopic dermatitis (AD) vs. healthy controls with the emerging technique of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using arterial spin labelling (ASL). Methods Itch was induced with histamine iontophoresis in eight patients with AD and seven healthy subjects. Results We found significant differences in brain processing of histamine-induced itch between patients with AD and healthy subjects. Patients with AD exhibited bilateral activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), retrosplenial cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as well as contralateral activation of the caudate nucleus and putamen. In contrast, healthy subjects activated the primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex and superior parietal lobe. The PCC and precuneus exhibited significantly greater activity in patients vs. healthy subjects. A significant correlation between percentage changes of brain activation was noted in the activation of the ACC and contralateral insula and histamine-induced itch intensity as well as disease severity in patients with AD. In addition, an association was noted between DLPFC activity and disease severity. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that ASL fMRI is a promising technique to assess brain activity in chronic itch. Brain activity of acute itch in AD seems to differ from that in healthy subjects. Moreover, the activity in cortical areas involved in affect and emotion correlated to measures of disease severity. PMID:19663870

Capturing intraoperative deformations: research experience at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

PubMed

Warfield, Simon K; Haker, Steven J; Talos, Ion-Florin; Kemper, Corey A; Weisenfeld, Neil; Mewes, Andrea U J; Goldberg-Zimring, Daniel; Zou, Kelly H; Westin, Carl-Fredrik; Wells, William M; Tempany, Clare M C; Golby, Alexandra; Black, Peter M; Jolesz, Ferenc A; Kikinis, Ron

2005-04-01

During neurosurgical procedures the objective of the neurosurgeon is to achieve the resection of as much diseased tissue as possible while achieving the preservation of healthy brain tissue. The restricted capacity of the conventional operating room to enable the surgeon to visualize critical healthy brain structures and tumor margin has lead, over the past decade, to the development of sophisticated intraoperative imaging techniques to enhance visualization. However, both rigid motion due to patient placement and nonrigid deformations occurring as a consequence of the surgical intervention disrupt the correspondence between preoperative data used to plan surgery and the intraoperative configuration of the patient's brain. Similar challenges are faced in other interventional therapies, such as in cryoablation of the liver, or biopsy of the prostate. We have developed algorithms to model the motion of key anatomical structures and system implementations that enable us to estimate the deformation of the critical anatomy from sequences of volumetric images and to prepare updated fused visualizations of preoperative and intraoperative images at a rate compatible with surgical decision making. This paper reviews the experience at Brigham and Women's Hospital through the process of developing and applying novel algorithms for capturing intraoperative deformations in support of image guided therapy.

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging

PubMed Central

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M.

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains. PMID:29326636

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging.

PubMed

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer's disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains.

[Functional neuroimaging of the brain structures associated with language in healthy individuals and patients with post-stroke aphasia].

PubMed

Alferova, V V; Mayorova, L A; Ivanova, E G; Guekht, A B; Shklovskij, V M

2017-01-01

The introduction of non-invasive functional neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in the practice of scientific and clinical research can increase our knowledge about the organization of cognitive processes, including language, in normal and reorganization of these cognitive functions in post-stroke aphasia. The article discusses the results of fMRI studies of functional organization of the cortex of a healthy adult's brain in the processing of various voice information as well as the main types of speech reorganization after post-stroke aphasia in different stroke periods. The concepts of 'effective' and 'ineffective' brain plasticity in post-stroke aphasia were considered. It was concluded that there was an urgent need for further comprehensive studies, including neuropsychological testing and several complementary methods of functional neuroimaging, to develop a phased treatment plan and neurorehabilitation of patients with post-stroke aphasia.

Brain Activation Associated with Practiced Left Hand Mirror Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kushnir, T.; Arzouan, Y.; Karni, A.; Manor, D.

2013-01-01

Mirror writing occurs in healthy children, in various pathologies and occasionally in healthy adults. There are only scant experimental data on the underlying brain processes. Eight, right-handed, healthy young adults were scanned (BOLD-fMRI) before and after practicing left-hand mirror-writing (lh-MW) over seven sessions. They wrote dictated…

MRI-based Brain Healthcare Quotients: A bridge between neural and behavioral analyses for keeping the brain healthy

PubMed Central

Nemoto, Kiyotaka; Oka, Hiroki; Fukuda, Hiroki

2017-01-01

Neurological and psychiatric disorders are a burden on social and economic resources. Therefore, maintaining brain health and preventing these disorders are important. While the physiological functions of the brain are well studied, few studies have focused on keeping the brain healthy from a neuroscientific viewpoint. We propose a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based quotient for monitoring brain health, the Brain Healthcare Quotient (BHQ), which is based on the volume of gray matter (GM) and the fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter (WM). We recruited 144 healthy adults to acquire structural neuroimaging data, including T1-weighted images and diffusion tensor images, and data associated with both physical (BMI, blood pressure, and daily time use) and social (subjective socioeconomic status, subjective well-being, post-materialism and Epicureanism) factors. We confirmed that the BHQ was sensitive to an age-related decline in GM volume and WM integrity. Further analysis revealed that the BHQ was critically affected by both physical and social factors. We believe that our BHQ is a simple yet highly sensitive, valid measure for brain health research that will bridge the needs of the scientific community and society and help us lead better lives in which we stay healthy, active, and sharp. PMID:29077756

Abnormal functional connectivity of EEG gamma band in patients with depression during emotional face processing.

PubMed

Li, Yingjie; Cao, Dan; Wei, Ling; Tang, Yingying; Wang, Jijun

2015-11-01

This paper evaluates the large-scale structure of functional brain networks using graph theoretical concepts and investigates the difference in brain functional networks between patients with depression and healthy controls while they were processing emotional stimuli. Electroencephalography (EEG) activities were recorded from 16 patients with depression and 14 healthy controls when they performed a spatial search task for facial expressions. Correlations between all possible pairs of 59 electrodes were determined by coherence, and the coherence matrices were calculated in delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands (low gamma: 30-50Hz and high gamma: 50-80Hz, respectively). Graph theoretical analysis was applied to these matrices by using two indexes: the clustering coefficient and the characteristic path length. The global EEG coherence of patients with depression was significantly higher than that of healthy controls in both gamma bands, especially in the high gamma band. The global coherence in both gamma bands from healthy controls appeared higher in negative conditions than in positive conditions. All the brain networks were found to hold a regular and ordered topology during emotion processing. However, the brain network of patients with depression appeared randomized compared with the normal one. The abnormal network topology of patients with depression was detected in both the prefrontal and occipital regions. The negative bias from healthy controls occurred in both gamma bands during emotion processing, while it disappeared in patients with depression. The proposed work studied abnormally increased connectivity of brain functional networks in patients with depression. By combing the clustering coefficient and the characteristic path length, we found that the brain networks of patients with depression and healthy controls had regular networks during emotion processing. Yet the brain networks of the depressed group presented randomization trends. Moreover, negative bias was detected in the healthy controls during emotion processing, while it was not detected in patients with depression, which might be related to the types of negative stimuli used in this study. The brain networks from both patients with depression and healthy controls were found to hold a regular and ordered topology. Yet the brain networks of patients with depression had randomization trends. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An independent SSVEP-based brain-computer interface in locked-in syndrome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesenfants, D.; Habbal, D.; Lugo, Z.; Lebeau, M.; Horki, P.; Amico, E.; Pokorny, C.; Gómez, F.; Soddu, A.; Müller-Putz, G.; Laureys, S.; Noirhomme, Q.

2014-06-01

Objective. Steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) allow healthy subjects to communicate. However, their dependence on gaze control prevents their use with severely disabled patients. Gaze-independent SSVEP-BCIs have been designed but have shown a drop in accuracy and have not been tested in brain-injured patients. In the present paper, we propose a novel independent SSVEP-BCI based on covert attention with an improved classification rate. We study the influence of feature extraction algorithms and the number of harmonics. Finally, we test online communication on healthy volunteers and patients with locked-in syndrome (LIS). Approach. Twenty-four healthy subjects and six LIS patients participated in this study. An independent covert two-class SSVEP paradigm was used with a newly developed portable light emitting diode-based ‘interlaced squares' stimulation pattern. Main results. Mean offline and online accuracies on healthy subjects were respectively 85 ± 2% and 74 ± 13%, with eight out of twelve subjects succeeding to communicate efficiently with 80 ± 9% accuracy. Two out of six LIS patients reached an offline accuracy above the chance level, illustrating a response to a command. One out of four LIS patients could communicate online. Significance. We have demonstrated the feasibility of online communication with a covert SSVEP paradigm that is truly independent of all neuromuscular functions. The potential clinical use of the presented BCI system as a diagnostic (i.e., detecting command-following) and communication tool for severely brain-injured patients will need to be further explored.

Brain structure in people at ultra-high risk of psychosis, patients with first-episode schizophrenia, and healthy controls: a VBM study.

PubMed

Nenadic, Igor; Dietzek, Maren; Schönfeld, Nils; Lorenz, Carsten; Gussew, Alexander; Reichenbach, Jürgen R; Sauer, Heinrich; Gaser, Christian; Smesny, Stefan

2015-02-01

Early intervention research in schizophrenia has suggested that brain structural alterations might be present in subjects at high risk of developing psychosis. The heterogeneity of regional effects of these changes, which is established in schizophrenia, however, has not been explored in prodromal or high-risk populations. We used high-resolution MRI and voxel-based morphometry (VBM8) to analyze grey matter differences in 43 ultra high-risk subjects for psychosis (meeting ARMS criteria, identified through CAARMS interviews), 24 antipsychotic-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients and 49 healthy controls (groups matched for age and gender). Compared to healthy controls, resp., first-episode schizophrenia patients had reduced regional grey matter in left prefrontal, insula, right parietal and left temporal cortices, while the high-risk group showed reductions in right middle temporal and left anterior frontal cortices. When dividing the ultra-high-risk group in those with a genetic risk vs. those with attenuated psychotic symptoms, the former showed left anterior frontal, right caudate, as well as a smaller right hippocampus, and amygdala reduction, while the latter subgroup showed right middle temporal cortical reductions (each compared to healthy controls). Our findings in a clinical psychosis high-risk cohort demonstrate variability of brain structural changes according to subgroup and background of elevated risk, suggesting frontal and possibly also hippocampal/amygdala changes in individuals with genetic susceptibility. Heterogeneity of structural brain changes (as seen in schizophrenia) appears evident even at high-risk stage, prior to potential onset of psychosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Age-Related Differences in Brain Electrical Activity during Extended Continuous Face Recognition in Younger Children, Older Children and Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Strien, Jan W.; Glimmerveen, Johanna C.; Franken, Ingmar H. A.; Martens, Vanessa E. G.; de Bruin, Eveline A.

2011-01-01

To examine the development of recognition memory in primary-school children, 36 healthy younger children (8-9 years old) and 36 healthy older children (11-12 years old) participated in an ERP study with an extended continuous face recognition task (Study 1). Each face of a series of 30 faces was shown randomly six times interspersed with…

Getting the Message out about Cognitive Health: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Older Adults' Media Awareness and Communication Needs on How to Maintain a Healthy Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Daniela B.; Laditka, James N.; Hunter, Rebecca; Ivey, Susan L.; Wu, Bei; Laditka, Sarah B.; Tseng, Winston; Corwin, Sara J.; Liu, Rui; Mathews, Anna E.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Evidence suggests that physical activity and healthy diets may help to maintain cognitive function, reducing risks of developing Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Using a cross-cultural focus, we describe older adults' awareness about cognitive health, and their ideas about how to inform and motivate others to engage in…

The early development of brain white matter: a review of imaging studies in fetuses, newborns and infants.

PubMed

Dubois, J; Dehaene-Lambertz, G; Kulikova, S; Poupon, C; Hüppi, P S; Hertz-Pannier, L

2014-09-12

Studying how the healthy human brain develops is important to understand early pathological mechanisms and to assess the influence of fetal or perinatal events on later life. Brain development relies on complex and intermingled mechanisms especially during gestation and first post-natal months, with intense interactions between genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Although the baby's brain is organized early on, it is not a miniature adult brain: regional brain changes are asynchronous and protracted, i.e. sensory-motor regions develop early and quickly, whereas associative regions develop later and slowly over decades. Concurrently, the infant/child gradually achieves new performances, but how brain maturation relates to changes in behavior is poorly understood, requiring non-invasive in vivo imaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two main processes of early white matter development are reviewed: (1) establishment of connections between brain regions within functional networks, leading to adult-like organization during the last trimester of gestation, (2) maturation (myelination) of these connections during infancy to provide efficient transfers of information. Current knowledge from post-mortem descriptions and in vivo MRI studies is summed up, focusing on T1- and T2-weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and quantitative mapping of T1/T2 relaxation times, myelin water fraction and magnetization transfer ratio. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resting-State fMRI Functional Connectivity Is Associated with Sleepiness, Imagery, and Discontinuity of Mind

PubMed Central

Chen, Gang; den Braber, Anouk; van ‘t Ent, Dennis; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Mansvelder, Huibert D.; de Geus, Eco; Van Someren, Eus J. W.; Linkenkaer-Hansen, Klaus

2015-01-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is widely used to investigate the functional architecture of the healthy human brain and how it is affected by learning, lifelong development, brain disorders or pharmacological intervention. Non-sensory experiences are prevalent during rest and must arise from ongoing brain activity, yet little is known about this relationship. Here, we used two runs of rs-fMRI both immediately followed by the Amsterdam Resting-State Questionnaire (ARSQ) to investigate the relationship between functional connectivity within ten large-scale functional brain networks and ten dimensions of thoughts and feelings experienced during the scan in 106 healthy participants. We identified 11 positive associations between brain-network functional connectivity and ARSQ dimensions. ‘Sleepiness’ exhibited significant associations with functional connectivity within Visual, Sensorimotor and Default Mode networks. Similar associations were observed for ‘Visual Thought’ and ‘Discontinuity of Mind’, which may relate to variation in imagery and thought control mediated by arousal fluctuations. Our findings show that self-reports of thoughts and feelings experienced during a rs-fMRI scan help understand the functional significance of variations in functional connectivity, which should be of special relevance to clinical studies. PMID:26540239

Toward systems neuroscience in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of 75 fMRI studies.

PubMed

Li, Hui-Jie; Hou, Xiao-Hui; Liu, Han-Hui; Yue, Chun-Lin; He, Yong; Zuo, Xi-Nian

2015-03-01

Most of the previous task functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies found abnormalities in distributed brain regions in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and few studies investigated the brain network dysfunction from the system level. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine brain network dysfunction in MCI and AD. We systematically searched task-based fMRI studies in MCI and AD published between January 1990 and January 2014. Activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses were conducted to compare the significant group differences in brain activation, the significant voxels were overlaid onto seven referenced neuronal cortical networks derived from the resting-state fMRI data of 1,000 healthy participants. Thirty-nine task-based fMRI studies (697 MCI patients and 628 healthy controls) were included in MCI-related meta-analysis while 36 task-based fMRI studies (421 AD patients and 512 healthy controls) were included in AD-related meta-analysis. The meta-analytic results revealed that MCI and AD showed abnormal regional brain activation as well as large-scale brain networks. MCI patients showed hypoactivation in default, frontoparietal, and visual networks relative to healthy controls, whereas AD-related hypoactivation mainly located in visual, default, and ventral attention networks relative to healthy controls. Both MCI-related and AD-related hyperactivation fell in frontoparietal, ventral attention, default, and somatomotor networks relative to healthy controls. MCI and AD presented different pathological while shared similar compensatory large-scale networks in fulfilling the cognitive tasks. These system-level findings are helpful to link the fundamental declines of cognitive tasks to brain networks in MCI and AD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Docosahexaenoic Acid and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Term Infants.

PubMed

Meldrum, Suzanne; Simmer, Karen

2016-01-01

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, is essential for normal brain development. DHA is found predominantly in seafood, fish oil, breastmilk and supplemented formula. DHA intake in Western countries is often below recommendations. Observational studies have demonstrated an association between DHA intake in pregnancy and neurodevelopment of offspring but cannot fully adjust for confounding factors that influence child development. Randomised clinical trials of DHA supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation, and of term infants, have not shown a consistent benefit nor harm on neurodevelopment of healthy children born at term. The evidence does not support DHA supplementation of healthy pregnant and lactating women, nor healthy infants. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A subject-independent pattern-based Brain-Computer Interface

PubMed Central

Ray, Andreas M.; Sitaram, Ranganatha; Rana, Mohit; Pasqualotto, Emanuele; Buyukturkoglu, Korhan; Guan, Cuntai; Ang, Kai-Keng; Tejos, Cristián; Zamorano, Francisco; Aboitiz, Francisco; Birbaumer, Niels; Ruiz, Sergio

2015-01-01

While earlier Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) studies have mostly focused on modulating specific brain regions or signals, new developments in pattern classification of brain states are enabling real-time decoding and modulation of an entire functional network. The present study proposes a new method for real-time pattern classification and neurofeedback of brain states from electroencephalographic (EEG) signals. It involves the creation of a fused classification model based on the method of Common Spatial Patterns (CSPs) from data of several healthy individuals. The subject-independent model is then used to classify EEG data in real-time and provide feedback to new individuals. In a series of offline experiments involving training and testing of the classifier with individual data from 27 healthy subjects, a mean classification accuracy of 75.30% was achieved, demonstrating that the classification system at hand can reliably decode two types of imagery used in our experiments, i.e., happy emotional imagery and motor imagery. In a subsequent experiment it is shown that the classifier can be used to provide neurofeedback to new subjects, and that these subjects learn to “match” their brain pattern to that of the fused classification model in a few days of neurofeedback training. This finding can have important implications for future studies on neurofeedback and its clinical applications on neuropsychiatric disorders. PMID:26539089

A resource for assessing information processing in the developing brain using EEG and eye tracking

PubMed Central

Langer, Nicolas; Ho, Erica J.; Alexander, Lindsay M.; Xu, Helen Y.; Jozanovic, Renee K.; Henin, Simon; Petroni, Agustin; Cohen, Samantha; Marcelle, Enitan T.; Parra, Lucas C.; Milham, Michael P.; Kelly, Simon P.

2017-01-01

We present a dataset combining electrophysiology and eye tracking intended as a resource for the investigation of information processing in the developing brain. The dataset includes high-density task-based and task-free EEG, eye tracking, and cognitive and behavioral data collected from 126 individuals (ages: 6–44). The task battery spans both the simple/complex and passive/active dimensions to cover a range of approaches prevalent in modern cognitive neuroscience. The active task paradigms facilitate principled deconstruction of core components of task performance in the developing brain, whereas the passive paradigms permit the examination of intrinsic functional network activity during varying amounts of external stimulation. Alongside these neurophysiological data, we include an abbreviated cognitive test battery and questionnaire-based measures of psychiatric functioning. We hope that this dataset will lead to the development of novel assays of neural processes fundamental to information processing, which can be used to index healthy brain development as well as detect pathologic processes. PMID:28398357

A resource for assessing information processing in the developing brain using EEG and eye tracking.

PubMed

Langer, Nicolas; Ho, Erica J; Alexander, Lindsay M; Xu, Helen Y; Jozanovic, Renee K; Henin, Simon; Petroni, Agustin; Cohen, Samantha; Marcelle, Enitan T; Parra, Lucas C; Milham, Michael P; Kelly, Simon P

2017-04-11

We present a dataset combining electrophysiology and eye tracking intended as a resource for the investigation of information processing in the developing brain. The dataset includes high-density task-based and task-free EEG, eye tracking, and cognitive and behavioral data collected from 126 individuals (ages: 6-44). The task battery spans both the simple/complex and passive/active dimensions to cover a range of approaches prevalent in modern cognitive neuroscience. The active task paradigms facilitate principled deconstruction of core components of task performance in the developing brain, whereas the passive paradigms permit the examination of intrinsic functional network activity during varying amounts of external stimulation. Alongside these neurophysiological data, we include an abbreviated cognitive test battery and questionnaire-based measures of psychiatric functioning. We hope that this dataset will lead to the development of novel assays of neural processes fundamental to information processing, which can be used to index healthy brain development as well as detect pathologic processes.

Children's diets (image)

MedlinePlus

... healthy and strong. One important element in the diet of children is the proper amount of fat. Children under ... thought to be important nutrients for brain development. Children over ... added to their diets. Fat in the diet is necessary to help ...

Identification of alterations associated with age in the clustering structure of functional brain networks.

PubMed

Guzman, Grover E C; Sato, Joao R; Vidal, Maciel C; Fujita, Andre

2018-01-01

Initial studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging on the trajectories of the brain network from childhood to adulthood found evidence of functional integration and segregation over time. The comprehension of how healthy individuals' functional integration and segregation occur is crucial to enhance our understanding of possible deviations that may lead to brain disorders. Recent approaches have focused on the framework wherein the functional brain network is organized into spatially distributed modules that have been associated with specific cognitive functions. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the clustering structure of brain networks evolves during development. To address this hypothesis, we defined a measure of how well a brain region is clustered (network fitness index), and developed a method to evaluate its association with age. Then, we applied this method to a functional magnetic resonance imaging data set composed of 397 males under 31 years of age collected as part of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange Consortium. As results, we identified two brain regions for which the clustering change over time, namely, the left middle temporal gyrus and the left putamen. Since the network fitness index is associated with both integration and segregation, our finding suggests that the identified brain region plays a role in the development of brain systems.

Local Brain Activity Differences Between Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia Patients: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study.

PubMed

Cao, Song; Li, Ying; Deng, Wenwen; Qin, Bangyong; Zhang, Yi; Xie, Peng; Yuan, Jie; Yu, Buwei; Yu, Tian

2017-07-01

Herpes zoster (HZ) can develop into postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), both of which are painful diseases. PHN patients suffer chronic pain and emotional disorders. Previous studies showed that the PHN brain displayed abnormal activity and structural change, but the difference in brain activity between HZ and PHN is still not known. To identify regional brain activity changes in HZ and PHN brains with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) technique, and to observe the differences between HZ and PHN patients. Observational study. University hospital. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and fractional aptitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) methods were employed to analysis resting-state brain activity. Seventy-three age and gender matched patients (50 HZ, 23 PHN) and 55 healthy controls were enrolled. ReHo and fALFF changes were analyzed to detect the functional abnormality in HZ and PHN brains. Compared with healthy controls, HZ and PHN patients exhibited abnormal ReHo and fALFF values in classic pain-related brain regions (such as the frontal lobe, thalamus, insular, and cerebellum) as well as the brainstem, limbic lobe, and temporal lobe. When HZ developed to PHN, the activity in the vast area of the cerebellum significantly increased while that of some regions in the occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and limbic lobe showed an apparent decrease. (a) Relatively short pain duration (mean 12.2 months) and small sample size (n = 23) for PHN group. (b) Comparisons at different time points (with paired t-tests) for each patient may minimize individual differences. HZ and PHN induced local brain activity changed in the pain matrix, brainstem, and limbic system. HZ chronification induced functional change in the cerebellum, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and limbic lobe. These brain activity changes may be correlated with HZ-PHN transition. Herpes zoster, postherpetic neuralgia, resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), regional homogeneity (ReHo), fractional aptitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF).

Conjunctival microcirculatory blood flow is altered but not abolished in brain dead patients: a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Tamosuitis, Tomas; Pranskunas, Andrius; Balciuniene, Neringa; Pilvinis, Vidas; Boerma, E Christiaan

2016-07-11

The conjunctival microcirculation has potential as a window to cerebral perfusion due to related blood supply, close anatomical proximity and easy accessibility for microcirculatory imaging technique, such as sidestream dark field (SDF) imaging. Our study aims to evaluate conjunctival and sublingual microcirculation in brain dead patients and to compare it with healthy volunteers in two diametrically opposed conditions: full stop versus normal arterial blood supply to the brain. In a prospective observational study we analyzed conjunctival and sublingual microcirculation using SDF imaging in brain dead patients after reaching systemic hemodynamic targets to optimize perfusion of donor organs, and in healthy volunteers. All brain death diagnoses were confirmed by cerebral angiography. Microcirculatory images were obtained and analyzed using standardized published recommendations. Study registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02483273. Eleven brain dead patients and eleven apparently healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Microvascular flow index (MFI) of small vessels was significantly lower in brain dead patients in comparison to healthy controls in ocular conjunctiva (2.7 [2.4-2.9] vs. 3.0 [2.9-3.0], p = 0.01) and in sublingual mucosa (2.8 [2.6-2.9] vs. 3.0 [2.9-3.0], p = 0.02). Total vessel density (TVD) and perfused vessel density (PVD) of small vessels were significantly lower in brain dead patients in comparison to healthy controls in ocular conjunctiva (10.2 [6.6-14.8] vs. 18.0 [18.0-25.4] mm/mm(2), p = 0.001 and 5.0 [3.5-7.3] vs. 10.9 [10.9-13.5] 1/mm, p = 0.001), but not in sublingual mucosa. In comparison to healthy controls brain dead patients had a significant reduction in conjunctival microvascular blood flow and density. However, the presence of conjunctival flow in case general cerebral flow is completely absent makes it impossible to use the conjunctival microcirculation as a substitute for brain flow, and further research should focus on the link between the ocular microcirculation, intracranial pressure and alternative ocular circulation.

Brain activation by music in patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious state following diffuse brain injury.

PubMed

Okumura, Yuka; Asano, Yoshitaka; Takenaka, Shunsuke; Fukuyama, Seisuke; Yonezawa, Shingo; Kasuya, Yukinori; Shinoda, Jun

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to objectively evaluate the brain activity potential of patients with impaired consciousness in a chronic stage of diffuse brain injury (DBI) using functional MRI (fMRI) following music stimulation (MS). Two patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS) and five patients in a vegetative state (VS) due to severe DBI were enrolled along with 21 healthy adults. This study examined the brain regions activated by music and assessed topographical differences of the MS-activated brain among healthy adults and these patients. MS was shown to activate the bilateral superior temporal gyri (STG) of both healthy adults and patients in an MCS. In four of five patients in a VS, however, no significant activation in STG could be induced by the same MS. The remaining patient in a VS displayed the same MS-induced brain activation in STG as healthy adults and patients in an MCS and this patient's status also improved to an MCS 4 months after the study. The presence of STG activation by MS may predict a possible improvement of patients in a VS to MCS and fMRI employing MS may be a useful modality to objectively evaluate consciousness in these patients.

Detection of radiation-induced brain necrosis in live rats using label-free time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartl, Brad A.; Ma, Htet S. W.; Sridharan, Shamira; Hansen, Katherine; Klich, Melanie; Perks, Julian; Kent, Michael; Kim, Kyoungmi; Fragoso, Ruben; Marcu, Laura

2017-02-01

Differentiating radiation-induced necrosis from recurrent tumor in the brain remains a significant challenge to the neurosurgeon. Clinical imaging modalities are not able to reliably discriminate the two tissue types, making biopsy location selection and surgical management difficult. Label-free fluorescence lifetime techniques have previously been shown to be able to delineate human brain tumor from healthy tissues. Thus, fluorescence lifetime techniques represent a potential means to discriminate the two tissues in real-time during surgery. This study aims to characterize the endogenous fluorescence lifetime signatures from radiation induced brain necrosis in a tumor-free rat model. Fischer rats received a single fraction of 60 Gy of radiation to the right hemisphere using a linear accelerator. Animals underwent a terminal live surgery after gross necrosis had developed, as verified with MRI. During surgery, healthy and necrotic brain tissue was measured with a fiber optic needle connected to a multispectral fluorescence lifetime system. Measurements of the necrotic tissue showed a 48% decrease in intensity and 20% increase in lifetimes relative to healthy tissue. Using a support vector machine classifier and leave-one-out validation technique, the necrotic tissue was correctly classified with 94% sensitivity and 97% specificity. Spectral contribution analysis also confirmed that the primary source of fluorescence contrast lies within the redox and bound-unbound population shifts of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. A clinical trial is presently underway to measure these tissue types in humans. These results show for the first time that radiation-induced necrotic tissue in the brain contains significantly different metabolic signatures that are detectable with label-free fluorescence lifetime techniques.

Spatial cluster analysis of nanoscopically mapped serotonin receptors for classification of fixed brain tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sams, Michael; Silye, Rene; Göhring, Janett; Muresan, Leila; Schilcher, Kurt; Jacak, Jaroslaw

2014-01-01

We present a cluster spatial analysis method using nanoscopic dSTORM images to determine changes in protein cluster distributions within brain tissue. Such methods are suitable to investigate human brain tissue and will help to achieve a deeper understanding of brain disease along with aiding drug development. Human brain tissue samples are usually treated postmortem via standard fixation protocols, which are established in clinical laboratories. Therefore, our localization microscopy-based method was adapted to characterize protein density and protein cluster localization in samples fixed using different protocols followed by common fluorescent immunohistochemistry techniques. The localization microscopy allows nanoscopic mapping of serotonin 5-HT1A receptor groups within a two-dimensional image of a brain tissue slice. These nanoscopically mapped proteins can be confined to clusters by applying the proposed statistical spatial analysis. Selected features of such clusters were subsequently used to characterize and classify the tissue. Samples were obtained from different types of patients, fixed with different preparation methods, and finally stored in a human tissue bank. To verify the proposed method, samples of a cryopreserved healthy brain have been compared with epitope-retrieved and paraffin-fixed tissues. Furthermore, samples of healthy brain tissues were compared with data obtained from patients suffering from mental illnesses (e.g., major depressive disorder). Our work demonstrates the applicability of localization microscopy and image analysis methods for comparison and classification of human brain tissues at a nanoscopic level. Furthermore, the presented workflow marks a unique technological advance in the characterization of protein distributions in brain tissue sections.

Lasting EEG/MEG Aftereffects of Rhythmic Transcranial Brain Stimulation: Level of Control Over Oscillatory Network Activity

PubMed Central

Veniero, Domenica; Vossen, Alexandra; Gross, Joachim; Thut, Gregor

2015-01-01

A number of rhythmic protocols have emerged for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) in humans, including transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), oscillatory transcranial direct current stimulation (otDCS), and repetitive (also called rhythmic) transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). With these techniques, it is possible to match the frequency of the externally applied electromagnetic fields to the intrinsic frequency of oscillatory neural population activity (“frequency-tuning”). Mounting evidence suggests that by this means tACS, otDCS, and rTMS can entrain brain oscillations and promote associated functions in a frequency-specific manner, in particular during (i.e., online to) stimulation. Here, we focus instead on the changes in oscillatory brain activity that persist after the end of stimulation. Understanding such aftereffects in healthy participants is an important step for developing these techniques into potentially useful clinical tools for the treatment of specific patient groups. Reviewing the electrophysiological evidence in healthy participants, we find aftereffects on brain oscillations to be a common outcome following tACS/otDCS and rTMS. However, we did not find a consistent, predictable pattern of aftereffects across studies, which is in contrast to the relative homogeneity of reported online effects. This indicates that aftereffects are partially dissociated from online, frequency-specific (entrainment) effects during tACS/otDCS and rTMS. We outline possible accounts and future directions for a better understanding of the link between online entrainment and offline aftereffects, which will be key for developing more targeted interventions into oscillatory brain activity. PMID:26696834

Adaptive Capacity: An Evolutionary Neuroscience Model Linking Exercise, Cognition, and Brain Health.

PubMed

Raichlen, David A; Alexander, Gene E

2017-07-01

The field of cognitive neuroscience was transformed by the discovery that exercise induces neurogenesis in the adult brain, with the potential to improve brain health and stave off the effects of neurodegenerative disease. However, the basic mechanisms underlying exercise-brain connections are not well understood. We use an evolutionary neuroscience approach to develop the adaptive capacity model (ACM), detailing how and why physical activity improves brain function based on an energy-minimizing strategy. Building on studies showing a combined benefit of exercise and cognitive challenge to enhance neuroplasticity, our ACM addresses two fundamental questions: (i) what are the proximate and ultimate mechanisms underlying age-related brain atrophy, and (ii) how do lifestyle changes influence the trajectory of healthy and pathological aging? Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elevated brain serotonin turnover in patients with depression: effect of genotype and therapy.

PubMed

Barton, David A; Esler, Murray D; Dawood, Tye; Lambert, Elisabeth A; Haikerwal, Deepak; Brenchley, Celia; Socratous, Florentia; Hastings, Jacqueline; Guo, Ling; Wiesner, Glen; Kaye, David M; Bayles, Richard; Schlaich, Markus P; Lambert, Gavin W

2008-01-01

The biological basis for the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) remains incompletely understood. To quantify brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) turnover in patients with MDD. Patients with depression were studied both untreated and during administration of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) in an unblinded study of sequential design. Healthy volunteers were examined on only 1 occasion. Direct internal jugular venous blood sampling was used to directly quantify brain serotonin turnover. The effect of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotype on brain serotonin turnover was evaluated and the influence of SSRI therapy on serotonin turnover was investigated. Participants were recruited from the general community following media advertisement. Experimental procedures were performed in the research catheterization laboratory of a major training hospital and medical research institute. Studies were performed in 21 patients fulfilling the DSM-IV and International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision diagnostic criteria for MDD and in 40 healthy volunteers. Treatment for patients consisted of SSRI administration for approximately 12 weeks. Brain serotonin turnover before and after SSRI therapy. Brain serotonin turnover was significantly elevated in unmedicated patients with MDD compared with healthy subjects (mean [SD] internal jugular venoarterial 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid plasma concentration difference, 4.4 [4.3] vs 1.6 [2.4] nmol/L, respectively; P = .003). Analysis of the influence of the 5-HTT genotype in MDD indicated that carriage of the s allele compared with the l allele was associated with greater than a 2-fold increase in brain serotonin turnover (mean [SD] internal jugular venoarterial 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid plasma concentration difference, 6.5 [4.7] vs 2.7 [2.9] nmol/L, respectively; P = .04). Following SSRI therapy, brain serotonin turnover was substantially reduced (mean [SD] internal jugular venoarterial 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid plasma concentration difference, 6.0 [4.0] nmol/L prior to treatment vs 2.0 [3.3] nmol/L following therapy; P = .008). Brain serotonin turnover is elevated in unmedicated patients with MDD and is influenced by the 5-HTT genotype. The marked reduction in serotonin turnover following SSRI treatment and the accompanying improvement in symptoms suggest that high brain serotonin turnover may be a biological substrate of MDD.

Severe Urban Outdoor Air Pollution and Children's Structural and Functional Brain Development, From Evidence to Precautionary Strategic Action.

PubMed

D'Angiulli, Amedeo

2018-01-01

According to the latest estimates, about 2 billion children around the world are exposed to severe urban outdoor air pollution. Transdisciplinary, multi-method findings from epidemiology, developmental neuroscience, psychology, and pediatrics, show detrimental outcomes associated with pre- and postnatal exposure are found at all ages. Affected brain-related functions include perceptual and sensory information processing, intellectual and cognitive development, memory and executive functions, emotion and self-regulation, and academic achievement. Correspondingly, with the breakdown of natural barriers against entry and translocation of toxic particles in the brain, the most common structural changes are responses promoting neuroinflammation and indicating early neurodegenerative processes. In spite of the gaps in current scientific knowledge and the challenges posed by non-scientific issues that influence policy, the evidence invites the conclusion that urban outdoor air pollution is a serious threat to healthy brain development which may set the conditions for neurodegenerative diseases. Such evidence supports the perspective that urgent strategic precautionary actions, minimizing exposure and attenuating its effects, are needed to protect children and their brain development.

Severe Urban Outdoor Air Pollution and Children’s Structural and Functional Brain Development, From Evidence to Precautionary Strategic Action

PubMed Central

D’Angiulli, Amedeo

2018-01-01

According to the latest estimates, about 2 billion children around the world are exposed to severe urban outdoor air pollution. Transdisciplinary, multi-method findings from epidemiology, developmental neuroscience, psychology, and pediatrics, show detrimental outcomes associated with pre- and postnatal exposure are found at all ages. Affected brain-related functions include perceptual and sensory information processing, intellectual and cognitive development, memory and executive functions, emotion and self-regulation, and academic achievement. Correspondingly, with the breakdown of natural barriers against entry and translocation of toxic particles in the brain, the most common structural changes are responses promoting neuroinflammation and indicating early neurodegenerative processes. In spite of the gaps in current scientific knowledge and the challenges posed by non-scientific issues that influence policy, the evidence invites the conclusion that urban outdoor air pollution is a serious threat to healthy brain development which may set the conditions for neurodegenerative diseases. Such evidence supports the perspective that urgent strategic precautionary actions, minimizing exposure and attenuating its effects, are needed to protect children and their brain development. PMID:29670873

SEGMA: An Automatic SEGMentation Approach for Human Brain MRI Using Sliding Window and Random Forests

PubMed Central

Serag, Ahmed; Wilkinson, Alastair G.; Telford, Emma J.; Pataky, Rozalia; Sparrow, Sarah A.; Anblagan, Devasuda; Macnaught, Gillian; Semple, Scott I.; Boardman, James P.

2017-01-01

Quantitative volumes from brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquired across the life course may be useful for investigating long term effects of risk and resilience factors for brain development and healthy aging, and for understanding early life determinants of adult brain structure. Therefore, there is an increasing need for automated segmentation tools that can be applied to images acquired at different life stages. We developed an automatic segmentation method for human brain MRI, where a sliding window approach and a multi-class random forest classifier were applied to high-dimensional feature vectors for accurate segmentation. The method performed well on brain MRI data acquired from 179 individuals, analyzed in three age groups: newborns (38–42 weeks gestational age), children and adolescents (4–17 years) and adults (35–71 years). As the method can learn from partially labeled datasets, it can be used to segment large-scale datasets efficiently. It could also be applied to different populations and imaging modalities across the life course. PMID:28163680

Brain substrates of unhealthy versus healthy food choices: influence of homeostatic status and body mass index.

PubMed

Harding, I H; Andrews, Z B; Mata, F; Orlandea, S; Martínez-Zalacaín, I; Soriano-Mas, C; Stice, E; Verdejo-Garcia, A

2018-03-01

Unhealthy dietary choices are a major contributor to harmful weight gain and obesity. This study interrogated the brain substrates of unhealthy versus healthy food choices in vivo, and evaluated the influence of hunger state and body mass index (BMI) on brain activation and connectivity. Thirty adults (BMI: 18-38 kg m -2 ) performed a food-choice task involving preference-based selection between beverage pairs consisting of high-calorie (unhealthy) or low-calorie (healthy) options, concurrent with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Selected food stimuli were delivered to participants using an MRI-compatible gustometer. fMRI scans were performed both after 10-h fasting and when sated. Brain activation and hypothalamic functional connectivity were assessed when selecting between unhealthy-healthy beverage pairings, relative to unhealthy-unhealthy and healthy-healthy options. Results were considered significant at cluster-based family-wise error corrected P<0.05. Selecting between unhealthy and healthy foods elicited significant activation in the hypothalamus, the medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, the anterior insula and the posterior cingulate. Hunger was associated with higher activation within the ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, as well as lower connectivity between the hypothalamus and both the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum. Critically, people with higher BMI showed lower activation of the hypothalamus-regardless of hunger state-and higher activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex when hungry. People who are overweight and obese have weaker activation of brain regions involved in energy regulation and greater activation of reward valuation regions while making choices between unhealthy and healthy foods. These results provide evidence for a shift towards hedonic-based, and away from energy-based, food selection in obesity.

Changes in Gait Balance and Brain Connectivity in Response to Equine-Assisted Activity and Training in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Hyun, Gi Jung; Jung, Tae-Woon; Park, Jeong Ha; Kang, Kyoung Doo; Kim, Sun Mi; Son, Young Don; Cheong, Jae Hoon; Kim, Bung-Nyun; Han, Doug Hyun

2016-04-01

Equine-assisted activity and training (EAAT) is thought to improve body balance and clinical symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study hypostheses were that EAAT would improve the clinical symptoms and gait balance in children with ADHD and that these improvements would be associated with increased brain connectivity within the balance circuit. A total of 12 children with ADHD and 12 age- and sex-matched healthy control children were recruited. EAAT consisted of three training sessions, each 70 minutes long, once a week for 4 weeks. Brain functional connectivity was assessed by using functional magnetic resonance imaging. After 4 weeks of EAAT, children with ADHD showed improved scores on the Korean ADHD scale (K-ARS), while the K-ARS scores of healthy children did not change. During the 4 weeks, the plantar pressure difference between the left foot and right foot decreased in both the healthy control group and the ADHD group. After 4 weeks of EAAT, healthy controls showed increased brain connectivity from the cerebellum to the left occipital lingual gyrus, fusiform gyrus, right and left thalami, right caudate, right precentral gyrus, and right superior frontal gyrus. However, children with ADHD showed increased brain connectivity from the cerebellum to the right insular cortex, right middle temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and right precentral gyrus. In contrast, children with ADHD exhibited decreased brain connectivity from the cerebellum to the left inferior frontal gyrus. EAAT may improve clinical symptoms, gait balance, and brain connectivity, the last of which controls gait balance, in children with ADHD. However, children with ADHD who have deficits in the fronto-cerebellar tract did not exhibit changes in brain connectivity as extensive as those in healthy children in response to EAAT.

Anticipation-related brain connectivity in bipolar and unipolar depression: a graph theory approach.

PubMed

Manelis, Anna; Almeida, Jorge R C; Stiffler, Richelle; Lockovich, Jeanette C; Aslam, Haris A; Phillips, Mary L

2016-09-01

Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder, which leads to inadequate treatment. Depressed individuals versus healthy control subjects, show increased expectation of negative outcomes. Due to increased impulsivity and risk for mania, however, depressed individuals with bipolar disorder may differ from those with major depressive disorder in neural mechanisms underlying anticipation processes. Graph theory methods for neuroimaging data analysis allow the identification of connectivity between multiple brain regions without prior model specification, and may help to identify neurobiological markers differentiating these disorders, thereby facilitating development of better therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to compare brain connectivity among regions involved in win/loss anticipation in depressed individuals with bipolar disorder (BDD) versus depressed individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) versus healthy control subjects using graph theory methods. The study was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and included 31 BDD, 39 MDD, and 36 healthy control subjects. Participants were scanned while performing a number guessing reward task that included the periods of win and loss anticipation. We first identified the anticipatory network across all 106 participants by contrasting brain activation during all anticipation periods (win anticipation + loss anticipation) versus baseline, and win anticipation versus loss anticipation. Brain connectivity within the identified network was determined using the Independent Multiple sample Greedy Equivalence Search (IMaGES) and Linear non-Gaussian Orientation, Fixed Structure (LOFS) algorithms. Density of connections (the number of connections in the network), path length, and the global connectivity direction ('top-down' versus 'bottom-up') were compared across groups (BDD/MDD/healthy control subjects) and conditions (win/loss anticipation). These analyses showed that loss anticipation was characterized by denser top-down fronto-striatal and fronto-parietal connectivity in healthy control subjects, by bottom-up striatal-frontal connectivity in MDD, and by sparse connectivity lacking fronto-striatal connections in BDD. Win anticipation was characterized by dense connectivity of medial frontal with striatal and lateral frontal cortical regions in BDD, by sparser bottom-up striatum-medial frontal cortex connectivity in MDD, and by sparse connectivity in healthy control subjects. In summary, this is the first study to demonstrate that BDD and MDD with comparable levels of current depression differed from each other and healthy control subjects in density of connections, connectivity path length, and connectivity direction as a function of win or loss anticipation. These findings suggest that different neurobiological mechanisms may underlie aberrant anticipation processes in BDD and MDD, and that distinct therapeutic strategies may be required for these individuals to improve coping strategies during expectation of positive and negative outcomes. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Alterations in Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity in Alcohol Dependent Patients and Possible Association with Impulsivity.

PubMed

Wang, Junkai; Fan, Yunli; Dong, Yue; Ma, Mengying; Ma, Yi; Dong, Yuru; Niu, Yajuan; Jiang, Yin; Wang, Hong; Wang, Zhiyan; Wu, Liuzhen; Sun, Hongqiang; Cui, Cailian

2016-01-01

Previous studies have documented that heightened impulsivity likely contributes to the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorders. However, there is still a lack of studies that comprehensively detected the brain changes associated with abnormal impulsivity in alcohol addicts. This study was designed to investigate the alterations in brain structure and functional connectivity associated with abnormal impulsivity in alcohol dependent patients. Brain structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data as well as impulsive behavior data were collected from 20 alcohol dependent patients and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls respectively. Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate the differences of grey matter volume, and tract-based spatial statistics was used to detect abnormal white matter regions between alcohol dependent patients and healthy controls. The alterations in resting-state functional connectivity in alcohol dependent patients were examined using selected brain areas with gray matter deficits as seed regions. Compared with healthy controls, alcohol dependent patients had significantly reduced gray matter volume in the mesocorticolimbic system including the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, the medial prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex and the putamen, decreased fractional anisotropy in the regions connecting the damaged grey matter areas driven by higher radial diffusivity value in the same areas and decreased resting-state functional connectivity within the reward network. Moreover, the gray matter volume of the left medial prefrontal cortex exhibited negative correlations with various impulse indices. These findings suggest that chronic alcohol dependence could cause a complex neural changes linked to abnormal impulsivity.

[Forensic application of brainstem auditory evoked potential in patients with brain concussion].

PubMed

Zheng, Xing-Bin; Li, Sheng-Yan; Huang, Si-Xing; Ma, Ke-Xin

2008-12-01

To investigate changes of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) in patients with brain concussion. Nineteen patients with brain concussion were studied with BAEP examination. The data was compared to the healthy persons reported in literatures. The abnormal rate of BAEP for patients with brain concussion was 89.5%. There was a statistically significant difference between the abnormal rate of patients and that of healthy persons (P<0.05). The abnormal rate of BAEP in the brainstem pathway for patients with brain concussion was 73.7%, indicating dysfunction of the brainstem in those patients. BAEP might be helpful in forensic diagnosis of brain concussion.

Physical Exercise Keeps the Brain Connected: Biking Increases White Matter Integrity in Patients With Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Svatkova, Alena; Mandl, René C W; Scheewe, Thomas W; Cahn, Wiepke; Kahn, René S; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E

2015-07-01

It has been shown that learning a new skill leads to structural changes in the brain. However, it is unclear whether it is the acquisition or continuous practicing of the skill that causes this effect and whether brain connectivity of patients with schizophrenia can benefit from such practice. We examined the effect of 6 months exercise on a stationary bicycle on the brain in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Biking is an endemic skill in the Netherlands and thus offers an ideal situation to disentangle the effects of learning vs practice. The 33 participating patients with schizophrenia and 48 healthy individuals were assigned to either one of two conditions, ie, physical exercise or life-as-usual, balanced for diagnosis. Diffusion tensor imaging brain scans were made prior to and after intervention. We demonstrate that irrespective of diagnosis regular physical exercise of an overlearned skill, such as bicycling, significantly increases the integrity, especially of motor functioning related, white matter fiber tracts whereas life-as-usual leads to a decrease in fiber integrity. Our findings imply that exercise of an overlearned physical skill improves brain connectivity in patients and healthy individuals. This has important implications for understanding the effect of fitness programs on the brain in both healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia. Moreover, the outcome may even apply to the nonphysical realm. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessment of brain activity during voluntary anal sphincter contraction: Comparative study in women with and without fecal incontinence.

PubMed

Parés, D; Martínez-Vilalta, M; Ortiz, H; Soriano-Mas, C; Maestre-Gonzalez, Y; Pujol, J; Grande, L

2018-04-14

Voluntary anal sphincter function is driven by an extended network of brain structures, most of which are still unknown. Disturbances in this function may cause fecal incontinence. The aim of this study was to characterize the cerebral areas involved in voluntary contraction of the anorectal sphincter in healthy women and in a group of patients with fecal incontinence by using a standardized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) protocol. This comparative study included 12 healthy women (mean age 53.17 ± 4.93 years) and 12 women with fecal incontinence (56.25 ± 6.94 years). An MRI-compatible anal manometer was used to register voluntary external anal sphincter contraction. During brain fMRI imaging, participants were cued to perform 10-s series of self-paced anal sphincter contractions at an approximate rate of 1 Hz. Brain structures linked to anal sphincter contractions were mapped and the findings were compared between the 2 study groups. There were no differences in the evoked brain activity between the 2 groups. In healthy women, group fMRI analysis revealed significant activations in medial primary motor cortices, supplementary motor area, bilateral putamen, and cerebellum, as well as in the supramarginal gyrus and visual areas. In patients with fecal incontinence, the activation pattern involved similar regions without significant differences with healthy women. This brain fMRI-anorectal protocol was able to map the brain regions linked to voluntary anal sphincter function in healthy and women with fecal incontinence. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mindfulness and meditation as an adjunctive treatment for adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system: Is repairing the brain and nervous system possible?

PubMed

Winters, Drew E; Beerbower, Emily

2017-08-01

Adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system are prone to more traumatic events than other adolescents, leaving them in danger of developmental difficulties. Trauma exposure is predictive of poor outcomes including mental and physical health issues as well as criminal activity. Current treatment approaches either have a nominal effect on recidivism rates or increase the likelihood of future criminal offenses. This article explores adolescent brain development, the unique difficulties that juvenile justice youth face, and mindfulness meditation as an adjunctive treatment to system-based treatment. Mindfulness meditation may be a way to redress damage to the brain and facilitate healthy brain development, thus impacting prosocial behavior. Practice implications include integrating mindfulness meditation as an important part of rehabilitative efforts with juvenile justice youth.

Brain and Nervous System

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Brain and Nervous System KidsHealth / For Parents / Brain and ... healthy, and remove waste products. All About the Brain The brain is made up of three main ...

Breaking the Cycle: Supporting Parent-Child Relationships through the "Parents Interacting With Infants" Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nenide, Lana; Sontoski, Staci

2014-01-01

The Parents Interacting With Infants (PIWI) intervention is designed to support parents in developing their capacity to create positive, sensitive, and engaging interactions with their infants and toddlers. These interactions, as indicated by research, are essential for healthy brain development and overall well-being, yet they are particularly…

Functional Neuroimaging of Speech Perception during a Pivotal Period in Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redcay, Elizabeth; Haist, Frank; Courchesne, Eric

2008-01-01

A pivotal period in the development of language occurs in the second year of life, when language comprehension undergoes rapid acceleration. However, the brain bases of these advances remain speculative as there is currently no functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from healthy, typically developing toddlers at this age. We…

Cognitive Reserve in Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies.

PubMed

Colangeli, Stefano; Boccia, Maddalena; Verde, Paola; Guariglia, Paola; Bianchini, Filippo; Piccardi, Laura

2016-08-01

Cognitive reserve (CR) has been defined as the ability to optimize or maximize performance through differential recruitment of brain networks. In the present study, we aimed at providing evidence for a consistent brain network underpinning CR in healthy and pathological aging. To pursue this aim, we performed a coordinate-based meta-analysis of 17 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies on CR proxies in healthy aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We found that different brain areas were associated with CR proxies in healthy and pathological aging. A wide network of areas, including medial and lateral frontal areas, that is, anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as precuneus, was associated with proxies of CR in healthy elderly patients. The CR proxies in patients with AD and amnesic-MCI were associated with activation in the anterior cingulate cortex. These results were discussed hypothesizing the existence of possible compensatory mechanisms in healthy and pathological aging. © The Author(s) 2016.

The neurophysiology of language: Insights from non-invasive brain stimulation in the healthy human brain.

PubMed

Hartwigsen, Gesa

2015-09-01

With the advent of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), a new decade in the study of language has started. NIBS allows for testing the functional relevance of language-related brain activation and enables the researcher to investigate how neural activation changes in response to focal perturbations. This review focuses on the application of NIBS in the healthy brain. First, some basic mechanisms will be introduced and the prerequisites for carrying out NIBS studies of language are addressed. The next section outlines how NIBS can be used to characterize the contribution of the stimulated area to a task. In this context, novel approaches such as multifocal transcranial magnetic stimulation and the condition-and-perturb approach are discussed. The third part addresses the combination of NIBS and neuroimaging in the study of plasticity. These approaches are particularly suited to investigate short-term reorganization in the healthy brain and may inform models of language recovery in post-stroke aphasia. Copyright © 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The maturation of cortical sleep rhythms and networks over early development.

PubMed

Chu, C J; Leahy, J; Pathmanathan, J; Kramer, M A; Cash, S S

2014-07-01

Although neuronal activity drives all aspects of cortical development, how human brain rhythms spontaneously mature remains an active area of research. We sought to systematically evaluate the emergence of human brain rhythms and functional cortical networks over early development. We examined cortical rhythms and coupling patterns from birth through adolescence in a large cohort of healthy children (n=384) using scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) in the sleep state. We found that the emergence of brain rhythms follows a stereotyped sequence over early development. In general, higher frequencies increase in prominence with striking regional specificity throughout development. The coordination of these rhythmic activities across brain regions follows a general pattern of maturation in which broadly distributed networks of low-frequency oscillations increase in density while networks of high frequency oscillations become sparser and more highly clustered. Our results indicate that a predictable program directs the development of key rhythmic components and physiological brain networks over early development. This work expands our knowledge of normal cortical development. The stereotyped neurophysiological processes observed at the level of rhythms and networks may provide a scaffolding to support critical periods of cognitive growth. Furthermore, these conserved patterns could provide a sensitive biomarker for cortical health across development. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The maturation of cortical sleep rhythms and networks over early development

PubMed Central

Chu, CJ; Leahy, J; Pathmanathan, J; Kramer, MA; Cash, SS

2014-01-01

Objective Although neuronal activity drives all aspects of cortical development, how human brain rhythms spontaneously mature remains an active area of research. We sought to systematically evaluate the emergence of human brain rhythms and functional cortical networks over early development. Methods We examined cortical rhythms and coupling patterns from birth through adolescence in a large cohort of healthy children (n=384) using scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) in the sleep state. Results We found that the emergence of brain rhythms follows a stereotyped sequence over early development. In general, higher frequencies increase in prominence with striking regional specificity throughout development. The coordination of these rhythmic activities across brain regions follows a general pattern of maturation in which broadly distributed networks of low-frequency oscillations increase in density while networks of high frequency oscillations become sparser and more highly clustered. Conclusion Our results indicate that a predictable program directs the development of key rhythmic components and physiological brain networks over early development. Significance This work expands our knowledge of normal cortical development. The stereotyped neurophysiological processes observed at the level of rhythms and networks may provide a scaffolding to support critical periods of cognitive growth. Furthermore, these conserved patterns could provide a sensitive biomarker for cortical health across development. PMID:24418219

Forecasting Alzheimer's Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fackelmann, Kathleen

1996-01-01

Suggests that doctors may one day be able to identify healthy people who will develop Alzheimer's disease. Discusses recent studies in which characteristics of a person's writing early in life appear to predict the disease, and brain scans can highlight changes that may precede dementia. (CCM)

Fractal analysis of MRI data for the characterization of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Squarcina, Letizia; De Luca, Alberto; Bellani, Marcella; Brambilla, Paolo; Turkheimer, Federico E; Bertoldo, Alessandra

2015-02-21

Fractal geometry can be used to analyze shape and patterns in brain images. With this study we use fractals to analyze T1 data of patients affected by schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, with the aim of distinguishing between healthy and pathological brains using the complexity of brain structure, in particular of grey matter, as a marker of disease. 39 healthy volunteers, 25 subjects affected by schizophrenia and 11 patients affected by bipolar disorder underwent an MRI session. We evaluated fractal dimension of the brain cortex and its substructures, calculated with an algorithm based on the box-count algorithm. We modified this algorithm, with the aim of avoiding the segmentation processing step and using all the information stored in the image grey levels. Moreover, to increase sensitivity to local structural changes, we computed a value of fractal dimension for each slice of the brain or of the particular structure. To have reference values in comparing healthy subjects with patients, we built a template by averaging fractal dimension values of the healthy volunteers data. Standard deviation was evaluated and used to create a confidence interval. We also performed a slice by slice t-test to assess the difference at slice level between the three groups. Consistent average fractal dimension values were found across all the structures in healthy controls, while in the pathological groups we found consistent differences, indicating a change in brain and structures complexity induced by these disorders.

Fractal analysis of MRI data for the characterization of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squarcina, Letizia; De Luca, Alberto; Bellani, Marcella; Brambilla, Paolo; Turkheimer, Federico E.; Bertoldo, Alessandra

2015-02-01

Fractal geometry can be used to analyze shape and patterns in brain images. With this study we use fractals to analyze T1 data of patients affected by schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, with the aim of distinguishing between healthy and pathological brains using the complexity of brain structure, in particular of grey matter, as a marker of disease. 39 healthy volunteers, 25 subjects affected by schizophrenia and 11 patients affected by bipolar disorder underwent an MRI session. We evaluated fractal dimension of the brain cortex and its substructures, calculated with an algorithm based on the box-count algorithm. We modified this algorithm, with the aim of avoiding the segmentation processing step and using all the information stored in the image grey levels. Moreover, to increase sensitivity to local structural changes, we computed a value of fractal dimension for each slice of the brain or of the particular structure. To have reference values in comparing healthy subjects with patients, we built a template by averaging fractal dimension values of the healthy volunteers data. Standard deviation was evaluated and used to create a confidence interval. We also performed a slice by slice t-test to assess the difference at slice level between the three groups. Consistent average fractal dimension values were found across all the structures in healthy controls, while in the pathological groups we found consistent differences, indicating a change in brain and structures complexity induced by these disorders.

Transcultural differences in brain activation patterns during theory of mind (ToM) task performance in Japanese and Caucasian participants.

PubMed

Koelkebeck, Katja; Hirao, Kazuyuki; Kawada, Ryousaku; Miyata, Jun; Saze, Teruyasu; Ubukata, Shiho; Itakura, Shoji; Kanakogi, Yasuhiro; Ohrmann, Patricia; Bauer, Jochen; Pedersen, Anya; Sawamoto, Nobukatsu; Fukuyama, Hidenao; Takahashi, Hidehiko; Murai, Toshiya

2011-01-01

Theory of mind (ToM) functioning develops during certain phases of childhood. Factors such as language development and educational style seem to influence its development. Some studies that have focused on transcultural aspects of ToM development have found differences between Asian and Western cultures. To date, however, little is known about transcultural differences in neural activation patterns as they relate to ToM functioning. The aim of our study was to observe ToM functioning and differences in brain activation patterns, as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study included a sample of 18 healthy Japanese and 15 healthy Caucasian subjects living in Japan. We presented a ToM task depicting geometrical shapes moving in social patterns. We also administered questionnaires to examine empathy abilities and cultural background factors. Behavioral data showed no significant group differences in the subjects' post-scan descriptions of the movies. The imaging results displayed stronger activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) in the Caucasian sample during the presentation of ToM videos. Furthermore, the task-associated activation of the MPFC was positively correlated with autistic and alexithymic features in the Japanese sample. In summary, our results showed evidence of culturally dependent sociobehavioral trait patterns, which suggests that they have an impact on brain activation patterns during information processing involving ToM.

Evidence that the methylation state of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene predicts brain activity of MAO A enzyme in healthy men.

PubMed

Shumay, Elena; Logan, Jean; Volkow, Nora D; Fowler, Joanna S

2012-10-01

Human brain function is mediated by biochemical processes, many of which can be visualized and quantified by positron emission tomography (PET). PET brain imaging of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A)-an enzyme metabolizing neurotransmitters-revealed that MAO A levels vary widely between healthy men and this variability was not explained by the common MAOA genotype (VNTR genotype), suggesting that environmental factors, through epigenetic modifications, may mediate it. Here, we analyzed MAOA methylation in white blood cells (by bisulphite conversion of genomic DNA and subsequent sequencing of cloned DNA products) and measured brain MAO A levels (using PET and [(11)C]clorgyline, a radiotracer with specificity for MAO A) in 34 healthy non-smoking male volunteers. We found significant interindividual differences in methylation status and methylation patterns of the core MAOA promoter. The VNTR genotype did not influence the methylation status of the gene or brain MAO A activity. In contrast, we found a robust association of the regional and CpG site-specific methylation of the core MAOA promoter with brain MAO A levels. These results suggest that the methylation status of the MAOA promoter (detected in white blood cells) can reliably predict the brain endophenotype. Therefore, the status of MAOA methylation observed in healthy males merits consideration as a variable contributing to interindividual differences in behavior.

Evidence that the methylation state of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene predicts brain activity of MAOA enzyme in healthy men

PubMed Central

Shumay, Elena; Logan, Jean; Volkow, Nora D.; Fowler, Joanna S.

2012-01-01

Human brain function is mediated by biochemical processes, many of which can be visualized and quantified by positron emission tomography (PET). PET brain imaging of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA)—an enzyme metabolizing neurotransmitters—revealed that MAOA levels vary widely between healthy men and this variability was not explained by the common MAOA genotype (VNTR genotype), suggesting that environmental factors, through epigenetic modifications, may mediate it. Here, we analyzed MAOA methylation in white blood cells (by bisulphite conversion of genomic DNA and subsequent sequencing of cloned DNA products) and measured brain MAOA levels (using PET and [11C]clorgyline, a radiotracer with specificity for MAOA) in 34 healthy non-smoking male volunteers. We found significant interindividual differences in methylation status and methylation patterns of the core MAOA promoter. The VNTR genotype did not influence the methylation status of the gene or brain MAOA activity. In contrast, we found a robust association of the regional and CpG site-specific methylation of the core MAOA promoter with brain MAOA levels. These results suggest that the methylation status of the MAOA promoter (detected in white blood cells) can reliably predict the brain endophenotype. Therefore, the status of MAOA methylation observed in healthy males merits consideration as a variable contributing to interindividual differences in behavior. PMID:22948232

Perineuronal satellite neuroglia in the telencephalon of New Caledonian crows and other Passeriformes: evidence of satellite glial cells in the central nervous system of healthy birds?

PubMed Central

Medina, Felipe S.; Hunt, Gavin R.; Gray, Russell D.; Wild, J. Martin

2013-01-01

Glia have been implicated in a variety of functions in the central nervous system, including the control of the neuronal extracellular space, synaptic plasticity and transmission, development and adult neurogenesis. Perineuronal glia forming groups around neurons are associated with both normal and pathological nervous tissue. Recent studies have linked reduction in the number of perineuronal oligodendrocytes in the prefrontal cortex with human schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Therefore, perineuronal glia may play a decisive role in homeostasis and normal activity of the human nervous system. Here we report on the discovery of novel cell clusters in the telencephala of five healthy Passeriforme, one Psittaciform and one Charadriiforme bird species, which we refer to as Perineuronal Glial Clusters (PGCs). The aim of this study is to describe the structure and distribution of the PGCs in a number of avian species. PGCs were identified with the use of standard histological procedures. Heterochromatin masses visible inside the nuclei of these satellite glia suggest that they may correspond to oligodendrocytes. PGCs were found in the brains of nine New Caledonian crows, two Japanese jungle crows, two Australian magpies, two Indian mynah, three zebra finches (all Passeriformes), one Southern lapwing (Charadriiformes) and one monk parakeet (Psittaciformes). Microscopic survey of the brain tissue suggests that the largest PGCs are located in the hyperpallium densocellulare and mesopallium. No clusters were found in brain sections from one Gruiform (purple swamphen), one Strigiform (barn owl), one Trochiliform (green-backed firecrown), one Falconiform (chimango caracara), one Columbiform (pigeon) and one Galliform (chick). Our observations suggest that PGCs in Aves are brain region- and taxon-specific and that the presence of perineuronal glia in healthy human brains and the similar PGCs in avian gray matter is the result of convergent evolution. The discovery of PGCs in the zebra finch is of great importance because this species has the potential to become a robust animal model in which to study the function of neuron-glia interactions in healthy and diseased adult brains. PMID:23904989

Schoolchildren, maternal nutrition and generating healthy brains: the importance of lifecycle education for fertility, health and peace.

PubMed

House, Simon H

2009-01-01

In order to generate healthy brains, the earlier in life that children develop a healthy lifestyle the better. At home and at school, with a good diet and physical activity, children need to experience and to understand the value of healthy metabolism. Continuous education is needed in lifecycle health, with awareness that the most vulnerable phase relates to reproduction. This is the way that most people can become parents of healthy children. Nutrient deficits, toxins, or uro-genital disease, often unnoticed, affect quality of sperm or ovum, and subsequent development. Early errors can have the most pronounced effect. Gene-switches are being set early in life. Any early flaw can be magnified by growth. Moreover children's habits become set and young couples are too busy to learn and adapt. Many are liable to unintended pregnancy. Adoption of a healthy lifestyle at a young age is the most reliable route to producing healthy babies. The mother's state throughout pregnancy, emotions/hormones included, naturally continues to powerfully affect her child's development, therefore future physical and mental health, behaviour and ability. There has recently been a serious increase in babies conceived by schoolchildren, as well as a shift by working women towards childbearing in their late thirties or more. A return towards childbearing in the twenties and early thirties can reduce risks for the child. The mother needs to build her appropriate body-stores--vitamins and minerals, proteins, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and other essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)--to ensure optimal development of her child. Replenishment of reserves is important for maternal health and before bearing another child. A restorative time of three years is desirable. Governments and school teachers need to guide and encourage parents in this health education and practice, and to use their authority to achieve it in schools. Empowerment with knowledge is the one way to fend off the growing pandemic of mental ill health and related disorders, and to make the most of a nation's genetic potential. There could be no better investment financially, let alone in enhancing people's lives.

Peer-relationship difficulties in children with brain injuries: comparisons with children in mental health services and healthy controls.

PubMed

Tonks, James; Yates, Phil; Williams, W Huw; Frampton, Ian; Slater, Alan

2010-12-01

Positive peer relationships are essential in healthy development. The prevalence of peer-relationship problems in children after acquired brain injury (ABI) has yet to be explored, although ABI does inevitably impact upon peer interactions. We aimed to explore how peer-relationships and emotional distress after ABI may differ from the levels reported by healthy children or mental health controls. Parents of 214 children (137 "healthy" children, 27 children using mental health services and 40 children with ABI) aged 9-15 years participated. A questionnaire measure of peer-relationship functioning and emotional distress was completed. Children with ABI experienced a greater degree of peer-relationship difficulties and emotional distress than healthy controls. No difference was found in reported peer relationship difficulties or emotional distress between ABI children and the children accessing mental health services. We conclude that emotional distress and co-occurring peer-relationship difficulties are as prevalent in a population of children after ABI as may be expected in a population of children under the care of mental health services, yet, unlike the latter group, appropriate intervention services are not commonly available. Interventions that aim to enhance peer relationships after childhood ABI may provide an essential resource to the benefit of outcome.

Gender differences in healthy aging and Alzheimer's Dementia: A 18 F-FDG-PET study of brain and cognitive reserve.

PubMed

Malpetti, Maura; Ballarini, Tommaso; Presotto, Luca; Garibotto, Valentina; Tettamanti, Marco; Perani, Daniela

2017-08-01

Cognitive reserve (CR) and brain reserve (BR) are protective factors against age-associated cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Very limited evidence exists about gender effects on brain aging and on the effect of CR on brain modulation in healthy aging and Alzheimer's Dementia (AD). We investigated gender differences in brain metabolic activity and resting-state network connectivity, as measured by 18 F-FDG-PET, in healthy aging and AD, also considering the effects of education and occupation. The clinical and imaging data were retrieved from large datasets of healthy elderly subjects (HE) (225) and AD patients (282). In HE, males showed more extended age-related reduction of brain metabolism than females in frontal medial cortex. We also found differences in brain modulation as metabolic increases induced by education and occupation, namely in posterior associative cortices in HE males and in the anterior limbic-affective and executive networks in HE females. In AD patients, the correlations between education and occupation levels and brain hypometabolism showed gender differences, namely a posterior temporo-parietal association in males and a frontal and limbic association in females, indicating the involvement of different networks. Finally, the metabolic connectivity in both HE and AD aligned with these results, suggesting greater efficiency in the posterior default mode network for males, and in the anterior frontal executive network for females. The basis of these brain gender differences in both aging and AD, obtained exploring cerebral metabolism, metabolic connectivity and the effects of education and occupation, is likely at the intersection between biological and sociodemographic factors. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4212-4227, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Topological Organization of Metabolic Brain Networks in Pre-Chemotherapy Cancer with Depression: A Resting-State PET Study

PubMed Central

An, Jianping; Chen, Xuejiao; Xie, Yuanwei; Zhao, Hui; Mao, Junfeng; Liang, Wangsheng; Ma, Xiangxing

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the metabolic brain network and its relationship with depression symptoms using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography data in 78 pre-chemotherapy cancer patients with depression and 80 matched healthy subjects. Functional and structural imbalance or disruption of brain networks frequently occur following chemotherapy in cancer patients. However, few studies have focused on the topological organization of the metabolic brain network in cancer with depression, especially those without chemotherapy. The nodal and global parameters of the metabolic brain network were computed for cancer patients and healthy subjects. Significant decreases in metabolism were found in the frontal and temporal gyri in cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. Negative correlations between depression and metabolism were found predominantly in the inferior frontal and cuneus regions, whereas positive correlations were observed in several regions, primarily including the insula, hippocampus, amygdala, and middle temporal gyri. Furthermore, a higher clustering efficiency, longer path length, and fewer hubs were found in cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. The topological organization of the whole-brain metabolic networks may be disrupted in cancer. Finally, the present findings may provide a new avenue for exploring the neurobiological mechanism, which plays a key role in lessening the depression effects in pre-chemotherapy cancer patients. PMID:27832148

Healthy Aging Promotion through Neuroscientific Information-Based Strategies.

PubMed

Seinfeld, Sofia; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V

2015-09-28

To ensure the well-being of a rapidly growing elderly population, it is fundamental to find strategies to foster healthy brain aging. With this intention, we designed a program of scientific-based lectures aimed at dissemination by established neuroscientists about brain function, brain plasticity and how lifestyle influences the brain. We also carried out a pilot study on the impact of the lectures on attendees. The objective was to provide information to elderly people in order to encourage them to identify unhealthy and healthy daily habits, and more importantly, to promote behavioral changes towards healthy brain aging. Here we report on our experience. In order to determine the impact of the lectures in the daily routine of the attendees, we asked them to fill out questionnaires. Preliminary results indicate that neuroscientific information-based strategies can be a useful method to have a positive impact on the lives of elderly, increase their awareness on how to improve brain function and promote positive lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, based on self-reported data, we also found that through this strategy it is possible to promote behavioral changes related to nutrition, sleep, and realization of physical and cognitively stimulating activities. Finally, based on the results obtained, the importance of promoting self-efficacy and the empowerment of the older populations is highlighted.

Healthy Aging Promotion through Neuroscientific Information-Based Strategies

PubMed Central

Seinfeld, Sofia; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V.

2015-01-01

To ensure the well-being of a rapidly growing elderly population, it is fundamental to find strategies to foster healthy brain aging. With this intention, we designed a program of scientific-based lectures aimed at dissemination by established neuroscientists about brain function, brain plasticity and how lifestyle influences the brain. We also carried out a pilot study on the impact of the lectures on attendees. The objective was to provide information to elderly people in order to encourage them to identify unhealthy and healthy daily habits, and more importantly, to promote behavioral changes towards healthy brain aging. Here we report on our experience. In order to determine the impact of the lectures in the daily routine of the attendees, we asked them to fill out questionnaires. Preliminary results indicate that neuroscientific information-based strategies can be a useful method to have a positive impact on the lives of elderly, increase their awareness on how to improve brain function and promote positive lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, based on self-reported data, we also found that through this strategy it is possible to promote behavioral changes related to nutrition, sleep, and realization of physical and cognitively stimulating activities. Finally, based on the results obtained, the importance of promoting self-efficacy and the empowerment of the older populations is highlighted. PMID:26426029

Topological Organization of Metabolic Brain Networks in Pre-Chemotherapy Cancer with Depression: A Resting-State PET Study.

PubMed

Fang, Lei; Yao, Zhijun; An, Jianping; Chen, Xuejiao; Xie, Yuanwei; Zhao, Hui; Mao, Junfeng; Liang, Wangsheng; Ma, Xiangxing

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the metabolic brain network and its relationship with depression symptoms using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography data in 78 pre-chemotherapy cancer patients with depression and 80 matched healthy subjects. Functional and structural imbalance or disruption of brain networks frequently occur following chemotherapy in cancer patients. However, few studies have focused on the topological organization of the metabolic brain network in cancer with depression, especially those without chemotherapy. The nodal and global parameters of the metabolic brain network were computed for cancer patients and healthy subjects. Significant decreases in metabolism were found in the frontal and temporal gyri in cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. Negative correlations between depression and metabolism were found predominantly in the inferior frontal and cuneus regions, whereas positive correlations were observed in several regions, primarily including the insula, hippocampus, amygdala, and middle temporal gyri. Furthermore, a higher clustering efficiency, longer path length, and fewer hubs were found in cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. The topological organization of the whole-brain metabolic networks may be disrupted in cancer. Finally, the present findings may provide a new avenue for exploring the neurobiological mechanism, which plays a key role in lessening the depression effects in pre-chemotherapy cancer patients.

Resolving anatomical and functional structure in human brain organization: identifying mesoscale organization in weighted network representations.

PubMed

Lohse, Christian; Bassett, Danielle S; Lim, Kelvin O; Carlson, Jean M

2014-10-01

Human brain anatomy and function display a combination of modular and hierarchical organization, suggesting the importance of both cohesive structures and variable resolutions in the facilitation of healthy cognitive processes. However, tools to simultaneously probe these features of brain architecture require further development. We propose and apply a set of methods to extract cohesive structures in network representations of brain connectivity using multi-resolution techniques. We employ a combination of soft thresholding, windowed thresholding, and resolution in community detection, that enable us to identify and isolate structures associated with different weights. One such mesoscale structure is bipartivity, which quantifies the extent to which the brain is divided into two partitions with high connectivity between partitions and low connectivity within partitions. A second, complementary mesoscale structure is modularity, which quantifies the extent to which the brain is divided into multiple communities with strong connectivity within each community and weak connectivity between communities. Our methods lead to multi-resolution curves of these network diagnostics over a range of spatial, geometric, and structural scales. For statistical comparison, we contrast our results with those obtained for several benchmark null models. Our work demonstrates that multi-resolution diagnostic curves capture complex organizational profiles in weighted graphs. We apply these methods to the identification of resolution-specific characteristics of healthy weighted graph architecture and altered connectivity profiles in psychiatric disease.

Transferrin adsorption onto PLGA nanoparticles governs their interaction with biological systems from blood circulation to brain cancer cells.

PubMed

Chang, Jiang; Paillard, Archibald; Passirani, Catherine; Morille, Marie; Benoit, Jean-Pierre; Betbeder, Didier; Garcion, Emmanuel

2012-06-01

Nanomedicines represent an alternative for the treatment of aggressive glioblastoma tumors. Behaviour of PLGA-nanoparticles (NPs) was here investigated as a function of their protein adsorption characteristics at the different biological interfaces they are expected to face in order to reach brain cancer cells. NPs were studied for size, zeta potential, blood half-life, in vitro endocytic behavior and in vivo accumulation within healthy rat brain and brain tumors. While slightly modifying size (80 to 90 nm) and zeta potential (-44 to -32 mV) protein coating of PLGA-NPs by bovine serum albumin (BSA) or transferrin (Tf) greatly prolonged their blood half-life when intravenously injected in rats and mice. In contrast with THP-1 monocytes, differentiated THP-1 macrophages, F98 glioma cells and astrocytes internalized BSA- and Tf-NPs in vitro. Increase of Tf-NP uptake by F98 cells through caveolae- and clathrin-mediated pathways supports specific interaction between Tf and overexpressed Tf-receptor. Finally, in vivo targeting of healthy brain was found higher with Tf-NPs than with BSA-NPs while both NPs entered massively within brain-developed tumors. Taken together, those data evidence that Tf-NPs represent an interesting nanomedicine to deliver anticancer drugs to glioma cells through systemic or locoregional strategies at early and late tumor stages.

Altered striatal activation predicting real-world positive affect in adolescent major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Forbes, Erika E; Hariri, Ahmad R; Martin, Samantha L; Silk, Jennifer S; Moyles, Donna L; Fisher, Patrick M; Brown, Sarah M; Ryan, Neal D; Birmaher, Boris; Axelson, David A; Dahl, Ronald E

2009-01-01

Alterations in reward-related brain function and phenomenological aspects of positive affect are increasingly examined in the development of major depressive disorder. The authors tested differences in reward-related brain function in healthy and depressed adolescents, and the authors examined direct links between reward-related brain function and positive mood that occurred in real-world contexts. Fifteen adolescents with major depressive disorder and 28 adolescents with no history of psychiatric disorder, ages 8-17 years, completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging guessing task involving monetary reward. Participants also reported their subjective positive affect in natural environments during a 4-day cell-phone-based ecological momentary assessment. Adolescents with major depressive disorder exhibited less striatal response than healthy comparison adolescents during reward anticipation and reward outcome, but more response in dorsolateral and medial prefrontal cortex. Diminished activation in a caudate region associated with this depression group difference was correlated with lower subjective positive affect in natural environments, particularly within the depressed group. Results support models of altered reward processing and related positive affect in young people with major depressive disorder and indicate that depressed adolescents' brain response to monetary reward is related to their affective experience in natural environments. Additionally, these results suggest that reward-processing paradigms capture brain function relevant to real-world positive affect.

Abnormally increased and incoherent resting-state activity is shared between patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Liu, Chang; Xue, Zhimin; Palaniyappan, Lena; Zhou, Li; Liu, Haihong; Qi, Chang; Wu, Guowei; Mwansisya, Tumbwene E; Tao, Haojuan; Chen, Xudong; Huang, Xiaojun; Liu, Zhening; Pu, Weidan

2016-03-01

Several resting-state neuroimaging studies in schizophrenia indicate an excessive brain activity while others report an incoherent brain activity at rest. No direct evidence for the simultaneous presence of both excessive and incoherent brain activity has been established to date. Moreover, it is unclear whether unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients who share half of the affected patient's genotype also exhibit the excessive and incoherent brain activity that may render them vulnerable to the development of schizophrenia. 27 pairs of schizophrenia patients and their unaffected siblings, as well as 27 healthy controls, were scanned using gradient-echo echo-planar imaging at rest. By using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (Reho), we investigated the intensity and synchronization of local spontaneous neuronal activity in three groups. We observed that increased amplitude and reduced synchronization (coherence) of spontaneous neuronal activity were shared by patients and their unaffected siblings. The key brain regions with this abnormal neural pattern in both patients and siblings included the middle temporal, orbito-frontal, inferior occipital and fronto-insular gyrus. This abnormal neural pattern of excessive and incoherent neuronal activity shared by schizophrenia patients and their healthy siblings may improve our understanding of neuropathology and genetic predisposition in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Relationship of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) with Learning and Behavior in Healthy Children: A Review

PubMed Central

Kuratko, Connye N.; Barrett, Erin Cernkovich; Nelson, Edward B.; Norman, Salem

2013-01-01

Childhood is a period of brain growth and maturation. The long chain omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is a major lipid in the brain recognized as essential for normal brain function. In animals, low brain DHA results in impaired learning and behavior. In infants, DHA is important for optimal visual and cognitive development. The usual intake of DHA among toddlers and children is low and some studies show improvements in cognition and behavior as the result of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids including DHA. The purpose of this review was to identify and evaluate current knowledge regarding the relationship of DHA with measures of learning and behavior in healthy school-age children. A systematic search of the literature identified 15 relevant publications for review. The search found studies which were diverse in purpose and design and without consistent conclusions regarding the treatment effect of DHA intake or biomarker status on specific cognitive tests. However, studies of brain activity reported benefits of DHA supplementation and over half of the studies reported a favorable role for DHA or long chain omega-3 fatty acids in at least one area of cognition or behavior. Studies also suggested an important role for DHA in school performance. PMID:23877090

The Biology of Risk Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Lisa F.

2005-01-01

Neuroscience and developmental psychology can give useful insight into adolescent behavior that is believed to be the result of the interplay between body chemistry, brain development and cognitive growth. The new findings offer guidance to educators on how to channel adolescent energy into healthy directions.

Influence of physical exercise on traumatic brain injury deficits: scaffolding effect.

PubMed

Archer, Trevor

2012-05-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be due to a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts normal brain function; it presents an ever-growing, serious public health problem that causes a considerable number of fatalities and cases of permanent disability annually. Physical exercise restores the healthy homeostatic regulation of stress, affect and the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Physical activity attenuates or reverses the performance deficits observed in neurocognitive tasks. It induces anti-apoptotic effects and buttresses blood-brain barrier intactness. Exercise offers a unique non-pharmacologic, non-invasive intervention that incorporates different regimes, whether dynamic or static, endurance, or resistance. Exercise intervention protects against vascular risk factors that include hypertension, diabetes, cellular inflammation, and aortic rigidity. It induces direct changes in cerebrovasculature that produce beneficial changes in cerebral blood flow, angiogenesis and vascular disease improvement. The improvements induced by physical exercise regimes in brain plasticity and neurocognitive performance are evident both in healthy individuals and in those afflicted by TBI. The overlap and inter-relations between TBI effects on brain and cognition as related to physical exercise and cognition may provide lasting therapeutic benefits for recovery from TBI. It seems likely that some modification of the notion of scaffolding would postulate that physical exercise reinforces the adaptive processes of the brain that has undergone TBI thereby facilitating the development of existing networks, albeit possibly less efficient, that compensate for those lost through damage. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Development, Validation and Parametric study of a 3-Year-Old Child Head Finite Element Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Shihai; Chen, Yue; Li, Haiyan; Ruan, ShiJie

2015-12-01

Traumatic brain injury caused by drop and traffic accidents is an important reason for children's death and disability. Recently, the computer finite element (FE) head model has been developed to investigate brain injury mechanism and biomechanical responses. Based on CT data of a healthy 3-year-old child head, the FE head model with detailed anatomical structure was developed. The deep brain structures such as white matter, gray matter, cerebral ventricle, hippocampus, were firstly created in this FE model. The FE model was validated by comparing the simulation results with that of cadaver experiments based on reconstructing the child and adult cadaver experiments. In addition, the effects of skull stiffness on the child head dynamic responses were further investigated. All the simulation results confirmed the good biofidelity of the FE model.

Cross-hemispheric functional connectivity in the human fetal brain.

PubMed

Thomason, Moriah E; Dassanayake, Maya T; Shen, Stephen; Katkuri, Yashwanth; Alexis, Mitchell; Anderson, Amy L; Yeo, Lami; Mody, Swati; Hernandez-Andrade, Edgar; Hassan, Sonia S; Studholme, Colin; Jeong, Jeong-Won; Romero, Roberto

2013-02-20

Compelling evidence indicates that psychiatric and developmental disorders are generally caused by disruptions in the functional connectivity (FC) of brain networks. Events occurring during development, and in particular during fetal life, have been implicated in the genesis of such disorders. However, the developmental timetable for the emergence of neural FC during human fetal life is unknown. We present the results of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging performed in 25 healthy human fetuses in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy (24 to 38 weeks of gestation). We report the presence of bilateral fetal brain FC and regional and age-related variation in FC. Significant bilateral connectivity was evident in half of the 42 areas tested, and the strength of FC between homologous cortical brain regions increased with advancing gestational age. We also observed medial to lateral gradients in fetal functional brain connectivity. These findings improve understanding of human fetal central nervous system development and provide a basis for examining the role of insults during fetal life in the subsequent development of disorders in neural FC.

The Major Histocompatibility Complex and Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Needleman, Leigh A.; McAllister, A. Kimberley

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder that appears to be caused by interactions between genetic changes and environmental insults during early development. A wide range of factors have been linked to the onset of ASD, but recently both genetic associations and environmental factors point to a central role for immune- related genes and immune responses to environmental stimuli. Specifically, many of the proteins encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a vital role in the formation, refinement, maintenance, and plasticity of the brain. Manipulations of levels of MHC molecules have illustrated how disrupted MHC signaling can significantly alter brain connectivity and function. Thus, an emerging hypothesis in our field is that disruptions in MHC expression in the developing brain caused by mutations and/or immune dysregulation may contribute to the altered brain connectivity and function characteristic of ASD. This review provides an overview of the structure and function of the three classes of MHC molecules in the immune system, healthy brain, and their possible involvement in ASD. PMID:22760919

Role of Caspase-9 Gene Ex5+32 G>A (rs1052576) Variant in Susceptibility to Primary Brain Tumors.

PubMed

Ozdogan, Selcuk; Kafadar, Ali; Yilmaz, Seda Gulec; Timirci-Kahraman, Ozlem; Gormus, Uzay; Isbir, Turgay

2017-09-01

This study is the first to evaluate the relationship of caspase-9 (CASP-9) gene polymorphism with the risk for primary brain tumor development. The study group included 43 glioma and 27 meningioma patients and 76 healthy individuals. CASP-9 gene Ex5+32 G>A (rs1052576) polymorphism was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Individuals with the CASP-9 GG genotype had significantly decreased risk of developing a glioma brain tumor (p=0.024). Additionally, the GA genotype was significantly lower in patients with glioma than the control group (p=0.019). A significantly decreased risk of developing glioma was found in the A allele carrier group (p=0.024). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between CASP-9 polymorphism and brain meningioma (p=0.493). CASP-9 (rs1052576) mutant A allele seems to be a protective factor for glioma brain tumor. Future studies with a larger sample size will clarify the possible roles of CASP-9 gene in the etiology and progression of primary brain tumors. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Mechanical properties of the in vivo adolescent human brain.

PubMed

McIlvain, Grace; Schwarb, Hillary; Cohen, Neal J; Telzer, Eva H; Johnson, Curtis L

2018-06-10

Viscoelastic mechanical properties of the in vivo human brain, measured noninvasively with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), have recently been shown to be affected by aging and neurological disease, as well as relate to performance on cognitive tasks in adults. The demonstrated sensitivity of brain mechanical properties to neural tissue integrity make them an attractive target for examining the developing brain; however, to date, MRE studies on children are lacking. In this work, we characterized global and regional brain stiffness and damping ratio in a sample of 40 adolescents aged 12-14 years, including the lobes of the cerebrum and subcortical gray matter structures. We also compared the properties of the adolescent brain to the healthy adult brain. Temporal and parietal cerebral lobes were softer in adolescents compared to adults. We found that of subcortical gray matter structures, the caudate and the putamen were significantly stiffer in adolescents, and that the hippocampus and amygdala were significantly less stiff than all other subcortical structures. This study provides the first detailed characterization of adolescent brain viscoelasticity and provides baseline data to be used in studying development and pathophysiology. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Cerebral 18F-FDG PET in macrophagic myofasciitis: An individual SVM-based approach.

PubMed

Blanc-Durand, Paul; Van Der Gucht, Axel; Guedj, Eric; Abulizi, Mukedaisi; Aoun-Sebaiti, Mehdi; Lerman, Lionel; Verger, Antoine; Authier, François-Jérôme; Itti, Emmanuel

2017-01-01

Macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) is an emerging condition with highly specific myopathological alterations. A peculiar spatial pattern of a cerebral glucose hypometabolism involving occipito-temporal cortex and cerebellum have been reported in patients with MMF; however, the full pattern is not systematically present in routine interpretation of scans, and with varying degrees of severity depending on the cognitive profile of patients. Aim was to generate and evaluate a support vector machine (SVM) procedure to classify patients between healthy or MMF 18F-FDG brain profiles. 18F-FDG PET brain images of 119 patients with MMF and 64 healthy subjects were retrospectively analyzed. The whole-population was divided into two groups; a training set (100 MMF, 44 healthy subjects) and a testing set (19 MMF, 20 healthy subjects). Dimensionality reduction was performed using a t-map from statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and a SVM with a linear kernel was trained on the training set. To evaluate the performance of the SVM classifier, values of sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy (Acc) were calculated. The SPM12 analysis on the training set exhibited the already reported hypometabolism pattern involving occipito-temporal and fronto-parietal cortices, limbic system and cerebellum. The SVM procedure, based on the t-test mask generated from the training set, correctly classified MMF patients of the testing set with following Se, Sp, PPV, NPV and Acc: 89%, 85%, 85%, 89%, and 87%. We developed an original and individual approach including a SVM to classify patients between healthy or MMF metabolic brain profiles using 18F-FDG-PET. Machine learning algorithms are promising for computer-aided diagnosis but will need further validation in prospective cohorts.

Age- and sex-associated changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in normal healthy subjects: statistical parametric mapping analysis of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose brain positron emission tomography.

PubMed

Kim, In-Ju; Kim, Seong-Jang; Kim, Yong-Ki

2009-12-01

The age- and sex-associated changes of brain development are unclear and controversial. Several previous studies showed conflicting results of a specific pattern of cerebral glucose metabolism or no differences of cerebral glucose metabolism in association with normal aging process and sex. To investigate the effects of age and sex on changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in healthy subjects using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) brain positron emission tomography (PET) and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis. Seventy-eight healthy subjects (32 males, mean age 46.6+/-18.2 years; 46 females, mean age 40.6+/-19.8 years) underwent F-18 FDG brain PET. Using SPM, age- and sex-associated changes in cerebral glucose metabolism were investigated. In males, a negative correlation existed in several gray matter areas, including the right temporopolar (Brodmann area [BA] 38), right orbitofrontal (BA 47), left orbitofrontal gyrus (BA 10), left dorsolateral frontal gyrus (BA 8), and left insula (BA 13) areas. A positive relationship existed in the left claustrum and left thalamus. In females, negative changes existed in the left caudate body, left temporopolar area (BA 38), right orbitofrontal gyri (BA 47 and BA 10), and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 46). A positive association was demonstrated in the left subthalamic nucleus and the left superior frontal gyrus. In white matter, an age-associated decrease in FDG uptake in males was shown in the left insula, and increased FDG uptake was found in the left corpus callosum. The female group had an age-associated negative correlation of FDG uptake only in the right corpus callosum. Using SPM, we found not only similar areas of brain, but also sex-specific cerebral areas of age-associated changes of FDG uptake.

Characteristics of the Healthy Brain Project Sample: Representing Diversity among Study Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Lucinda L.; Laditka, James N.; Laditka, Sarah B.; Mathews, Anna E.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Description of study participants and documentation of the desired diversity in the Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network's Workgroup on Promoting Cognitive Health large multisite study designed to examine attitudes about brain health, behaviors associated with its maintenance, and information-receiving preferences…

Alterations of brain network hubs in reflex syncope: Evidence from a graph theoretical analysis based on DTI.

PubMed

Park, Bong Soo; Lee, Yoo Jin; Park, Jin-Han; Kim, Il Hwan; Park, Si Hyung; Lee, Ho-Joon; Park, Kang Min

2018-06-01

We evaluated global topology and organization of regional hubs in the brain networks and microstructural abnormalities in the white matter of patients with reflex syncope. Twenty patients with reflex syncope and thirty healthy subjects were recruited, and they underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans. Graph theory was applied to obtain network measures based on extracted DTI data, using DSI Studio. We then investigated differences in the network measures between the patients with reflex syncope and the healthy subjects. We also analyzed microstructural abnormalities of white matter using tract-based spatial statistics analysis (TBSS). Measures of global topology were not different between patients with reflex syncope and healthy subjects. However, in reflex syncope patients, the strength measures of the right angular, left inferior frontal, left middle orbitofrontal, left superior medial frontal, and left middle temporal gyrus were lower than in healthy subjects. The betweenness centrality measures of the left middle orbitofrontal, left fusiform, and left lingual gyrus in patients were lower than those in healthy subjects. The PageRank centrality measures of the right angular, left middle orbitofrontal, and left superior medial frontal gyrus in patients were lower than those in healthy subjects. Regarding the analysis of the white matter microstructure, there were no differences in the fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values between the two groups. We have identified a reorganization of network hubs in the brain network of patients with reflex syncope. These alterations in brain network may play a role in the pathophysiologic mechanism underlying reflex syncope. © 2018 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Event-related potentials in response to emotional words in patients with major depressive disorder and healthy controls.

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Yin, Hui-fang; Wu, Da-xing; Xu, Shu-jing

2014-01-01

Dysfunctional cognitive processing and abnormal brain activation in response to emotional stimuli have long been recognized as core features of the major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to examine how Chinese patients with MDD process Chinese emotional words presented to either the left (LH) or right hemisphere (RH). Reaction time (RT) and the late positive component of the event-related potential were measured while subjects judged the valence (positive or negative) of emotional words written in Chinese. Compared to healthy controls, patients with MDD exhibited slower RTs in response to negative words. In all subjects, the RTs in response to negative words were significantly faster than RTs in response to positive words presented to the LH, as well as significantly faster than responses to negative words presented to the RH. Compared to healthy controls, MDD patients exhibited reduced activation of the central and left regions of the brain in response to both negative and positive words. In healthy controls, the posterior brain areas were more active than the anterior brain areas when responding to negative words. All individuals showed faster RTs in response to negative words compared to positive words. In addition, MDD patients showed lateralization of brain activity in response to emotional words, whereas healthy individuals did not show this lateralization. Posterior brain areas appear to play an especially important role in discriminating and experiencing negative emotional words. This study provides further evidence in support of the negative bias hypothesis and the emotional processing theory.

Structure and function of the healthy pre-adolescent pediatric gut microbiome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gut microbiome influences myriad host functions, including nutrient acquisition, immune modulation, brain development, and behavior. Although human gut microbiota are recognized to change as we age, information regarding the structure and function of the gut microbiome during childhood is limite...

Neural correlate of spatial presence in an arousing and noninteractive virtual reality: an EEG and psychophysiology study.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Thomas; Valko, Lilian; Esslen, Michaela; Jäncke, Lutz

2006-02-01

Using electroencephalography (EEG), psychophysiology, and psychometric measures, this is the first study which investigated the neurophysiological underpinnings of spatial presence. Spatial presence is considered a sense of being physically situated within a spatial environment portrayed by a medium (e.g., television, virtual reality). Twelve healthy children and 11 healthy adolescents were watching different virtual roller coaster scenarios. During a control session, the roller coaster cab drove through a horizontal roundabout track. The following realistic roller coaster rides consisted of spectacular ups, downs, and loops. Low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) and event-related desynchronization (ERD) were used to analyze the EEG data. As expected, we found that, compared to the control condition, experiencing a virtual roller coaster ride evoked in both groups strong SP experiences, increased electrodermal reactions, and activations in parietal brain areas known to be involved in spatial navigation. In addition, brain areas that receive homeostatic afferents from somatic and visceral sensations of the body were strongly activated. Most interesting, children (as compared to adolescents) reported higher spatial presence experiences and demonstrated a different frontal activation pattern. While adolescents showed increased activation in prefrontal areas known to be involved in the control of executive functions, children demonstrated a decreased activity in these brain regions. Interestingly, recent neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies have shown that the frontal brain continues to develop to adult status well into adolescence. Thus, the result of our study implies that the increased spatial presence experience in children may result from the not fully developed control functions of the frontal cortex.

Annual Research Review: Growth connectomics – the organization and reorganization of brain networks during normal and abnormal development

PubMed Central

Vértes, Petra E; Bullmore, Edward T

2015-01-01

Background We first give a brief introduction to graph theoretical analysis and its application to the study of brain network topology or connectomics. Within this framework, we review the existing empirical data on developmental changes in brain network organization across a range of experimental modalities (including structural and functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography in humans). Synthesis We discuss preliminary evidence and current hypotheses for how the emergence of network properties correlates with concomitant cognitive and behavioural changes associated with development. We highlight some of the technical and conceptual challenges to be addressed by future developments in this rapidly moving field. Given the parallels previously discovered between neural systems across species and over a range of spatial scales, we also review some recent advances in developmental network studies at the cellular scale. We highlight the opportunities presented by such studies and how they may complement neuroimaging in advancing our understanding of brain development. Finally, we note that many brain and mind disorders are thought to be neurodevelopmental in origin and that charting the trajectory of brain network changes associated with healthy development also sets the stage for understanding abnormal network development. Conclusions We therefore briefly review the clinical relevance of network metrics as potential diagnostic markers and some recent efforts in computational modelling of brain networks which might contribute to a more mechanistic understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders in future. PMID:25441756

Auditory brain development in premature infants: the importance of early experience.

PubMed

McMahon, Erin; Wintermark, Pia; Lahav, Amir

2012-04-01

Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) often close their eyes in response to bright lights, but they cannot close their ears in response to loud sounds. The sudden transition from the womb to the overly noisy world of the NICU increases the vulnerability of these high-risk newborns. There is a growing concern that the excess noise typically experienced by NICU infants disrupts their growth and development, putting them at risk for hearing, language, and cognitive disabilities. Preterm neonates are especially sensitive to noise because their auditory system is at a critical period of neurodevelopment, and they are no longer shielded by maternal tissue. This paper discusses the developmental milestones of the auditory system and suggests ways to enhance the quality control and type of sounds delivered to NICU infants. We argue that positive auditory experience is essential for early brain maturation and may be a contributing factor for healthy neurodevelopment. Further research is needed to optimize the hospital environment for preterm newborns and to increase their potential to develop into healthy children. © 2012 New York Academy of Sciences.

The relationship between age and brain response to visual erotic stimuli in healthy heterosexual males.

PubMed

Seo, Y; Jeong, B; Kim, J-W; Choi, J

2010-01-01

The various changes of sexuality, including decreased sexual desire and erectile dysfunction, are also accompanied with aging. To understand the effect of aging on sexuality, we explored the relationship between age and the visual erotic stimulation-related brain response in sexually active male subjects. Twelve healthy, heterosexual male subjects (age 22-47 years) were recorded the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals of their brain activation elicited by passive viewing erotic (ERO), happy-faced (HA) couple, food and nature pictures. Mixed effect analysis and correlation analysis were performed to investigate the relationship between the age and the change of brain activity elicited by erotic stimuli. Our results showed age was positively correlated with the activation of right occipital fusiform gyrus and amygdala, and negatively correlated with the activation of right insula and inferior frontal gyrus. These findings suggest age might be related with functional decline in brain regions being involved in both interoceptive sensation and prefrontal modulation while it is related with the incremental activity of the brain region for early processing of visual emotional stimuli in sexually healthy men.

Interventional programmes to improve cognition during healthy and pathological ageing: Cortical modulations and evidence for brain plasticity.

PubMed

Cespón, Jesús; Miniussi, Carlo; Pellicciari, Maria Concetta

2018-05-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that healthy elderly individuals and patients with Alzheimer's disease retain an important potential for neuroplasticity. This review summarizes studies investigating the modulation of neural activity and structural brain integrity in response to interventions involving cognitive training, physical exercise and non-invasive brain stimulation in healthy elderly and cognitively impaired subjects (including patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease). Moreover, given the clinical relevance of neuroplasticity, we discuss how evidence for neuroplasticity can be inferred from the functional and structural brain changes observed after implementing these interventions. We emphasize that multimodal programmes, which combine several types of interventions, improve cognitive function to a greater extent than programmes that use a single interventional approach. We suggest specific methods for weighting the relative importance of cognitive training, physical exercise and non-invasive brain stimulation according to the functional and structural state of the brain of the targeted subject to maximize the cognitive improvements induced by multimodal programmes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognition and brain development in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes.

PubMed

Garcia-Ramos, Camille; Jackson, Daren C; Lin, Jack J; Dabbs, Kevin; Jones, Jana E; Hsu, David A; Stafstrom, Carl E; Zawadzki, Lucy; Seidenberg, Michael; Prabhakaran, Vivek; Hermann, Bruce P

2015-10-01

Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), the most common focal childhood epilepsy, is associated with subtle abnormalities in cognition and possible developmental alterations in brain structure when compared to healthy participants, as indicated by previous cross-sectional studies. To examine the natural history of BECTS, we investigated cognition, cortical thickness, and subcortical volumes in children with new/recent onset BECTS and healthy controls (HC). Participants were 8-15 years of age, including 24 children with new-onset BECTS and 41 age- and gender-matched HC. At baseline and 2 years later, all participants completed a cognitive assessment, and a subset (13 BECTS, 24 HC) underwent T1 volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans focusing on cortical thickness and subcortical volumes. Baseline cognitive abnormalities associated with BECTS (object naming, verbal learning, arithmetic computation, and psychomotor speed/dexterity) persisted over 2 years, with the rate of cognitive development paralleling that of HC. Baseline neuroimaging revealed thinner cortex in BECTS compared to controls in frontal, temporal, and occipital regions. Longitudinally, HC showed widespread cortical thinning in both hemispheres, whereas BECTS participants showed sparse regions of both cortical thinning and thickening. Analyses of subcortical volumes showed larger left and right putamens persisting over 2 years in BECTS compared to HC. Cognitive and structural brain abnormalities associated with BECTS are present at onset and persist (cognition) and/or evolve (brain structure) over time. Atypical maturation of cortical thickness antecedent to BECTS onset results in early identified abnormalities that continue to develop abnormally over time. However, compared to anatomic development, cognition appears more resistant to further change over time. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 International League Against Epilepsy.

Genome-wide scan of healthy human connectome discovers SPON1 gene variant influencing dementia severity.

PubMed

Jahanshad, Neda; Rajagopalan, Priya; Hua, Xue; Hibar, Derrek P; Nir, Talia M; Toga, Arthur W; Jack, Clifford R; Saykin, Andrew J; Green, Robert C; Weiner, Michael W; Medland, Sarah E; Montgomery, Grant W; Hansell, Narelle K; McMahon, Katie L; de Zubicaray, Greig I; Martin, Nicholas G; Wright, Margaret J; Thompson, Paul M

2013-03-19

Aberrant connectivity is implicated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. However, other than a few disease-associated candidate genes, we know little about the degree to which genetics play a role in the brain networks; we know even less about specific genes that influence brain connections. Twin and family-based studies can generate estimates of overall genetic influences on a trait, but genome-wide association scans (GWASs) can screen the genome for specific variants influencing the brain or risk for disease. To identify the heritability of various brain connections, we scanned healthy young adult twins with high-field, high-angular resolution diffusion MRI. We adapted GWASs to screen the brain's connectivity pattern, allowing us to discover genetic variants that affect the human brain's wiring. The association of connectivity with the SPON1 variant at rs2618516 on chromosome 11 (11p15.2) reached connectome-wide, genome-wide significance after stringent statistical corrections were enforced, and it was replicated in an independent subsample. rs2618516 was shown to affect brain structure in an elderly population with varying degrees of dementia. Older people who carried the connectivity variant had significantly milder clinical dementia scores and lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. As a posthoc analysis, we conducted GWASs on several organizational and topological network measures derived from the matrices to discover variants in and around genes associated with autism (MACROD2), development (NEDD4), and mental retardation (UBE2A) significantly associated with connectivity. Connectome-wide, genome-wide screening offers substantial promise to discover genes affecting brain connectivity and risk for brain diseases.

Training and transfer effects of N-back training for brain-injured and healthy subjects.

PubMed

Lindeløv, Jonas Kristoffer; Dall, Jonas Olsen; Kristensen, Casper Daniel; Aagesen, Marie Holt; Olsen, Stine Almgren; Snuggerud, Therese Ruud; Sikorska, Anna

2016-10-01

Working memory impairments are prevalent among patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). Computerised training targeting working memory has been researched extensively using samples from healthy populations but this field remains isolated from similar research in ABI patients. We report the results of an actively controlled randomised controlled trial in which 17 patients and 18 healthy subjects completed training on an N-back task. The healthy group had superior improvements on both training tasks (SMD = 6.1 and 3.3) whereas the ABI group improved much less (SMD = 0.5 and 1.1). Neither group demonstrated transfer to untrained tasks. We conclude that computerised training facilitates improvement of specific skills rather than high-level cognition in healthy and ABI subjects alike. The acquisition of these specific skills seems to be impaired by brain injury. The most effective use of computer-based cognitive training may be to make the task resemble the targeted behaviour(s) closely in order to exploit the stimulus-specificity of learning.

Decreased integration and information capacity in stroke measured by whole brain models of resting state activity.

PubMed

Adhikari, Mohit H; Hacker, Carl D; Siegel, Josh S; Griffa, Alessandra; Hagmann, Patric; Deco, Gustavo; Corbetta, Maurizio

2017-04-01

While several studies have shown that focal lesions affect the communication between structurally normal regions of the brain, and that these changes may correlate with behavioural deficits, their impact on brain's information processing capacity is currently unknown. Here we test the hypothesis that focal lesions decrease the brain's information processing capacity, of which changes in functional connectivity may be a measurable correlate. To measure processing capacity, we turned to whole brain computational modelling to estimate the integration and segregation of information in brain networks. First, we measured functional connectivity between different brain areas with resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in healthy subjects (n = 26), and subjects who had suffered a cortical stroke (n = 36). We then used a whole-brain network model that coupled average excitatory activities of local regions via anatomical connectivity. Model parameters were optimized in each healthy or stroke participant to maximize correlation between model and empirical functional connectivity, so that the model's effective connectivity was a veridical representation of healthy or lesioned brain networks. Subsequently, we calculated two model-based measures: 'integration', a graph theoretical measure obtained from functional connectivity, which measures the connectedness of brain networks, and 'information capacity', an information theoretical measure that cannot be obtained empirically, representative of the segregative ability of brain networks to encode distinct stimuli. We found that both measures were decreased in stroke patients, as compared to healthy controls, particularly at the level of resting-state networks. Furthermore, we found that these measures, especially information capacity, correlate with measures of behavioural impairment and the segregation of resting-state networks empirically measured. This study shows that focal lesions affect the brain's ability to represent stimuli and task states, and that information capacity measured through whole brain models is a theory-driven measure of processing capacity that could be used as a biomarker of injury for outcome prediction or target for rehabilitation intervention. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Air pollution, cognitive deficits and brain abnormalities: a pilot study with children and dogs.

PubMed

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Mora-Tiscareño, Antonieta; Ontiveros, Esperanza; Gómez-Garza, Gilberto; Barragán-Mejía, Gerardo; Broadway, James; Chapman, Susan; Valencia-Salazar, Gildardo; Jewells, Valerie; Maronpot, Robert R; Henríquez-Roldán, Carlos; Pérez-Guillé, Beatriz; Torres-Jardón, Ricardo; Herrit, Lou; Brooks, Diane; Osnaya-Brizuela, Norma; Monroy, Maria E; González-Maciel, Angelica; Reynoso-Robles, Rafael; Villarreal-Calderon, Rafael; Solt, Anna C; Engle, Randall W

2008-11-01

Exposure to air pollution is associated with neuroinflammation in healthy children and dogs in Mexico City. Comparative studies were carried out in healthy children and young dogs similarly exposed to ambient pollution in Mexico City. Children from Mexico City (n: 55) and a low polluted city (n:18) underwent psychometric testing and brain magnetic resonance imaging MRI. Seven healthy young dogs with similar exposure to Mexico City air pollution had brain MRI, measurement of mRNA abundance of two inflammatory genes cyclooxygenase-2, and interleukin 1 beta in target brain areas, and histopathological evaluation of brain tissue. Children with no known risk factors for neurological or cognitive disorders residing in a polluted urban environment exhibited significant deficits in a combination of fluid and crystallized cognition tasks. Fifty-six percent of Mexico City children tested showed prefrontal white matter hyperintense lesions and similar lesions were observed in dogs (57%). Exposed dogs had frontal lesions with vascular subcortical pathology associated with neuroinflammation, enlarged Virchow-Robin spaces, gliosis, and ultrafine particulate matter deposition. Based on the MRI findings, the prefrontal cortex was a target anatomical region in Mexico City children and its damage could have contributed to their cognitive dysfunction. The present work presents a groundbreaking, interdisciplinary methodology for addressing relationships between environmental pollution, structural brain alterations by MRI, and cognitive deficits/delays in healthy children.

Effects of the Variation in Brain Tissue Mechanical Properties on the Intracranial Response of a 6-Year-Old Child.

PubMed

Cui, Shihai; Li, Haiyan; Li, Xiangnan; Ruan, Jesse

2015-01-01

Brain tissue mechanical properties are of importance to investigate child head injury using finite element (FE) method. However, these properties used in child head FE model normally vary in a large range in published literatures because of the insufficient child cadaver experiments. In this work, a head FE model with detailed anatomical structures is developed from the computed tomography (CT) data of a 6-year-old healthy child head. The effects of brain tissue mechanical properties on traumatic brain response are also analyzed by reconstruction of a head impact on engine hood according to Euro-NCAP testing regulation using FE method. The result showed that the variations of brain tissue mechanical parameters in linear viscoelastic constitutive model had different influences on the intracranial response. Furthermore, the opposite trend was obtained in the predicted shear stress and shear strain of brain tissues caused by the variations of mentioned parameters.

Glutathione in the human brain: Review of its roles and measurement by magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rae, Caroline D; Williams, Stephen R

2017-07-15

We review the transport, synthesis and catabolism of glutathione in the brain as well as its compartmentation and biochemistry in different brain cells. The major reactions involving glutathione are reviewed and the factors limiting its availability in brain cells are discussed. We also describe and critique current methods for measuring glutathione in the human brain using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and review the literature on glutathione measurements in healthy brains and in neurological, psychiatric, neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions In summary: Healthy human brain glutathione concentration is ∼1-2 mM, but it varies by brain region, with evidence of gender differences and age effects; in neurological disease glutathione appears reduced in multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and epilepsy, while being increased in meningiomas; in psychiatric disease the picture is complex and confounded by methodological differences, regional effects, length of disease and drug-treatment. Both increases and decreases in glutathione have been reported in depression and schizophrenia. In Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment there is evidence for a decrease in glutathione compared to age-matched healthy controls. Improved methods to measure glutathione in vivo will provide better precision in glutathione determination and help resolve the complex biochemistry of this molecule in health and disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alteration of diffusion-tensor MRI measures in brain regions involved in early stages of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Chen, Nan-Kuei; Chou, Ying-Hui; Sundman, Mark; Hickey, Patrick; Kasoff, Willard S; Bernstein, Adam; Trouard, Theodore P; Lin, Tanya; Rapcsak, Steven Z; Sherman, Scott J; Weingarten, Carol

2018-06-07

Many non-motor symptoms (e.g., hyposmia) appear years before the cardinal motor features of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is thus desirable to be able to use noninvasive brain imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to detect brain abnormalities in early PD stages. Among the MRI modalities, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is suitable for detecting changes of brain tissue structure due to neurological diseases. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether DTI signals measured from brain regions involved in early stages of PD differ from those of healthy controls. To answer this question, we analyzed whole-brain DTI data of 30 early-stage PD patients and 30 controls using improved ROI based analysis methods. Results showed that 1) the fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the olfactory tract (connected with the olfactory bulb: one of the first structures affected by PD) are lower in PD patients than healthy controls; 2) FA values are higher in PD patients than healthy controls in the following brain regions: corticospinal tract, cingulum (near hippocampus), and superior longitudinal fasciculus (temporal part). Experimental results suggest that the tissue property, measured by FA, in olfactory regions is structurally modulated by PD with a mechanism that is different from other brain regions.

Correlation between pulmonary function and brain volume in healthy elderly subjects.

PubMed

Taki, Yasuyuki; Kinomura, Shigeo; Ebihara, Satoru; Thyreau, Benjamin; Sato, Kazunori; Goto, Ryoi; Kakizaki, Masako; Tsuji, Ichiro; Kawashima, Ryuta; Fukuda, Hiroshi

2013-06-01

Cigarette smoking decreases brain regional gray matter volume and is related to chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). COPD leads to decreased pulmonary function, which is represented by forced expiratory volume in one second percentage (FEV1.0 %); however, it is unclear if decreased pulmonary function is directly related to brain gray matter volume decline. Because there is a link between COPD and cognitive decline, revealing a direct relationship between pulmonary function and brain structure is important to better understand how pulmonary function affects brain structure and cognitive function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze whether there were significant correlations between FEV1.0 % and brain regional gray and white matter volumes using brain magnetic resonance (MR) image data from 109 community-dwelling healthy elderly individuals. Brain MR images were processed with voxel-based morphometry using a custom template by applying diffeomorphic anatomical registration using the exponentiated lie algebra procedure. We found a significant positive correlation between the regional white matter volume of the cerebellum and FEV1.0 % after adjusting for age, sex, and intracranial volume. Our results suggest that elderly individuals who have a lower FEV1.0 % have decreased regional white matter volume in the cerebellum. Therefore, preventing decreased pulmonary function is important for cerebellar white matter volume in the healthy elderly population.

Splenic abscess and multiple brain abscesses caused by Streptococcus intermedius in a young healthy man

PubMed Central

Caire, William; Nair, Rajasree; Bridges, Debbie

2011-01-01

We report a case of splenic abscess with multiple brain abscesses caused by Streptococcus intermedius in a healthy young man without any identifiable risk factors, which resolved with percutaneous drainage and antibiotics. Streptococcus intermedius, a member of the Streptococcus anginosus group, is a common commensal organism of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, and it is a known cause of deep-seated infections. Suppurative infections caused by Streptococcus anginosus group are sometimes associated with bacteremia, but hematogenous spread of infection from an occult source leading to concurrent splenic abscess and multiple brain abscesses has never been previously reported in a healthy young individual. PMID:21738290

Early Childhood Interventions: Proven Results, Future Promise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karoly, Lynn A.; Kilburn, M. Rebecca; Cannon, Jill S.

2005-01-01

Parents, policymakers, business leaders, and the general public increasingly recognize the importance of the first few years in the life of a child for promoting healthy physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. Whether the evidence comes from sophisticated research by brain scientists or the simple observation of the…

Encouraging Healthy Eating Behaviors in Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brawley, Larra; Henk, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Young children's eating behaviors have a direct link to their future health and attitudes regarding food. Similarly, positive nutrition during the toddler years leads to increased brain development and thus children are generally healthier (Weaver, More, & Harris, 2008). This makes eating behaviors extremely important. During the toddler…

Cranial irradiation increases tumor growth in experimental breast cancer brain metastasis.

PubMed

Hamilton, Amanda M; Wong, Suzanne M; Wong, Eugene; Foster, Paula J

2018-05-01

Whole-brain radiotherapy is the standard of care for patients with breast cancer with multiple brain metastases and, although this treatment has been essential in the management of existing brain tumors, there are many known negative consequences associated with the irradiation of normal brain tissue. In our study, we used in vivo magnetic resonance imaging analysis to investigate the influence of radiotherapy-induced damage of healthy brain on the arrest and growth of metastatic breast cancer cells in a mouse model of breast cancer brain metastasis. We observed that irradiated, but otherwise healthy, neural tissue had an increased propensity to support metastatic growth compared with never-irradiated controls. The elucidation of the impact of irradiation on normal neural tissue could have implications in clinical patient management, particularly in patients with residual systemic disease or with residual radio-resistant brain cancer. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improved spatial coverage for brain 3D PRESS MRSI by automatic placement of outer-volume suppression saturation bands.

PubMed

Ozhinsky, Eugene; Vigneron, Daniel B; Nelson, Sarah J

2011-04-01

To develop a technique for optimizing coverage of brain 3D (1) H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) by automatic placement of outer-volume suppression (OVS) saturation bands (sat bands) and to compare the performance for point-resolved spectroscopic sequence (PRESS) MRSI protocols with manual and automatic placement of sat bands. The automated OVS procedure includes the acquisition of anatomic images from the head, obtaining brain and lipid tissue maps, calculating optimal sat band placement, and then using those optimized parameters during the MRSI acquisition. The data were analyzed to quantify brain coverage volume and data quality. 3D PRESS MRSI data were acquired from three healthy volunteers and 29 patients using protocols that included either manual or automatic sat band placement. On average, the automatic sat band placement allowed the acquisition of PRESS MRSI data from 2.7 times larger brain volumes than the conventional method while maintaining data quality. The technique developed helps solve two of the most significant problems with brain PRESS MRSI acquisitions: limited brain coverage and difficulty in prescription. This new method will facilitate routine clinical brain 3D MRSI exams and will be important for performing serial evaluation of response to therapy in patients with brain tumors and other neurological diseases. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Right-Hemispheric Cortical Contributions to Language Ability in Healthy Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Ettinger-Veenstra, Helene; Ragnehed, Mattias; McAllister, Anita; Lundberg, Peter; Engstrom, Maria

2012-01-01

In this study we investigated the correlation between individual linguistic ability based on performance levels and their engagement of typical and atypical language areas in the brain. Eighteen healthy subjects between 21 and 64 years participated in language ability tests, and subsequent functional MRI scans measuring brain activity in response…

Resting state cerebral blood flow with arterial spin labeling MRI in developing human brains.

PubMed

Liu, Feng; Duan, Yunsuo; Peterson, Bradley S; Asllani, Iris; Zelaya, Fernando; Lythgoe, David; Kangarlu, Alayar

2018-07-01

The development of brain circuits is coupled with changes in neurovascular coupling, which refers to the close relationship between neural activity and cerebral blood flow (CBF). Studying the characteristics of CBF during resting state in developing brain can be a complementary way to understand the functional connectivity of the developing brain. Arterial spin labeling (ASL), as a noninvasive MR technique, is particularly attractive for studying cerebral perfusion in children and even newborns. We have collected pulsed ASL data in resting state for 47 healthy subjects from young children to adolescence (aged from 6 to 20 years old). In addition to studying the developmental change of static CBF maps during resting state, we also analyzed the CBF time series to reveal the dynamic characteristics of CBF in differing age groups. We used the seed-based correlation analysis to examine the temporal relationship of CBF time series between the selected ROIs and other brain regions. We have shown the developmental patterns in both static CBF maps and dynamic characteristics of CBF. While higher CBF of default mode network (DMN) in all age groups supports that DMN is the prominent active network during the resting state, the CBF connectivity patterns of some typical resting state networks show distinct patterns of metabolic activity during the resting state in the developing brains. Copyright © 2018 European Paediatric Neurology Society. All rights reserved.

Structural growth trajectories and rates of change in the first 3 months of infant brain development.

PubMed

Holland, Dominic; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas M; Curran, Megan; Buchthal, Steven D; Alicata, Daniel; Skranes, Jon; Johansen, Heather; Hernandez, Antonette; Yamakawa, Robyn; Kuperman, Joshua M; Dale, Anders M

2014-10-01

The very early postnatal period witnesses extraordinary rates of growth, but structural brain development in this period has largely not been explored longitudinally. Such assessment may be key in detecting and treating the earliest signs of neurodevelopmental disorders. To assess structural growth trajectories and rates of change in the whole brain and regions of interest in infants during the first 3 months after birth. Serial structural T1-weighted and/or T2-weighted magnetic resonance images were obtained for 211 time points from 87 healthy term-born or term-equivalent preterm-born infants, aged 2 to 90 days, between October 5, 2007, and June 12, 2013. We segmented whole-brain and multiple subcortical regions of interest using a novel application of Bayesian-based methods. We modeled growth and rate of growth trajectories nonparametrically and assessed left-right asymmetries and sexual dimorphisms. Whole-brain volume at birth was approximately one-third of healthy elderly brain volume, and did not differ significantly between male and female infants (347 388 mm3 and 335 509 mm3, respectively, P = .12). The growth rate was approximately 1%/d, slowing to 0.4%/d by the end of the first 3 months, when the brain reached just more than half of elderly adult brain volume. Overall growth in the first 90 days was 64%. There was a significant age-by-sex effect leading to widening separation in brain sizes with age between male and female infants (with male infants growing faster than females by 200.4 mm3/d, SE = 67.2, P = .003). Longer gestation was associated with larger brain size (2215 mm3/d, SE = 284, P = 4×10-13). The expected brain size of an infant born one week earlier than average was 5% smaller than average; at 90 days it will not have caught up, being 2% smaller than average. The cerebellum grew at the highest rate, more than doubling in 90 days, and the hippocampus grew at the slowest rate, increasing by 47% in 90 days. There was left-right asymmetry in multiple regions of interest, particularly the lateral ventricles where the left was larger than the right by 462 mm3 on average (approximately 5% of lateral ventricular volume at 2 months). We calculated volume-by-age percentile plots for assessing individual development. Normative trajectories for early postnatal brain structural development can be determined from magnetic resonance imaging and could be used to improve the detection of deviant maturational patterns indicative of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Structural Growth Trajectories and Rates of Change in the First 3 Months of Infant Brain Development

PubMed Central

Holland, Dominic; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas M.; Curran, Megan; Buchthal, Steven D.; Alicata, Daniel; Skranes, Jon; Johansen, Heather; Hernandez, Antonette; Yamakawa, Robyn; Kuperman, Joshua M.; Dale, Anders M.

2016-01-01

IMPORTANCE The very early postnatal period witnesses extraordinary rates of growth, but structural brain development in this period has largely not been explored longitudinally. Such assessment may be key in detecting and treating the earliest signs of neurodevelopmental disorders. OBJECTIVE To assess structural growth trajectories and rates of change in the whole brain and regions of interest in infants during the first 3 months after birth. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Serial structural T1-weighted and/or T2-weighted magnetic resonance images were obtained for 211 time points from 87 healthy term-born or term-equivalent preterm-born infants, aged 2 to 90 days, between October 5, 2007, and June 12, 2013. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES We segmented whole-brain and multiple subcortical regions of interest using a novel application of Bayesian-based methods. We modeled growth and rate of growth trajectories nonparametrically and assessed left-right asymmetries and sexual dimorphisms. RESULTS Whole-brain volume at birth was approximately one-third of healthy elderly brain volume, and did not differ significantly between male and female infants (347 388 mm3 and 335 509 mm3, respectively, P = .12). The growth rate was approximately 1%/d, slowing to 0.4%/d by the end of the first 3 months, when the brain reached just more than half of elderly adult brain volume. Overall growth in the first 90 days was 64%. There was a significant age-by-sex effect leading to widening separation in brain sizes with age between male and female infants (with male infants growing faster than females by 200.4 mm3/d, SE = 67.2, P = .003). Longer gestation was associated with larger brain size (2215 mm3/d, SE = 284, P = 4×10−13). The expected brain size of an infant born one week earlier than average was 5% smaller than average; at 90 days it will not have caught up, being 2% smaller than average. The cerebellum grew at the highest rate, more than doubling in 90 days, and the hippocampus grew at the slowest rate, increasing by 47% in 90 days. There was left-right asymmetry in multiple regions of interest, particularly the lateral ventricles where the left was larger than the right by 462 mm3 on average (approximately 5% of lateral ventricular volume at 2 months). We calculated volume-by-age percentile plots for assessing individual development. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Normative trajectories for early postnatal brain structural development can be determined from magnetic resonance imaging and could be used to improve the detection of deviant maturational patterns indicative of neurodevelopmental disorders. PMID:25111045

Impact of Neurodegenerative Diseases on Drug Binding to Brain Tissues: From Animal Models to Human Samples.

PubMed

Ugarte, Ana; Corbacho, David; Aymerich, María S; García-Osta, Ana; Cuadrado-Tejedor, Mar; Oyarzabal, Julen

2018-04-19

Drug efficacy in the central nervous system (CNS) requires an additional step after crossing the blood-brain barrier. Therapeutic agents must reach their targets in the brain to modulate them; thus, the free drug concentration hypothesis is a key parameter for in vivo pharmacology. Here, we report the impact of neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with healthy controls) on the binding of 10 known drugs to postmortem brain tissues from animal models and humans. Unbound drug fractions, for some drugs, are significantly different between healthy and injured brain tissues (AD or PD). In addition, drugs binding to brain tissues from AD and PD animal models do not always recapitulate their binding to the corresponding human injured brain tissues. These results reveal potentially relevant implications for CNS drug discovery.

Graph theory analysis of complex brain networks: new concepts in brain mapping applied to neurosurgery.

PubMed

Hart, Michael G; Ypma, Rolf J F; Romero-Garcia, Rafael; Price, Stephen J; Suckling, John

2016-06-01

Neuroanatomy has entered a new era, culminating in the search for the connectome, otherwise known as the brain's wiring diagram. While this approach has led to landmark discoveries in neuroscience, potential neurosurgical applications and collaborations have been lagging. In this article, the authors describe the ideas and concepts behind the connectome and its analysis with graph theory. Following this they then describe how to form a connectome using resting state functional MRI data as an example. Next they highlight selected insights into healthy brain function that have been derived from connectome analysis and illustrate how studies into normal development, cognitive function, and the effects of synthetic lesioning can be relevant to neurosurgery. Finally, they provide a précis of early applications of the connectome and related techniques to traumatic brain injury, functional neurosurgery, and neurooncology.

Neural Signaling of Food Healthiness Associated with Emotion Processing.

PubMed

Herwig, Uwe; Dhum, Matthias; Hittmeyer, Anna; Opialla, Sarah; Scherpiet, Sigrid; Keller, Carmen; Brühl, Annette B; Siegrist, Michael

2016-01-01

The ability to differentiate healthy from unhealthy foods is important in order to promote good health. Food, however, may have an emotional connotation, which could be inversely related to healthiness. The neurobiological background of differentiating healthy and unhealthy food and its relations to emotion processing are not yet well understood. We addressed the neural activations, particularly considering the single subject level, when one evaluates a food item to be of a higher, compared to a lower grade of healthiness with a particular view on emotion processing brain regions. Thirty-seven healthy subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while evaluating the healthiness of food presented as photographs with a subsequent rating on a visual analog scale. We compared individual evaluations of high and low healthiness of food items and also considered gender differences. We found increased activation when food was evaluated to be healthy in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus in whole brain analyses. In ROI analyses, perceived and rated higher healthiness was associated with lower amygdala activity and higher ventral striatal and orbitofrontal cortex activity. Females exerted a higher activation in midbrain areas when rating food items as being healthy. Our results underline the close relationship between food and emotion processing, which makes sense considering evolutionary aspects. Actively evaluating and deciding whether food is healthy is accompanied by neural signaling associated with reward and self-relevance, which could promote salutary nutrition behavior. The involved brain regions may be amenable to mechanisms of emotion regulation in the context of psychotherapeutic regulation of food intake.

Anticipation-related brain connectivity in bipolar and unipolar depression: a graph theory approach

PubMed Central

Almeida, Jorge R. C.; Stiffler, Richelle; Lockovich, Jeanette C.; Aslam, Haris A.; Phillips, Mary L.

2016-01-01

Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder, which leads to inadequate treatment. Depressed individuals versus healthy control subjects, show increased expectation of negative outcomes. Due to increased impulsivity and risk for mania, however, depressed individuals with bipolar disorder may differ from those with major depressive disorder in neural mechanisms underlying anticipation processes. Graph theory methods for neuroimaging data analysis allow the identification of connectivity between multiple brain regions without prior model specification, and may help to identify neurobiological markers differentiating these disorders, thereby facilitating development of better therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to compare brain connectivity among regions involved in win/loss anticipation in depressed individuals with bipolar disorder (BDD) versus depressed individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) versus healthy control subjects using graph theory methods. The study was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and included 31 BDD, 39 MDD, and 36 healthy control subjects. Participants were scanned while performing a number guessing reward task that included the periods of win and loss anticipation. We first identified the anticipatory network across all 106 participants by contrasting brain activation during all anticipation periods (win anticipation + loss anticipation) versus baseline, and win anticipation versus loss anticipation. Brain connectivity within the identified network was determined using the Independent Multiple sample Greedy Equivalence Search (IMaGES) and Linear non-Gaussian Orientation, Fixed Structure (LOFS) algorithms. Density of connections (the number of connections in the network), path length, and the global connectivity direction (‘top-down’ versus ‘bottom-up’) were compared across groups (BDD/MDD/healthy control subjects) and conditions (win/loss anticipation). These analyses showed that loss anticipation was characterized by denser top-down fronto-striatal and fronto-parietal connectivity in healthy control subjects, by bottom-up striatal-frontal connectivity in MDD, and by sparse connectivity lacking fronto-striatal connections in BDD. Win anticipation was characterized by dense connectivity of medial frontal with striatal and lateral frontal cortical regions in BDD, by sparser bottom-up striatum-medial frontal cortex connectivity in MDD, and by sparse connectivity in healthy control subjects. In summary, this is the first study to demonstrate that BDD and MDD with comparable levels of current depression differed from each other and healthy control subjects in density of connections, connectivity path length, and connectivity direction as a function of win or loss anticipation. These findings suggest that different neurobiological mechanisms may underlie aberrant anticipation processes in BDD and MDD, and that distinct therapeutic strategies may be required for these individuals to improve coping strategies during expectation of positive and negative outcomes. PMID:27368345

Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children's Learning and Development. Working Paper #9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010

2010-01-01

Ensuring that young children have safe, secure environments in which to grow, learn, and develop healthy brains and bodies is not only good for the children themselves but also builds a strong foundation for a thriving, prosperous society. Science shows that early exposure to circumstances that produce persistent fear and chronic anxiety can have…

Long-term influence of normal variation in neonatal characteristics on human brain development

PubMed Central

Walhovd, Kristine B.; Fjell, Anders M.; Brown, Timothy T.; Kuperman, Joshua M.; Chung, Yoonho; Hagler, Donald J.; Roddey, J. Cooper; Erhart, Matthew; McCabe, Connor; Akshoomoff, Natacha; Amaral, David G.; Bloss, Cinnamon S.; Libiger, Ondrej; Schork, Nicholas J.; Darst, Burcu F.; Casey, B. J.; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas M.; Frazier, Jean; Gruen, Jeffrey R.; Kaufmann, Walter E.; Murray, Sarah S.; van Zijl, Peter; Mostofsky, Stewart; Dale, Anders M.; Jernigan, Terry L.; McCabe, Connor; Chang, Linda; Akshoomoff, Natacha; Newman, Erik; Dale, Anders M.; Ernst, Thomas; Dale, Anders M.; Van Zijl, Peter; Kuperman, Joshua; Murray, Sarah; Bloss, Cinnamon; Schork, Nicholas J.; Appelbaum, Mark; Gamst, Anthony; Thompson, Wesley; Bartsch, Hauke; Jernigan, Terry L.; Dale, Anders M.; Akshoomoff, Natacha; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas; Keating, Brian; Amaral, David; Sowell, Elizabeth; Kaufmann, Walter; Van Zijl, Peter; Mostofsky, Stewart; Casey, B.J.; Ruberry, Erika J.; Powers, Alisa; Rosen, Bruce; Kenet, Tal; Frazier, Jean; Kennedy, David; Gruen, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

It is now recognized that a number of cognitive, behavioral, and mental health outcomes across the lifespan can be traced to fetal development. Although the direct mediation is unknown, the substantial variance in fetal growth, most commonly indexed by birth weight, may affect lifespan brain development. We investigated effects of normal variance in birth weight on MRI-derived measures of brain development in 628 healthy children, adolescents, and young adults in the large-scale multicenter Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics study. This heterogeneous sample was recruited through geographically dispersed sites in the United States. The influence of birth weight on cortical thickness, surface area, and striatal and total brain volumes was investigated, controlling for variance in age, sex, household income, and genetic ancestry factors. Birth weight was found to exert robust positive effects on regional cortical surface area in multiple regions as well as total brain and caudate volumes. These effects were continuous across birth weight ranges and ages and were not confined to subsets of the sample. The findings show that (i) aspects of later child and adolescent brain development are influenced at birth and (ii) relatively small differences in birth weight across groups and conditions typically compared in neuropsychiatric research (e.g., Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders) may influence group differences observed in brain parameters of interest at a later stage in life. These findings should serve to increase our attention to early influences. PMID:23169628

Long-term influence of normal variation in neonatal characteristics on human brain development.

PubMed

Walhovd, Kristine B; Fjell, Anders M; Brown, Timothy T; Kuperman, Joshua M; Chung, Yoonho; Hagler, Donald J; Roddey, J Cooper; Erhart, Matthew; McCabe, Connor; Akshoomoff, Natacha; Amaral, David G; Bloss, Cinnamon S; Libiger, Ondrej; Schork, Nicholas J; Darst, Burcu F; Casey, B J; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas M; Frazier, Jean; Gruen, Jeffrey R; Kaufmann, Walter E; Murray, Sarah S; van Zijl, Peter; Mostofsky, Stewart; Dale, Anders M

2012-12-04

It is now recognized that a number of cognitive, behavioral, and mental health outcomes across the lifespan can be traced to fetal development. Although the direct mediation is unknown, the substantial variance in fetal growth, most commonly indexed by birth weight, may affect lifespan brain development. We investigated effects of normal variance in birth weight on MRI-derived measures of brain development in 628 healthy children, adolescents, and young adults in the large-scale multicenter Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics study. This heterogeneous sample was recruited through geographically dispersed sites in the United States. The influence of birth weight on cortical thickness, surface area, and striatal and total brain volumes was investigated, controlling for variance in age, sex, household income, and genetic ancestry factors. Birth weight was found to exert robust positive effects on regional cortical surface area in multiple regions as well as total brain and caudate volumes. These effects were continuous across birth weight ranges and ages and were not confined to subsets of the sample. The findings show that (i) aspects of later child and adolescent brain development are influenced at birth and (ii) relatively small differences in birth weight across groups and conditions typically compared in neuropsychiatric research (e.g., Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders) may influence group differences observed in brain parameters of interest at a later stage in life. These findings should serve to increase our attention to early influences.

Accelerated echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging in the human brain using compressed sensing: a pilot validation in obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Sarma, M K; Nagarajan, R; Macey, P M; Kumar, R; Villablanca, J P; Furuyama, J; Thomas, M A

2014-06-01

Echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging is a fast spectroscopic technique to record the biochemical information in multiple regions of the brain, but for clinical applications, time is still a constraint. Investigations of neural injury in obstructive sleep apnea have revealed structural changes in the brain, but determining the neurochemical changes requires more detailed measurements across multiple brain regions, demonstrating a need for faster echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging. Hence, we have extended the compressed sensing reconstruction of prospectively undersampled 4D echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging to investigate metabolic changes in multiple brain locations of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and healthy controls. Nonuniform undersampling was imposed along 1 spatial and 1 spectral dimension of 4D echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging, and test-retest reliability of the compressed sensing reconstruction of the nonuniform undersampling data was tested by using a brain phantom. In addition, 9 patients with obstructive sleep apnea and 11 healthy controls were investigated by using a 3T MR imaging/MR spectroscopy scanner. Significantly reduced metabolite differences were observed between patients with obstructive sleep apnea and healthy controls in multiple brain regions: NAA/Cr in the left hippocampus; total Cho/Cr and Glx/Cr in the right hippocampus; total NAA/Cr, taurine/Cr, scyllo-Inositol/Cr, phosphocholine/Cr, and total Cho/Cr in the occipital gray matter; total NAA/Cr and NAA/Cr in the medial frontal white matter; and taurine/Cr and total Cho/Cr in the left frontal white matter regions. The 4D echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging technique using the nonuniform undersampling-based acquisition and compressed sensing reconstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and healthy brain is feasible in a clinically suitable time. In addition to brain metabolite changes previously reported by 1D MR spectroscopy, our results show changes of additional metabolites in patients with obstructive sleep apnea compared with healthy controls. © 2014 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Healthy body, healthy mind?: the effectiveness of physical activity to treat ADHD in children.

PubMed

Halperin, Jeffrey M; Berwid, Olga G; O'Neill, Sarah

2014-10-01

Data from animal studies provide convincing evidence that physical exercise enhances brain development and neurobehavioral functioning in areas believed to be impaired in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To a lesser but still compelling extent, results from studies in typically developing children and adults indicate beneficial effects of exercise on many of the neurocognitive functions that have been shown to be impaired in children with ADHD. Together, these data provide a strong rationale for why a program of structured physical exercise might serve as an effective intervention for children with ADHD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional MRI of Handwriting Tasks: A Study of Healthy Young Adults Interacting with a Novel Touch-Sensitive Tablet

PubMed Central

Karimpoor, Mahta; Churchill, Nathan W.; Tam, Fred; Fischer, Corinne E.; Schweizer, Tom A.; Graham, Simon J.

2018-01-01

Handwriting is a complex human activity that engages a blend of cognitive and visual motor skills. Current understanding of the neural correlates of handwriting has largely come from lesion studies of patients with impaired handwriting. Task-based fMRI studies would be useful to supplement this work. To address concerns over ecological validity, previously we developed a fMRI-compatible, computerized tablet system for writing and drawing including visual feedback of hand position and an augmented reality display. The purpose of the present work is to use the tablet system in proof-of-concept to characterize brain activity associated with clinically relevant handwriting tasks, originally developed to characterize handwriting impairments in Alzheimer’s disease patients. As a prelude to undertaking fMRI studies of patients, imaging was performed of twelve young healthy subjects who copied sentences, phone numbers, and grocery lists using the fMRI-compatible tablet. Activation maps for all handwriting tasks consisted of a distributed network of regions in reasonable agreement with previous studies of handwriting performance. In addition, differences in brain activity were observed between the test subcomponents consistent with different demands of neural processing for successful task performance, as identified by investigating three quantitative behavioral metrics (writing speed, stylus contact force and stylus in air time). This study provides baseline behavioral and brain activity results for fMRI studies that adopt this handwriting test to characterize patients with brain impairments. PMID:29487511

Functional MRI of Handwriting Tasks: A Study of Healthy Young Adults Interacting with a Novel Touch-Sensitive Tablet.

PubMed

Karimpoor, Mahta; Churchill, Nathan W; Tam, Fred; Fischer, Corinne E; Schweizer, Tom A; Graham, Simon J

2018-01-01

Handwriting is a complex human activity that engages a blend of cognitive and visual motor skills. Current understanding of the neural correlates of handwriting has largely come from lesion studies of patients with impaired handwriting. Task-based fMRI studies would be useful to supplement this work. To address concerns over ecological validity, previously we developed a fMRI-compatible, computerized tablet system for writing and drawing including visual feedback of hand position and an augmented reality display. The purpose of the present work is to use the tablet system in proof-of-concept to characterize brain activity associated with clinically relevant handwriting tasks, originally developed to characterize handwriting impairments in Alzheimer's disease patients. As a prelude to undertaking fMRI studies of patients, imaging was performed of twelve young healthy subjects who copied sentences, phone numbers, and grocery lists using the fMRI-compatible tablet. Activation maps for all handwriting tasks consisted of a distributed network of regions in reasonable agreement with previous studies of handwriting performance. In addition, differences in brain activity were observed between the test subcomponents consistent with different demands of neural processing for successful task performance, as identified by investigating three quantitative behavioral metrics (writing speed, stylus contact force and stylus in air time). This study provides baseline behavioral and brain activity results for fMRI studies that adopt this handwriting test to characterize patients with brain impairments.

Brain Diseases

MedlinePlus

The brain is the control center of the body. It controls thoughts, memory, speech, and movement. It regulates the function of many organs. When the brain is healthy, it works quickly and automatically. However, ...

Reconstruction of human brain spontaneous activity based on frequency-pattern analysis of magnetoencephalography data

PubMed Central

Llinás, Rodolfo R.; Ustinin, Mikhail N.; Rykunov, Stanislav D.; Boyko, Anna I.; Sychev, Vyacheslav V.; Walton, Kerry D.; Rabello, Guilherme M.; Garcia, John

2015-01-01

A new method for the analysis and localization of brain activity has been developed, based on multichannel magnetic field recordings, over minutes, superimposed on the MRI of the individual. Here, a high resolution Fourier Transform is obtained over the entire recording period, leading to a detailed multi-frequency spectrum. Further analysis implements a total decomposition of the frequency components into functionally invariant entities, each having an invariant field pattern localizable in recording space. The method, addressed as functional tomography, makes it possible to find the distribution of magnetic field sources in space. Here, the method is applied to the analysis of simulated data, to oscillating signals activating a physical current dipoles phantom, and to recordings of spontaneous brain activity in 10 healthy adults. In the analysis of simulated data, 61 dipoles are localized with 0.7 mm precision. Concerning the physical phantom the method is able to localize three simultaneously activated current dipoles with 1 mm precision. Spatial resolution 3 mm was attained when localizing spontaneous alpha rhythm activity in 10 healthy adults, where the alpha peak was specified for each subject individually. Co-registration of the functional tomograms with each subject's head MRI localized alpha range activity to the occipital and/or posterior parietal brain region. This is the first application of this new functional tomography to human brain activity. The method successfully provides an overall view of brain electrical activity, a detailed spectral description and, combined with MRI, the localization of sources in anatomical brain space. PMID:26528119

BRAPH: A graph theory software for the analysis of brain connectivity

PubMed Central

Mijalkov, Mite; Kakaei, Ehsan; Pereira, Joana B.; Westman, Eric; Volpe, Giovanni

2017-01-01

The brain is a large-scale complex network whose workings rely on the interaction between its various regions. In the past few years, the organization of the human brain network has been studied extensively using concepts from graph theory, where the brain is represented as a set of nodes connected by edges. This representation of the brain as a connectome can be used to assess important measures that reflect its topological architecture. We have developed a freeware MatLab-based software (BRAPH–BRain Analysis using graPH theory) for connectivity analysis of brain networks derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and electroencephalogram (EEG) data. BRAPH allows building connectivity matrices, calculating global and local network measures, performing non-parametric permutations for group comparisons, assessing the modules in the network, and comparing the results to random networks. By contrast to other toolboxes, it allows performing longitudinal comparisons of the same patients across different points in time. Furthermore, even though a user-friendly interface is provided, the architecture of the program is modular (object-oriented) so that it can be easily expanded and customized. To demonstrate the abilities of BRAPH, we performed structural and functional graph theory analyses in two separate studies. In the first study, using MRI data, we assessed the differences in global and nodal network topology in healthy controls, patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In the second study, using resting-state fMRI data, we compared healthy controls and Parkinson’s patients with mild cognitive impairment. PMID:28763447

BRAPH: A graph theory software for the analysis of brain connectivity.

PubMed

Mijalkov, Mite; Kakaei, Ehsan; Pereira, Joana B; Westman, Eric; Volpe, Giovanni

2017-01-01

The brain is a large-scale complex network whose workings rely on the interaction between its various regions. In the past few years, the organization of the human brain network has been studied extensively using concepts from graph theory, where the brain is represented as a set of nodes connected by edges. This representation of the brain as a connectome can be used to assess important measures that reflect its topological architecture. We have developed a freeware MatLab-based software (BRAPH-BRain Analysis using graPH theory) for connectivity analysis of brain networks derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and electroencephalogram (EEG) data. BRAPH allows building connectivity matrices, calculating global and local network measures, performing non-parametric permutations for group comparisons, assessing the modules in the network, and comparing the results to random networks. By contrast to other toolboxes, it allows performing longitudinal comparisons of the same patients across different points in time. Furthermore, even though a user-friendly interface is provided, the architecture of the program is modular (object-oriented) so that it can be easily expanded and customized. To demonstrate the abilities of BRAPH, we performed structural and functional graph theory analyses in two separate studies. In the first study, using MRI data, we assessed the differences in global and nodal network topology in healthy controls, patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and patients with Alzheimer's disease. In the second study, using resting-state fMRI data, we compared healthy controls and Parkinson's patients with mild cognitive impairment.

An fMRI study of emotional face processing in adolescent major depression.

PubMed

Hall, Leah M J; Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie; Hunt, Ruskin H; Thomas, Kathleen M; Houri, Alaa; Noack, Emily; Mueller, Bryon A; Lim, Kelvin O; Cullen, Kathryn R

2014-10-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) often begins during adolescence when the brain is still maturing. To better understand the neurobiological underpinnings of MDD early in development, this study examined brain function in response to emotional faces in adolescents with MDD and healthy (HC) adolescents using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirty-two unmedicated adolescents with MDD and 23 healthy age- and gender-matched controls completed an fMRI task viewing happy and fearful faces. Fronto-limbic regions of interest (ROI; bilateral amygdala, insula, subgenual and rostral anterior cingulate cortices) and whole-brain analyses were conducted to examine between-group differences in brain function. ROI analyses revealed that patients had greater bilateral amygdala activity than HC in response to viewing fearful versus happy faces, which remained significant when controlling for comorbid anxiety. Whole-brain analyses revealed that adolescents with MDD had lower activation compared to HC in a right hemisphere cluster comprised of the insula, superior/middle temporal gyrus, and Heschl׳s gyrus when viewing fearful faces. Brain activity in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex was inversely correlated with depression severity. Limitations include a cross-sectional design with a modest sample size and use of a limited range of emotional stimuli. Results replicate previous studies that suggest emotion processing in adolescent MDD is associated with abnormalities within fronto-limbic brain regions. Findings implicate elevated amygdalar arousal to negative stimuli in adolescents with depression and provide new evidence for a deficit in functioning of the saliency network, which may be a future target for early intervention and MDD treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of six weeks of endurance exercise and following detraining on serum brain derived neurotrophic factor and memory performance in middle aged males with metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Babaei, P; Azali Alamdari, K; Soltani Tehrani, B; Damirchi, A

2013-08-01

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and physical inactivity contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Aerobic training has been reported to improve MetS, however less attention has been directed toward the role of training and detraining on cognitive function in MetS. Twenty one healthy middle-aged males and 21 with MetS were distributed into four groups: MetS exercise (ME), MetS control (MC), Healthy exercise (HE) and healthy control (HC). Both ME and HE, followed a 6-week aerobic training program (3 sessions/week). Digit Span memory test and blood sampling were conducted pre training, post training and also following a six weeks detraining. Data were analyzed using spearman, pearson and repeated measure ANOVA tests. Baseline serum BDNF level was positively correlated with waist circumference (r=0.383, P=0.012) and showed significant elevation in MetS compared with healthy subjects (1101.66±61.34 vs. 903.72±46.57 pg/mL, P=0.014). After aerobic exercise BDNF level significantly increased in HE, but decreased in ME group (P=0.001). Both short and mid term memory significantly increased (P<0.05) only in HE group. Exercise induced cognitive improvement might be mediated via BDNF-linked mechanisms in healthy people. However, the health status of individuals should be considered.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Brain Bioenergetics, Sleep, and Cognitive Performance in Cocaine-Dependent Individuals

PubMed Central

Trksak, George H.; Bracken, Bethany K.; Jensen, J. Eric; Plante, David T.; Penetar, David M.; Tartarini, Wendy L.; Maywalt, Melissa A.; Dorsey, Cynthia M.; Renshaw, Perry F.; Lukas, Scott E.

2013-01-01

In cocaine-dependent individuals, sleep is disturbed during cocaine use and abstinence, highlighting the importance of examining the behavioral and homeostatic response to acute sleep loss in these individuals. The current study was designed to identify a differential effect of sleep deprivation on brain bioenergetics, cognitive performance, and sleep between cocaine-dependent and healthy control participants. 14 healthy control and 8 cocaine-dependent participants experienced consecutive nights of baseline, total sleep deprivation, and recovery sleep in the research laboratory. Participants underwent [31]P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) brain imaging, polysomnography, Continuous Performance Task, and Digit Symbol Substitution Task. Following recovery sleep, [31]P MRS scans revealed that cocaine-dependent participants exhibited elevated global brain β-NTP (direct measure of adenosine triphosphate), α-NTP, and total NTP levels compared to those of healthy controls. Cocaine-dependent participants performed worse on the Continuous Performance Task and Digit Symbol Substitution Task at baseline compared to healthy control participants, but sleep deprivation did not worsen cognitive performance in either group. Enhancements of brain ATP levels in cocaine dependent participants following recovery sleep may reflect a greater impact of sleep deprivation on sleep homeostasis, which may highlight the importance of monitoring sleep during abstinence and the potential influence of sleep loss in drug relapse. PMID:24250276

Changes in Gray Matter Density, Regional Homogeneity, and Functional Connectivity in Methamphetamine-Associated Psychosis: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study.

PubMed

Zhang, Shengyu; Hu, Qiang; Tang, Tao; Liu, Chao; Li, Chengchong; Zang, Yin-Yin; Cai, Wei-Xiong

2018-06-13

BACKGROUND Using regional homogeneity (ReHo) blood oxygen level-dependent functional MR (BOLD-fMRI), we investigated the structural and functional alterations of brain regions among patients with methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP). MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 17 MAP patients, 16 schizophrenia (SCZ) patients, and 18 healthy controls. Informed consent was obtained from all patients before the clinical assessment, the severity of clinical symptoms was evaluated prior to the fMRI scanning, and then images were acquired and preprocessed after each participant received 6-min fRMI scanning. The participants all underwent BOLD-fMRI scanning. Voxel-based morphometry was used to measure gray matter density (GMD). Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) was conducted to analyze functional MR, ReHo, and functional connectivity (FC). RESULTS GMD analysis results suggest that MAP patients, SCZ patients, and healthy volunteers show different GMDs within different brain regions. Similarly, the ReHo analysis results suggest that MAP patients, SCZ patients, and healthy volunteers have different GMDs within different brain regions. Negative correlations were found between ReHo- and the PANSS-positive scores within the left orbital interior frontal gyrus (L-orb-IFG) of MAP patients. ReHo- and PANSS-negative scores of R-SFG were negatively correlated among SCZ patients. The abnormal FC of R-MFG showed a negative correlation with the PANSS score among MAP patients. CONCLUSIONS The abnormalities in brain structure and FC were associated with the development of MAP.

Intrinsic brain abnormalities in young healthy adults with childhood trauma: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study of regional homogeneity and functional connectivity.

PubMed

Lu, Shaojia; Gao, Weijia; Wei, Zhaoguo; Wang, Dandan; Hu, Shaohua; Huang, Manli; Xu, Yi; Li, Lingjiang

2017-06-01

Childhood trauma confers great risk for the development of multiple psychiatric disorders; however, the neural basis for this association is still unknown. The present resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study aimed to detect the effects of childhood trauma on brain function in a group of young healthy adults. In total, 24 healthy individuals with childhood trauma and 24 age- and sex-matched adults without childhood trauma were recruited. Each participant underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Intra-regional brain activity was evaluated by regional homogeneity method and compared between groups. Areas with altered regional homogeneity were further selected as seeds in subsequent functional connectivity analysis. Statistical analyses were performed by setting current depression and anxiety as covariates. Adults with childhood trauma showed decreased regional homogeneity in bilateral superior temporal gyrus and insula, and the right inferior parietal lobule, as well as increased regional homogeneity in the right cerebellum and left middle temporal gyrus. Regional homogeneity values in the left middle temporal gyrus, right insula and right cerebellum were correlated with childhood trauma severity. In addition, individuals with childhood trauma also exhibited altered default mode network, cerebellum-default mode network and insula-default mode network connectivity when the left middle temporal gyrus, right cerebellum and right insula were selected as seed area, respectively. The present outcomes suggest that childhood trauma is associated with disturbed intrinsic brain function, especially the default mode network, in adults even without psychiatric diagnoses, which may mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and psychiatric disorders in later life.

Breakfast staple types affect brain gray matter volume and cognitive function in healthy children.

PubMed

Taki, Yasuyuki; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Sassa, Yuko; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Asano, Michiko; Asano, Kohei; Kawashima, Ryuta

2010-12-08

Childhood diet is important for brain development. Furthermore, the quality of breakfast is thought to affect the cognitive functioning of well-nourished children. To analyze the relationship among breakfast staple type, gray matter volume, and intelligence quotient (IQ) in 290 healthy children, we used magnetic resonance images and applied voxel-based morphometry. We divided subjects into rice, bread, and both groups according to their breakfast staple. We showed that the rice group had a significantly larger gray matter ratio (gray matter volume percentage divided by intracranial volume) and significantly larger regional gray matter volumes of several regions, including the left superior temporal gyrus. The bread group had significantly larger regional gray and white matter volumes of several regions, including the right frontoparietal region. The perceptual organization index (POI; IQ subcomponent) of the rice group was significantly higher than that of the bread group. All analyses were adjusted for age, gender, intracranial volume, socioeconomic status, average weekly frequency of having breakfast, and number of side dishes eaten for breakfast. Although several factors may have affected the results, one possible mechanism underlying the difference between the bread and the rice groups may be the difference in the glycemic index (GI) of these two substances; foods with a low GI are associated with less blood-glucose fluctuation than are those with a high GI. Our study suggests that breakfast staple type affects brain gray and white matter volumes and cognitive function in healthy children; therefore, a diet of optimal nutrition is important for brain maturation during childhood and adolescence.

Chronic choline supplementation improves cognitive and motor performance via modulating oxidative and neurochemical status in rats.

PubMed

Tabassum, Saiqa; Haider, Saida; Ahmad, Saara; Madiha, Syeda; Parveen, Tahira

2017-08-01

Choline, an essential nutrient, accounts for multiple functions in the body and brain. While its beneficial effects on healthy adults are not clear, choline supplementation is important during pregnancy for brain development, in elderly patients for support of cognitive performance and in patients with neurological disorders to reduce memory deficits. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate whether choline administration in healthy adult rats beneficially impacts cognitive and locomotor performance, and associated oxidative and neurochemical outcomes. Two groups, control and choline, received tap water and choline bitartrate, respectively at the dose equivalent to adequate intake for five weeks. Food intake and body weight were monitored daily. Behavioral analysis comprising assessment of cognitive performance (by novel object recognition, passive avoidance and Morris Water Maze test) and locomotor performance (by Open field, Kondziela's inverted screen and beam walking test) were performed. Following testing, rats were decapitated and brain samples were collected for estimation of acetylcholine, redox profile and monoamine measurements. The results showed that chronic choline administration significantly improves cognitive and locomotor performance accompanied by a reduction in oxidative stress, enhanced cholinergic neurotransmission and monoamine levels in the brain of healthy adult rats. Hence, chronic choline intake was found to improve behavioral, oxidative and neurochemical outcomes in the normal population, so it can be suggested that choline tablets can be used as a safe and effective supplement for improving the neurological health of normal individuals and that they might also be beneficial in preventing cognitive and motor disorders later in life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative T2* magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of iron deposition in the brain of β-thalassemia patients.

PubMed

Akhlaghpoor, S; Ghahari, A; Morteza, A; Khalilzadeh, O; Shakourirad, A; Alinaghizadeh, M R

2012-09-01

Iron overload is a common clinical problem in patients with β-thalassemia major. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of excess iron in certain areas of the brain (thalamus, midbrain, adenohypophysis and basal ganglia) in patients with β-thalassemia major and evaluate the association with serum ferritin and liver iron content. A cross-sectional study on 53 patients with β-thalassemia major and 40 healthy controls was carried out. All patients and healthy controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations of the brain and liver. Multiecho fast gradient echo sequence was used and T2* values were calculated based on the Brompton protocol. Correlations between T2* values in the brain with T2* values in the liver as well as serum ferritin levels were investigated. There were no significant differences between patients and healthy controls with respect to age and sex. Patients had significantly lower T2* values in basal ganglia (striatum), thalamus and adenohypophysis compared to controls while there were no differences in the midbrain (red nucleus). There were no significant correlations between liver T2* values or serum ferritin with T2* values of basal ganglia (striatum), thalamus and adenohypophysis in patients or healthy controls. There were no significant correlations between T2* values of adenohypophysis and thalamus or basal ganglia (striatum) while these variables were significantly correlated in healthy controls. Serum ferritin and liver iron content may not be good indicators of brain iron deposition in patients with β thalassemia major. Nevertheless, the quantitative T2* MRI technique is useful for evaluation of brain iron overload in β thalassemia major patients.

Mechanism of Cerebralcare Granule® for Improving Cognitive Function in Resting-State Brain Functional Networks of Sub-healthy Subjects.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Guo, Hao; Ge, Ling; Cheng, Long; Wang, Junjie; Li, Hong; Zhang, Kerang; Xiang, Jie; Chen, Junjie; Zhang, Hui; Xu, Yong

2017-01-01

Cerebralcare Granule® (CG), a Chinese herbal medicine, has been used to ameliorate cognitive impairment induced by ischemia or mental disorders. The ability of CG to improve health status and cognitive function has drawn researchers' attention, but the relevant brain circuits that underlie the ameliorative effects of CG remain unclear. The present study aimed to explore the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of CG in ameliorating cognitive function in sub-healthy subjects using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirty sub-healthy participants were instructed to take one 2.5-g package of CG three times a day for 3 months. Clinical cognitive functions were assessed with the Chinese Revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-RC) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), and fMRI scans were performed at baseline and the end of intervention. Functional brain network data were analyzed by conventional network metrics (CNM) and frequent subgraph mining (FSM). Then 21 other sub-healthy participants were enrolled as a blank control group of cognitive functional. We found that administrating CG can improve the full scale of intelligence quotient (FIQ) and Memory Quotient (MQ) scores. At the same time, following CG treatment, in CG group, the topological properties of functional brain networks were altered in various frontal, temporal, occipital cortex regions, and several subcortical brain regions, including essential components of the executive attention network, the salience network, and the sensory-motor network. The nodes involved in the FSM results were largely consistent with the CNM findings, and the changes in nodal metrics correlated with improved cognitive function. These findings indicate that CG can improve sub-healthy subjects' cognitive function through altering brain functional networks. These results provide a foundation for future studies of the potential physiological mechanism of CG.

Intrinsic Brain Activity of Cognitively Normal Older Persons Resembles More That of Patients Both with and at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease Than That of Healthy Younger Persons

PubMed Central

Pasquini, Lorenzo; Tonch, Annika; Plant, Claudia; Zherdin, Andrew; Ortner, Marion; Kurz, Alexander; Förstl, Hans; Zimmer, Claus; Grimmer, Timo; Wohlschäger, Afra; Riedl, Valentin

2014-01-01

Abstract In Alzheimer's disease (AD), recent findings suggest that amyloid-β (Aβ)-pathology might start 20–30 years before first cognitive symptoms arise. To account for age as most relevant risk factor for sporadic AD, it has been hypothesized that lifespan intrinsic (i.e., ongoing) activity of hetero-modal brain areas with highest levels of functional connectivity triggers Aβ-pathology. This model induces the simple question whether in older persons without any cognitive symptoms intrinsic activity of hetero-modal areas is more similar to that of symptomatic patients with AD or to that of younger healthy persons. We hypothesize that due to advanced age and therefore potential impact of pre-clinical AD, intrinsic activity of older persons resembles more that of patients than that of younger controls. We tested this hypothesis in younger (ca. 25 years) and older healthy persons (ca. 70 years) and patients with mild cognitive impairment and AD-dementia (ca. 70 years) by the use of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, distinct measures of intrinsic brain activity, and different hierarchical clustering approaches. Independently of applied methods and involved areas, healthy older persons' intrinsic brain activity was consistently more alike that of patients than that of younger controls. Our result provides evidence for larger similarity in intrinsic brain activity between healthy older persons and patients with or at-risk for AD than between older and younger ones, suggesting a significant proportion of pre-clinical AD cases in the group of cognitively normal older people. The observed link of aging and AD with intrinsic brain activity supports the view that lifespan intrinsic activity may contribute critically to the pathogenesis of AD. PMID:24689864

Effects of inhibitory theta burst TMS to different brain sites involved in visuospatial attention - a combined neuronavigated cTBS and behavioural study.

PubMed

Platz, Thomas; Schüttauf, Johannes; Aschenbach, Julia; Mengdehl, Christine; Lotze, Martin

2016-01-01

The study sought to alter visual spatial attention in young healthy subjects by a neuronavigated inhibitory rTMS protocol (cTBS-600) to right brain areas thought to be involved in visual attentional processes, i.e. the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and the posterior middle frontal gyrus (pMFG), and to test the reversibility of effects by an additional consecutive cTBS to the homologue left brain cortical areas. Healthy subjects showed a leftward bias of the egocentric perspective for both visual-perceptive and visual-exploratory tasks specifically for items presented in the left hemifield. cTBS to the right TPJ, and less systematically to the right pMFG reduced this bias for visuo-spatial and exploratory visuo-motor behaviour. Further, a consecutive cTBS to the left TPJ changed the bias again towards the left for a visual-perceptive task. The evidence supports the notion of an involvement of the right TPJ (and pMFG) in spatial visual attention. The observations further indicate that inhibitory non-invasive brain stimulation (cTBS) to the left TPJ has a potential for reversing a rightward bias of spatial attention when the right TPJ is dysfunctional. Accordingly, the findings could have implications for therapeutic rTMS development for right brain damaged patients with visual neglect.

78 FR 42075 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-15

... effects of adverse child experiences, are fundamental to healthy brain development and have a positive... affecting physical and emotional health throughout the lifespan. NCIPC is funding five state health... funding and 3 staff members at approximately 11 organizations or agencies the health departments choose to...

Prefrontal Dysfunction in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder as Measured by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Negoro, Hideki; Sawada, Masayuki; Iida, Junzo; Ota, Toyosaku; Tanaka, Shohei; Kishimoto, Toshifumi

2010-01-01

Recent developments in near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have enabled non-invasive clarification of brain functions in psychiatric disorders with measurement of hemoglobin concentrations as cerebral blood volume. Twenty medication-naive children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy control…

NF-κB Immunity in the Brain Determines Fly Lifespan in Healthy Aging and Age-Related Neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Kounatidis, Ilias; Chtarbanova, Stanislava; Cao, Yang; Hayne, Margaret; Jayanth, Dhruv; Ganetzky, Barry; Ligoxygakis, Petros

2017-04-25

During aging, innate immunity progresses to a chronically active state. However, what distinguishes those that "age well" from those developing age-related neurological conditions is unclear. We used Drosophila to explore the cost of immunity in the aging brain. We show that mutations in intracellular negative regulators of the IMD/NF-κB pathway predisposed flies to toxic levels of antimicrobial peptides, resulting in early locomotor defects, extensive neurodegeneration, and reduced lifespan. These phenotypes were rescued when immunity was suppressed in glia. In healthy flies, suppressing immunity in glial cells resulted in increased adipokinetic hormonal signaling with high nutrient levels in later life and an extension of active lifespan. Thus, when levels of IMD/NF-κB deviate from normal, two mechanisms are at play: lower levels derepress an immune-endocrine axis, which mobilizes nutrients, leading to lifespan extension, whereas higher levels increase antimicrobial peptides, causing neurodegeneration. Immunity in the fly brain is therefore a key lifespan determinant. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Volumetric electromagnetic phase-shift spectroscopy of brain edema and hematoma.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Cesar A; Valencia, Jose A; Mora, Alfredo; Gonzalez, Fernando; Velasco, Beatriz; Porras, Martin A; Salgado, Javier; Polo, Salvador M; Hevia-Montiel, Nidiyare; Cordero, Sergio; Rubinsky, Boris

2013-01-01

Motivated by the need of poor and rural Mexico, where the population has limited access to advanced medical technology and services, we have developed a new paradigm for medical diagnostic based on the technology of "Volumetric Electromagnetic Phase Shift Spectroscopy" (VEPS), as an inexpensive partial substitute to medical imaging. VEPS, can detect changes in tissue properties inside the body through non-contact, multi-frequency electromagnetic measurements from the exterior of the body, and thereby provide rapid and inexpensive diagnostics in a way that is amenable for use in economically disadvantaged parts of the world. We describe the technology and report results from a limited pilot study with 46 healthy volunteers and eight patients with CT radiology confirmed brain edema and brain hematoma. Data analysis with a non-parametric statistical Mann-Whitney U test, shows that in the frequency range of from 26 MHz to 39 MHz, VEPS can distinguish non-invasively and without contact, with a statistical significance of p<0.05, between healthy subjects and those with a medical conditions in the brain. In the frequency range of between 153 MHz to 166 MHz it can distinguish with a statistical significance of p<0.05 between subjects with brain edema and those with a hematoma in the brain. A classifier build from measurements in these two frequency ranges can provide instantaneous diagnostic of the medical condition of the brain of a patient, from a single set of measurements. While this is a small-scale pilot study, it illustrates the potential of VEPS to change the paradigm of medical diagnostic of brain injury through a VEPS classifier-based technology. Obviously substantially larger-scale studies are needed to verify and expand on the findings in this small pilot study.

Volumetric Electromagnetic Phase-Shift Spectroscopy of Brain Edema and Hematoma

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Cesar A.; Valencia, Jose A.; Mora, Alfredo; Gonzalez, Fernando; Velasco, Beatriz; Porras, Martin A.; Salgado, Javier; Polo, Salvador M.; Hevia-Montiel, Nidiyare; Cordero, Sergio; Rubinsky, Boris

2013-01-01

Motivated by the need of poor and rural Mexico, where the population has limited access to advanced medical technology and services, we have developed a new paradigm for medical diagnostic based on the technology of “Volumetric Electromagnetic Phase Shift Spectroscopy” (VEPS), as an inexpensive partial substitute to medical imaging. VEPS, can detect changes in tissue properties inside the body through non-contact, multi-frequency electromagnetic measurements from the exterior of the body, and thereby provide rapid and inexpensive diagnostics in a way that is amenable for use in economically disadvantaged parts of the world. We describe the technology and report results from a limited pilot study with 46 healthy volunteers and eight patients with CT radiology confirmed brain edema and brain hematoma. Data analysis with a non-parametric statistical Mann-Whitney U test, shows that in the frequency range of from 26 MHz to 39 MHz, VEPS can distinguish non-invasively and without contact, with a statistical significance of p<0.05, between healthy subjects and those with a medical conditions in the brain. In the frequency range of between 153 MHz to 166 MHz it can distinguish with a statistical significance of p<0.05 between subjects with brain edema and those with a hematoma in the brain. A classifier build from measurements in these two frequency ranges can provide instantaneous diagnostic of the medical condition of the brain of a patient, from a single set of measurements. While this is a small-scale pilot study, it illustrates the potential of VEPS to change the paradigm of medical diagnostic of brain injury through a VEPS classifier-based technology. Obviously substantially larger-scale studies are needed to verify and expand on the findings in this small pilot study. PMID:23691001

Delay discounting differences in brain activation, connectivity, and structure in individuals with addiction: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Owens, Max M; Amlung, Michael T; Beach, Steven R H; Sweet, Lawrence H; MacKillop, James

2017-07-11

Delayed reward discounting (DRD), the degree to which future rewards are discounted relative to immediate rewards, is used as an index of impulsive decision-making and has been associated with a number of problematic health behaviors. Given the robust behavioral association between DRD and addictive behavior, there is an expanding literature investigating the differences in the functional and structural correlates of DRD in the brain between addicted and healthy individuals. However, there has yet to be a systematic review which characterizes differences in regional brain activation, functional connectivity, and structure and places them in the larger context of the DRD literature. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize and critically appraise the existing literature examining differences between addicted and healthy individuals in the neural correlates of DRD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A systematic search strategy will be implemented that uses Boolean search terms in PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO, as well as manual search methods, to identify the studies comprehensively. This review will include studies using MRI or fMRI in humans to directly compare brain activation, functional connectivity, or structure in relation to DRD between addicted and healthy individuals or continuously assess addiction severity in the context of DRD. Two independent reviewers will determine studies that meet the inclusion criteria for this review, extract data from included studies, and assess the quality of included studies using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Then, narrative review will be used to explicate the differences in structural and functional correlates of DRD implicated by the literature and assess the strength of evidence for this conclusion. This review will provide a needed critical exegesis of the MRI studies that have been conducted investigating brain differences in addictive behavior in relation to healthy samples in the context of DRD. This will provide clarity on the elements of neural activation, connectivity, and structure that are most implicated in the differences in DRD seen in addicted individuals. PROSPERO CRD42017056857.

Methods and Management of the Healthy Brain Study: A Large Multisite Qualitative Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laditka, Sarah B.; Corwin, Sara J.; Laditka, James N.; Liu, Rui; Friedman, Daniela B.; Mathews, Anna E.; Wilcox, Sara

2009-01-01

Purpose of the study: To describe processes used in the Healthy Brain project to manage data collection, coding, and data distribution in a large qualitative project, conducted by researchers at 9 universities in 9 states. Design and Methods: Project management protocols included: (a) managing audiotapes and surveys to ensure data confidentiality,…

[Imaging Observation of Scalp Acupuncture on Brain Gray Matter Injury in Stroke Patients with Cerebral Infarction].

PubMed

Lang, Yi; Cui, Fang-yuan; Li, Kuang-shi; Tan, Zhong-jian; Zou, Yi-huai

2016-03-01

To study features of brain gray matter injury in cerebral infarction patients and intervention of scalp acupuncture by using voxel-based morphology. A total of 16 cerebral infarction patients were recruited in this study, and assigned to the scalp acupuncture group and the control group, 8 in each group. Another 16 healthy volunteers were recruited as a normal group. All patients received scanning of T1 structure. Images were managed using VBM8 Software package. Difference of the gray matter structure was compared among the scalp acupuncture group, the control group, and the healthy volunteers. Compared with healthy volunteers, gray matter injury of cerebral infarction patients mainly occurred in 14 brain regions such as cingulate gyrus, precuneus, cuneus, anterior central gyrus, insular lobe, and so on. They were mainly distributed in affected side. Two weeks after treatment when compared with healthy volunteers, gray matter injury of cerebral infarction patients in the scalp acupuncture group still existed in 8 brain regions such as bilateral lingual gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, left cuneus, right precuneus, and so on. New gray matter injury occurred in lingual gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus. Two weeks after treatment when compared with healthy volunteers, gray matter injury of cerebral infarction patients in the control group existed in 23 brain regions: bilateral anterior cingulum, caudate nucleus, cuneate lobe, insular lobe, inferior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, precuneus, paracentral lobule, superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, lingual gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, precentral gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and so on. New gray matter injury still existed in 9 cerebral regions such as lingual gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and so on. Brain gray matter structure is widely injured after cerebral infarction. Brain gray matter volume gradually decreased as time went by. Combined use of scalp acupuncture might inhibit the progression of gray matter injury more effectively.

An fMRI compatible wrist robotic interface to study brain development in neonates.

PubMed

Allievi, A G; Melendez-Calderon, A; Arichi, T; Edwards, A D; Burdet, E

2013-06-01

A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie brain development in premature infants and newborns is crucial for the identification of interventional therapies and rehabilitative strategies. fMRI has the potential to identify such mechanisms, but standard techniques used in adults cannot be implemented in infant studies in a straightforward manner. We have developed an MR safe wrist stimulating robot to systematically investigate the functional brain activity related to both spontaneous and induced wrist movements in premature babies using fMRI. We present the technical aspects of this development and the results of validation experiments. Using the device, the cortical activity associated with both active and passive finger movements were reliably identified in a healthy adult subject. In two preterm infants, passive wrist movements induced a well localized positive BOLD response in the contralateral somatosensory cortex. Furthermore, in a single preterm infant, spontaneous wrist movements were found to be associated with an adjacent cluster of activity, at the level of the infant's primary motor cortex. The described device will allow detailed and objective fMRI studies of somatosensory and motor system development during early human life and following neonatal brain injury.

Increased resting-state brain entropy in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Xue, Shao-Wei; Guo, Yonghu

2018-03-07

Entropy analysis of resting-state functional MRI (R-fMRI) is a novel approach to characterize brain temporal dynamics and facilitates the identification of abnormal brain activity caused by several disease conditions. However, Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related brain entropy mapping based on R-fMRI has not been assessed. Here, we measured the sample entropy and voxel-wise connectivity of the network degree centrality (DC) of the intrinsic brain activity acquired by R-fMRI in 26 patients with AD and 26 healthy controls. Compared with the controls, AD patients showed increased entropy in the middle temporal gyrus and the precentral gyrus and also showed decreased DC in the precuneus. Moreover, the magnitude of the negative correlation between local brain activity (entropy) and network connectivity (DC) was increased in AD patients in comparison with healthy controls. These findings provide new evidence on AD-related brain entropy alterations.

Measuring the Characteristic Topography of Brain Stiffness with Magnetic Resonance Elastography

PubMed Central

Murphy, Matthew C.; Huston, John; Jack, Clifford R.; Glaser, Kevin J.; Senjem, Matthew L.; Chen, Jun; Manduca, Armando; Felmlee, Joel P.; Ehman, Richard L.

2013-01-01

Purpose To develop a reliable magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)-based method for measuring regional brain stiffness. Methods First, simulation studies were used to demonstrate how stiffness measurements can be biased by changes in brain morphometry, such as those due to atrophy. Adaptive postprocessing methods were created that significantly reduce the spatial extent of edge artifacts and eliminate atrophy-related bias. Second, a pipeline for regional brain stiffness measurement was developed and evaluated for test-retest reliability in 10 healthy control subjects. Results This technique indicates high test-retest repeatability with a typical coefficient of variation of less than 1% for global brain stiffness and less than 2% for the lobes of the brain and the cerebellum. Furthermore, this study reveals that the brain possesses a characteristic topography of mechanical properties, and also that lobar stiffness measurements tend to correlate with one another within an individual. Conclusion The methods presented in this work are resistant to noise- and edge-related biases that are common in the field of brain MRE, demonstrate high test-retest reliability, and provide independent regional stiffness measurements. This pipeline will allow future investigations to measure changes to the brain’s mechanical properties and how they relate to the characteristic topographies that are typical of many neurologic diseases. PMID:24312570

Association of familial risk for schizophrenia with thalamic and medial prefrontal functional connectivity during attentional control.

PubMed

Antonucci, Linda A; Taurisano, Paolo; Fazio, Leonardo; Gelao, Barbara; Romano, Raffaella; Quarto, Tiziana; Porcelli, Annamaria; Mancini, Marina; Di Giorgio, Annabella; Caforio, Grazia; Pergola, Giulio; Popolizio, Teresa; Bertolino, Alessandro; Blasi, Giuseppe

2016-05-01

Anomalies in behavioral correlates of attentional processing and related brain activity are crucial correlates of schizophrenia and associated with familial risk for this brain disorder. However, it is not clear how brain functional connectivity during attentional processes is key for schizophrenia and linked with trait vs. state related variables. To address this issue, we investigated patterns of functional connections during attentional control in healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia, who share with probands genetic features but not variables related to the state of the disorder. 356 controls, 55 patients with schizophrenia on stable treatment with antipsychotics and 40 healthy siblings of patients with this brain disorder underwent the Variable Attentional Control (VAC) task during fMRI. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is allowed to identify independent components (IC) of BOLD signal recorded during task performance. Results indicated reduced connectivity strength in patients with schizophrenia as well as in their healthy siblings in left thalamus within an attentional control component and greater connectivity in right medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) within the so-called Default Mode Network (DMN) compared to healthy individuals. These results suggest a relationship between familial risk for schizophrenia and brain functional networks during attentional control, such that this biological phenotype may be considered a useful intermediate phenotype in order to link genes effects to aspects of the pathophysiology of this brain disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moderating Effects of Cortisol on Neural-Cognitive Association in Cognitively Normal Elderly Subjects

PubMed Central

Lau, Way K. W.; Leung, Mei Kei; Law, Andrew C. K.; Lee, Tatia M. C.

2017-01-01

Cortisol homeostasis is important for healthy brain and cognitive aging. The aim of the current study is to investigate the role of serum cortisol levels in the relationship between regional brain volumes and cognitive processing speed in a group of cognitively normal elderly subjects. Forty-one healthy elderly participants were from a parallel longitudinal study. The reported data in this study reflects baseline measurements. Whole-brain anatomical scanning was performed using a 3.0 Tesla Philips Medical Systems Achieva scanner. Cognitive processing speed was assessed by the digit-symbol and symbol search tests, from the Chinese version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—third edition (WAIS-III). Serum cortisol levels (sampled in the late morning) were measured by ELISA kits. Whole-brain regression analysis revealed that serum cortisol levels positively predicted the white matter volumes (WMV) of the right thalamus, the gray matter volumes (GMV) of the left thalamus and right cerebellar tonsil, and negatively predicted the WMV and GMV of the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) in 41 healthy elderly participants. Furthermore, serum cortisol significantly moderated the relationship between the GMV of the left MTG and processing speed, as well as the GMV of the left thalamus and processing speed. This study provided the first piece of evidence supporting serum cortisol levels in moderating the relationship between regional brain volumes and processing speed in healthy elderly subjects. This observation enriches our understanding of the role of cortisol in brain morphology and cognitive functioning. PMID:28596732

Gut microbiome remodeling induces depressive-like behaviors through a pathway mediated by the host's metabolism.

PubMed

Zheng, P; Zeng, B; Zhou, C; Liu, M; Fang, Z; Xu, X; Zeng, L; Chen, J; Fan, S; Du, X; Zhang, X; Yang, D; Yang, Y; Meng, H; Li, W; Melgiri, N D; Licinio, J; Wei, H; Xie, P

2016-06-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the result of complex gene-environment interactions. According to the World Health Organization, MDD is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and it is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. However, the definitive environmental mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of MDD remain elusive. The gut microbiome is an increasingly recognized environmental factor that can shape the brain through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. We show here that the absence of gut microbiota in germ-free (GF) mice resulted in decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test relative to conventionally raised healthy control mice. Moreover, from clinical sampling, the gut microbiotic compositions of MDD patients and healthy controls were significantly different with MDD patients characterized by significant changes in the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Fecal microbiota transplantation of GF mice with 'depression microbiota' derived from MDD patients resulted in depression-like behaviors compared with colonization with 'healthy microbiota' derived from healthy control individuals. Mice harboring 'depression microbiota' primarily exhibited disturbances of microbial genes and host metabolites involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. This study demonstrates that dysbiosis of the gut microbiome may have a causal role in the development of depressive-like behaviors, in a pathway that is mediated through the host's metabolism.

Eccentric figure-eight coils for transcranial magnetic stimulation.

PubMed

Sekino, Masaki; Ohsaki, Hiroyuki; Takiyama, Yoshihiro; Yamamoto, Keita; Matsuzaki, Taiga; Yasumuro, Yoshihiro; Nishikawa, Atsushi; Maruo, Tomoyuki; Hosomi, Koichi; Saitoh, Youichi

2015-01-01

Previously we proposed an eccentric figure-eight coil that can cause threshold stimulation in the brain at lower driving currents. In this study, we performed numerical simulations and magnetic stimulations to healthy subjects for evaluating the advantages of the eccentric coil. The simulations were performed using a simplified spherical brain model and a realistic human brain model. We found that the eccentric coil required a driving current intensity of approximately 18% less than that required by the concentric coil to cause comparable eddy current densities within the brain. The eddy current localization of the eccentric coil was slightly higher than that of the concentric coil. A prototype eccentric coil was designed and fabricated. Instead of winding a wire around a bobbin, we cut eccentric-spiral slits on the insulator cases, and a wire was woven through the slits. The coils were used to deliver magnetic stimulation to healthy subjects; among our results, we found that the current slew rate corresponding to motor threshold values for the concentric and eccentric coils were 86 and 78 A/µs, respectively. The results indicate that the eccentric coil consistently requires a lower driving current to reach the motor threshold than the concentric coil. Future development of compact magnetic stimulators will enable the treatment of some intractable neurological diseases at home. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tracking down the footprints of bad paternal relationships in dissociative disorders: A diffusion tensor imaging study.

PubMed

Basmacı Kandemir, Sultan; Bayazıt, Hüseyin; Selek, Salih; Kılıçaslan, Nihat; Kandemir, Hasan; Karababa, İbrahim Fatih; Katı, Mahmut; Çeçe, Hasan

2016-01-01

Preclinical studies indicate that stress early in life can cause long-term alterations in brain development. Studies have shown alterations in the brain functions of patients after experiencing trauma. Our aim is to examine whether the integrity of white matter tracts might be affected in dissociative disorder (DD) patients. A total of 15 DD patients and 15 healthy controls were studied, with the groups matched by age and gender. Diffusion-weighted echoplanar brain images were obtained using a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Regions of interest were manually placed on directional maps based on principal anisotropy. Apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of white matter were measured bilaterally in the anterior corona radiata (ACR) and by diffusion tensor imaging in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum. Significantly lower FA values were observed in the right ACR of DD patients versus healthy individuals. We also found an association between bad paternal relationships and lower FA in the genu of the corpus callosum in female patients. Alterations in the right ACR suggest that diffusion anisotropy measurement can be used as a quantitative biomarker for DD. Paternal relationships may also affect the brain's microstructure in women with DD.

Premature infants display increased noxious-evoked neuronal activity in the brain compared to healthy age-matched term-born infants.

PubMed

Slater, Rebeccah; Fabrizi, Lorenzo; Worley, Alan; Meek, Judith; Boyd, Stewart; Fitzgerald, Maria

2010-08-15

This study demonstrates that infants who are born prematurely and who have experienced at least 40days of intensive or special care have increased brain neuronal responses to noxious stimuli compared to healthy newborns at the same postmenstrual age. We have measured evoked potentials generated by noxious clinically-essential heel lances in infants born at term (8 infants; born 37-40weeks) and in infants born prematurely (7 infants; born 24-32weeks) who had reached the same postmenstrual age (mean age at time of heel lance 39.2+/-1.2weeks). These noxious-evoked potentials are clearly distinguishable from shorter latency potentials evoked by non-noxious tactile sensory stimulation. While the shorter latency touch potentials are not dependent on the age of the infant at birth, the noxious-evoked potentials are significantly larger in prematurely-born infants. This enhancement is not associated with specific brain lesions but reflects a functional change in pain processing in the brain that is likely to underlie previously reported changes in pain sensitivity in older ex-preterm children. Our ability to quantify and measure experience-dependent changes in infant cortical pain processing will allow us to develop a more rational approach to pain management in neonatal intensive care. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Skew-t space-varying regression model for the spectral analysis of resting state brain activity.

PubMed

Ismail, Salimah; Sun, Wenqi; Nathoo, Farouk S; Babul, Arif; Moiseev, Alexader; Beg, Mirza Faisal; Virji-Babul, Naznin

2013-08-01

It is known that in many neurological disorders such as Down syndrome, main brain rhythms shift their frequencies slightly, and characterizing the spatial distribution of these shifts is of interest. This article reports on the development of a Skew-t mixed model for the spatial analysis of resting state brain activity in healthy controls and individuals with Down syndrome. Time series of oscillatory brain activity are recorded using magnetoencephalography, and spectral summaries are examined at multiple sensor locations across the scalp. We focus on the mean frequency of the power spectral density, and use space-varying regression to examine associations with age, gender and Down syndrome across several scalp regions. Spatial smoothing priors are incorporated based on a multivariate Markov random field, and the markedly non-Gaussian nature of the spectral response variable is accommodated by the use of a Skew-t distribution. A range of models representing different assumptions on the association structure and response distribution are examined, and we conduct model selection using the deviance information criterion. (1) Our analysis suggests region-specific differences between healthy controls and individuals with Down syndrome, particularly in the left and right temporal regions, and produces smoothed maps indicating the scalp topography of the estimated differences.

Decreased Regional Cortical Thickness and Thinning Rate Are Associated with Inattention Symptoms in Healthy Children

PubMed Central

Ducharme, Simon; Hudziak, James J.; Botteron, Kelly N.; Albaugh, Matthew D.; Nguyen, Tuong-Vi; Karama, Sherif; Evans, Alan C.

2011-01-01

Objective Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have delayed cortical maturation, evidenced by regionally specific slower cortical thinning. However, the relationship between cortical maturation and attention capacities in typically developing children is unknown. This study examines cortical thickness correlates of inattention symptoms in a large sample of healthy children. Method Data from 357 healthy subjects (6.0–18.4 years of age) were obtained from the NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development. In cross-sectional analysis (first visit, n = 257), Child Behavior Checklist Attention Problems (AP) scores were linearly regressed against cortical thickness, controlling for age, gender, total brain volume, and site. For longitudinal data (up to three visits, n = 357/672 scans), similar analyses were performed using mixed-effects linear regressions. Interactions of AP with age and gender were tested. Results A cross-sectional “AP by age” interaction was found in bilateral orbito-frontal cortex, right inferior frontal cortex, bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex, bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and several additional attention network regions. The interaction was due to negative associations between AP and thickness in younger subjects (6–10 years of age) that gradually disappeared over time secondary to slower cortical thinning. Similar trends were present in longitudinal analyses. Conclusions Higher AP scores were associated with thinner cortex at baseline and slower cortical thinning with aging in multiple areas involved in attention processes. Similar patterns have been identified in ADHD, suggesting a dimensional component to the link between attention and cortical maturation. The identified association between cortical maturation and attention in healthy development will help to inform studies of neuroimaging biomarkers of ADHD. PMID:22176936

Remembering: forget about forgetting and train your brain instead.

PubMed

Sorrell, Jeanne M

2008-09-01

As people age, they often become increasingly concerned about their inability to remember names and faces or recall specific words. As their memory seems to decline, they worry about developing Alzheimer's disease. Yet, new research suggests that for most aging adults, failing to remember is because of an overload of information and difficulty in trying to sort through a cluttered "database." Brain-training programs based on evolving research, as well as increased opportunities to reflect on healthy aging experiences, offer important possibilities for working with clients concerned about memory problems.

Ethical and medical management of a pregnant woman with brain stem death resulting in delivery of a healthy child and organ donation.

PubMed

Gopčević, A; Rode, B; Vučić, M; Horvat, A; Širanović, M; Gavranović, Ž; Košec, V; Košec, A

2017-11-01

Maternal brain death during pregnancy remains an exceedingly complex situation that requires not only a well-considered medical management plan, but also careful decision-making in a legally and ethically delicate situation. Management of brain dead pregnant patients needs to adhere to special strategies that support the mother in a way that she can deliver a viable and healthy child. Brain death in pregnant women is very rare, with only a few published cases. We present a case of a pregnant woman with previously diagnosed multiple brain cavernomas that led to intracranial hemorrhage and brain stem death during the 21st week of pregnancy. The condition that can be proven unequivocally, using tests that do not endanger viability of the fetus, is brain stem death, diagnosed through absence of cranial reflexes. The patient was successfully treated until delivery of a healthy female child at 29weeks of gestation. The patient received continuous hormone substitution therapy, fetal monitoring and extrinsic regulation of maternal homeostasis over 64days. After delivery, the final diagnosis of brain death was established through multi-slice computerized tomography pan-angiography. This challenging case discusses ethical and medical circumstances arising from a diagnosis of maternal brain death, while showing that prolongation of somatic life support in a multidisciplinary setting can result in a successful pregnancy outcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Brains and the Changing Rules of Neuroplasticity: Implications for Learning and Recovery

PubMed Central

Voss, Patrice; Thomas, Maryse E.; Cisneros-Franco, J. Miguel; de Villers-Sidani, Étienne

2017-01-01

A growing number of research publications have illustrated the remarkable ability of the brain to reorganize itself in response to various sensory experiences. A traditional view of this plastic nature of the brain is that it is predominantly limited to short epochs during early development. Although examples showing that neuroplasticity exists outside of these finite time-windows have existed for some time, it is only recently that we have started to develop a fuller understanding of the different regulators that modulate and underlie plasticity. In this article, we will provide several lines of evidence indicating that mechanisms of neuroplasticity are extremely variable across individuals and throughout the lifetime. This variability is attributable to several factors including inhibitory network function, neuromodulator systems, age, sex, brain disease, and psychological traits. We will also provide evidence of how neuroplasticity can be manipulated in both the healthy and diseased brain, including recent data in both young and aged rats demonstrating how plasticity within auditory cortex can be manipulated pharmacologically and by varying the quality of sensory inputs. We propose that a better understanding of the individual differences that exist within the various mechanisms that govern experience-dependent neuroplasticity will improve our ability to harness brain plasticity for the development of personalized translational strategies for learning and recovery following brain injury or disease. PMID:29085312

Expanding efforts to address Alzheimer’s disease: The Healthy Brain Initiative

PubMed Central

Anderson, Lynda A.; Egge, Robert

2015-01-01

The growing burden of Alzheimer’s disease underscores the importance of enhancing current public health efforts to address dementia. Public health organizations and entities have substantial opportunities to contribute to efforts underway and to add innovations to the field. The Alzheimer’s Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked with a 15-member leadership committee and hundreds of stakeholders to create The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2013–2018 (Road Map). The actions in the Road Map provide a foundation for the public health community to anticipate and respond to emerging innovations and developments. It will be a challenge to harness the increasingly complex nature of public- and private-sector collaborations. We must strengthen the capacity of public health agencies, leverage partnerships, and find new ways to integrate cognitive functioning into public health efforts. PMID:25088658

Consensus: “Can tDCS and TMS enhance motor learning and memory formation?”

PubMed Central

Reis, Janine; Robertson, Edwin; Krakauer, John W.; Rothwell, John; Marshall, Lisa; Gerloff, Christian; Wassermann, Eric; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Hummel, Friedhelm; Celnik, Pablo A.; Classen, Joseph; Floel, Agnes; Ziemann, Ulf; Paulus, Walter; Siebner, Hartwig R.; Born, Jan; Cohen, Leonardo G.

2009-01-01

Noninvasive brain stimulation has developed as a promising tool for cognitive neuroscientists. Transcranial magnetic (TMS) and direct current (tDCS) stimulation allow researchers to purposefully enhance or decrease excitability in focal areas of the brain. The purpose of this paper is to review information on the use of TMS and tDCS as research tools to facilitate motor memory formation, motor performance and motor learning in healthy volunteers. Studies implemented so far have mostly focused on the ability of TMS and tDCS to elicit relatively short lasting motor improvements and the mechanisms underlying these changes have been only partially investigated. Despite limitations including the scarcity of data, work that has been already accomplished raises the exciting hypothesis that currently available noninvasive transcranial stimulation techniques could modulate motor learning and memory formation in healthy humans and potentially in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. PMID:19802336

The Influence of Adipose Tissue on Brain Development, Cognition, and Risk of Neurodegenerative Disorders.

PubMed

Letra, Liliana; Santana, Isabel

2017-01-01

The brain is a highly metabolic organ and thus especially vulnerable to changes in peripheral metabolism, including those induced by obesity-associated adipose tissue dysfunction. In this context, it is likely that the development and maturation of neurocognitive circuits may also be affected and modulated by metabolic environmental factors, beginning in utero. It is currently recognized that maternal obesity, either pre-gestational or gestational, negatively influences fetal brain development and elevates the risk of cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders in the offspring. During infancy and adolescence, obesity remains a limiting factor for healthy neurodevelopment, especially affecting executive functions but also attention, visuospatial ability, and motor skills. In middle age, obesity seems to induce an accelerated brain aging and thus may increase the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. In this chapter we review and discuss experimental and clinical evidence focusing on the influence of adipose tissue dysfunction on neurodevelopment and cognition across lifespan, as well as some possible mechanistic links, namely the role of the most well studied adipokines.

Cranial thickness changes in early childhood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gajawelli, Niharika; Deoni, Sean; Shi, Jie; Dirks, Holly; Linguraru, Marius George; Nelson, Marvin D.; Wang, Yalin; Lepore, Natasha

2017-11-01

The neurocranium changes rapidly in early childhood to accommodate the developing brain. However, developmental disorders may cause abnormal growth of the neurocranium, the most common one being craniosynostosis, affecting about 1 in 2000 children. It is important to understand how the brain and neurocranium develop together to understand the role of the neurocranium in neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, the neurocranium is not as well studied as the human brain in early childhood, due to a lack of imaging data. CT is typically employed to investigate the cranium, but, due to ionizing radiation, may only be used for clinical cases. However, the neurocranium is also visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we used a large dataset of MRI images from healthy children in the age range of 1 to 2 years old and extracted the neurocranium. A conformal geometry based analysis pipeline is implemented to determine a set of statistical atlases of the neurocranium. A growth model of the neurocranium will help us understand cranial bone and suture development with respect to the brain, which will in turn inform better treatment strategies for neurocranial disorders.

Serum neurofilament as a predictor of disease worsening and brain and spinal cord atrophy in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Barro, Christian; Benkert, Pascal; Disanto, Giulio; Tsagkas, Charidimos; Amann, Michael; Naegelin, Yvonne; Leppert, David; Gobbi, Claudio; Granziera, Cristina; Yaldizli, Özgür; Michalak, Zuzanna; Wuerfel, Jens; Kappos, Ludwig; Parmar, Katrin; Kuhle, Jens

2018-05-30

Neuro-axonal injury is a key factor in the development of permanent disability in multiple sclerosis. Neurofilament light chain in peripheral blood has recently emerged as a biofluid marker reflecting neuro-axonal damage in this disease. We aimed at comparing serum neurofilament light chain levels in multiple sclerosis and healthy controls, to determine their association with measures of disease activity and their ability to predict future clinical worsening as well as brain and spinal cord volume loss. Neurofilament light chain was measured by single molecule array assay in 2183 serum samples collected as part of an ongoing cohort study from 259 patients with multiple sclerosis (189 relapsing and 70 progressive) and 259 healthy control subjects. Clinical assessment, serum sampling and MRI were done annually; median follow-up time was 6.5 years. Brain volumes were quantified by structural image evaluation using normalization of atrophy, and structural image evaluation using normalization of atrophy, cross-sectional, cervical spinal cord volumes using spinal cord image analyser (cordial). Results were analysed using ordinary linear regression models and generalized estimating equation modelling. Serum neurofilament light chain was higher in patients with a clinically isolated syndrome or relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis as well as in patients with secondary or primary progressive multiple sclerosis than in healthy controls (age adjusted P < 0.001 for both). Serum neurofilament light chain above the 90th percentile of healthy controls values was an independent predictor of Expanded Disability Status Scale worsening in the subsequent year (P < 0.001). The probability of Expanded Disability Status Scale worsening gradually increased by higher serum neurofilament light chain percentile category. Contrast enhancing and new/enlarging lesions were independently associated with increased serum neurofilament light chain (17.8% and 4.9% increase per lesion respectively; P < 0.001). The higher the serum neurofilament light chain percentile level, the more pronounced was future brain and cervical spinal volume loss: serum neurofilament light chain above the 97.5th percentile was associated with an additional average loss in brain volume of 1.5% (P < 0.001) and spinal cord volume of 2.5% over 5 years (P = 0.009). Serum neurofilament light chain correlated with concurrent and future clinical and MRI measures of disease activity and severity. High serum neurofilament light chain levels were associated with both brain and spinal cord volume loss. Neurofilament light chain levels are a real-time, easy to measure marker of neuro-axonal injury that is conceptually more comprehensive than brain MRI.

Amelioration of ischemic brain damage by peritoneal dialysis

PubMed Central

Godino, María del Carmen; Romera, Victor G.; Sánchez-Tomero, José Antonio; Pacheco, Jesus; Canals, Santiago; Lerma, Juan; Vivancos, José; Moro, María Angeles; Torres, Magdalena; Lizasoain, Ignacio; Sánchez-Prieto, José

2013-01-01

Ischemic stroke is a devastating condition, for which there is still no effective therapy. Acute ischemic stroke is associated with high concentrations of glutamate in the blood and interstitial brain fluid. The inability of the tissue to retain glutamate within the cells of the brain ultimately provokes neuronal death. Increased concentrations of interstitial glutamate exert further excitotoxic effects on healthy tissue surrounding the infarct zone. We developed a strategy based on peritoneal dialysis to reduce blood glutamate levels, thereby accelerating brain-to-blood glutamate clearance. In a rat model of stroke, this simple procedure reduced the transient increase in glutamate, consequently decreasing the size of the infarct area. Functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that the rescued brain tissue remained functional. Moreover, in patients with kidney failure, peritoneal dialysis significantly decreased glutamate concentrations. Our results suggest that peritoneal dialysis may represent a simple and effective intervention for human stroke patients. PMID:23999426

Treatment effectiveness of brain-computer interface training for patients with focal hand dystonia: A double-case study.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Yasunari; Ota, Tetsuo; Mukaino, Masahiko; Ushiba, Junichi

2013-01-01

Neuronal mechanism underlying dystonia is poorly understood. Dystonia can be treated with botulinum toxin injections or deep brain stimulation but these methods are not available for every patient therefore we need to consider other methods Our study aimed to develop a novel rehabilitation training using brain-computer interface system that decreases neural overexcitation in the sensorimotor cortex by bypassing brain and external world without the normal neuromuscular pathway. To achieve this purpose, we recorded electroencephalograms (10 channels) and forearm electromyograms (3 channels) from 2 patients with the diagnosis of writer's cramp and healthy control participants as a preliminary experiment. The patients were trained to control amplitude of their electroencephalographic signal using feedback from the brain-computer interface for 1 hour a day and then continued the training twice a month. After the 5-month training, a patient clearly showed reduction of dystonic movement during writing.

D-serine signalling as a prominent determinant of neuronal-glial dialogue in the healthy and diseased brain.

PubMed

Billard, J-M

2008-10-01

Rather different from their initial image as passive supportive cells of the CNS, the astrocytes are now considered as active partners at synapses, able to release a set of gliotransmitter-like substances to modulate synaptic communication within neuronal networks. Whereas glutamate and ATP were first regarded as main determinants of gliotransmission, growing evidence indicates now that the amino acid D-serine is another important player in the neuronal-glial dialogue. Through the regulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission through both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA-R) and non-NMDA-R, D-serine is helping in modelling the appropriate connections in the developing brain and influencing the functional plasticity within neuronal networks throughout lifespan. The understanding of D-serine signalling, which has increased linearly in the last few years, gives new insights into the critical role of impaired neuronal-glial communication in the diseased brain, and offers new opportunities for developing relevant strategies to treat cognitive deficits associated to brain disorders.

Mapping population-based structural connectomes.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhengwu; Descoteaux, Maxime; Zhang, Jingwen; Girard, Gabriel; Chamberland, Maxime; Dunson, David; Srivastava, Anuj; Zhu, Hongtu

2018-05-15

Advances in understanding the structural connectomes of human brain require improved approaches for the construction, comparison and integration of high-dimensional whole-brain tractography data from a large number of individuals. This article develops a population-based structural connectome (PSC) mapping framework to address these challenges. PSC simultaneously characterizes a large number of white matter bundles within and across different subjects by registering different subjects' brains based on coarse cortical parcellations, compressing the bundles of each connection, and extracting novel connection weights. A robust tractography algorithm and streamline post-processing techniques, including dilation of gray matter regions, streamline cutting, and outlier streamline removal are applied to improve the robustness of the extracted structural connectomes. The developed PSC framework can be used to reproducibly extract binary networks, weighted networks and streamline-based brain connectomes. We apply the PSC to Human Connectome Project data to illustrate its application in characterizing normal variations and heritability of structural connectomes in healthy subjects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

D-serine signalling as a prominent determinant of neuronal-glial dialogue in the healthy and diseased brain

PubMed Central

Billard, J-M

2008-01-01

Rather different from their initial image as passive supportive cells of the CNS, the astrocytes are now considered as active partners at synapses, able to release a set of gliotransmitter-like substances to modulate synaptic communication within neuronal networks. Whereas glutamate and ATP were first regarded as main determinants of gliotransmission, growing evidence indicates now that the amino acid D-serine is another important player in the neuronal-glial dialogue. Through the regulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission through both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA-R) and non-NMDA-R, D-serine is helping in modelling the appropriate connections in the developing brain and influencing the functional plasticity within neuronal networks throughout lifespan. The understanding of D-serine signalling, which has increased linearly in the last few years, gives new insights into the critical role of impaired neuronal-glial communication in the diseased brain, and offers new opportunities for developing relevant strategies to treat cognitive deficits associated to brain disorders. PMID:18363840

Protective Effect of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Allele DRB1*13:02 on Age-Related Brain Gray Matter Volume Reduction in Healthy Women.

PubMed

James, Lisa M; Christova, Peka; Lewis, Scott M; Engdahl, Brian E; Georgopoulos, Angeliki; Georgopoulos, Apostolos P

2018-03-01

Reduction of brain volume (brain atrophy) during healthy brain aging is well documented and dependent on genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Here we investigated the possible dependence of brain gray matter volume reduction in the absence of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) allele DRB1*13:02 which prevents brain atrophy in Gulf War Illness (James et al., 2017). Seventy-one cognitively healthy women (32-69years old) underwent a structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI) scan to measure the volumes of total gray matter, cerebrocortical gray matter, and subcortical gray matter. Participants were assigned to two groups, depending on whether they lacked the DRB1*13:02 allele (No DRB1*13:02 group, N=60) or carried the DRB1*13:02 allele (N=11). We assessed the change of brain gray matter volume with age in each group by performing a linear regression where the brain volume (adjusted for total intracranial volume) was the dependent variable and age was the independent variable. In the No DRB1*13:02 group, the volumes of total gray matter, cerebrocortical gray matter, and subcortical gray matter were reduced highly significantly. In contrast, none of these volumes showed a statistically significant reduction with age in the DRB1*13:02 group. These findings document the protective effect of DRB1*13:02 on age-dependent reduction of brain gray matter in healthy individuals. Since the role of this allele is to connect to matching epitopes of external antigens for the subsequent production of antibodies and elimination of the offending antigen, we hypothesize that its protective effect may be due to the successful elimination of such antigens to which we are exposed during the lifespan, antigens that otherwise would persist causing gradual brain atrophy. In addition, we consider a possible beneficial role of DRB1*13:02 attributed to its binding to cathepsin S, a known harmful substance in brain aging (Wendt et al., 2008). Of course, other factors covarying with the presence of DRB1*13:02 could be involved. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Novel Replication-Competent Circular DNA Molecules from Healthy Cattle Serum and Milk and Multiple Sclerosis-Affected Human Brain Tissue

PubMed Central

Whitley, Corinna; Gunst, Karin; Müller, Hermann; Funk, Mathis; zur Hausen, Harald

2014-01-01

Epidemiological data point to the involvement of a cow milk factor in the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). Eleven circular DNA molecules closely related to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE)-associated isolate Sphinx 1.76 were isolated from healthy cattle serum, cow milk, and serum and brain tissue from MS patients. PMID:25169859

Air Pollution, Cognitive Deficits and Brain Abnormalities: A Pilot Study with Children and Dogs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calderon-Garciduenas, Lilian; Mora-Tiscareno, Antonieta; Ontiveros, Esperanza; Gomez-Garza, Gilberto; Barragan-Mejia, Gerardo; Broadway, James; Chapman, Susan; Valencia-Salazar, Gildardo; Jewells, Valerie; Maronpot, Robert R.; Henriquez-Roldan, Carlos; Perez-Guille, Beatriz; Torres-Jardon, Ricardo; Herrit, Lou; Brooks, Diane; Osnaya-Brizuela, Norma; Monroy, Maria E.; Gonzalez-Maciel, Angelica; Reynoso-Robles, Rafael; Villarreal-Calderon, Rafael; Solt, Anna C.; Engle, Randall W.

2008-01-01

Exposure to air pollution is associated with neuroinflammation in healthy children and dogs in Mexico City. Comparative studies were carried out in healthy children and young dogs similarly exposed to ambient pollution in Mexico City. Children from Mexico City (n:55) and a low polluted city (n:18) underwent psychometric testing and brain magnetic…

Nonlinear Complexity Analysis of Brain fMRI Signals in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Sokunbi, Moses O.; Gradin, Victoria B.; Waiter, Gordon D.; Cameron, George G.; Ahearn, Trevor S.; Murray, Alison D.; Steele, Douglas J.; Staff, Roger T.

2014-01-01

We investigated the differences in brain fMRI signal complexity in patients with schizophrenia while performing the Cyberball social exclusion task, using measures of Sample entropy and Hurst exponent (H). 13 patients meeting diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM IV) criteria for schizophrenia and 16 healthy controls underwent fMRI scanning at 1.5 T. The fMRI data of both groups of participants were pre-processed, the entropy characterized and the Hurst exponent extracted. Whole brain entropy and H maps of the groups were generated and analysed. The results after adjusting for age and sex differences together show that patients with schizophrenia exhibited higher complexity than healthy controls, at mean whole brain and regional levels. Also, both Sample entropy and Hurst exponent agree that patients with schizophrenia have more complex fMRI signals than healthy controls. These results suggest that schizophrenia is associated with more complex signal patterns when compared to healthy controls, supporting the increase in complexity hypothesis, where system complexity increases with age or disease, and also consistent with the notion that schizophrenia is characterised by a dysregulation of the nonlinear dynamics of underlying neuronal systems. PMID:24824731

Fluconazole penetration in cerebral parenchyma in humans at steady state.

PubMed Central

Thaler, F; Bernard, B; Tod, M; Jedynak, C P; Petitjean, O; Derome, P; Loirat, P

1995-01-01

We studied fluconazole penetration in the brain in five patients who had a deep cerebral tumor whose removal required the excision of healthy brain tissue. Plasma and brain samples were simultaneously obtained after oral ingestion of 400 mg of fluconazole daily for 4 days (90% of steady state). Fluconazole penetration in healthy cerebral parenchyma was determined. Plasma and brain samples were assayed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Concentrations in plasma and brain tissue were 13.5 +/- 5.5 micrograms/ml and 17.6 +/- 6.6 micrograms/g, respectively. The average ratio of concentrations in the brain and plasma (four patients) was 1.33 (range, 0.70 to 2.39). Despite the lack of data concerning the penetration of fluconazole in brain abscesses, these results should permit the use of a daily dose of 400 mg of fluconazole in prospective clinical studies that evaluate the effectiveness of this drug in the treatment of brain abscesses due to susceptible species of fungi. PMID:7625804

Brain donation in psychiatry: results of a Dutch prospective donor program among psychiatric cohort participants.

PubMed

de Lange, Geertje M; Rademaker, Marleen; Boks, Marco P; Palmen, Saskia J M C

2017-10-20

Human brain tissue is crucial to study the molecular and cellular basis of psychiatric disorders. However, the current availability of human brain tissue is inadequate. Therefore, the Netherlands Brain Bank initiated a program in which almost 4.000 participants of 15 large Dutch psychiatric research cohorts were asked to register as prospective brain donors. We approached patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, families with a child with autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, healthy relatives and healthy unrelated controls, either face-to-face or by post. We investigated whether diagnosis, method of approach, age, and gender were related to the likelihood of brain-donor registration. We found a striking difference in registration efficiency between the diagnosis groups. Patients with bipolar disorder and healthy relatives registered most often (25% respectively 17%), followed by unrelated controls (8%) and patients with major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (9%, 6% resp. 5%). A face-to-face approach was 1.3 times more effective than a postal approach and the likelihood of registering as brain donor significantly increased with age. Gender did not make a difference. Between 2013 and 2016, our prospective brain-donor program for psychiatry resulted in an almost eightfold increase (from 149 to 1149) in the number of registered psychiatric patients at the Netherlands Brain Bank. Based on our results we recommend, when starting a prospective brain donor program in psychiatric patients, to focus on face to face recruitment of people in their sixties or older.

Psychological problems, self-esteem and body dissatisfaction in a sample of adolescents with brain lesions: A comparison with a control group.

PubMed

Pastore, Valentina; Colombo, Katia; Maestroni, Deborah; Galbiati, Susanna; Villa, Federica; Recla, Monica; Locatelli, Federica; Strazzer, Sandra

2015-01-01

This study aims to describe psychological problems, self-esteem difficulties and body dissatisfaction in a sample of adolescents with acquired brain lesions and to compare them with an age- and gender-matched control group. In an experimental design, the psychological profile of 26 adolescents with brain lesions of traumatic or vascular aetiology, aged 12-18 years, was compared with that of 18 typically-developing subjects. Moreover, within the clinical group, patients with TBI were compared with patients with vascular lesions. The psychological and adaptive profile of the adolescents was assessed by a specific protocol, including CBCL, VABS, RSES, EDI-2 and BES. Adolescents with brain lesions showed more marked psychological problems than their healthy peers; they also presented with a greater impairment of adaptive skills and a lower self-esteem. No significant differences were found between patients with traumatic lesions and patients with vascular lesions. Adolescents with acquired brain lesions were at higher risk to develop psychological and behavioural difficulties. Furthermore, in the clinical sample, some variables such as the long hospitalization and isolation from family and peers were associated to a greater psychological burden than the aetiology of the brain damage.

Electroencephalographic Fractal Dimension in Healthy Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Cottone, Carlo; Cancelli, Andrea; Rossini, Paolo Maria; Tecchio, Franca

2016-01-01

Brain activity is complex; a reflection of its structural and functional organization. Among other measures of complexity, the fractal dimension is emerging as being sensitive to neuronal damage secondary to neurological and psychiatric diseases. Here, we calculated Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD) in resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 41 healthy controls (age: 20–89 years) and 67 Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) patients (age: 50–88 years), to investigate whether HFD is sensitive to brain activity changes typical in healthy aging and in AD. Additionally, we considered whether AD-accelerating effects of the copper fraction not bound to ceruloplasmin (also called “free” copper) are reflected in HFD fluctuations. The HFD measure showed an inverted U-shaped relationship with age in healthy people (R2 = .575, p < .001). Onset of HFD decline appeared around the age of 60, and was most evident in central-parietal regions. In this region, HFD decreased with aging stronger in the right than in the left hemisphere (p = .006). AD patients demonstrated reduced HFD compared to age- and education-matched healthy controls, especially in temporal-occipital regions. This was associated with decreasing cognitive status as assessed by mini-mental state examination, and with higher levels of non-ceruloplasmin copper. Taken together, our findings show that resting-state EEG complexity increases from youth to maturity and declines in healthy, aging individuals. In AD, brain activity complexity is further reduced in correlation with cognitive impairment. In addition, elevated levels of non-ceruloplasmin copper appear to accelerate the reduction of neural activity complexity. Overall, HDF appears to be a proper indicator for monitoring EEG-derived brain activity complexity in healthy and pathological aging. PMID:26872349

Linear and curvilinear correlations of brain gray matter volume and density with age using voxel-based morphometry with the Akaike information criterion in 291 healthy children.

PubMed

Taki, Yasuyuki; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Thyreau, Benjamin; Sassa, Yuko; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Wu, Kai; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nouchi, Rui; Asano, Michiko; Asano, Kohei; Fukuda, Hiroshi; Kawashima, Ryuta

2013-08-01

We examined linear and curvilinear correlations of gray matter volume and density in cortical and subcortical gray matter with age using magnetic resonance images (MRI) in a large number of healthy children. We applied voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and region-of-interest (ROI) analyses with the Akaike information criterion (AIC), which was used to determine the best-fit model by selecting which predictor terms should be included. We collected data on brain structural MRI in 291 healthy children aged 5-18 years. Structural MRI data were segmented and normalized using a custom template by applying the diffeomorphic anatomical registration using exponentiated lie algebra (DARTEL) procedure. Next, we analyzed the correlations of gray matter volume and density with age in VBM with AIC by estimating linear, quadratic, and cubic polynomial functions. Several regions such as the prefrontal cortex, the precentral gyrus, and cerebellum showed significant linear or curvilinear correlations between gray matter volume and age on an increasing trajectory, and between gray matter density and age on a decreasing trajectory in VBM and ROI analyses with AIC. Because the trajectory of gray matter volume and density with age suggests the progress of brain maturation, our results may contribute to clarifying brain maturation in healthy children from the viewpoint of brain structure. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Improved tumor identification using dual tracer molecular imaging in fluorescence guided brain surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaochun; Torres, Veronica; Straus, David; Brey, Eric M.; Byrne, Richard W.; Tichauer, Kenneth M.

2015-03-01

Brain tumors represent a leading cause of cancer death for people under the age of 40 and the probability complete surgical resection of brain tumors remains low owing to the invasive nature of these tumors and the consequences of damaging healthy brain tissue. Molecular imaging is an emerging approach that has the potential to improve the ability for surgeons to correctly discriminate between healthy and cancerous tissue; however, conventional molecular imaging approaches in brain suffer from significant background signal in healthy tissue or an inability target more invasive sections of the tumor. This work presents initial studies investigating the ability of novel dual-tracer molecular imaging strategies to be used to overcome the major limitations of conventional "single-tracer" molecular imaging. The approach is evaluated in simulations and in an in vivo mice study with animals inoculated orthotopically using fluorescent human glioma cells. An epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeted Affibody-fluorescent marker was employed as a targeted imaging agent, and the suitability of various FDA approved untargeted fluorescent tracers (e.g. fluorescein & indocyanine green) were evaluated in terms of their ability to account for nonspecific uptake and retention of the targeted imaging agent. Signal-to-background ratio was used to measure and compare the amount of reporter in the tissue between targeted and untargeted tracer. The initial findings suggest that FDA-approved fluorescent imaging agents are ill-suited to act as untargeted imaging agents for dual-tracer fluorescent guided brain surgery as they suffer from poor delivery to the healthy brain tissue and therefore cannot be used to identify nonspecific vs. specific uptake of the targeted imaging agent where current surgery is most limited.

Development of a Human Brain Diffusion Tensor Template

PubMed Central

Peng, Huiling; Orlichenko, Anton; Dawe, Robert J.; Agam, Gady; Zhang, Shengwei; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2009-01-01

The development of a brain template for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is crucial for comparisons of neuronal structural integrity and brain connectivity across populations, as well as for the development of a white matter atlas. Previous efforts to produce a DTI brain template have been compromised by factors related to image quality, the effectiveness of the image registration approach, the appropriateness of subject inclusion criteria, the completeness and accuracy of the information summarized in the final template. The purpose of this work was to develop a DTI human brain template using techniques that address the shortcomings of previous efforts. Therefore, data containing minimal artifacts were first obtained on 67 healthy human subjects selected from an age-group with relatively similar diffusion characteristics (20–40 years of age), using an appropriate DTI acquisition protocol. Non-linear image registration based on mean diffusion-weighted and fractional anisotropy images was employed. DTI brain templates containing median and mean tensors were produced in ICBM-152 space and made publicly available. The resulting set of DTI templates is characterized by higher image sharpness, provides the ability to distinguish smaller white matter fiber structures, contains fewer image artifacts, than previously developed templates, and to our knowledge, is one of only two templates produced based on a relatively large number of subjects. Furthermore, median tensors were shown to better preserve the diffusion characteristics at the group level than mean tensors. Finally, white matter fiber tractography was applied on the template and several fiber-bundles were traced. PMID:19341801

Development of a human brain diffusion tensor template.

PubMed

Peng, Huiling; Orlichenko, Anton; Dawe, Robert J; Agam, Gady; Zhang, Shengwei; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2009-07-15

The development of a brain template for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is crucial for comparisons of neuronal structural integrity and brain connectivity across populations, as well as for the development of a white matter atlas. Previous efforts to produce a DTI brain template have been compromised by factors related to image quality, the effectiveness of the image registration approach, the appropriateness of subject inclusion criteria, and the completeness and accuracy of the information summarized in the final template. The purpose of this work was to develop a DTI human brain template using techniques that address the shortcomings of previous efforts. Therefore, data containing minimal artifacts were first obtained on 67 healthy human subjects selected from an age-group with relatively similar diffusion characteristics (20-40 years of age), using an appropriate DTI acquisition protocol. Non-linear image registration based on mean diffusion-weighted and fractional anisotropy images was employed. DTI brain templates containing median and mean tensors were produced in ICBM-152 space and made publicly available. The resulting set of DTI templates is characterized by higher image sharpness, provides the ability to distinguish smaller white matter fiber structures, contains fewer image artifacts, than previously developed templates, and to our knowledge, is one of only two templates produced based on a relatively large number of subjects. Furthermore, median tensors were shown to better preserve the diffusion characteristics at the group level than mean tensors. Finally, white matter fiber tractography was applied on the template and several fiber-bundles were traced.

Creating an Environment for Safe and Healthy Sleep in Child Care Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Bobbie

2012-01-01

Along with nutrition, physical activity, and secure attachments, sleep is a basic requirement for a child's growth and brain development. Sleep is important for health and wellness, especially for growing infants and young children. Unfortunately, the amount of time children spend sleeping seems to be declining. If only sleep-deprived children…

Associations between Children's Socioeconomic Status and Prefrontal Cortical Thickness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Gwendolyn M.; Duda, Jeffrey T.; Avants, Brian B.; Wu, Jue; Farah, Martha J.

2013-01-01

Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) predicts executive function performance and measures of prefrontal cortical function, but little is known about its anatomical correlates. Structural MRI and demographic data from a sample of 283 healthy children from the NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development were used to investigate the relationship…

Trauma-Sensitive Schools: An Evidence-Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plumb, Jacqui L.; Bush, Kelly A.; Kersevich, Sonia E.

2016-01-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a common and pervasive problem. There is a positive correlation between ACEs and difficulties across the lifespan. Unlike healthy forms of stress, ACEs have a detrimental impact on the developing brain. There are three types of trauma: acute, chronic, and complex. Most ACEs are considered complex trauma,…

Healthy Start, Grow Smart: Your One-Month-Old.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Education, Washington, DC.

This pamphlet, distributed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, is designed to provide parents with information and advice about their infants in the first month of life. The pamphlet provides information on ways the mother can take care of herself, the one-month checkup, early brain development, infant…

Comparing fractional anisotropy in patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia, their healthy siblings, and normal volunteers through DTI.

PubMed

Moran, Marcel E; Luscher, Zoe I; McAdams, Harrison; Hsu, John T; Greenstein, Deanna; Clasen, Liv; Ludovici, Katharine; Lloyd, Jonae; Rapoport, Judith; Mori, Susumu; Gogtay, Nitin

2015-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging is a neuroimaging method that quantifies white matter (WM) integrity and brain connectivity based on the diffusion of water in the brain. White matter has been hypothesized to be of great importance in the development of schizophrenia as part of the dysconnectivity model. Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS), is a rare, severe form of the illness that resembles poor outcome adult-onset schizophrenia. We hypothesized that COS would be associated with WM abnormalities relative to a sample of controls. To evaluate WM integrity in this population 39 patients diagnosed with COS, 39 of their healthy (nonpsychotic) siblings, and 50 unrelated healthy volunteers were scanned using a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequence during a 1.5 T MRI acquisition. Each DTI scan was processed via atlas-based analysis using a WM parcellation map, and diffeomorphic mapping that shapes a template atlas to each individual subject space. Fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of WM integrity was averaged over each of the 46 regions of the atlas. Eleven WM regions were examined based on previous reports of WM growth abnormalities in COS. Of those regions, patients with COS, and their healthy siblings had significantly lower mean FA in the left and right cuneus as compared to the healthy volunteers (P < .005). Together, these findings represent the largest DTI study in COS to date, and provide evidence that WM integrity is significantly impaired in COS. Shared deficits in their healthy siblings might result from increased genetic risk. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center 2014.

Comparing Fractional Anisotropy in Patients With Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia, Their Healthy Siblings, and Normal Volunteers Through DTI

PubMed Central

Moran, Marcel E.; Luscher, Zoe I.; McAdams, Harrison; Hsu, John T.; Greenstein, Deanna; Clasen, Liv; Ludovici, Katharine; Lloyd, Jonae; Rapoport, Judith; Mori, Susumu; Gogtay, Nitin

2015-01-01

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging is a neuroimaging method that quantifies white matter (WM) integrity and brain connectivity based on the diffusion of water in the brain. White matter has been hypothesized to be of great importance in the development of schizophrenia as part of the dysconnectivity model. Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS), is a rare, severe form of the illness that resembles poor outcome adult-onset schizophrenia. We hypothesized that COS would be associated with WM abnormalities relative to a sample of controls. Methods: To evaluate WM integrity in this population 39 patients diagnosed with COS, 39 of their healthy (nonpsychotic) siblings, and 50 unrelated healthy volunteers were scanned using a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequence during a 1.5 T MRI acquisition. Each DTI scan was processed via atlas-based analysis using a WM parcellation map, and diffeomorphic mapping that shapes a template atlas to each individual subject space. Fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of WM integrity was averaged over each of the 46 regions of the atlas. Eleven WM regions were examined based on previous reports of WM growth abnormalities in COS. Results: Of those regions, patients with COS, and their healthy siblings had significantly lower mean FA in the left and right cuneus as compared to the healthy volunteers (P < .005). Together, these findings represent the largest DTI study in COS to date, and provide evidence that WM integrity is significantly impaired in COS. Shared deficits in their healthy siblings might result from increased genetic risk. PMID:25217482

Age estimation using cortical surface pattern combining thickness with curvatures

PubMed Central

Wang, Jieqiong; Li, Wenjing; Miao, Wen; Dai, Dai; Hua, Jing; He, Huiguang

2014-01-01

Brain development and healthy aging have been proved to follow a specific pattern, which, in turn, can be applied to help doctors diagnose mental diseases. In this paper, we design a cortical surface pattern (CSP) combining the cortical thickness with curvatures, which constructs an accurate human age estimation model with relevance vector regression. We test our model with two public databases. One is the IXI database (360 healthy subjects aging from 20 to 82 years old were selected), and the other is the INDI database (303 subjects aging from 7 to 22 years old were selected). The results show that our model can achieve as small as 4.57 years deviation in the IXI database and 1.38 years deviation in the INDI database. Furthermore, we employ this surface pattern to age groups classification, and get a remarkably high accuracy (97.77%) and a significantly high sensitivity/specificity (97.30%/98.10%). These results suggest that our designed CSP combining thickness with curvatures is stable and sensitive to brain development, and it is much more powerful than voxel-based morphometry used in previous methods for age estimation. PMID:24395657

Population differences in brain morphology: Need for population specific brain template.

PubMed

Rao, Naren P; Jeelani, Haris; Achalia, Rashmin; Achalia, Garima; Jacob, Arpitha; Bharath, Rose Dawn; Varambally, Shivarama; Venkatasubramanian, Ganesan; K Yalavarthy, Phaneendra

2017-07-30

Brain templates provide a standard anatomical platform for population based morphometric assessments. Typically, standard brain templates for such assessments are created using Caucasian brains, which may not be ideal to analyze brains from other ethnicities. To effectively demonstrate this, we compared brain morphometric differences between T1 weighted structural MRI images of 27 healthy Indian and Caucasian subjects of similar age and same sex ratio. Furthermore, a population specific brain template was created from MRI images of healthy Indian subjects and compared with standard Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI-152) template. We also examined the accuracy of registration of by acquiring a different T1 weighted MRI data set and registering them to newly created Indian template and MNI-152 template. The statistical analysis indicates significant difference in global brain measures and regional brain structures of Indian and Caucasian subjects. Specifically, the global brain measurements of the Indian brain template were smaller than that of the MNI template. Also, Indian brain images were better realigned to the newly created template than to the MNI-152 template. The notable variations in Indian and Caucasian brains convey the need to build a population specific Indian brain template and atlas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Elements of system semiotics of the brain and head with cranial vessels of patients with stroke and with risk of stroke development].

PubMed

Makomela, N M

2007-01-01

By means of a multispiral computer and magnetic resonance tomography 211 patients with an ischemic stroke, 109 patients with hemorrhagic stroke, 41 patients with an arterial hypertensia, 43 patients with aneurism, 58 patients with discirculation encephalopathy, 125 patients with ischemic illness of heart, practically healthy 62 have been observed. The author found high frequency of pathological deformations of carotid and vertebral arteries of not closed arterial circle, calcification of the pineal body and vascular plexus of lateral ventricles. cysts of maxillary sinuses of patients with stroke in comparison with patients at risk of the development of stroke and practically healthy subjects.

Characterization in humans of 18F-MNI-444, a PET radiotracer for brain adenosine 2A receptors.

PubMed

Barret, Olivier; Hannestad, Jonas; Vala, Christine; Alagille, David; Tavares, Adriana; Laruelle, Marc; Jennings, Danna; Marek, Ken; Russell, David; Seibyl, John; Tamagnan, Gilles

2015-04-01

PET with selective adenosine 2A receptor (A2A) radiotracers can be used to study a variety of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders in vivo and to support drug-discovery studies targeting A2A. The aim of this study was to describe the first in vivo evaluation of (18)F-MNI-444, a novel PET radiotracer for imaging A2A, in healthy human subjects. Ten healthy human volunteers were enrolled in this study; 6 completed the brain PET studies and 4 participated in the whole-body PET studies. Arterial blood was collected for invasive kinetic modeling of the brain PET data. Noninvasive methods of data quantification were also explored. Test-retest reproducibility was evaluated in 5 subjects. Radiotracer distribution and dosimetry was determined using serial whole-body PET images acquired over 6 h post-radiotracer injection. Urine samples were collected to calculate urinary excretion. After intravenous bolus injection, (18)F-MNI-444 rapidly entered the brain and displayed a distribution consistent with known A2A densities in the brain. Binding potentials ranging from 2.6 to 4.9 were measured in A2A-rich regions, with an average test-retest variability of less than 10%. The estimated whole-body radiation effective dose was approximately 0.023 mSv/MBq. (18)F-MNI-444 is a useful PET radiotracer for imaging A2A in the human brain. The superior in vivo brain kinetic properties of (18)F-MNI-444, compared with previously developed A2A radiotracers, provide the opportunity to foster global use of in vivo A2A PET imaging in neuroscience research. © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Genome-wide scan of healthy human connectome discovers SPON1 gene variant influencing dementia severity

PubMed Central

Jahanshad, Neda; Rajagopalan, Priya; Hua, Xue; Hibar, Derrek P.; Nir, Talia M.; Toga, Arthur W.; Jack, Clifford R.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Green, Robert C.; Weiner, Michael W.; Medland, Sarah E.; Montgomery, Grant W.; Hansell, Narelle K.; McMahon, Katie L.; de Zubicaray, Greig I.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Wright, Margaret J.; Thompson, Paul M.; Weiner, Michael; Aisen, Paul; Weiner, Michael; Aisen, Paul; Petersen, Ronald; Jack, Clifford R.; Jagust, William; Trojanowski, John Q.; Toga, Arthur W.; Beckett, Laurel; Green, Robert C.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Morris, John; Liu, Enchi; Green, Robert C.; Montine, Tom; Petersen, Ronald; Aisen, Paul; Gamst, Anthony; Thomas, Ronald G.; Donohue, Michael; Walter, Sarah; Gessert, Devon; Sather, Tamie; Beckett, Laurel; Harvey, Danielle; Gamst, Anthony; Donohue, Michael; Kornak, John; Jack, Clifford R.; Dale, Anders; Bernstein, Matthew; Felmlee, Joel; Fox, Nick; Thompson, Paul; Schuff, Norbert; Alexander, Gene; DeCarli, Charles; Jagust, William; Bandy, Dan; Koeppe, Robert A.; Foster, Norm; Reiman, Eric M.; Chen, Kewei; Mathis, Chet; Morris, John; Cairns, Nigel J.; Taylor-Reinwald, Lisa; Trojanowki, J.Q.; Shaw, Les; Lee, Virginia M.Y.; Korecka, Magdalena; Toga, Arthur W.; Crawford, Karen; Neu, Scott; Saykin, Andrew J.; Foroud, Tatiana M.; Potkin, Steven; Shen, Li; Khachaturian, Zaven; Frank, Richard; Snyder, Peter J.; Molchan, Susan; Kaye, Jeffrey; Quinn, Joseph; Lind, Betty; Dolen, Sara; Schneider, Lon S.; Pawluczyk, Sonia; Spann, Bryan M.; Brewer, James; Vanderswag, Helen; Heidebrink, Judith L.; Lord, Joanne L.; Petersen, Ronald; Johnson, Kris; Doody, Rachelle S.; Villanueva-Meyer, Javier; Chowdhury, Munir; Stern, Yaakov; Honig, Lawrence S.; Bell, Karen L.; Morris, John C.; Ances, Beau; Carroll, Maria; Leon, Sue; Mintun, Mark A.; Schneider, Stacy; Marson, Daniel; Griffith, Randall; Clark, David; Grossman, Hillel; Mitsis, Effie; Romirowsky, Aliza; deToledo-Morrell, Leyla; Shah, Raj C.; Duara, Ranjan; Varon, Daniel; Roberts, Peggy; Albert, Marilyn; Onyike, Chiadi; Kielb, Stephanie; Rusinek, Henry; de Leon, Mony J.; Glodzik, Lidia; De Santi, Susan; Doraiswamy, P. Murali; Petrella, Jeffrey R.; Coleman, R. Edward; Arnold, Steven E.; Karlawish, Jason H.; Wolk, David; Smith, Charles D.; Jicha, Greg; Hardy, Peter; Lopez, Oscar L.; Oakley, MaryAnn; Simpson, Donna M.; Porsteinsson, Anton P.; Goldstein, Bonnie S.; Martin, Kim; Makino, Kelly M.; Ismail, M. Saleem; Brand, Connie; Mulnard, Ruth A.; Thai, Gaby; Mc-Adams-Ortiz, Catherine; Womack, Kyle; Mathews, Dana; Quiceno, Mary; Diaz-Arrastia, Ramon; King, Richard; Weiner, Myron; Martin-Cook, Kristen; DeVous, Michael; Levey, Allan I.; Lah, James J.; Cellar, Janet S.; Burns, Jeffrey M.; Anderson, Heather S.; Swerdlow, Russell H.; Apostolova, Liana; Lu, Po H.; Bartzokis, George; Silverman, Daniel H.S.; Graff-Radford, Neill R.; Parfitt, Francine; Johnson, Heather; Farlow, Martin R.; Hake, Ann Marie; Matthews, Brandy R.; Herring, Scott; van Dyck, Christopher H.; Carson, Richard E.; MacAvoy, Martha G.; Chertkow, Howard; Bergman, Howard; Hosein, Chris; Black, Sandra; Stefanovic, Bojana; Caldwell, Curtis; Hsiung, Ging-Yuek Robin; Feldman, Howard; Mudge, Benita; Assaly, Michele; Kertesz, Andrew; Rogers, John; Trost, Dick; Bernick, Charles; Munic, Donna; Kerwin, Diana; Mesulam, Marek-Marsel; Lipowski, Kristina; Wu, Chuang-Kuo; Johnson, Nancy; Sadowsky, Carl; Martinez, Walter; Villena, Teresa; Turner, Raymond Scott; Johnson, Kathleen; Reynolds, Brigid; Sperling, Reisa A.; Johnson, Keith A.; Marshall, Gad; Frey, Meghan; Yesavage, Jerome; Taylor, Joy L.; Lane, Barton; Rosen, Allyson; Tinklenberg, Jared; Sabbagh, Marwan; Belden, Christine; Jacobson, Sandra; Kowall, Neil; Killiany, Ronald; Budson, Andrew E.; Norbash, Alexander; Johnson, Patricia Lynn; Obisesan, Thomas O.; Wolday, Saba; Bwayo, Salome K.; Lerner, Alan; Hudson, Leon; Ogrocki, Paula; Fletcher, Evan; Carmichael, Owen; Olichney, John; DeCarli, Charles; Kittur, Smita; Borrie, Michael; Lee, T.-Y.; Bartha, Rob; Johnson, Sterling; Asthana, Sanjay; Carlsson, Cynthia M.; Potkin, Steven G.; Preda, Adrian; Nguyen, Dana; Tariot, Pierre; Fleisher, Adam; Reeder, Stephanie; Bates, Vernice; Capote, Horacio; Rainka, Michelle; Scharre, Douglas W.; Kataki, Maria; Zimmerman, Earl A.; Celmins, Dzintra; Brown, Alice D.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Blank, Karen; Anderson, Karen; Saykin, Andrew J.; Santulli, Robert B.; Schwartz, Eben S.; Sink, Kaycee M.; Williamson, Jeff D.; Garg, Pradeep; Watkins, Franklin; Ott, Brian R.; Querfurth, Henry; Tremont, Geoffrey; Salloway, Stephen; Malloy, Paul; Correia, Stephen; Rosen, Howard J.; Miller, Bruce L.; Mintzer, Jacobo; Longmire, Crystal Flynn; Spicer, Kenneth; Finger, Elizabeth; Rachinsky, Irina; Rogers, John; Kertesz, Andrew; Drost, Dick

2013-01-01

Aberrant connectivity is implicated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. However, other than a few disease-associated candidate genes, we know little about the degree to which genetics play a role in the brain networks; we know even less about specific genes that influence brain connections. Twin and family-based studies can generate estimates of overall genetic influences on a trait, but genome-wide association scans (GWASs) can screen the genome for specific variants influencing the brain or risk for disease. To identify the heritability of various brain connections, we scanned healthy young adult twins with high-field, high-angular resolution diffusion MRI. We adapted GWASs to screen the brain’s connectivity pattern, allowing us to discover genetic variants that affect the human brain’s wiring. The association of connectivity with the SPON1 variant at rs2618516 on chromosome 11 (11p15.2) reached connectome-wide, genome-wide significance after stringent statistical corrections were enforced, and it was replicated in an independent subsample. rs2618516 was shown to affect brain structure in an elderly population with varying degrees of dementia. Older people who carried the connectivity variant had significantly milder clinical dementia scores and lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. As a posthoc analysis, we conducted GWASs on several organizational and topological network measures derived from the matrices to discover variants in and around genes associated with autism (MACROD2), development (NEDD4), and mental retardation (UBE2A) significantly associated with connectivity. Connectome-wide, genome-wide screening offers substantial promise to discover genes affecting brain connectivity and risk for brain diseases. PMID:23471985

Effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on human brain morphology and function: What is the evidence?

PubMed

Bos, Dienke J; van Montfort, Simone J T; Oranje, Bob; Durston, Sarah; Smeets, Paul A M

2016-03-01

Public opinion and media coverage suggest that there are benefits of long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) intake on brain functioning. However, it is an open question whether this is indeed the case. Therefore, we reviewed the evidence for effects of ω-3 LC-PUFA on human brain morphology and function. We included studies on (1) naturalistic long-term ω-3 LC-PUFA intake during life (2) the effects of short-term ω-3 LC-PUFA supplementation in healthy subjects and (3) the effects of ω-3 LC-PUFA supplementation as alternative or add-on treatment for psychiatric or neurological disorders. To date, 24 studies have been published on the effect of ω-3 LC-PUFA on brain function and structure. Findings from naturalistic studies and clinical trials in healthy individuals indicate that ω-3 LC-PUFA intake may be associated with increased functional activation of the prefrontal cortex in children, and greater gray matter volume and white matter integrity during aging. However, most naturalistic studies were cross-sectional or did not find any effect on cognition. As such, it is hard to estimate the magnitude of any beneficial effects. Furthermore, there is only limited evidence to support that ω-3 LC-PUFA supplementation is beneficial in brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's Disease, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder and schizophrenia. Overall, the literature suggests that sensitivity to supplementation may vary over development, and as a consequence of brain disorders. The biological mechanisms underlying any (beneficial) effects ω-3 LC-PUFAs on the brain are currently unknown and need to be investigated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Non-invasive brain stimulation to investigate language production in healthy speakers: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Klaus, Jana; Schutter, Dennis J L G

2018-06-01

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has become a common method to study the interrelations between the brain and language functioning. This meta-analysis examined the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the study of language production in healthy volunteers. Forty-five effect sizes from 30 studies which investigated the effects of NIBS on picture naming or verbal fluency in healthy participants were meta-analysed. Further sub-analyses investigated potential influences of stimulation type, control, target site, task, online vs. offline application, and current density of the target electrode. Random effects modelling showed a small, but reliable effect of NIBS on language production. Subsequent analyses indicated larger weighted mean effect sizes for TMS as compared to tDCS studies. No statistical differences for the other sub-analyses were observed. We conclude that NIBS is a useful method for neuroscientific studies on language production in healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the Brain Biodistribution of the Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) Inhibitor [18F]GSK2647544 in Healthy Male Subjects.

PubMed

Huiban, Mickael; Coello, Christopher; Wu, Kai; Xu, Yanmei; Lewis, Yvonne; Brown, Andrew P; Buraglio, Mauro; Guan, Chenbing; Shabbir, Shaila; Fong, Regan; Passchier, Jan; Rabiner, Eugenii A; Lockhart, Andrew

2017-02-01

GSK2647544 is a potent and specific inhibitor of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA 2 ), which was in development as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to refine therapeutic dose predictions and confirm brain penetration, a radiolabelled form of the inhibitor, [ 18 F]GSK2647544, was manufactured for use in a positron emission tomography (PET) biodistribution study. [ 18 F]GSK2647544 was produced using a novel, copper iodide (Cu(I)) mediated, [ 18 F]trifluoromethylation methodology. Healthy male subjects (n = 4, age range 34-42) received an oral dose of unlabelled GSK2647544 (100 mg) and after 2 h an intravenous (iv) injection of [ 18 F]GSK2647544 (average injected activity and mass were 106 ± 47 MBq and 179 ± 55 μg, respectively) followed by dynamic PET scans for 120 min. Defined regions of interest (ROI) throughout the brain were used to obtain regional time-activity curves (TACs) and compartmental modelling analysis used to estimate the primary outcome measure, whole brain volume of distribution (V T ). Secondary PK and safety endpoints were also recorded. PET dynamic data were successfully obtained from all four subjects and there were no clinically significant variations of the safety endpoints. Inspection of the TACs indicated a relatively homogenous uptake of [ 18 F]GSK2647544 across all the ROIs examined. The mean whole brain V T was 0.56 (95 % CI, 0.41-0.72). Secondary PK parameters, C max (geometric mean) and T max (median), were 354 ng/ml and 1.4 h, respectively. Metabolism of GSK2647544 was relatively consistent across subjects, with 20-40 % of the parent compound [ 18 F]GSK2647544 present after 120 min. The study provides evidence that GSK2647544 is able to cross the blood brain barrier in healthy male subjects leading to a measurable brain exposure. The administered doses of GSK2647544 were well tolerated. Exploratory modelling suggested that a twice-daily dose of 102 mg, at steady state, would provide ~80 % trough inhibition of brain Lp-PLA 2 activity. Clintrials.gov: NCT01924858.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Individuals With Schizophrenia and Healthy Aging: Testing the Accelerated Aging Hypothesis of Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Islam, Farhana; Mulsant, Benoit H; Voineskos, Aristotle N; Rajji, Tarek K

2017-07-01

Schizophrenia has been hypothesized to be a syndrome of accelerated aging. Brain plasticity is vulnerable to the normal aging process and affected in schizophrenia: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important neuroplasticity molecule. The present review explores the accelerated aging hypothesis of schizophrenia by comparing changes in BDNF expression in schizophrenia with aging-associated changes. Individuals with schizophrenia show patterns of increased overall mortality, metabolic abnormalities, and cognitive decline normally observed later in life in the healthy population. An overall decrease is observed in BDNF expression in schizophrenia compared to healthy controls and in older individuals compared to a younger cohort. There is a marked decrease in BDNF levels in the frontal regions and in the periphery among older individuals and those with schizophrenia; however, data for BDNF expression in the occipital, parietal, and temporal cortices and the hippocampus is inconclusive. Accelerated aging hypothesis is supported based on frontal regions and peripheral studies; however, further studies are needed in other brain regions.

L1-Associated Genomic Regions are Deleted in Somatic Cells of the Healthy Human Brain

PubMed Central

Erwin, Jennifer A.; Paquola, Apuã C.M.; Singer, Tatjana; Gallina, Iryna; Novotny, Mark; Quayle, Carolina; Bedrosian, Tracy; Ivanio, Francisco; Butcher, Cheyenne R.; Herdy, Joseph R.; Sarkar, Anindita; Lasken, Roger S.; Muotri, Alysson R.; Gage, Fred H.

2016-01-01

The healthy human brain is a mosaic of varied genomes. L1 retrotransposition is known to create mosaicism by inserting L1 sequences into new locations of somatic cell genomes. Using a machine learning-based, single-cell sequencing approach, we discovered that Somatic L1-Associated Variants (SLAVs) are actually composed of two classes: L1 retrotransposition insertions and retrotransposition-independent L1-associated variants. We demonstrate that a subset of SLAVs are, in fact, somatic deletions generated by L1 endonuclease cutting activity. Retrotransposition- independent rearrangements within inherited L1s resulted in the deletion of proximal genomic regions. These rearrangements were resolved by microhomology-mediated repair, which suggests that L1-associated genomic regions are hotspots for somatic copy number variants in the brain and therefore a heritable genetic contributor to somatic mosaicism. We demonstrate that SLAVs are present in crucial neural genes, such as DLG2/PSD93, and affect between 44–63% of cells of the cells in the healthy brain. PMID:27618310

Long-term neural and physiological phenotyping of a single human

PubMed Central

Poldrack, Russell A.; Laumann, Timothy O.; Koyejo, Oluwasanmi; Gregory, Brenda; Hover, Ashleigh; Chen, Mei-Yen; Gorgolewski, Krzysztof J.; Luci, Jeffrey; Joo, Sung Jun; Boyd, Ryan L.; Hunicke-Smith, Scott; Simpson, Zack Booth; Caven, Thomas; Sochat, Vanessa; Shine, James M.; Gordon, Evan; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Adeyemo, Babatunde; Petersen, Steven E.; Glahn, David C.; Reese Mckay, D.; Curran, Joanne E.; Göring, Harald H. H.; Carless, Melanie A.; Blangero, John; Dougherty, Robert; Leemans, Alexander; Handwerker, Daniel A.; Frick, Laurie; Marcotte, Edward M.; Mumford, Jeanette A.

2015-01-01

Psychiatric disorders are characterized by major fluctuations in psychological function over the course of weeks and months, but the dynamic characteristics of brain function over this timescale in healthy individuals are unknown. Here, as a proof of concept to address this question, we present the MyConnectome project. An intensive phenome-wide assessment of a single human was performed over a period of 18 months, including functional and structural brain connectivity using magnetic resonance imaging, psychological function and physical health, gene expression and metabolomics. A reproducible analysis workflow is provided, along with open access to the data and an online browser for results. We demonstrate dynamic changes in brain connectivity over the timescales of days to months, and relations between brain connectivity, gene expression and metabolites. This resource can serve as a testbed to study the joint dynamics of human brain and metabolic function over time, an approach that is critical for the development of precision medicine strategies for brain disorders. PMID:26648521

Effects of the Variation in Brain Tissue Mechanical Properties on the Intracranial Response of a 6-Year-Old Child

PubMed Central

Cui, Shihai; Li, Haiyan; Li, Xiangnan; Ruan, Jesse

2015-01-01

Brain tissue mechanical properties are of importance to investigate child head injury using finite element (FE) method. However, these properties used in child head FE model normally vary in a large range in published literatures because of the insufficient child cadaver experiments. In this work, a head FE model with detailed anatomical structures is developed from the computed tomography (CT) data of a 6-year-old healthy child head. The effects of brain tissue mechanical properties on traumatic brain response are also analyzed by reconstruction of a head impact on engine hood according to Euro-NCAP testing regulation using FE method. The result showed that the variations of brain tissue mechanical parameters in linear viscoelastic constitutive model had different influences on the intracranial response. Furthermore, the opposite trend was obtained in the predicted shear stress and shear strain of brain tissues caused by the variations of mentioned parameters. PMID:26495031

Total and regional brain volumes in a population-based normative sample from 4 to 18 years: the NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development.

PubMed

2012-01-01

Using a population-based sampling strategy, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Normal Brain Development compiled a longitudinal normative reference database of neuroimaging and correlated clinical/behavioral data from a demographically representative sample of healthy children and adolescents aged newborn through early adulthood. The present paper reports brain volume data for 325 children, ages 4.5-18 years, from the first cross-sectional time point. Measures included volumes of whole-brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM), left and right lateral ventricles, frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe GM and WM, subcortical GM (thalamus, caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus), cerebellum, and brainstem. Associations with cross-sectional age, sex, family income, parental education, and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. Key observations are: 1) age-related decreases in lobar GM most prominent in parietal and occipital cortex; 2) age-related increases in lobar WM, greatest in occipital, followed by the temporal lobe; 3) age-related trajectories predominantly curvilinear in females, but linear in males; and 4) small systematic associations of brain tissue volumes with BMI but not with IQ, family income, or parental education. These findings constitute a normative reference on regional brain volumes in children and adolescents.

Cortical thickness, cortico-amygdalar networks, and externalizing behaviors in healthy children.

PubMed

Ameis, Stephanie H; Ducharme, Simon; Albaugh, Matthew D; Hudziak, James J; Botteron, Kelly N; Lepage, Claude; Zhao, Lu; Khundrakpam, Budhachandra; Collins, D Louis; Lerch, Jason P; Wheeler, Anne; Schachar, Russell; Evans, Alan C; Karama, Sherif

2014-01-01

Fronto-amygdalar networks are implicated in childhood psychiatric disorders characterized by high rates of externalizing (aggressive, noncompliant, oppositional) behavior. Although externalizing behaviors are distributed continuously across clinical and nonclinical samples, little is known about how brain variations may confer risk for problematic behavior. Here, we studied cortical thickness, amygdala volume, and cortico-amygdalar network correlates of externalizing behavior in a large sample of healthy children. Two hundred ninety-seven healthy children (6-18 years; mean = 12 ± 3 years), with 517 magnetic resonance imaging scans, from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Normal Brain Development, were studied. Relationships between externalizing behaviors (measured with the Child Behavior Checklist) and cortical thickness, amygdala volume, and cortico-amygdalar structural networks were examined using first-order linear mixed-effects models, after controlling for age, sex, scanner, and total brain volume. Results significant at p ≤ .05, following multiple comparison correction, are reported. Left orbitofrontal, right retrosplenial cingulate, and medial temporal cortex thickness were negatively correlated with externalizing behaviors. Although amygdala volume alone was not correlated with externalizing behaviors, an orbitofrontal cortex-amygdala network predicted rates of externalizing behavior. Children with lower levels of externalizing behaviors exhibited positive correlations between orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala structure, while these regions were not correlated in children with higher levels of externalizing behavior. Our findings identify key cortical nodes in frontal, cingulate, and temporal cortex associated with externalizing behaviors in children; and indicate that orbitofrontal-amygdala network properties may influence externalizing behaviors, along a continuum and across healthy and clinical samples. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NEUROG1 and schizophrenia: effects on illness susceptibility, MRI brain morphometry and cognitive abilities.

PubMed

Ho, Beng-Choon; Epping, Eric; Wang, Kai; Andreasen, Nancy C; Librant, Amy; Wassink, Thomas H

2008-12-01

Transcription factors, including the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family, regulate numerous genes and play vital roles in controlling gene expression. Consequently, transcription factor mutations can lead to phenotypic pleiotropy, and may be a candidate mechanism underlying the complex genetics and heterogeneous phenotype of schizophrenia. Neurogenin1 (NEUROG1; a.k.a. Ngn1 or Neurod3), a bHLH transcription factor encoded on a known schizophrenia linkage region in 5q31.1, induces glutamatergic and suppresses GABAergic neuronal differentiation during embryonic neurodevelopment. The goal of this study is to investigate NEUROG1 effects on schizophrenia risk and on phenotypic features of schizophrenia. We tested 392 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 226 healthy normal volunteers for association with NEUROG1. Major alleles on two NEUROG1-associated SNPs (rs2344484-C-allele and rs8192558-G-allele) were significantly more prevalent among patients (p

Cerebral venous blood oxygenation monitoring during hyperventilation in healthy volunteers with a novel optoacoustic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrov, Andrey; Prough, Donald S.; Petrov, Irene Y.; Petrov, Yuriy; Deyo, Donald J.; Henkel, Sheryl N.; Seeton, Roger; Esenaliev, Rinat O.

2013-03-01

Monitoring of cerebral venous oxygenation is useful to facilitate management of patients with severe or moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prompt recognition of low cerebral venous oxygenation is a key to avoiding secondary brain injury associated with brain hypoxia. In specialized clinical research centers, jugular venous bulb catheters have been used for cerebral venous oxygenation monitoring and have demonstrated that oxygen saturation < 50% (normal range is 55-75%) correlates with poor clinical outcome. We developed an optoacoustic technique for noninvasive monitoring of cerebral venous oxygenation. Recently, we designed and built a novel, medical grade optoacoustic system operating in the near-infrared spectral range for continuous, real-time oxygenation monitoring in the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), a large central cerebral vein. In this work, we designed and built a novel SSS optoacoustic probe and developed a new algorithm for SSS oxygenation measurement. The SSS signals were measured in healthy volunteers during voluntary hyperventilation, which induced changes in SSS oxygenation. Simultaneously, we measured exhaled carbon dioxide concentration (EtCO2) using capnography. Good temporal correlation between decreases in optoacoustically measured SSS oxygenation and decreases in EtCO2 was obtained. Decreases in EtCO2 from normal values (35-45 mmHg) to 20-25 mmHg resulted in SSS oxygenation decreases by 3-10%. Intersubject variability of the responses may relate to nonspecific brain activation associated with voluntary hyperventilation. The obtained data demonstrate the capability of the optoacoustic system to detect in real time minor changes in the SSS blood oxygenation.

Inverse association between BMI and prefrontal metabolic activity in healthy adults.

PubMed

Volkow, Nora D; Wang, Gene-Jack; Telang, Frank; Fowler, Joanna S; Goldstein, Rita Z; Alia-Klein, Nelly; Logan, Jean; Wong, Christopher; Thanos, Panayotis K; Ma, Yemine; Pradhan, Kith

2009-01-01

Obesity has been associated with a higher risk for impaired cognitive function, which most likely reflects associated medical complications (i.e., cerebrovascular pathology). However, there is also evidence that in healthy individuals excess weight may adversely affect cognition (executive function, attention, and memory). Here, we measured regional brain glucose metabolism (using positron emission tomography (PET) and 2-deoxy-2[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG)) to assess the relationship between BMI and brain metabolism (marker of brain function) in 21 healthy controls (BMI range 19-37 kg/m(2)) studied during baseline (no stimulation) and during cognitive stimulation (numerical calculations). Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) revealed a significant negative correlation between BMI and metabolic activity in prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 8, 9, 10, 11, 44) and cingulate gyrus (Brodmann area 32) but not in other regions. Moreover, baseline metabolism in these prefrontal regions was positively associated with performance on tests of memory (California Verbal Learning Test) and executive function (Stroop Interference and Symbol Digit Modality tests). In contrast, the regional brain changes during cognitive stimulation were not associated with BMI nor with neuropsychological performance. The observed association between higher BMI and lower baseline prefrontal metabolism may underlie the impaired performance reported in healthy obese individuals on some cognitive tests of executive function. On the other hand, the lack of an association between BMI and brain metabolic activation during cognitive stimulation indicates that BMI does not influence brain glucose utilization during cognitive performance. These results further highlight the urgency to institute public health interventions to prevent obesity.

Sleep duration and age-related changes in brain structure and cognitive performance.

PubMed

Lo, June C; Loh, Kep Kee; Zheng, Hui; Sim, Sam K Y; Chee, Michael W L

2014-07-01

To investigate the contribution of sleep duration and quality to age-related changes in brain structure and cognitive performance in relatively healthy older adults. Community-based longitudinal brain and cognitive aging study using a convenience sample. Participants were studied in a research laboratory. Relatively healthy adults aged 55 y and older at study commencement. N/A. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological assessment every 2 y. Subjective assessments of sleep duration and quality and blood samples were obtained. Each hour of reduced sleep duration at baseline augmented the annual expansion rate of the ventricles by 0.59% (P = 0.007) and the annual decline rate in global cognitive performance by 0.67% (P = 0.050) in the subsequent 2 y after controlling for the effects of age, sex, education, and body mass index. In contrast, global sleep quality at baseline did not modulate either brain or cognitive aging. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, showed no correlation with baseline sleep duration, brain structure, or cognitive performance. In healthy older adults, short sleep duration is associated with greater age-related brain atrophy and cognitive decline. These associations are not associated with elevated inflammatory responses among short sleepers. Lo JC, Loh KK, Zheng H, Sim SK, Chee MW. Sleep duration and age-related changes in brain structure and cognitive performance.

Ketogenic Medium Chain Triglycerides Increase Brain Energy Metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Croteau, Etienne; Castellano, Christian-Alexandre; Richard, Marie Anne; Fortier, Mélanie; Nugent, Scott; Lepage, Martin; Duchesne, Simon; Whittingstall, Kevin; Turcotte, Éric E; Bocti, Christian; Fülöp, Tamàs; Cunnane, Stephen C

2018-06-09

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is unknown whether the brain can utilize additional ketones as fuel when they are derived from a medium chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement. To assess whether brain ketone uptake in AD increases in response to MCT as it would in young healthy adults. Mild-moderate AD patients sequentially consumed 30 g/d of two different MCT supplements, both for one month: a mixture of caprylic (55%) and capric acids (35%) (n = 11), followed by a wash-out and then tricaprylin (95%; n = 6). Brain ketone (11C-acetoacetate) and glucose (FDG) uptake were quantified by PET before and after each MCT intervention. Brain ketone consumption doubled on both types of MCT supplement. The slope of the relationship between plasma ketones and brain ketone uptake was the same as in healthy young adults. Both types of MCT increased total brain energy metabolism by increasing ketone supply without affecting brain glucose utilization. Ketones from MCT compensate for the brain glucose deficit in AD in direct proportion to the level of plasma ketones achieved.

Autism-specific maternal anti-fetal brain autoantibodies are associated with metabolic conditions

PubMed Central

Krakowiak, Paula; Walker, Cheryl K.; Tancredi, Daniel; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Van de Water, Judy

2016-01-01

Lay Abstract Approximately 23% of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) produce specific patterns of antibodies to fetal brain tissue that have been detected in only 1% of mothers of typically developing children. However, it is unknown what causes these ASD-specific anti-fetal antibodies to be produced. We examined the relationship between ASD-specific anti-fetal antibodies and metabolic conditions during pregnancy in 227 mothers of 2–5 year old children with ASD, enrolled in the CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risk from Genetics and the Environment) Study, and who had blood samples measured for these anti-fetal brain antibodies after study enrollment. Metabolic conditions included diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and prepregnancy obesity or overweight. The presence of ASD-specific anti-fetal brain antibody patterns was more common among mothers diagnosed with diabetes, hypertensive disorders, or overweight during pregnancy compared to healthy mothers, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. In a subset of 145 mothers whose children exhibited severe ASD symptoms, those diagnosed with type 2 or gestational diabetes were nearly 3 times more likely to have ASD-specific anti-fetal antibodies compared to healthy mothers. Further, those diagnosed with gestational diabetes specifically were over 3 times more likely to have these anti-fetal brain antibodies. In this exploratory study, mothers whose children had severe ASD and who were diagnosed with diabetes were more likely to have anti-fetal brain autoantibodies 2–5 years later. Scientific Abstract Approximately 23% of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) produce specific patterns of autoantibodies to fetal brain proteins that have been detected in only 1% of mothers of typically developing children. The biological mechanisms underlying the development of ASD-specific maternal autoantibodies are poorly understood. We sought to determine whether ASD-specific maternal autoantibodies identified postnatally were associated with metabolic conditions (MCs) during gestation. Participants were 227 mothers of 2–5 year old children with confirmed ASD, enrolled in CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risk from Genetics and the Environment) between January 2003 and April 2008, and from whom blood samples were collected and analyzed for anti-fetal brain autoantibodies (Ab+). MCs included diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and prepregnancy obesity or overweight, ascertained from medical records or structured telephone interviews. Log-linear regression models were performed to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) based on robust standard errors. Fifty-six (25%) mothers were Ab+. Ab+ prevalence was higher among mothers with diabetes, hypertensive disorders, or overweight compared to healthy mothers, but differences were not statistically significant. In a subset of 145 mothers whose children exhibited severe ASD (31 Ab+), those diagnosed with type 2 or gestational diabetes were 2.7-fold more likely to be Ab+ (95% CI 1.1, 6.6), controlling for delivery payer and smoking. Gestational diabetes specifically was associated with a 3.2-fold increased Ab+ prevalence (95% CI 1.2, 8.6). In this exploratory study, mothers whose children had severe ASD and who experienced diabetes were more likely to have anti-fetal brain autoantibodies 2–5 years later. PMID:27312731

Preoperative systemic levels of VEGFA, IL-7, IL-17A, and TNF-β delineate two distinct groups of children with brain tumors.

PubMed

Sandén, Emma; Enríquez Pérez, Julio; Visse, Edward; Kool, Marcel; Carén, Helena; Siesjö, Peter; Darabi, Anna

2016-12-01

Primary brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in children. Increasing evidence demonstrates diverse intratumoral immune signatures, which are tentatively reflected in peripheral blood. Twenty cytokines were analyzed in preoperative plasma samples from five healthy children and 45 children with brain tumors, using a multiplex platform (MesoScale Discovery V-PLEX ® ). Tumor types included medulloblastoma (MB), ependymoma, sarcoma, high-grade glioma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and other low-grade gliomas. A panel of four cytokines [VEGFA, interleukin (IL)-7, IL-17A, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-β] delineated two distinct patient groups, identified as VEGFA high IL-7 high IL-17A low TNF-β low (Group A) and VEGFA low IL-7 low IL-17A high TNF-β high (Group B). Healthy controls and the vast majority of patients with MB were found within Group A, whereas patients with other tumor types were equally distributed between the two groups. Unrelated to A/B affiliation, we detected trends toward increased IL-10 and decreased IL-12/23 and TNF-α in several tumor types. Finally, a small number of patients displayed evidence of enhanced systemic immune activation, including elevated levels of interferon-γ, granulocyte monocyte colony-stimulating factor, IL-6, IL-12/23, and TNF-α. Following tumor resection, cytokine levels in a MB patient approached the levels of healthy controls. We identify common features and individual differences in the systemic immune profiles of children with brain tumors. Overall, patients with MB displayed a uniform cytokine profile, whereas other tumor diagnoses did not predict systemic immunological status in single patients. Future characterization and monitoring of systemic immune responses in children with brain tumors will have important implications for the development and implementation of immunotherapy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prism adaptation in the healthy brain: the shift in line bisection judgments is long lasting and fluctuates.

PubMed

Schintu, Selene; Pisella, Laure; Jacobs, Stéphane; Salemme, Romeo; Reilly, Karen T; Farnè, Alessandro

2014-01-01

Rightward prism adaptation has been shown to ameliorate visuospatial biases in right brain-damaged patients with neglect, and a single session of prism adaptation can lead to improvements that last up to several hours. Leftward prism adaptation in neurologically healthy individuals induces neglect-like biases in visuospatial tasks. The duration of these effects in healthy individuals, typically assumed to be ephemeral, has never been investigated. Here we assessed the time-course of the adaptation-induced modifications in a classical perceptual line bisection task that was repeatedly administered for approximately 40min after a single session of adaptation to either a leftward or rightward prismatic deviation. Consistent with previous reports, only adaptation to leftward-deviating prisms induced a visuospatial shift on perceptual line bisection judgments. The typical pattern of pseudoneglect was counteracted by a rightward shift in midline judgments, which became significant between 5 and 10 min after adaptation, fluctuated between being significant or not several times in the 40 min following adaptation, and was present as late as 35 min. In contrast, the sensorimotor aftereffect was present immediately after adaptation to both rightward and leftward deviating prisms, decayed initially then remained stable until 40 min. These results demonstrate that both the sensorimotor and visuospatial effects last for at least 35 min, but that the visuospatial shift needs time to fully develop and fluctuates. By showing that the effects of prism adaptation in the undamaged brain are not ephemeral, these findings reveal the presence of another, so-far neglected dimension in the domain of the cognitive effects induced by prism adaptation, namely time. The prolonged duration of the induced visuospatial shift, previously considered to be a feature of prism adaptation unique to brain-damaged subjects, also applies to the normal brain. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Aging reduces the stimulating effect of blue light on cognitive brain functions.

PubMed

Daneault, Véronique; Hébert, Marc; Albouy, Geneviève; Doyon, Julien; Dumont, Marie; Carrier, Julie; Vandewalle, Gilles

2014-01-01

Light exposure, particularly blue light, is being recognized as a potent mean to stimulate alertness and cognition in young individuals. Aging is associated with changes in alertness regulation and cognition. Whether the effect of light on cognitive brain function changes with aging is unknown, however. Cross-sectional study. Functional Neuroimaging Unit, University of Montreal Geriatric Institute. Sixteen younger (23 ± 4.1 y) and 14 older (61 ± 4.5 y) healthy participants were recruited in the current study. Blue light administration. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to record brain responses to an auditory working memory task in young and older healthy individuals, alternatively maintained in darkness or exposed to blue light. Results show that the older brain remains capable of showing sustained responses to light in several brain areas. However, compared to young individuals, the effect of blue light is decreased in the pulvinar, amygdala, and tegmentum as well as in the insular, prefrontal, and occipital cortices in elderly individuals. The effect of blue light on brain responses diminishes with aging in areas typically involved in visual functions and in key regions for alertness regulation and higher executive processes. Our findings provide the first indications that the effect of light on cognition may be reduced in healthy aging.

Effect of socioeconomic status (SES) disparity on neural development in female African-American infants at age 1 month.

PubMed

Betancourt, Laura M; Avants, Brian; Farah, Martha J; Brodsky, Nancy L; Wu, Jue; Ashtari, Manzar; Hurt, Hallam

2016-11-01

There is increasing interest in both the cumulative and long-term impact of early life adversity on brain structure and function, especially as the brain is both highly vulnerable and highly adaptive during childhood. Relationships between SES and neural development have been shown in children older than age 2 years. Less is known regarding the impact of SES on neural development in children before age 2. This paper examines the effect of SES, indexed by income-to-needs (ITN) and maternal education, on cortical gray, deep gray, and white matter volumes in term, healthy, appropriate for gestational age, African-American, female infants. At 5 weeks postnatal age, unsedated infants underwent MRI (3.0T Siemens Verio scanner, 32-channel head coil). Images were segmented based on a locally constructed template. Utilizing hierarchical linear regression, SES effects on MRI volumes were examined. In this cohort of healthy African-American female infants of varying SES, lower SES was associated with smaller cortical gray and deep gray matter volumes. These SES effects on neural outcome at such a young age build on similar studies of older children, suggesting that the biological embedding of adversity may occur very early in development. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Changes in neurocranium thickness in early childhood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gajawelli, Niharika; Deoni, Sean; Shi, Jie; Xu, Liang; Dirks, Holly; Dean, Douglas; O'Muircheartaigh, Jonathan; Sawardekar, Siddhant; Ezis, Andrea; Nelson, Marvin D.; Wang, Yalin; Lepore, Natasha

2015-12-01

Several developmental disorders involve shape abnormalities of the neurocranium, the most common one being craniosynostosis, that affects about 1 in 2000 infants. A key step in determining how these disorders affect neurodevelopment is to establish how the brain and neurocranium co-evolve in the normally developing child. However, due to the scarcity of normally developing infant and pediatric imaging data, there have been a lack of imaging studies pertaining to normal neurocranial development. Here, taking advantage of a large data bank of high quality brain MRI from healthy children ages 0-4 years old, and of a novel conformal geometry-based analysis pipeline, we have been determining a set of statistical atlases of the neurocranium, divided into age groups. In this first part of the study, we focus more specifically on a comparison of 1 and 2 year old infants. Characterizing neurocranium shape changes will enable us to understand how the cranial bones develop in relation to brain development. This in turn will allow a better determination of the effects of neurocranial disorders, which will help inform treatment strategies.

Development of a hybrid mental speller combining EEG-based brain-computer interface and webcam-based eye-tracking.

PubMed

Lee, Jun-Hak; Lim, Jeong-Hwan; Hwang, Han-Jeong; Im, Chang-Hwan

2013-01-01

The main goal of this study was to develop a hybrid mental spelling system combining a steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) technology and a webcam-based eye-tracker, which utilizes information from the brain electrical activity and eye gaze direction at the same time. In the hybrid mental spelling system, a character decoded using SSVEP was not typed if the position of the selected character was not matched with the eye direction information ('left' or 'right') obtained from the eye-tracker. Thus, the users did not need to correct a misspelled character using a 'BACKSPACE' key. To verify the feasibility of the developed hybrid mental spelling system, we conducted online experiments with ten healthy participants. Each participant was asked to type 15 English words consisting of 68 characters. As a result, 16.6 typing errors could be prevented on average, demonstrating that the implemented hybrid mental spelling system could enhance the practicality of our mental spelling system.

Physiological neuronal decline in healthy aging human brain - An in vivo study with MRI and short echo-time whole-brain (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging.

PubMed

Ding, Xiao-Qi; Maudsley, Andrew A; Sabati, Mohammad; Sheriff, Sulaiman; Schmitz, Birte; Schütze, Martin; Bronzlik, Paul; Kahl, Kai G; Lanfermann, Heinrich

2016-08-15

Knowledge of physiological aging in healthy human brain is increasingly important for neuroscientific research and clinical diagnosis. To investigate neuronal decline in normal aging brain eighty-one healthy subjects aged between 20 and 70years were studied with MRI and whole-brain (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging. Concentrations of brain metabolites N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), total creatine (tCr), myo-inositol (mI), and glutamine+glutamate (Glx) in ratios to internal water, and the fractional volumes of brain tissue were estimated simultaneously in eight cerebral lobes and in cerebellum. Results demonstrated that an age-related decrease in gray matter volume was the largest contribution to changes in brain volume. Both lobar NAA and the fractional volume of gray matter (FVGM) decreased with age in all cerebral lobes, indicating that the decreased NAA was predominantly associated with decreased gray matter volume and neuronal density or metabolic activity. In cerebral white matter Cho, tCr, and mI increased with age in association with increased fractional volume, showing altered cellular membrane turn-over, energy metabolism, and glial activity in human aging white matter. In cerebellum tCr increased while brain tissue volume decreased with age, showing difference to cerebral aging. The observed age-related metabolic and microstructural variations suggest that physiological neuronal decline in aging human brain is associated with a reduction of gray matter volume and neuronal density, in combination with cellular aging in white matter indicated by microstructural alterations and altered energy metabolism in the cerebellum. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural signature of behavioural inhibition in women with bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Skunde, Mandy; Walther, Stephan; Simon, Joe J; Wu, Mudan; Bendszus, Martin; Herzog, Wolfgang; Friederich, Hans-Christoph

2016-08-01

Impaired inhibitory control is considered a behavioural phenotype in patients with bulimia nervosa. However, the underlying neural correlates of impaired general and food-specific behavioural inhibition are largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated brain activation during the performance of behavioural inhibition to general and food-related stimuli in adults with bulimia nervosa. Women with bulimia and healthy control women underwent event-related fMRI while performing a general and a food-specific no-go task. We included 28 women with bulimia nervosa and 29 healthy control women in our study. On a neuronal level, we observed significant group differences in response to general no-go stimuli in women with bulimia nervosa with high symptom severity; compared with healthy controls, the patients showed reduced activation in the right sensorimotor area (postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus) and right dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen). The present results are limited to adult women with bulimia nervosa. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether impaired behavioural inhibition in patients with this disorder are a cause or consequence of chronic illness. Our findings suggest that diminished frontostriatal brain activation in patients with bulimia nervosa contribute to the severity of binge eating symptoms. Gaining further insight into the neural mechanisms of behavioural inhibition problems in individuals with this disorder may inform brain-directed treatment approaches and the development of response inhibition training approaches to improve inhibitory control in patients with bulimia nervosa. The present study does not support greater behavioural and neural impairments to food-specific behavioural inhibition in these patients.

Long term imaging of living brain cancer cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farias, Patricia M. A.; Galembeck, André; Milani, Raquel; Andrade, Arnaldo C. D. S.; Stingl, Andreas

2018-02-01

QDs synthesized in aqueous medium and functionalized with polyethylene glycol were used as fluorescent probes. They label and monitor living healthy and cancer brain glial cells in culture. Physical-chemical characterization was performed. Toxicological studies were performed by in vivo short and long-term inhalation in animal models. Healthy and cancer glial living cells were incubated in culture media with highly controlled QDs. Specific features of glial cancer cells were enhanced by QD labelling. Cytoplasmic labelling pattern was clearly distinct for healthy and cancer cells. Labelled cells kept their normal activity for same period as non-labelled control samples.

Putting age-related task activation into large-scale brain networks: A meta-analysis of 114 fMRI studies on healthy aging.

PubMed

Li, Hui-Jie; Hou, Xiao-Hui; Liu, Han-Hui; Yue, Chun-Lin; Lu, Guang-Ming; Zuo, Xi-Nian

2015-10-01

Normal aging is associated with cognitive decline and underlying brain dysfunction. Previous studies concentrated less on brain network changes at a systems level. Our goal was to examine these age-related changes of fMRI-derived activation with a common network parcellation of the human brain function, offering a systems-neuroscience perspective of healthy aging. We conducted a series of meta-analyses on a total of 114 studies that included 2035 older adults and 1845 young adults. Voxels showing significant age-related changes in activation were then overlaid onto seven commonly referenced neuronal networks. Older adults present moderate cognitive decline in behavioral performance during fMRI scanning, and hypo-activate the visual network and hyper-activate both the frontoparietal control and default mode networks. The degree of increased activation in frontoparietal network was associated with behavioral performance in older adults. Age-related changes in activation present different network patterns across cognitive domains. The systems neuroscience approach used here may be useful for elucidating the underlying network mechanisms of various brain plasticity processes during healthy aging. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Assessing brain volume changes in older women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: a brain magnetic resonance imaging pilot study.

PubMed

Chen, Bihong T; Sethi, Sean K; Jin, Taihao; Patel, Sunita K; Ye, Ningrong; Sun, Can-Lan; Rockne, Russell C; Haacke, E Mark; Root, James C; Saykin, Andrew J; Ahles, Tim A; Holodny, Andrei I; Prakash, Neal; Mortimer, Joanne; Waisman, James; Yuan, Yuan; Somlo, George; Li, Daneng; Yang, Richard; Tan, Heidi; Katheria, Vani; Morrison, Rachel; Hurria, Arti

2018-05-02

Cognitive decline is among the most feared treatment-related outcomes of older adults with cancer. The majority of older patients with breast cancer self-report cognitive problems during and after chemotherapy. Prior neuroimaging research has been performed mostly in younger patients with cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate longitudinal changes in brain volumes and cognition in older women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Women aged ≥ 60 years with stage I-III breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. All participants underwent neuropsychological testing with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox for Cognition and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to chemotherapy, and again around one month after the last infusion of chemotherapy. Brain volumes were measured using Neuroreader™ software. Longitudinal changes in brain volumes and neuropsychological scores were analyzed utilizing linear mixed models. A total of 16 patients with breast cancer (mean age 67.0, SD 5.39 years) and 14 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls (mean age 67.8, SD 5.24 years) were included: 7 patients received docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (TC) and 9 received chemotherapy regimens other than TC (non-TC). There were no significant differences in segmented brain volumes between the healthy control group and the chemotherapy group pre-chemotherapy (p > 0.05). Exploratory hypothesis generating analyses focusing on the effect of the chemotherapy regimen demonstrated that the TC group had greater volume reduction in the temporal lobe (change = - 0.26) compared to the non-TC group (change = 0.04, p for interaction = 0.02) and healthy controls (change = 0.08, p for interaction = 0.004). Similarly, the TC group had a decrease in oral reading recognition scores (change = - 6.94) compared to the non-TC group (change = - 1.21, p for interaction = 0.07) and healthy controls (change = 0.09, p for interaction = 0.02). There were no significant differences in segmented brain volumes between the healthy control group and the chemotherapy group; however, exploratory analyses demonstrated a reduction in both temporal lobe volume and oral reading recognition scores among patients on the TC regimen. These results suggest that different chemotherapy regimens may have differential effects on brain volume and cognition. Future, larger studies focusing on older adults with cancer on different treatment regimens are needed to confirm these findings. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01992432 . Registered on 25 November 2013. Retrospectively registered.

Functional MRI follow-up study of language processes in healthy subjects and during recovery in a case of aphasia.

PubMed

Fernandez, Bruno; Cardebat, Dominique; Demonet, Jean-François; Joseph, Pierre Alain; Mazaux, Jean-Michel; Barat, Michel; Allard, Michèle

2004-09-01

The goal of this study was to develop a functional MRI (fMRI) paradigm robust and reproducible enough in healthy subjects to be adapted for a follow-up study aiming at evaluating the anatomical substratum of recovery in poststroke aphasia. Ten right-handed subjects were studied longitudinally using fMRI (7 of them being scanned twice) and compared with a patient with conduction aphasia during the first year of stroke recovery. Controls exhibited reproducible activation patterns between subjects and between sessions during language tasks. In contrast, the patient exhibited dynamic changes in brain activation pattern, particularly in the phonological task, during the 2 fMRI sessions. At 1 month after stroke, language homotopic right areas were recruited, whereas large perilesional left involvement occurred later (12 months). We first demonstrate intersubject robustness and intrasubject reproducibility of our paradigm in 10 healthy subjects and thus its validity in a patient follow-up study over a stroke recovery time course. Indeed, results suggest a spatiotemporal poststroke brain reorganization involving both hemispheres during the recovery course, with an early implication of a new contralateral functional neural network and a later implication of an ipsilateral one.

Systematic behavioural observation of executive performance after brain injury.

PubMed

Lewis, Mark W; Babbage, Duncan R; Leathem, Janet M

2017-01-01

To develop an ecologically valid measure of executive functioning (i.e. Planning and Organization, Executive Memory, Initiation, Cognitive Shifting, Impulsivity, Sustained and Directed Attention, Error Detection, Error Correction and Time Management) during a functional chocolate brownie cooking task. In Study 1, the inter-rater reliability of a novel behavioural observation assessment method was assessed with 10 people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In Study 2, 27 people with TBI and 16 healthy controls completed the functional task along with other measures of executive functioning to assess validity. Intraclass correlation coefficients for six of the nine aspects of executive functioning ranged from .54 to 1.00. Percentage agreements for the remaining aspects ranged from 70% to 90%. Significant and non-significant, moderate, correlations were found between the functional cooking task and standard neuropsychological measures. The healthy control group performed better than the TBI group in six areas (d = 0.56 to 1.23). In this initial trial of a novel assessment method, adequate inter-rater reliability was found. The measure was associated with standard neuropsychological measures, and our healthy control group performed better than the TBI group. The measure appears to be an ecologically valid measure of executive functioning.

Caudate responses to reward anticipation associated with delay discounting behavior in healthy youth

PubMed Central

Benningfield, Margaret M.; Blackford, Jennifer U.; Ellsworth, Melissa E.; Samanez-Larkin, Gregory R.; Martin, Peter R.; Cowan, Ronald L.; Zald, David H.

2014-01-01

Background Choices requiring delay of gratification made during adolescence can have significant impact on life trajectory. Willingness to delay gratification can be measured using delay discounting tasks that require a choice between a smaller immediate reward and a larger delayed reward. Individual differences in the subjective value of delayed rewards are associated with risk for development of psychopathology including substance abuse. The neurobiological underpinnings related to these individual differences early in life are not fully understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we tested the hypothesis that individual differences in delay discounting behavior in healthy youth are related to differences in responsiveness to potential reward. Method Nineteen 10 to 14 year-olds performed a monetary incentive delay task to assess neural sensitivity to potential reward and a questionnaire to measure discounting of future monetary rewards. Results Left ventromedial caudate activation during anticipation of potential reward was negatively correlated with delay discounting behavior. There were no regions where brain responses during notification of reward outcome were associated with discounting behavior. Conclusions Brain activation during anticipation of potential reward may serve as a marker for individual differences in ability or willingness to delay gratification in healthy youth. PMID:24309299

Memory in multiple sclerosis is linked to glutamate concentration in grey matter regions

PubMed Central

Muhlert, Nils; Atzori, Matteo; De Vita, Enrico; Thomas, David L; Samson, Rebecca S; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A M; Geurts, Jeroen J G; Miller, David H; Thompson, Alan J; Ciccarelli, Olga

2014-01-01

Objective Glutamate is the principal excitatory neurotransmitter and is involved in normal brain function. Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), and understanding its mechanisms is crucial for developing effective treatments. We used structural and metabolic brain imaging to test two hypotheses: (i) glutamate levels in grey matter regions are abnormal in MS, and (ii) patients show a relationship between glutamate concentration and memory performance. Methods Eighteen patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 17 healthy controls were cognitively assessed and underwent 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 T to assess glutamate levels in the hippocampus, thalamus, cingulate and parietal cortices. Regression models investigated the association between glutamate concentration and memory performance independently of magnetisation transfer ratio values and grey matter lesions withint he same regions, and whole-brain grey matter volume. Results Patients had worse visual and verbal memory than controls. A positive relationship between glutamate levels in the hippocampal, thalamic and cingulate regions and visuospatial memory was detected in patients, but not in healthy controls. Conclusions The relationship between memory and glutamate concentration, which is unique to MS patients, suggests the reliance of memory on glutamatergic systems in MS. PMID:24431465

The (Possibly Negative) Effects of Physical Activity on Executive Functions: Implications of the Changing Metabolic Costs of Brain Development.

PubMed

Howard, Steven J; Cook, Caylee J; Said-Mohamed, Rihlat; Norris, Shane A; Draper, Catherine E

2016-09-01

An area of growth in physical activity research has involved investigating effects of physical activity on children's executive functions. Many of these efforts seek to increase the energy expenditure of young children as a healthy and low-cost way to affect physical, health, and cognitive outcomes. We review theory and research from neuroscience and evolutionary biology, which suggest that interventions seeking to increase the energy expenditure of young children must also consider the energetic trade-offs that occur to accommodate changing metabolic costs of brain development. According to Life History Theory, and supported by recent evidence, the high relative energy-cost of early brain development requires that other energy-demanding functions of development (ie, physical growth, activity) be curtailed. This is important for interventions seeking to dramatically increase the energy expenditure of young children who have little excess energy available, with potentially negative cognitive consequences. Less energy-demanding physical activities, in contrast, may yield psychosocial and cognitive benefits while not overburdening an underweight child's already scarce energy supply. While further research is required to establish the extent to which increases in energy-demanding physical activities may compromise or displace energy available for brain development, we argue that action cannot await these findings.

A correlative optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy approach to locating nanoparticles in brain tumors.

PubMed

Kempen, Paul J; Kircher, Moritz F; de la Zerda, Adam; Zavaleta, Cristina L; Jokerst, Jesse V; Mellinghoff, Ingo K; Gambhir, Sanjiv S; Sinclair, Robert

2015-01-01

The growing use of nanoparticles in biomedical applications, including cancer diagnosis and treatment, demands the capability to exactly locate them within complex biological systems. In this work a correlative optical and scanning electron microscopy technique was developed to locate and observe multi-modal gold core nanoparticle accumulation in brain tumor models. Entire brain sections from mice containing orthotopic brain tumors injected intravenously with nanoparticles were imaged using both optical microscopy to identify the brain tumor, and scanning electron microscopy to identify the individual nanoparticles. Gold-based nanoparticles were readily identified in the scanning electron microscope using backscattered electron imaging as bright spots against a darker background. This information was then correlated to determine the exact location of the nanoparticles within the brain tissue. The nanoparticles were located only in areas that contained tumor cells, and not in the surrounding healthy brain tissue. This correlative technique provides a powerful method to relate the macro- and micro-scale features visible in light microscopy with the nanoscale features resolvable in scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visual artistic creativity and the brain.

PubMed

Heilman, Kenneth M; Acosta, Lealani Mae

2013-01-01

Creativity is the development of a new or novel understanding--insight that leads to the expression of orderly relationships (e.g., finding and revealing the thread that unites). Visual artistic creativity plays an important role in the quality of human lives, and the goal of this chapter is to describe some of the brain mechanisms that may be important in visual artistic creativity. The initial major means of learning how the brain mediates any activity is to understand the anatomy and physiology that may support these processes. A further understanding of specific cognitive activities and behaviors may be gained by studying patients who have diseases of the brain and how these diseases influence these functions. Physiological recording such as electroencephalography and brain imaging techniques such as PET and fMRI have also allowed us to gain a better understanding of the brain mechanisms important in visual creativity. In this chapter, we discuss anatomic and physiological studies, as well as neuropsychological studies of healthy artists and patients with neurological disease that have helped us gain some insight into the brain mechanisms that mediate artistic creativity. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

White Matter Volume Predicts Language Development in Congenital Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Rollins, Caitlin K.; Asaro, Lisa A.; Akhondi-Asl, Alireza; Kussman, Barry D.; Rivkin, Michael J.; Bellinger, David C.; Warfield, Simon K.; Wypij, David; Newburger, Jane W.; Soul, Janet S.

2016-01-01

Objective To determine whether brain volume is reduced at one year and whether these volumes are associated with neurodevelopment in biventricular congenital heart disease (CHD) repaired in infancy. Study design Infants with biventricular CHD (n = 48) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurodevelopmental testing with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI) at one year. A multi-template based probabilistic segmentation algorithm was applied to volumetric MRI data. We compared volumes with those of 13 healthy control infants of comparable ages. In the CHD group, we measured Spearman correlations between neurodevelopmental outcomes and the residuals from linear regression of the volumes on corrected chronological age at MRI and sex. Results Compared with controls, CHD infant had reductions of 54 mL in total brain (P = 0.009), 40 mL in cerebral white matter (P < 0.001), and 1.2 mL in brainstem (P = 0.003) volumes. Within the CHD group, brain volumes were not correlated with BSID-II scores but did correlate positively with CDI language development. Conclusion Infants with biventricular CHD show total brain volume reductions at one year of age, driven by differences in cerebral white matter. White matter volume correlates with language development, but not broader developmental indices. These findings suggest that abnormalities in white matter development detected months after corrective heart surgery may contribute to language impairment. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00006183 PMID:27837950

Quantifying cortical development in typically developing toddlers and young children, 1-6 years of age.

PubMed

Remer, Justin; Croteau-Chonka, Elise; Dean, Douglas C; D'Arpino, Sara; Dirks, Holly; Whiley, Dannielle; Deoni, Sean C L

2017-06-01

Cortical maturation, including age-related changes in thickness, volume, surface area, and folding (gyrification), play a central role in developing brain function and plasticity. Further, abnormal cortical maturation is a suspected substrate in various behavioral, intellectual, and psychiatric disorders. However, in order to characterize the altered development associated with these disorders, appreciation of the normative patterns of cortical development in neurotypical children between 1 and 6 years of age, a period of peak brain development during which many behavioral and developmental disorders emerge, is necessary. To this end, we examined measures of cortical thickness, surface area, mean curvature, and gray matter volume across 34 bilateral regions in a cohort of 140 healthy children devoid of major risk factors for abnormal development. From these data, we observed linear, logarithmic, and quadratic patterns of change with age depending on brain region. Cortical thinning, ranging from 10% to 20%, was observed throughout most of the brain, with the exception of posterior brain structures, which showed initial cortical thinning from 1 to 5 years, followed by thickening. Cortical surface area expansion ranged from 20% to 108%, and cortical curvature varied by 1-20% across the investigated age range. Right-left hemisphere asymmetry was observed across development for each of the 4 cortical measures. Our results present new insight into the normative patterns of cortical development across an important but under studied developmental window, and provide a valuable reference to which trajectories observed in neurodevelopmental disorders may be compared. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regional brain activation/deactivation during word generation in schizophrenia: fMRI study.

PubMed

John, John P; Halahalli, Harsha N; Vasudev, Mandapati K; Jayakumar, Peruvumba N; Jain, Sanjeev

2011-03-01

Examination of the brain regions that show aberrant activations and/or deactivations during semantic word generation could pave the way for a better understanding of the neurobiology of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. To examine the pattern of functional magnetic resonance imaging blood oxygen level dependent activations and deactivations during semantic word generation in schizophrenia. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 24 participants with schizophrenia and 24 matched healthy controls during an overt, paced, 'semantic category word generation' condition and a baseline 'word repetition' condition that modelled all the lead-in/associated processes involved in the performance of the generation task. The brain regions activated during word generation in healthy individuals were replicated with minimal redundancies in participants with schizophrenia. The individuals with schizophrenia showed additional activations of temporo-parieto-occipital cortical regions as well as subcortical regions, despite significantly poorer behavioural performance than the healthy participants. Importantly, the extensive deactivations in other brain regions during word generation in healthy individuals could not be replicated in those with schizophrenia. More widespread activations and deficient deactivations in the poorly performing participants with schizophrenia may reflect an inability to inhibit competing cognitive processes, which in turn could constitute the core information-processing deficit underlying impaired word generation in schizophrenia.

The Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 Ser704Cys polymorphism and brain neurodevelopmental markers in schizophrenia and healthy subjects.

PubMed

Takahashi, Tsutomu; Nakamura, Mihoko; Nakamura, Yukako; Aleksic, Branko; Kido, Mikio; Sasabayashi, Daiki; Takayanagi, Yoichiro; Furuichi, Atsushi; Nishikawa, Yumiko; Noguchi, Kyo; Ozaki, Norio; Suzuki, Michio

2015-01-02

Increasing evidence has implicated the role of Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1), a potential susceptibility gene for schizophrenia, in early neurodevelopmental processes. However, the effect of its genotype variation on brain morphologic changes related to neurodevelopmental abnormalities in schizophrenia remains largely unknown. This magnetic resonance imaging study examined the association between DISC1 Ser704Cys polymorphism and a range of brain neurodevelopmental markers [cavum septi pellucidi (CSP), adhesio interthalamica (AI), olfactory sulcus depth, and sulcogyral pattern (Types I, II, III, and IV) in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)] in an all Japanese sample of 75 schizophrenia patients and 87 healthy controls. The Cys carriers had significantly larger CSP than the Ser homozygotes for both schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. The Cys carriers also exhibited a reduction in the Type I pattern of the right OFC in the healthy controls, but not in the schizophrenia patients. The DISC1 Ser704Cys polymorphism did not affect the AI and olfactory sulcus depth in either group. These results suggested a possible role of the DISC1 genotype in the early neurodevelopment of human brains, but failed to show its specific role in the neurodevelopmental pathology of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation among body height, intelligence, and brain gray matter volume in healthy children.

PubMed

Taki, Yasuyuki; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Sassa, Yuko; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Asano, Michiko; Asano, Kohei; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nouchi, Rui; Wu, Kai; Fukuda, Hiroshi; Kawashima, Ryuta

2012-01-16

A significant positive correlation between height and intelligence has been demonstrated in children. Additionally, intelligence has been associated with the volume of gray matter in the brains of children. Based on these correlations, we analyzed the correlation among height, full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) and gray matter volume applying voxel-based morphometry using data from the brain magnetic resonance images of 160 healthy children aged 5-18 years of age. As a result, body height was significantly positively correlated with brain gray matter volume. Additionally, the regional gray matter volume of several regions such as the bilateral prefrontal cortices, temporoparietal region, and cerebellum was significantly positively correlated with body height and that the gray matter volume of several of these regions was also significantly positively correlated with full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) scores after adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Our results demonstrate that gray and white matter volume may mediate the correlation between body height and intelligence in healthy children. Additionally, the correlations among gray and white matter volume, height, and intelligence may be at least partially explained by the effect of insulin-like growth factor-1 and growth hormones. Given the importance of the effect of environmental factors, especially nutrition, on height, IQ, and gray matter volume, the present results stress the importance of nutrition during childhood for the healthy maturation of body and brain. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The independent influences of age and education on functional brain networks and cognition in healthy older adults.

PubMed

Perry, Alistair; Wen, Wei; Kochan, Nicole A; Thalamuthu, Anbupalam; Sachdev, Perminder S; Breakspear, Michael

2017-10-01

Healthy aging is accompanied by a constellation of changes in cognitive processes and alterations in functional brain networks. The relationships between brain networks and cognition during aging in later life are moderated by demographic and environmental factors, such as prior education, in a poorly understood manner. Using multivariate analyses, we identified three latent patterns (or modes) linking resting-state functional connectivity to demographic and cognitive measures in 101 cognitively normal elders. The first mode (P = 0.00043) captures an opposing association between age and core cognitive processes such as attention and processing speed on functional connectivity patterns. The functional subnetwork expressed by this mode links bilateral sensorimotor and visual regions through key areas such as the parietal operculum. A strong, independent association between years of education and functional connectivity loads onto a second mode (P = 0.012), characterized by the involvement of key hub regions. A third mode (P = 0.041) captures weak, residual brain-behavior relations. Our findings suggest that circuits supporting lower level cognitive processes are most sensitive to the influence of age in healthy older adults. Education, and to a lesser extent, executive functions, load independently onto functional networks-suggesting that the moderating effect of education acts upon networks distinct from those vulnerable with aging. This has important implications in understanding the contribution of education to cognitive reserve during healthy aging. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5094-5114, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A genome-wide supported psychiatric risk variant in NCAN influences brain function and cognitive performance in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Raum, Heidelore; Dietsche, Bruno; Nagels, Arne; Witt, Stephanie H; Rietschel, Marcella; Kircher, Tilo; Krug, Axel

2015-01-01

The A allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1064395 in the NCAN gene has recently been identified as a susceptibility factor for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. NCAN encodes neurocan, a brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that is thought to influence neuronal adhesion and migration. Several lines of research suggest an impact of NCAN on neurocognitive functioning. In the present study, we investigated the effects of rs1064395 genotype on neural processing and cognitive performance in healthy subjects. Brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an overt semantic verbal fluency task in 110 healthy subjects who were genotyped for the NCAN SNP rs1064395. Participants additionally underwent comprehensive neuropsychological testing. Whole brain analyses revealed that NCAN risk status, defined as AA or AG genotype, was associated with a lack of task-related deactivation in a large left lateral temporal cluster extending from the middle temporal gyrus to the temporal pole. Regarding neuropsychological measures, risk allele carriers demonstrated poorer immediate and delayed verbal memory performance when compared to subjects with GG genotype. Better verbal memory performance was significantly associated with greater deactivation of the left temporal cluster during the fMRI task in subjects with GG genotype. The current data demonstrate that common genetic variation in NCAN influences both neural processing and cognitive performance in healthy subjects. Our study provides new evidence for a specific genetic influence on human brain function. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Just Say Know: Talking with Kids about Drugs and Alcohol.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, Cynthia; Swartzwelder, Scott; Wilson, Wilkie

This book offers suggestions on how to guide children to develop a healthy respect for their bodies and brains in order to avoid the lure of drugs. The information provided is designed to enable parents and teachers to speak knowledgeably and effectively about drugs with their children and students. The first chapter focuses on how to communicate…

Different Neural Patterns Are Associated with Trials Preceding Inhibitory Errors in Children with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinelli, Simona; Joel, Suresh; Nelson, Tess E.; Vasa, Roma A.; Pekar, James J.; Mostofsky, Stewart H.

2011-01-01

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with difficulty inhibiting impulsive, hyperactive, and off-task behavior. However, no studies have examined whether a distinct pattern of brain activity precedes inhibitory errors in typically developing (TD) children and children with ADHD. In healthy adults, increased…

Positive Association between Cognitive Ability and Cortical Thickness in a Representative US Sample of Healthy 6 to 18 Year-Olds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karama, S.; Ad-Dab'bagh, Y.; Haier, R. J.; Deary, I. J.; Lyttelton, O. C.; Lepage, C.; Evans, A. C.

2009-01-01

Neuroimaging studies, using various modalities, have evidenced a link between the general intelligence factor (g) and regional brain function and structure in several multimodal association areas. While in the last few years, developments in computational neuroanatomy have made possible the "in vivo" quantification of cortical thickness, the…

Diet and gender influences on processing and discrimination of speech sounds in 3 and 6 month-old infants: A developmental ERP study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although early post-natal nutrition influences later development, there are no studies comparing brain function in healthy infants fed the three major infant diets (breast milk, milk-based and soy-based formula) even though these diets differ significantly in nutrient composition. We have studied br...

Parsing brain activity with fMRI and mixed designs: what kind of a state is neuroimaging in?

PubMed

Donaldson, David I

2004-08-01

Neuroimaging is often pilloried for providing little more than pretty pictures that simply show where activity occurs in the brain. Strong critics (notably Uttal) have even argued that neuroimaging is nothing more than a modern day version of phrenology: destined to fail, and fundamentally uninformative. Here, I make the opposite case, arguing that neuroimaging is in a vibrant and healthy state of development. As recent investigations of memory illustrate, when used well, neuroimaging goes beyond asking 'where' activity is occurring, to ask questions concerned more with 'what' functional role the activity reflects.

Brain-Based Learning. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Karen

2005-01-01

What does brain-based research say about how adolescents learn? The 1990s was declared as the Decade of the Brain by President Bush and Congress. With the advancement of MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imagining) and PET (positron emission tomography) scans, it has become much easier to study live healthy brains. As a result, the concept of…

Hemispheric lateralization of topological organization in structural brain networks.

PubMed

Caeyenberghs, Karen; Leemans, Alexander

2014-09-01

The study on structural brain asymmetries in healthy individuals plays an important role in our understanding of the factors that modulate cognitive specialization in the brain. Here, we used fiber tractography to reconstruct the left and right hemispheric networks of a large cohort of 346 healthy participants (20-86 years) and performed a graph theoretical analysis to investigate this brain laterality from a network perspective. Findings revealed that the left hemisphere is significantly more "efficient" than the right hemisphere, whereas the right hemisphere showed higher values of "betweenness centrality" and "small-worldness." In particular, left-hemispheric networks displayed increased nodal efficiency in brain regions related to language and motor actions, whereas the right hemisphere showed an increase in nodal efficiency in brain regions involved in memory and visuospatial attention. In addition, we found that hemispheric networks decrease in efficiency with age. Finally, we observed significant gender differences in measures of global connectivity. By analyzing the structural hemispheric brain networks, we have provided new insights into understanding the neuroanatomical basis of lateralized brain functions. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sleep Promotes Consolidation of Emotional Memory in Healthy Children but Not in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Prehn-Kristensen, Alexander; Munz, Manuel; Molzow, Ina; Wilhelm, Ines; Wiesner, Christian D.; Baving, Lioba

2013-01-01

Fronto-limbic brain activity during sleep is believed to support the consolidation of emotional memories in healthy adults. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is accompanied by emotional deficits coincidently caused by dysfunctional interplay of fronto-limbic circuits. This study aimed to examine the role of sleep in the consolidation of emotional memory in ADHD in the context of healthy development. 16 children with ADHD, 16 healthy children, and 20 healthy adults participated in this study. Participants completed an emotional picture recognition paradigm in sleep and wake control conditions. Each condition had an immediate (baseline) and delayed (target) retrieval session. The emotional memory bias was baseline–corrected, and groups were compared in terms of sleep-dependent memory consolidation (sleep vs. wake). We observed an increased sleep-dependent emotional memory bias in healthy children compared to children with ADHD and healthy adults. Frontal oscillatory EEG activity (slow oscillations, theta) during sleep correlated negatively with emotional memory performance in children with ADHD. When combining data of healthy children and adults, correlation coefficients were positive and differed from those in children with ADHD. Since children displayed a higher frontal EEG activity than adults these data indicate a decline in sleep-related consolidation of emotional memory in healthy development. In addition, it is suggested that deficits in sleep-related selection between emotional and non-emotional memories in ADHD exacerbate emotional problems during daytime as they are often reported in ADHD. PMID:23734235

Non-invasive brain stimulation can induce paradoxical facilitation. Are these neuroenhancements transferable and meaningful to security services?

PubMed Central

Levasseur-Moreau, Jean; Brunelin, Jerome; Fecteau, Shirley

2013-01-01

For ages, we have been looking for ways to enhance our physical and cognitive capacities in order to augment our security. One potential way to enhance our capacities may be to externally stimulate the brain. Methods of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), have been recently developed to modulate brain activity. Both techniques are relatively safe and can transiently modify motor and cognitive functions outlasting the stimulation period. The purpose of this paper is to review data suggesting that NIBS can enhance motor and cognitive performance in healthy volunteers. We frame these findings in the context of whether they may serve security purposes. Specifically, we review studies reporting that NIBS induces paradoxical facilitation in motor (precision, speed, strength, acceleration endurance, and execution of daily motor task) and cognitive functions (attention, impulsive behavior, risk-taking, working memory, planning, and deceptive capacities). Although transferability and meaningfulness of these NIBS-induced paradoxical facilitations into real-life situations are not clear yet, NIBS may contribute at improving training of motor and cognitive functions relevant for military, civil, and forensic security services. This is an enthusiastic perspective that also calls for fair and open debates on the ethics of using NIBS in healthy individuals to enhance normal functions. PMID:23966923

Dual role of cerebral blood flow in regional brain temperature control in the healthy newborn infant.

PubMed

Iwata, Sachiko; Tachtsidis, Ilias; Takashima, Sachio; Matsuishi, Toyojiro; Robertson, Nicola J; Iwata, Osuke

2014-10-01

Small shifts in brain temperature after hypoxia-ischaemia affect cell viability. The main determinants of brain temperature are cerebral metabolism, which contributes to local heat production, and brain perfusion, which removes heat. However, few studies have addressed the effect of cerebral metabolism and perfusion on regional brain temperature in human neonates because of the lack of non-invasive cot-side monitors. This study aimed (i) to determine non-invasive monitoring tools of cerebral metabolism and perfusion by combining near-infrared spectroscopy and echocardiography, and (ii) to investigate the dependence of brain temperature on cerebral metabolism and perfusion in unsedated newborn infants. Thirty-two healthy newborn infants were recruited. They were studied with cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy, echocardiography, and a zero-heat flux tissue thermometer. A surrogate of cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured using superior vena cava flow adjusted for cerebral volume (rSVC flow). The tissue oxygenation index, fractional oxygen extraction (FOE), and the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen relative to rSVC flow (CMRO₂ index) were also estimated. A greater rSVC flow was positively associated with higher brain temperatures, particularly for superficial structures. The CMRO₂ index and rSVC flow were positively coupled. However, brain temperature was independent of FOE and the CMRO₂ index. A cooler ambient temperature was associated with a greater temperature gradient between the scalp surface and the body core. Cerebral oxygen metabolism and perfusion were monitored in newborn infants without using tracers. In these healthy newborn infants, cerebral perfusion and ambient temperature were significant independent variables of brain temperature. CBF has primarily been associated with heat removal from the brain. However, our results suggest that CBF is likely to deliver heat specifically to the superficial brain. Further studies are required to assess the effect of cerebral metabolism and perfusion on regional brain temperature in low-cardiac output conditions, fever, and with therapeutic hypothermia. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Abnormal rich club organization and functional brain dynamics in schizophrenia.

PubMed

van den Heuvel, Martijn P; Sporns, Olaf; Collin, Guusje; Scheewe, Thomas; Mandl, René C W; Cahn, Wiepke; Goñi, Joaquín; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E; Kahn, René S

2013-08-01

The human brain forms a large-scale structural network of regions and interregional pathways. Recent studies have reported the existence of a selective set of highly central and interconnected hub regions that may play a crucial role in the brain's integrative processes, together forming a central backbone for global brain communication. Abnormal brain connectivity may have a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. To examine the structure of the rich club in schizophrenia and its role in global functional brain dynamics. Structural diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were performed in patients with schizophrenia and matched healthy controls. Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Forty-eight patients and 45 healthy controls participated in the study. An independent replication data set of 41 patients and 51 healthy controls was included to replicate and validate significant findings. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURES: Measures of rich club organization, connectivity density of rich club connections and connections linking peripheral regions to brain hubs, measures of global brain network efficiency, and measures of coupling between brain structure and functional dynamics. Rich club organization between high-degree hub nodes was significantly affected in patients, together with a reduced density of rich club connections predominantly comprising the white matter pathways that link the midline frontal, parietal, and insular hub regions. This reduction in rich club density was found to be associated with lower levels of global communication capacity, a relationship that was absent for other white matter pathways. In addition, patients had an increase in the strength of structural connectivity-functional connectivity coupling. Our findings provide novel biological evidence that schizophrenia is characterized by a selective disruption of brain connectivity among central hub regions of the brain, potentially leading to reduced communication capacity and altered functional brain dynamics.

Measurement of brain perfusion in newborns: Pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) versus pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL)

PubMed Central

Boudes, Elodie; Gilbert, Guillaume; Leppert, Ilana Ruth; Tan, Xianming; Pike, G. Bruce; Saint-Martin, Christine; Wintermark, Pia

2014-01-01

Background Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be useful for identifying asphyxiated newborns at risk of developing brain injury, whether or not therapeutic hypothermia was administered. However, this technique has been only rarely used in newborns until now, because of the challenges to obtain sufficient signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatial resolution in newborns. Objective To compare two methods of ASL-PWI (i.e., single inversion-time pulsed arterial spin labeling [single TI PASL], and pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling [pCASL]) to assess brain perfusion in asphyxiated newborns treated with therapeutic hypothermia and in healthy newborns. Design/methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of term asphyxiated newborns meeting the criteria for therapeutic hypothermia; four additional healthy term newborns were also included as controls. Each of the enrolled newborns was scanned at least once during the first month of life. Each MRI scan included conventional anatomical imaging, as well as PASL and pCASL PWI-MRI. Control and labeled images were registered separately to reduce the effect of motion artifacts. For each scan, the axial slice at the level of the basal ganglia was used for comparisons. Each scan was scored for its image quality. Quantification of whole-slice cerebral blood flow (CBF) was done afterwards using previously described formulas. Results A total number of 61 concomitant PASL and pCASL scans were obtained in nineteen asphyxiated newborns treated with therapeutic hypothermia and four healthy newborns. After discarding the scans with very poor image quality, 75% (46/61) remained for comparison between the two ASL methods. pCASL images presented a significantly superior image quality score compared to PASL images (p < 0.0001). Strong correlation was found between the CBF measured by PASL and pCASL (r = 0.61, p < 0.0001). Conclusion This study demonstrates that both ASL methods are feasible to assess brain perfusion in healthy and sick newborns. However, pCASL might be a better choice over PASL in newborns, as pCASL perfusion maps had a superior image quality that allowed a more detailed identification of the different brain structures. PMID:25379424

BrainNet Viewer: a network visualization tool for human brain connectomics.

PubMed

Xia, Mingrui; Wang, Jinhui; He, Yong

2013-01-01

The human brain is a complex system whose topological organization can be represented using connectomics. Recent studies have shown that human connectomes can be constructed using various neuroimaging technologies and further characterized using sophisticated analytic strategies, such as graph theory. These methods reveal the intriguing topological architectures of human brain networks in healthy populations and explore the changes throughout normal development and aging and under various pathological conditions. However, given the huge complexity of this methodology, toolboxes for graph-based network visualization are still lacking. Here, using MATLAB with a graphical user interface (GUI), we developed a graph-theoretical network visualization toolbox, called BrainNet Viewer, to illustrate human connectomes as ball-and-stick models. Within this toolbox, several combinations of defined files with connectome information can be loaded to display different combinations of brain surface, nodes and edges. In addition, display properties, such as the color and size of network elements or the layout of the figure, can be adjusted within a comprehensive but easy-to-use settings panel. Moreover, BrainNet Viewer draws the brain surface, nodes and edges in sequence and displays brain networks in multiple views, as required by the user. The figure can be manipulated with certain interaction functions to display more detailed information. Furthermore, the figures can be exported as commonly used image file formats or demonstration video for further use. BrainNet Viewer helps researchers to visualize brain networks in an easy, flexible and quick manner, and this software is freely available on the NITRC website (www.nitrc.org/projects/bnv/).

White Matter Volume Predicts Language Development in Congenital Heart Disease.

PubMed

Rollins, Caitlin K; Asaro, Lisa A; Akhondi-Asl, Alireza; Kussman, Barry D; Rivkin, Michael J; Bellinger, David C; Warfield, Simon K; Wypij, David; Newburger, Jane W; Soul, Janet S

2017-02-01

To determine whether brain volume is reduced at 1 year of age and whether these volumes are associated with neurodevelopment in biventricular congenital heart disease (CHD) repaired in infancy. Infants with biventricular CHD (n = 48) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurodevelopmental testing with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories at 1 year of age. A multitemplate based probabilistic segmentation algorithm was applied to volumetric MRI data. We compared volumes with those of 13 healthy control infants of comparable ages. In the group with CHD, we measured Spearman correlations between neurodevelopmental outcomes and the residuals from linear regression of the volumes on corrected chronological age at MRI and sex. Compared with controls, infants with CHD had reductions of 54 mL in total brain (P = .009), 40 mL in cerebral white matter (P <.001), and 1.2 mL in brainstem (P = .003) volumes. Within the group with CHD, brain volumes were not correlated with Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II scores but did correlate positively with MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory language development. Infants with biventricular CHD show total brain volume reductions at 1 year of age, driven by differences in cerebral white matter. White matter volume correlates with language development, but not broader developmental indices. These findings suggest that abnormalities in white matter development detected months after corrective heart surgery may contribute to language impairment. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00006183. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determination of regional brain temperature using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess brain-body temperature differences in healthy human subjects.

PubMed

Childs, Charmaine; Hiltunen, Yrjö; Vidyasagar, Rishma; Kauppinen, Risto A

2007-01-01

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) was used to determine brain temperature in healthy volunteers. Partially water-suppressed (1)H MRS data sets were acquired at 3T from four different gray matter (GM)/white matter (WM) volumes. Brain temperatures were determined from the chemical-shift difference between the CH(3) of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) at 2.01 ppm and water. Brain temperatures in (1)H MRS voxels of 2 x 2 x 2 cm(3) showed no substantial heterogeneity. The volume-averaged temperature from single-voxel spectroscopy was compared with body temperatures obtained from the oral cavity, tympanum, and temporal artery regions. The mean brain parenchyma temperature was 0.5 degrees C cooler than readings obtained from three extra-brain sites (P < 0.01). (1)H MRS imaging (MRSI) data were acquired from a slice encompassing the single-voxel volumes to assess the ability of spectroscopic imaging to determine regional brain temperature within the imaging slice. Brain temperature away from the center of the brain determined by MRSI differed from that obtained by single-voxel MRS in the same brain region, possibly due to a poor line width (LW) in MRSI. The data are discussed in the light of proposed brain-body temperature gradients and the use of (1)H MRSI to monitor brain temperature in pathologies, such as brain trauma.

Brain functional network abnormality extends beyond the sensorimotor network in brachial plexus injury patients.

PubMed

Feng, Jun-Tao; Liu, Han-Qiu; Hua, Xu-Yun; Gu, Yu-Dong; Xu, Jian-Guang; Xu, Wen-Dong

2016-12-01

Brachial plexus injury (BPI) is a type of severe peripheral nerve trauma that leads to central remodeling in the brain, as revealed by functional MRI analysis. However, previously reported remodeling is mostly restricted to sensorimotor areas of the brain. Whether this disturbance in the sensorimotor network leads to larger-scale functional remodeling remains unknown. We sought to explore the higher-level brain functional abnormality pattern of BPI patients from a large-scale network function connectivity dimension in 15 right-handed BPI patients. Resting-state functional MRI data were collected and analyzed using independent component analysis methods. Five components of interest were recognized and compared between patients and healthy subjects. Patients showed significantly altered brain local functional activities in the bilateral fronto-parietal network (FPN), sensorimotor network (SMN), and executive-control network (ECN) compared with healthy subjects. Moreover, functional connectivity between SMN and ECN were significantly less in patients compared with healthy subjects, and connectivity strength between ECN and SMN was negatively correlated with patients' residual function of the affected limb. Functional connectivity between SMN and right FPN were also significantly less than in controls, although connectivity between ECN and default mode network (DMN) was greater than in controls. These data suggested that brain functional disturbance in BPI patients extends beyond the sensorimotor network and cascades serial remodeling in the brain, which significantly correlates with residual hand function of the paralyzed limb. Furthermore, functional remodeling in these higher-level functional networks may lead to cognitive alterations in complex tasks.

Sleep Duration and Age-Related Changes in Brain Structure and Cognitive Performance

PubMed Central

Lo, June C.; Loh, Kep Kee; Zheng, Hui; Sim, Sam K.Y.; Chee, Michael W.L.

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate the contribution of sleep duration and quality to age-related changes in brain structure and cognitive performance in relatively healthy older adults. Design: Community-based longitudinal brain and cognitive aging study using a convenience sample. Setting: Participants were studied in a research laboratory. Participants: Relatively healthy adults aged 55 y and older at study commencement. Interventions: N/A. Measurements and Results: Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological assessment every 2 y. Subjective assessments of sleep duration and quality and blood samples were obtained. Each hour of reduced sleep duration at baseline augmented the annual expansion rate of the ventricles by 0.59% (P = 0.007) and the annual decline rate in global cognitive performance by 0.67% (P = 0.050) in the subsequent 2 y after controlling for the effects of age, sex, education, and body mass index. In contrast, global sleep quality at baseline did not modulate either brain or cognitive aging. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, showed no correlation with baseline sleep duration, brain structure, or cognitive performance. Conclusions: In healthy older adults, short sleep duration is associated with greater age-related brain atrophy and cognitive decline. These associations are not associated with elevated inflammatory responses among short sleepers. Citation: Lo JC, Loh KK, Zheng H, Sim SK, Chee MW. Sleep duration and age-related changes in brain structure and cognitive performance. SLEEP 2014;37(7):1171-1178. PMID:25061245

Disrupted Cerebro-cerebellar Intrinsic Functional Connectivity in Young Adults with High-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Data-driven, Whole-brain, High Temporal Resolution fMRI Study.

PubMed

Arnold Anteraper, Sheeba; Guell, Xavier; D'Mello, Anila; Joshi, Neha; Whitfield-Gabrieli, Susan; Joshi, Gagan

2018-06-13

To examine the resting-state functional-connectivity (RsFc) in young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) using state-of-the-art fMRI data acquisition and analysis techniques. Simultaneous multi-slice, high temporal resolution fMRI acquisition; unbiased whole-brain connectome-wide multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) techniques for assessing RsFc; and post-hoc whole-brain seed-to-voxel analyses using MVPA results as seeds. MVPA revealed two clusters of abnormal connectivity in the cerebellum. Whole-brain seed-based functional connectivity analyses informed by MVPA-derived clusters showed significant under connectivity between the cerebellum and social, emotional, and language brain regions in the HF-ASD group compared to healthy controls. The results we report are coherent with existing structural, functional, and RsFc literature in autism, extend previous literature reporting cerebellar abnormalities in the neuropathology of autism, and highlight the cerebellum as a potential target for therapeutic, diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic developments in ASD. The description of functional connectivity abnormalities using whole-brain, data-driven analyses as reported in the present study may crucially advance the development of ASD biomarkers, targets for therapeutic interventions, and neural predictors for measuring treatment response.

Structural Brain Atlases: Design, Rationale, and Applications in Normal and Pathological Cohorts

PubMed Central

Mandal, Pravat K.; Mahajan, Rashima; Dinov, Ivo D.

2015-01-01

Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides anatomical information about the brain in healthy as well as in diseased conditions. On the other hand, functional MRI (fMRI) provides information on the brain activity during performance of a specific task. Analysis of fMRI data requires the registration of the data to a reference brain template in order to identify the activated brain regions. Brain templates also find application in other neuroimaging modalities, such as diffusion tensor imaging and multi-voxel spectroscopy. Further, there are certain differences (e.g., brain shape and size) in the brains of populations of different origin and during diseased conditions like in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), population and disease-specific brain templates may be considered crucial for accurate registration and subsequent analysis of fMRI as well as other neuroimaging data. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of the history, construction and application of brain atlases. A chronological outline of the development of brain template design, starting from the Talairach and Tournoux atlas to the Chinese brain template (to date), along with their respective detailed construction protocols provides the backdrop to this manuscript. The manuscript also provides the automated workflow-based protocol for designing a population-specific brain atlas from structural MRI data using LONI Pipeline graphical workflow environment. We conclude by discussing the scope of brain templates as a research tool and their application in various neuroimaging modalities. PMID:22647262

Pleiotropic Contribution of MECOM and AVPR1A to Aggression and Subcortical Brain Volumes

PubMed Central

van Donkelaar, Marjolein M. J.; Hoogman, Martine; Pappa, Irene; Tiemeier, Henning; Buitelaar, Jan K.; Franke, Barbara; Bralten, Janita

2018-01-01

Reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression have been recognized to help parse etiological heterogeneity of this complex phenotype. With a heritability of about 50%, genetic factors play a role in the development of aggressive behavior. Imaging studies implicate brain structures related to social behavior in aggression etiology, most notably the amygdala and striatum. This study aimed to gain more insight into the pathways from genetic risk factors for aggression to aggression phenotypes. To this end, we conducted genome-wide gene-based cross-trait meta-analyses of aggression with the volumes of amygdala, nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus to identify genes influencing both aggression and aggression-related brain volumes. We used data of large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of: (a) aggressive behavior in children and adolescents (EAGLE, N = 18,988); and (b) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based volume measures of aggression-relevant subcortical brain regions (ENIGMA2, N = 13,171). Second, the identified genes were further investigated in a sample of healthy adults (mean age (SD) = 25.28 (4.62) years; 43% male) who had genome-wide genotyping data and questionnaire data on aggression subtypes available (Brain Imaging Genetics, BIG, N = 501) to study their effect on reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression. Our meta-analysis identified two genes, MECOM and AVPR1A, significantly associated with both aggression risk and nucleus accumbens (MECOM) and amygdala (AVPR1A) brain volume. Subsequent in-depth analysis of these genes in healthy adults (BIG), including sex as an interaction term in the model, revealed no significant subtype-specific gene-wide associations. Using cross-trait meta-analysis of brain measures and psychiatric phenotypes, this study generated new hypotheses about specific links between genes, the brain and behavior. Results indicate that MECOM and AVPR1A may exert an effect on aggression through mechanisms involving nucleus accumbens and amygdala volumes, respectively. PMID:29666571

Orientation-modulated attention effect on visual evoked potential: Application for PIN system using brain-computer interface.

PubMed

Wilaiprasitporn, Theerawit; Yagi, Tohru

2015-01-01

This research demonstrates the orientation-modulated attention effect on visual evoked potential. We combined this finding with our previous findings about the motion-modulated attention effect and used the result to develop novel visual stimuli for a personal identification number (PIN) application based on a brain-computer interface (BCI) framework. An electroencephalography amplifier with a single electrode channel was sufficient for our application. A computationally inexpensive algorithm and small datasets were used in processing. Seven healthy volunteers participated in experiments to measure offline performance. Mean accuracy was 83.3% at 13.9 bits/min. Encouraged by these results, we plan to continue developing the BCI-based personal identification application toward real-time systems.

Individual diversity of functional brain network economy.

PubMed

Hahn, Andreas; Kranz, Georg S; Sladky, Ronald; Ganger, Sebastian; Windischberger, Christian; Kasper, Siegfried; Lanzenberger, Rupert

2015-04-01

On average, brain network economy represents a trade-off between communication efficiency, robustness, and connection cost, although an analogous understanding on an individual level is largely missing. Evaluating resting-state networks of 42 healthy participants with seven Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory revealed that not even half of all possible connections were common across subjects. The strongest similarities among individuals were observed for interhemispheric and/or short-range connections, which may relate to the essential feature of the human brain to develop specialized systems within each hemisphere. Despite this marked variability in individual network architecture, all subjects exhibited equal small-world properties. Furthermore, interdependency between four major network economy metrics was observed across healthy individuals. The characteristic path length was associated with the clustering coefficient (peak correlation r=0.93), the response to network attacks (r=-0.97), and the physical connection cost in three-dimensional space (r=-0.62). On the other hand, clustering was negatively related to attack response (r=-0.75) and connection cost (r=-0.59). Finally, increased connection cost was associated with better response to attacks (r=0.65). This indicates that functional brain networks with high global information transfer also exhibit strong network resilience. However, it seems that these advantages come at the cost of decreased local communication efficiency and increased physical connection cost. Except for wiring length, the results were replicated on a subsample at three Tesla (n=20). These findings highlight the finely tuned interrelationships between different parameters of brain network economy. Moreover, the understanding of the individual diversity of functional brain network economy may provide further insights in the vulnerability to mental and neurological disorders.

Task-dependent activity and connectivity predict episodic memory network-based responses to brain stimulation in healthy aging

PubMed Central

Vidal-Piñeiro, Dídac; Martin-Trias, Pablo; Arenaza-Urquijo, Eider M.; Sala-Llonch, Roser; Mena-Sánchez, Isaias; Bargalló, Núria; Falcón, Carles; Pascual-Leone, Álvaro; Bartrés-Faz, David

2015-01-01

Background Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can affect episodic memory, one of the main cognitive hallmarks of aging, but the mechanisms of action remain unclear. Objectives To evaluate the behavioral and functional impact of excitatory TMS in a group of healthy elders. Methods We applied a paradigm of repetitive TMS -intermittent theta-burst stimulation- over left inferior frontal gyrus in healthy elders (n=24) and evaluated its impact on the performance of an episodic memory task with two levels of processing and the associated brain activity as captured by a pre and post fMRI scans. Results In the post-TMS fMRI we found TMS-related activity increases in left prefrontal and cerebellum-occipital areas specifically during deep encoding but not during shallow encoding or at rest. Furthermore, we found a task-dependent change in connectivity during the encoding task between cerebellum-occipital areas and the TMS-targeted left inferior frontal region. This connectivity change correlated with the TMS effects over brain networks. Conclusions The results suggest that the aged brain responds to brain stimulation in a state-dependent manner as engaged by different tasks components and that TMS effect is related to inter-individual connectivity changes measures. These findings reveal fundamental insights into brain network dynamics in aging and the capacity to probe them with combined behavioral and stimulation approaches. PMID:24485466

[Alterations of brain network efficiency in patients with post-concussion syndrome].

PubMed

Peng, Nan; Qian, Ruobing; Fu, Xianming; Li, Shunli; Kang, Zhiqiang; Lin, Bin; Ji, Xuebing; Wei, Xiangpin; Niu, Chaoshi; Wang, Yehan

2015-07-07

To discuss the alterations of brain network efficiency in patients with post-concussion syndrome. A total of 23 patients from Anhui Provincial Hospital in the period from 2013/6 to 2014/3 who have had the concussion for 3 months were enrolled and 23 volunteers paired in sex, age and education were also enrolled as healthy controls. Comparisons of selective attention of both groups were conducted using Stroop Word-Color Test. The data of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in both groups were collected and the data were dealt with Network Construction which is a part of GRETNA software to obtain the Matrix of brain network. Network analysis was used to obtain Global and Nodal efficiency, then independent t-test was used for statistical analyses of the value of Global and Nodal efficiency. The difference in Global efficiency of two groups in every threshold value had no statistical significance. Compared with healthy controls, the Nodal efficiencies in patients with post-concussion syndrome were significantly different in the brain regions as below: left orbital middle frontal gyrus, left posterior cingulate, left lingual, left thalamus, left superior temporal gyrus, right anterior cingulate, right posterior cingulate, right supramarginalgyrus. Compared with healthy controls, there is no significant changes of Globe efficiency in patients with post-concussion syndrome, and the brain function deficits in these patients may be caused by changes of Nodal efficiency in their brain network.

Task-dependent activity and connectivity predict episodic memory network-based responses to brain stimulation in healthy aging.

PubMed

Vidal-Piñeiro, Dídac; Martin-Trias, Pablo; Arenaza-Urquijo, Eider M; Sala-Llonch, Roser; Clemente, Imma C; Mena-Sánchez, Isaias; Bargalló, Núria; Falcón, Carles; Pascual-Leone, Álvaro; Bartrés-Faz, David

2014-01-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can affect episodic memory, one of the main cognitive hallmarks of aging, but the mechanisms of action remain unclear. To evaluate the behavioral and functional impact of excitatory TMS in a group of healthy elders. We applied a paradigm of repetitive TMS - intermittent theta-burst stimulation - over left inferior frontal gyrus in healthy elders (n = 24) and evaluated its impact on the performance of an episodic memory task with two levels of processing and the associated brain activity as captured by a pre and post fMRI scans. In the post-TMS fMRI we found TMS-related activity increases in left prefrontal and cerebellum-occipital areas specifically during deep encoding but not during shallow encoding or at rest. Furthermore, we found a task-dependent change in connectivity during the encoding task between cerebellum-occipital areas and the TMS-targeted left inferior frontal region. This connectivity change correlated with the TMS effects over brain networks. The results suggest that the aged brain responds to brain stimulation in a state-dependent manner as engaged by different tasks components and that TMS effect is related to inter-individual connectivity changes measures. These findings reveal fundamental insights into brain network dynamics in aging and the capacity to probe them with combined behavioral and stimulation approaches. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variability in memory performance in aged healthy individuals: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Grön, Georg; Bittner, Daniel; Schmitz, Bernd; Wunderlich, Arthur P; Tomczak, Reinhard; Riepe, Matthias W

2003-01-01

Episodic memory performance varies in older subjects but underlying biological correlates remain as yet ambiguous. We investigated episodic memory in healthy older individuals (n=24; mean age: 64.4+/-6.7 years) without subjective memory complaints or objective cognitive impairment. Episodic memory was assessed with repetitive learning and recall of abstract geometric patterns during fMRI. Group analysis of brain activity during initial learning and maximum recall revealed hippocampal activation. Correlation analysis of brain activation and task performance demonstrated significant hippocampal activity during initial learning and maximum recall in a success-dependent manner. Neither age nor gray matter densities correlated with hippocampal activation. Functional imaging of episodic memory thus permits to detect objectively variability in hippocampal recruitment in healthy aged individuals without subjective memory complaints. Correlation analysis of brain activation and performance during an episodic memory task may be used to determine and follow-up hippocampal malfunction in a very sensitive manner.

Structural magnetic resonance imaging in patients with first-episode schizophrenia, psychotic and severe non-psychotic depression and healthy controls. Results of the schizophrenia and affective psychoses (SAP) project.

PubMed

Salokangas, R K R; Cannon, T; Van Erp, T; Ilonen, T; Taiminen, T; Karlsson, H; Lauerma, H; Leinonen, K M; Wallenius, E; Kaljonen, A; Syvälahti, E; Vilkman, H; Alanen, A; Hietala, J

2002-09-01

Structural brain abnormalities are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affective disorders. To study how regional brain volumes and their ratios differ between patients with schizophrenia, psychotic depression, severe non-psychotic depression and healthy controls. Magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain on first-episode patients and on healthy controls. Patients with schizophrenia had a smaller left frontal grey matter volume than the other three groups. Patients with psychotic depression had larger ventricular and posterior sulcal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes than controls. Patients with depression had larger white matter volumes than the other patients. Left frontal lobe, especially its grey matter volume, seems to be specifically reduced in first-episode schizophrenia. Enlarged cerebral ventricles and sulcal CSF volumes are prevalent in psychotic depression. Preserved or expanded white matter is typical of non-psychotic depression.

Brain-heart linear and nonlinear dynamics during visual emotional elicitation in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Valenza, G; Greco, A; Gentili, C; Lanata, A; Toschi, N; Barbieri, R; Sebastiani, L; Menicucci, D; Gemignani, A; Scilingo, E P

2016-08-01

This study investigates brain-heart dynamics during visual emotional elicitation in healthy subjects through linear and nonlinear coupling measures of EEG spectrogram and instantaneous heart rate estimates. To this extent, affective pictures including different combinations of arousal and valence levels, gathered from the International Affective Picture System, were administered to twenty-two healthy subjects. Time-varying maps of cortical activation were obtained through EEG spectral analysis, whereas the associated instantaneous heartbeat dynamics was estimated using inhomogeneous point-process linear models. Brain-Heart linear and nonlinear coupling was estimated through the Maximal Information Coefficient (MIC), considering EEG time-varying spectra and point-process estimates defined in the time and frequency domains. As a proof of concept, we here show preliminary results considering EEG oscillations in the θ band (4-8 Hz). This band, indeed, is known in the literature to be involved in emotional processes. MIC highlighted significant arousal-dependent changes, mediated by the prefrontal cortex interplay especially occurring at intermediate arousing levels. Furthermore, lower and higher arousing elicitations were associated to not significant brain-heart coupling changes in response to pleasant/unpleasant elicitations.

Probiotics drive gut microbiome triggering emotional brain signatures.

PubMed

Bagga, Deepika; Reichert, Johanna Louise; Koschutnig, Karl; Aigner, Christoph Stefan; Holzer, Peter; Koskinen, Kaisa; Eichinger, Christine Moissl; Schöpf, Veronika

2018-05-03

Experimental manipulation of the gut microbiome was found to modify emotional and cognitive behavior, neurotransmitter expression and brain function in rodents, but corresponding human data remain scarce. The present double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised study aimed at investigating the effects of 4 weeks' probiotic administration on behavior, brain function and gut microbial composition in healthy volunteers. Forty-five healthy participants divided equally into three groups (probiotic, placebo and no intervention) underwent functional MRI (emotional decision-making and emotional recognition memory tasks). In addition, stool samples were collected to investigate the gut microbial composition. Probiotic administration for 4 weeks was associated with changes in brain activation patterns in response to emotional memory and emotional decision-making tasks, which were also accompanied by subtle shifts in gut microbiome profile. Microbiome composition mirrored self-reported behavioral measures and memory performance. This is the first study reporting a distinct influence of probiotic administration at behavioral, neural, and microbiome levels at the same time in healthy volunteers. The findings provide a basis for future investigations into the role of the gut microbiota and potential therapeutic application of probiotics.

L1-associated genomic regions are deleted in somatic cells of the healthy human brain.

PubMed

Erwin, Jennifer A; Paquola, Apuã C M; Singer, Tatjana; Gallina, Iryna; Novotny, Mark; Quayle, Carolina; Bedrosian, Tracy A; Alves, Francisco I A; Butcher, Cheyenne R; Herdy, Joseph R; Sarkar, Anindita; Lasken, Roger S; Muotri, Alysson R; Gage, Fred H

2016-12-01

The healthy human brain is a mosaic of varied genomes. Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) retrotransposition is known to create mosaicism by inserting L1 sequences into new locations of somatic cell genomes. Using a machine learning-based, single-cell sequencing approach, we discovered that somatic L1-associated variants (SLAVs) are composed of two classes: L1 retrotransposition insertions and retrotransposition-independent L1-associated variants. We demonstrate that a subset of SLAVs comprises somatic deletions generated by L1 endonuclease cutting activity. Retrotransposition-independent rearrangements in inherited L1s resulted in the deletion of proximal genomic regions. These rearrangements were resolved by microhomology-mediated repair, which suggests that L1-associated genomic regions are hotspots for somatic copy number variants in the brain and therefore a heritable genetic contributor to somatic mosaicism. We demonstrate that SLAVs are present in crucial neural genes, such as DLG2 (also called PSD93), and affect 44-63% of cells of the cells in the healthy brain.

Resting-state fMRI study of patients with fragile X syndrome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isanova, E.; Petrovskiy, E.; Savelov, A.; Yudkin, D.; Tulupov, A.

2017-08-01

The study aimed to assess the neural activity of different brain regions in patients with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and the healthy volunteers by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a 1.5 T MRI Achieva scanner (Philips). Results: The fMRI study showed a DMN of brain function in patients with FXS, as well as in the healthy volunteers. Furthermore, it was found that a default mode network of the brain in patients with FXS and healthy volunteers does not have statistically significant differences (p>0.05), which may indicate that the basal activity of neurons in patients with FXS is not reduced. In addition, we have found a significant (p<0.001) increase in the FC within the right inferior parietal and right angular gyrus in the resting state in patients with FXS. Conclusion: New data of functional status of the brain in patients with FXS were received. The significant increase in the resting state functional connectivity within the right inferior parietal and right angular gyrus (p<0.001) in patients with FXS was found.

[MRI for brain structure and function in patients with first-episode panic disorder].

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Duan, Lian; Liao, Mei; Yang, Fan; Liu, Jun; Shan, Baoci; Li, Lingjiang

2011-12-01

To determine the brain function and structure in patinets with first-episode panic disorder (PD). All subjects (24 PD patients and 24 healthy subjects) received MRI scan and emotional counting Stroop task during the functional magnetic resonance imaging. Blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometric technology were used to detect the gray matter volume. Compared with the healthy controls, left thalamus, left medial frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, left insula (panic-related words vs. neutral words) lacked activation in PD patients, but the over-activation were found in right brain stem, right occipital lobe/lingual gyrus in PD patients. Compared with the healthy controls, the gray matter volume in the PD patients significantly decreased in the left superior temporal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus, left medial occipital gyrus, dorsomedial nucleus of left thalamus and right anterior cingulate gyrus. There was no significantly increased gray matter volume in any brain area in PD patients. PD patients have selective attentional bias in processing threatening information due to the depression and weakening of the frontal cingulated gyrus.

Blood-brain barrier-supported neurogenesis in healthy and diseased brain.

PubMed

Pozhilenkova, Elena A; Lopatina, Olga L; Komleva, Yulia K; Salmin, Vladimir V; Salmina, Alla B

2017-05-24

Adult neurogenesis is one of the most important mechanisms contributing to brain development, learning, and memory. Alterations in neurogenesis underlie a wide spectrum of brain diseases. Neurogenesis takes place in highly specialized neurogenic niches. The concept of neurogenic niches is becoming widely accepted due to growing evidence of the important role of the microenvironment established in the close vicinity to stem cells in order to provide adequate control of cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Neurogenic niches represent the platform for tight integration of neurogenesis and angiogenesis supported by specific properties of cerebral microvessel endothelial cells contributing to establishment of partially compromised blood-brain barrier (BBB) for the adjustment of local conditions to the current metabolic needs of stem and progenitor cells. Here, we review up-to-date data on microvascular dynamics in activity-dependent neurogenesis, specific properties of BBB in neurogenic niches, endothelial-driven mechanisms of clonogenic activity, and future perspectives for reconstructing the neurogenic niches in vitro.

Diagnostic accuracy of tablet-based software for the detection of concussion.

PubMed

Yang, Suosuo; Flores, Benjamin; Magal, Rotem; Harris, Kyrsti; Gross, Jonathan; Ewbank, Amy; Davenport, Sasha; Ormachea, Pablo; Nasser, Waleed; Le, Weidong; Peacock, W Frank; Katz, Yael; Eagleman, David M

2017-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), there are few rapid and straightforward tests to improve its assessment. To this end, we developed a tablet-based software battery ("BrainCheck") for concussion detection that is well suited to sports, emergency department, and clinical settings. This article is a study of the diagnostic accuracy of BrainCheck. We administered BrainCheck to 30 TBI patients and 30 pain-matched controls at a hospital Emergency Department (ED), and 538 healthy individuals at 10 control test sites. We compared the results of the tablet-based assessment against physician diagnoses derived from brain scans, clinical examination, and the SCAT3 test, a traditional measure of TBI. We found consistent distributions of normative data and high test-retest reliability. Based on these assessments, we defined a composite score that distinguishes TBI from non-TBI individuals with high sensitivity (83%) and specificity (87%). We conclude that our testing application provides a rapid, portable testing method for TBI.

Coordination of gene expression of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid cascade enzymes during human brain development and aging.

PubMed

Ryan, Veronica H; Primiani, Christopher T; Rao, Jagadeesh S; Ahn, Kwangmi; Rapoport, Stanley I; Blanchard, Helene

2014-01-01

The polyunsaturated arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids (AA and DHA) participate in cell membrane synthesis during neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, and neurotransmission throughout life. Each is metabolized via coupled enzymatic reactions within separate but interacting metabolic cascades. AA and DHA pathway genes are coordinately expressed and underlie cascade interactions during human brain development and aging. The BrainCloud database for human non-pathological prefrontal cortex gene expression was used to quantify postnatal age changes in mRNA expression of 34 genes involved in AA and DHA metabolism. Expression patterns were split into Development (0 to 20 years) and Aging (21 to 78 years) intervals. Expression of genes for cytosolic phospholipases A2 (cPLA2), cyclooxygenases (COX)-1 and -2, and other AA cascade enzymes, correlated closely with age during Development, less so during Aging. Expression of DHA cascade enzymes was less inter-correlated in each period, but often changed in the opposite direction to expression of AA cascade genes. Except for the PLA2G4A (cPLA2 IVA) and PTGS2 (COX-2) genes at 1q25, highly inter-correlated genes were at distant chromosomal loci. Coordinated age-related gene expression during the brain Development and Aging intervals likely underlies coupled changes in enzymes of the AA and DHA cascades and largely occur through distant transcriptional regulation. Healthy brain aging does not show upregulation of PLA2G4 or PTGS2 expression, which was found in Alzheimer's disease.

Gene expression in the aging human brain: an overview.

PubMed

Mohan, Adith; Mather, Karen A; Thalamuthu, Anbupalam; Baune, Bernhard T; Sachdev, Perminder S

2016-03-01

The review aims to provide a summary of recent developments in the study of gene expression in the aging human brain. Profiling differentially expressed genes or 'transcripts' in the human brain over the course of normal aging has provided valuable insights into the biological pathways that appear activated or suppressed in late life. Genes mediating neuroinflammation and immune system activation in particular, show significant age-related upregulation creating a state of vulnerability to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease in the aging brain. Cellular ionic dyshomeostasis and age-related decline in a host of molecular influences on synaptic efficacy may underlie neurocognitive decline in later life. Critically, these investigations have also shed light on the mobilization of protective genetic responses within the aging human brain that help determine health and disease trajectories in older age. There is growing interest in the study of pre and posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression, and the role of noncoding RNAs in particular, as mediators of the phenotypic diversity that characterizes human brain aging. Gene expression studies in healthy brain aging offer an opportunity to unravel the intricately regulated cellular underpinnings of neurocognitive aging as well as disease risk and resiliency in late life. In doing so, new avenues for early intervention in age-related neurodegenerative disease could be investigated with potentially significant implications for the development of disease-modifying therapies.

Innate immunity and cellular senescence: The good and the bad in the developmental and aged brain.

PubMed

Santoro, Antonietta; Spinelli, Chiara Carmela; Martucciello, Stefania; Nori, Stefania Lucia; Capunzo, Mario; Puca, Annibale Alessandro; Ciaglia, Elena

2018-03-01

Ongoing studies evidence cellular senescence in undifferentiated and specialized cells from tissues of all ages. Although it is believed that senescence plays a wider role in several stress responses in the mature age, its participation in certain physiological and pathological processes throughout life is coming to light. The "senescence machinery" has been observed in all brain cell populations, including components of innate immunity (e.g., microglia and astrocytes). As the beneficial versus detrimental implications of senescence is an open question, we aimed to analyze the contribution of immune responses in regulatory mechanisms governing its distinct functions in healthy (development, organogenesis, danger patrolling events) and diseased brain (glioma, neuroinflammation, neurodeneration), and the putative connection between cellular and molecular events governing the 2 states. Particularly this review offers new insights into the complex roles of senescence both as a chronological event as age advances, and as a molecular mechanism of brain homeostasis through the important contribution of innate immune responses and their crosstalk with neighboring cells in brain parenchyma. We also highlight the impact of the recently described glymphatic system and brain lymphatic vasculature in the interplay between peripheral and central immune surveillance and its potential implication during aging. This will open new ways to understand brain development, its deterioration during aging, and the occurrence of several oncological and neurodegenerative diseases. ©2018 Society for Leukocyte Biology.

Caloric restriction impedes age-related decline of mitochondrial function and neuronal activity

PubMed Central

Lin, Ai-Ling; Coman, Daniel; Jiang, Lihong; Rothman, Douglas L; Hyder, Fahmeed

2014-01-01

Caloric restriction (CR) prolongs lifespan and retards many detrimental effects of aging, but its effect on brain mitochondrial function and neuronal activity—especially in healthy aging—remains unexplored. Here we measured rates of neuronal glucose oxidation and glutamate–glutamine neurotransmitter cycling in young control, old control (i.e., healthy aging), and old CR rats using in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We found that, compared with the young control, neuronal energy production and neurotransmission rates were significantly reduced in healthy aging, but were preserved in old CR rats. The results suggest that CR mitigated the age-related deceleration of brain physiology. PMID:24984898

Brain Connectivity Alterations Are Associated with the Development of Dementia in Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Bertrand, Josie-Anne; McIntosh, Anthony R; Postuma, Ronald B; Kovacevic, Natasha; Latreille, Véronique; Panisset, Michel; Chouinard, Sylvain; Gagnon, Jean-François

2016-04-01

Dementia affects a high proportion of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and poses a burden on caregivers and healthcare services. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a common nonevasive and nonexpensive technique that can easily be used in clinical settings to identify brain functional abnormalities. Only few studies had identified EEG abnormalities that can predict PD patients at higher risk for dementia. Brain connectivity EEG measures, such as multiscale entropy (MSE) and phase-locking value (PLV) analyses, may be more informative and sensitive to brain alterations leading to dementia than previously used methods. This study followed 62 dementia-free PD patients for a mean of 3.4 years to identify cerebral alterations that are associated with dementia. Baseline resting state EEG of patients who developed dementia (N = 18) was compared to those of patients who remained dementia-free (N = 44) and of 37 healthy subjects. MSE and PLV analyses were performed. Partial least squares statistical analysis revealed group differences associated with the development of dementia. Patients who developed dementia showed higher signal complexity and lower PLVs in low frequencies (mainly in delta frequency) than patients who remained dementia-free and controls. Conversely, both patient groups showed lower signal variability and higher PLVs in high frequencies (mainly in gamma frequency) compared to controls, with the strongest effect in patients who developed dementia. These findings suggest that specific disruptions of brain communication can be measured before PD patients develop dementia, providing a new potential marker to identify patients at highest risk of developing dementia and who are the best candidates for neuroprotective trials.

Disruption of White Matter Integrity in Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Tumors: Correlates with Long-Term Intellectual Outcomes.

PubMed

King, Tricia Z; Wang, Liya; Mao, Hui

2015-01-01

Although chemotherapy and radiation treatment have contributed to increased survivorship, treatment-induced brain injury has been a concern when examining long-term intellectual outcomes of survivors. Specifically, disruption of brain white matter integrity and its relationship to intellectual outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors needs to be better understood. Fifty-four participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging in addition to structural MRI and an intelligence test (IQ). Voxel-wise group comparisons of fractional anisotropy calculated from DTI data were performed using Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) on 27 survivors (14 treated with radiation with and without chemotherapy and 13 treated without radiation treatment on average over 13 years since diagnosis) and 27 healthy comparison participants. Whole brain white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) differences were explored between each group. The relationships between IQ and FA in the regions where statistically lower FA values were found in survivors were examined, as well as the role of cumulative neurological factors. The group of survivors treated with radiation with and without chemotherapy had lower IQ relative to the group of survivors without radiation treatment and the healthy comparison group. TBSS identified white matter regions with significantly different mean fractional anisotropy between the three different groups. A lower level of white matter integrity was found in the radiation with or without chemotherapy treated group compared to the group without radiation treatment and also the healthy control group. The group without radiation treatment had a lower mean FA relative to healthy controls. The white matter disruption of the radiation with or without chemotherapy treated survivors was positively correlated with IQ and cumulative neurological factors. Lower long-term intellectual outcomes of childhood brain tumor survivors are associated with lower white matter integrity. Radiation and adjunct chemotherapy treatment may play a role in greater white matter disruption. The relationships between white matter integrity and IQ, as well as cumulative neurological risk factors exist in young adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.

Polygenic risk for depression and the neural correlates of working memory in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Yüksel, Dilara; Dietsche, Bruno; Forstner, Andreas J; Witt, Stephanie H; Maier, Robert; Rietschel, Marcella; Konrad, Carsten; Nöthen, Markus M; Dannlowski, Udo; Baune, Bernhard T; Kircher, Tilo; Krug, Axel

2017-10-03

Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients show impairments of cognitive functioning such as working memory (WM), and furthermore alterations during WM-fMRI tasks especially in frontal and parietal brain regions. The calculation of a polygenic risk score (PRS) can be used to describe the genetic influence on MDD, hence imaging genetic studies aspire to combine both genetics and neuroimaging data to identify the influence of genetic factors on brain functioning. We aimed to detect the effect of MDD-PRS on brain activation during a WM task measured with fMRI and expect healthy individuals with a higher PRS to be more resembling to MDD patients. In total, n=137 (80 men, 57 women, aged 34.5, SD=10.4years) healthy subjects performed a WM n-back task [0-back (baseline), 2-back and 3-back condition] in a 3T-MRI-tomograph. The sample was genotyped using the Infinium PsychArray BeadChip and a polygenic risk score was calculated for MDD using PGC MDD GWAS results. A lower MDD risk score was associated with increased activation in the bilateral middle occipital gyri (MOG), the bilateral middle frontal gyri (MFG) and the right precentral gyrus (PCG) during the 2-back vs. baseline condition. Moreover, a lower PRS was associated with increased brain activation during the 3-back vs. baseline condition in the bilateral cerebellum, the right MFG and the left inferior parietal lobule. A higher polygenic risk score was associated with hyperactivation in brain regions comprising the right MFG and the right supplementary motor area during the 3-back vs. 2-back condition. The results suggest that part of the WM-related brain activation patterns might be explained by genetic variants captured by the MDD-PRS. Furthermore we were able to detect MDD-associated activation patterns in healthy individuals depending on the MDD-PRS and the task complexity. Additional gene loci could contribute to these task-dependent brain activation patterns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early primary biliary cholangitis is characterised by brain abnormalities on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Grover, V P B; Southern, L; Dyson, J K; Kim, J U; Crossey, M M E; Wylezinska-Arridge, M; Patel, N; Fitzpatrick, J A; Bak-Bol, A; Waldman, A D; Alexander, G J; Mells, G F; Chapman, R W; Jones, D E J; Taylor-Robinson, S D

2016-11-01

Brain change can occur in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), potentially as a result of cholestatic and/or inflammatory processes. This change is linked to systemic symptoms of fatigue and cognitive impairment. To identify whether brain change occurs early in PBC. If the change develops early and is progressive, it may explain the difficulty in treating these symptoms. Early disease brain change was explored in 13 patients with newly diagnosed biopsy-proven precirrhotic PBC using magnetisation transfer, diffusion-weighted imaging and 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results were compared to 17 healthy volunteers. Cerebral magnetisation transfer ratios were reduced in early PBC, compared to healthy volunteers, in the thalamus, putamen and head of caudate with no greater reduction in patients with greater symptom severity. Mean apparent diffusion coefficients were increased in the thalamus only. No 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy abnormalities were seen. Serum manganese levels were elevated in all PBC patients, but no relationship was seen with imaging or symptom parameters. There were no correlations between neuroimaging data, laboratory data, symptom severity scores or age. This is the first study to be performed in this precirrhotic patient population, and we have highlighted that neuroimaging changes are present at a much earlier stage than previously demonstrated. The neuroimaging abnormalities suggest that the brain changes seen in PBC occur early in the pathological process, even before significant liver damage has occurred. If such changes are linked to symptom pathogenesis, this could have important implications for the timing of second-line-therapy use. © 2016 The Authors. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health-related quality of life and emotional problems in children surviving brain tumor treatment: A descriptive study of 2 cohorts.

PubMed

Dessens, Arianne B; van Herwerden, Michael C; Aarsen, Femke K; Birnie, Erwin; Catsman-Berrevoets, Coriene E

2016-08-01

The survival of childhood brain tumors has improved in the past 30 years, but acquired brain injury due to damage caused by tumor invasion and side effects of different treatment modalities frequently occurs. This study focused on residual impairments, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and emotional and behavioral problems in 2 cohorts of survivors diagnosed and treated for various types of brain tumors. Survivors in the 2004 cohort visited the Erasmus Medical Centre for standardized follow-up between 2003 and 2004, and in the 2014 cohort, between 2012 and 2014. Data of neurologically impairments of all children were extracted from medical records. Parents and survivors filled out questionnaires on quality of life and emotional and behavioral problems. In both cohorts, approximately 55% of the survivors displayed neurologic impairments. In comparison with the healthy reference group, a reduced parent-reported quality of life was found on the Motor, Cognition, and Autonomy (Cohort 2004) scales. Comparison between the cohorts showed that parents in the 2004 cohort reported a higher HRQoL on the Motor and Cognitive functioning scales. In the 2014 cohort, children reported less negative emotions than healthy children. No increase in emotional or behavioral problems were reported by children in both cohorts, whereas parents reported problems in social functioning and isolation related to a delay in emotional development. Children surviving brain tumor treatment have a reduced quality of life. The authors therefore recommend regular screening of HRQoL and emotional and behavioral problems and referral to specific aftercare.

Investigation of the electric field distribution in the human brain based on MRI and EEG data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kistenev, Yu. V.; Borisov, A. V.; Knyazkova, A. I.; Shapovalova, A. V.; Ilyasova, E. E.; Sandykova, E. A.

2018-04-01

This work is devoted to the development of the approach to restoration of the spatial-temporal distribution of electric field in the human brain. This field was estimated from the model derived from the Maxwell's equations with boundary conditions corresponding to electric potentials at the EEG electrodes, which are located on the surface of the head according to the standard "10-20" scheme. The MRI data were used for calculation of the spatial distribution of the electrical conductivity of biotissues in the human brain. The study of the electric field distribution using our approach was carried out for the healthy child and the child with autism. The research was carried out using the equipment of the Tomsk Regional Common Use Center of Tomsk State University.

The Function Biomedical Informatics Research Network Data Repository

PubMed Central

Keator, David B.; van Erp, Theo G.M.; Turner, Jessica A.; Glover, Gary H.; Mueller, Bryon A.; Liu, Thomas T.; Voyvodic, James T.; Rasmussen, Jerod; Calhoun, Vince D.; Lee, Hyo Jong; Toga, Arthur W.; McEwen, Sarah; Ford, Judith M.; Mathalon, Daniel H.; Diaz, Michele; O’Leary, Daniel S.; Bockholt, H. Jeremy; Gadde, Syam; Preda, Adrian; Wible, Cynthia G.; Stern, Hal S.; Belger, Aysenil; McCarthy, Gregory; Ozyurt, Burak; Potkin, Steven G.

2015-01-01

The Function Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN) developed methods and tools for conducting multi-scanner functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. Method and tool development were based on two major goals: 1) to assess the major sources of variation in fMRI studies conducted across scanners, including instrumentation, acquisition protocols, challenge tasks, and analysis methods, and 2) to provide a distributed network infrastructure and an associated federated database to host and query large, multi-site, fMRI and clinical datasets. In the process of achieving these goals the FBIRN test bed generated several multi-scanner brain imaging data sets to be shared with the wider scientific community via the BIRN Data Repository (BDR). The FBIRN Phase 1 dataset consists of a traveling subject study of 5 healthy subjects, each scanned on 10 different 1.5 to 4 Tesla scanners. The FBIRN Phase 2 and Phase 3 datasets consist of subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder along with healthy comparison subjects scanned at multiple sites. In this paper, we provide concise descriptions of FBIRN’s multi-scanner brain imaging data sets and details about the BIRN Data Repository instance of the Human Imaging Database (HID) used to publicly share the data. PMID:26364863

Neural development of mentalizing in moral judgment from adolescence to adulthood.

PubMed

Harenski, Carla L; Harenski, Keith A; Shane, Matthew S; Kiehl, Kent A

2012-01-01

The neural mechanisms underlying moral judgment have been extensively studied in healthy adults. How these mechanisms evolve from adolescence to adulthood has received less attention. Brain regions that have been consistently implicated in moral judgment in adults, including the superior temporal cortex and prefrontal cortex, undergo extensive developmental changes from adolescence to adulthood. Thus, their role in moral judgment may also change over time. In the present study, 51 healthy male participants age 13–53 were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they viewed pictures that did or did not depict situations considered by most individuals to represent moral violations, and rated their degree of moral violation severity. Consistent with predictions, a regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between age and hemodynamic activity in the temporo-parietal junction when participants made decisions regarding moral severity.This region is known to contribute to mentalizing processes during moral judgment in adults and suggests that adolescents use these types of inferences less during moral judgment than do adults. A positive correlation with age was also present in the posterior cingulate. Overall, the results suggest that the brain regions utilized in moral judgment change over development.

Nicotine increases brain functional network efficiency.

PubMed

Wylie, Korey P; Rojas, Donald C; Tanabe, Jody; Martin, Laura F; Tregellas, Jason R

2012-10-15

Despite the use of cholinergic therapies in Alzheimer's disease and the development of cholinergic strategies for schizophrenia, relatively little is known about how the system modulates the connectivity and structure of large-scale brain networks. To better understand how nicotinic cholinergic systems alter these networks, this study examined the effects of nicotine on measures of whole-brain network communication efficiency. Resting state fMRI was acquired from fifteen healthy subjects before and after the application of nicotine or placebo transdermal patches in a single blind, crossover design. Data, which were previously examined for default network activity, were analyzed with network topology techniques to measure changes in the communication efficiency of whole-brain networks. Nicotine significantly increased local efficiency, a parameter that estimates the network's tolerance to local errors in communication. Nicotine also significantly enhanced the regional efficiency of limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain, areas which are especially altered in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. These changes in network topology may be one mechanism by which cholinergic therapies improve brain function. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Nicotine Increases Brain Functional Network Efficiency

PubMed Central

Wylie, Korey P.; Rojas, Donald C.; Tanabe, Jody; Martin, Laura F.; Tregellas, Jason R.

2012-01-01

Despite the use of cholinergic therapies in Alzheimer’s disease and the development of cholinergic strategies for schizophrenia, relatively little is known about how the system modulates the connectivity and structure of large-scale brain networks. To better understand how nicotinic cholinergic systems alter these networks, this study examined the effects of nicotine on measures of whole-brain network communication efficiency. Resting-state fMRI was acquired from fifteen healthy subjects before and after the application of nicotine or placebo transdermal patches in a single blind, crossover design. Data, which were previously examined for default network activity, were analyzed with network topology techniques to measure changes in the communication efficiency of whole-brain networks. Nicotine significantly increased local efficiency, a parameter that estimates the network’s tolerance to local errors in communication. Nicotine also significantly enhanced the regional efficiency of limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain, areas which are especially altered in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. These changes in network topology may be one mechanism by which cholinergic therapies improve brain function. PMID:22796985

Life satisfaction in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.

PubMed

Crom, Deborah B; Li, Zhenghong; Brinkman, Tara M; Hudson, Melissa M; Armstrong, Gregory T; Neglia, Joseph; Ness, Kirsten K

2014-01-01

Adult survivors of childhood brain tumors experience multiple, significant, lifelong deficits as a consequence of their malignancy and therapy. Current survivorship literature documents the substantial impact such impairments have on survivors' physical health and quality of life. Psychosocial reports detail educational, cognitive, and emotional limitations characterizing survivors as especially fragile, often incompetent, and unreliable in evaluating their circumstances. Anecdotal data suggest some survivors report life experiences similar to those of healthy controls. The aim of our investigation was to determine whether life satisfaction in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors differs from that of healthy controls and to identify potential predictors of life satisfaction in survivors. This cross-sectional study compared 78 brain tumor survivors with population-based matched controls. Chi-square tests, t tests, and linear regression models were used to investigate patterns of life satisfaction and identify potential correlates. Results indicated that life satisfaction of adult survivors of childhood brain tumors was similar to that of healthy controls. Survivors' general health expectations emerged as the primary correlate of life satisfaction. Understanding life satisfaction as an important variable will optimize the design of strategies to enhance participation in follow-up care, reduce suffering, and optimize quality of life in this vulnerable population. © 2014 by Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses.

Prefrontal vulnerabilities and whole brain connectivity in aging and depression.

PubMed

Lamar, Melissa; Charlton, Rebecca A; Ajilore, Olusola; Zhang, Aifeng; Yang, Shaolin; Barrick, Thomas R; Rhodes, Emma; Kumar, Anand

2013-07-01

Studies exploring the underpinnings of age-related neurodegeneration suggest fronto-limbic alterations that are increasingly vulnerable in the presence of disease including late life depression. Less work has assessed the impact of this specific vulnerability on widespread brain circuitry. Seventy-nine older adults (healthy controls=45; late life depression=34) completed translational tasks shown in non-human primates to rely on fronto-limbic networks involving dorsolateral (Self-Ordered Pointing Task) or orbitofrontal (Object Alternation Task) cortices. A sub-sample of participants also completed diffusion tensor imaging for white matter tract quantification (uncinate and cingulum bundle; n=58) and whole brain tract-based spatial statistics (n=62). Despite task associations to specific white matter tracts across both groups, only healthy controls demonstrated significant correlations between widespread tract integrity and cognition. Thus, increasing Object Alternation Task errors were associated with decreasing fractional anisotropy in the uncinate in late life depression; however, only in healthy controls was the uncinate incorporated into a larger network of white matter vulnerability associating fractional anisotropy with Object Alternation Task errors using whole brain tract-based spatial statistics. It appears that the whole brain impact of specific fronto-limbic vulnerabilities in aging may be eclipsed in the presence of disease-specific neuropathology like that seen in late life depression. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the immediate effect of the training with a virtual reality game in stroke patients according side brain injury.

PubMed

Fernandes, Aline Braga Galvão Silveira; Passos, Jacilda Oliveira dos; Brito, Deyvson Paiva de; Campos, Tania Fernandes

2014-01-01

Stroke is a major cause of motor disability in adults and needs interventions that contribute to motor recovery. This study aimed to compare the immediate effect of the training with virtual reality game in stroke patients according side brain injury. The participants included 20 patients (10 right brain injury), mean age of 50.6 ± 9.2 years, and 20 healthy subjects of 50.9 ± 8.8 years. All participants made a kinematic evaluation of drinking a cup of water before and after training with the table tennis game of the XBOX 360 Kinect®, in two series of 10 tries of 45 s, with 15 minutes rest between them, a total of 30 minutes. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. There was a significant difference in the number of hits between patients and healthy subjects groups, in which patients had a lower performance in all the trials (p = 0.008). After the training, only patients with right brain injury improved their shoulder and elbow angles, approaching the left upper limb movement pattern of healthy subjects (p < 0.05). Patients with right brain injury responded better to the virtual reality game, suggesting introduction of new treatment techniques that promote neurorehabilitation.

Efficiency of weak brain connections support general cognitive functioning.

PubMed

Santarnecchi, Emiliano; Galli, Giulia; Polizzotto, Nicola Riccardo; Rossi, Alessandro; Rossi, Simone

2014-09-01

Brain network topology provides valuable information on healthy and pathological brain functioning. Novel approaches for brain network analysis have shown an association between topological properties and cognitive functioning. Under the assumption that "stronger is better", the exploration of brain properties has generally focused on the connectivity patterns of the most strongly correlated regions, whereas the role of weaker brain connections has remained obscure for years. Here, we assessed whether the different strength of connections between brain regions may explain individual differences in intelligence. We analyzed-functional connectivity at rest in ninety-eight healthy individuals of different age, and correlated several connectivity measures with full scale, verbal, and performance Intelligent Quotients (IQs). Our results showed that the variance in IQ levels was mostly explained by the distributed communication efficiency of brain networks built using moderately weak, long-distance connections, with only a smaller contribution of stronger connections. The variability in individual IQs was associated with the global efficiency of a pool of regions in the prefrontal lobes, hippocampus, temporal pole, and postcentral gyrus. These findings challenge the traditional view of a prominent role of strong functional brain connections in brain topology, and highlight the importance of both strong and weak connections in determining the functional architecture responsible for human intelligence variability. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structure and function of the healthy pre-adolescent pediatric gut microbiome.

PubMed

Hollister, Emily B; Riehle, Kevin; Luna, Ruth Ann; Weidler, Erica M; Rubio-Gonzales, Michelle; Mistretta, Toni-Ann; Raza, Sabeen; Doddapaneni, Harsha V; Metcalf, Ginger A; Muzny, Donna M; Gibbs, Richard A; Petrosino, Joseph F; Shulman, Robert J; Versalovic, James

2015-08-26

The gut microbiome influences myriad host functions, including nutrient acquisition, immune modulation, brain development, and behavior. Although human gut microbiota are recognized to change as we age, information regarding the structure and function of the gut microbiome during childhood is limited. Using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we characterized the structure, function, and variation of the healthy pediatric gut microbiome in a cohort of school-aged, pre-adolescent children (ages 7-12 years). We compared the healthy pediatric gut microbiome with that of healthy adults previously recruited from the same region (Houston, TX, USA). Although healthy children and adults harbored similar numbers of taxa and functional genes, their composition and functional potential differed significantly. Children were enriched in Bifidobacterium spp., Faecalibacterium spp., and members of the Lachnospiraceae, while adults harbored greater abundances of Bacteroides spp. From a functional perspective, significant differences were detected with respect to the relative abundances of genes involved in vitamin synthesis, amino acid degradation, oxidative phosphorylation, and triggering mucosal inflammation. Children's gut communities were enriched in functions which may support ongoing development, while adult communities were enriched in functions associated with inflammation, obesity, and increased risk of adiposity. Previous studies suggest that the human gut microbiome is relatively stable and adult-like after the first 1 to 3 years of life. Our results suggest that the healthy pediatric gut microbiome harbors compositional and functional qualities that differ from those of healthy adults and that the gut microbiome may undergo a more prolonged development than previously suspected.

Morphological features of the neonatal brain support development of subsequent cognitive, language, and motor abilities.

PubMed

Spann, Marisa N; Bansal, Ravi; Rosen, Tove S; Peterson, Bradley S

2014-09-01

Knowledge of the role of brain maturation in the development of cognitive abilities derives primarily from studies of school-age children to adults. Little is known about the morphological features of the neonatal brain that support the subsequent development of abilities in early childhood, when maturation of the brain and these abilities are the most dynamic. The goal of our study was to determine whether brain morphology during the neonatal period supports early cognitive development through 2 years of age. We correlated morphological features of the cerebral surface assessed using deformation-based measures (surface distances) of high-resolution MRI scans for 33 healthy neonates, scanned between the first to sixth week of postmenstrual life, with subsequent measures of their motor, language, and cognitive abilities at ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. We found that morphological features of the cerebral surface of the frontal, mesial prefrontal, temporal, and occipital regions correlated with subsequent motor scores, posterior parietal regions correlated with subsequent language scores, and temporal and occipital regions correlated with subsequent cognitive scores. Measures of the anterior and middle portions of the cingulate gyrus correlated with scores across all three domains of ability. Most of the significant findings were inverse correlations located bilaterally in the brain. The inverse correlations may suggest either that a more protracted morphological maturation or smaller local volumes of neonatal brain tissue supports better performance on measures of subsequent motor, language, and cognitive abilities throughout the first 2 years of postnatal life. The correlations of morphological measures of the cingulate with measures of performance across all domains of ability suggest that the cingulate supports a broad range of skills in infancy and early childhood, similar to its functions in older children and adults. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The different maturation of the corticospinal tract and corticoreticular pathway in normal brain development: diffusion tensor imaging study

PubMed Central

Yeo, Sang Seok; Jang, Sung Ho; Son, Su Min

2014-01-01

Background and Purpose: The corticospinal tract (CST) and corticoreticular pathway (CRP) are known to be important neural tracts for motor development. However, little is known about the difference in maturation of the CST and CRP. In this study, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), we investigated maturation of the CST and CRP in typically developed children and normal healthy adults. Methods: We recruited 75 normal healthy subjects for this study. DTI was performed using 1.5-T, and the CST and CRP were reconstructed using DTI-Studio software. Values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and fiber volume (FV) of the CST and CRP were measured. Results: In the current study, the threshold points for CST and CRP maturation were different in normal brain development. Change in FA value of the CST showed a steep increase until 7 years of age and then a gradual increase until adulthood, however, the CRP showed a steep increase only until 2 years of age and then a very gradual increase or plateau until adulthood. In terms of FV, the CST showed a steep increase until 12 years and then a gradual increase until adulthood, in contrast, the CRP showed gradual increase of FV across whole age range (0–25 years). Conclusion: The difference in maturation process between CST and CRP appears to be related to different periods of fine and gross motor development. This radiologic information can provide a scientific basis for understanding development in motor function. PMID:25309378

Diffusion abnormalities in adolescents and young adults with a history of heavy cannabis use.

PubMed

Ashtari, Manzar; Cervellione, Kelly; Cottone, John; Ardekani, Babak A; Sevy, Serge; Kumra, Sanjiv

2009-01-01

There is growing evidence that adolescence is a key period for neuronal maturation. Despite the high prevalence of marijuana use among adolescents and young adults in the United States and internationally, very little is known about its impact on the developing brain. Based on neuroimaging literature on normal brain developmental during adolescence, we hypothesized that individuals with heavy cannabis use (HCU) would have brain structure abnormalities in similar brain regions that undergo development during late adolescence, particularly the fronto-temporal connection. Fourteen young adult males in residential treatment for cannabis dependence and 14 age-matched healthy male control subjects were recruited. Patients had a history of HCU throughout adolescence; 5 had concurrent alcohol abuse. Subjects underwent structural and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. White matter integrity was compared between subject groups using voxelwise and fiber tractography analysis. Voxelwise and tractography analyses revealed that adolescents with HCU had reduced fractional anisotropy, increased radial diffusivity, and increased trace in the homologous areas known to be involved in ongoing development during late adolescence, particularly in the fronto-temporal connection via arcuate fasciculus. Our results support the hypothesis that heavy cannabis use during adolescence may affect the trajectory of normal brain maturation. Due to concurrent alcohol consumption in five HCU subjects, conclusions from this study should be considered preliminary, as the DTI findings reported here may be reflective of the combination of alcohol and marijuana use. Further research in larger samples, longitudinal in nature, and controlling for alcohol consumption is needed to better understand the pathophysiology of the effect of cannabis on the developing brain.

Neural signature of behavioural inhibition in women with bulimia nervosa

PubMed Central

Skunde, Mandy; Walther, Stephan; Simon, Joe J.; Wu, Mudan; Bendszus, Martin; Herzog, Wolfgang; Friederich, Hans-Christoph

2016-01-01

Background Impaired inhibitory control is considered a behavioural phenotype in patients with bulimia nervosa. However, the underlying neural correlates of impaired general and food-specific behavioural inhibition are largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated brain activation during the performance of behavioural inhibition to general and food-related stimuli in adults with bulimia nervosa. Methods Women with bulimia and healthy control women underwent event-related fMRI while performing a general and a food-specific no-go task. Results We included 28 women with bulimia nervosa and 29 healthy control women in our study. On a neuronal level, we observed significant group differences in response to general no-go stimuli in women with bulimia nervosa with high symptom severity; compared with healthy controls, the patients showed reduced activation in the right sensorimotor area (postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus) and right dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen). Limitations The present results are limited to adult women with bulimia nervosa. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether impaired behavioural inhibition in patients with this disorder are a cause or consequence of chronic illness. Conclusion Our findings suggest that diminished frontostriatal brain activation in patients with bulimia nervosa contribute to the severity of binge eating symptoms. Gaining further insight into the neural mechanisms of behavioural inhibition problems in individuals with this disorder may inform brain-directed treatment approaches and the development of response inhibition training approaches to improve inhibitory control in patients with bulimia nervosa. The present study does not support greater behavioural and neural impairments to food-specific behavioural inhibition in these patients. PMID:27575858

Healthy adolescents' neural response to reward: associations with puberty, positive affect, and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Forbes, Erika E; Ryan, Neal D; Phillips, Mary L; Manuck, Stephen B; Worthman, Carol M; Moyles, Donna L; Tarr, Jill A; Sciarrillo, Samantha R; Dahl, Ronald E

2010-02-01

Changes in reward-related behavior are an important component of normal adolescent affective development. Understanding the neural underpinnings of these normative changes creates a foundation for investigating adolescence as a period of vulnerability to affective disorders, substance use disorders, and health problems. Studies of reward-related brain function have revealed conflicting findings regarding developmental change in the reactivity of the striatum and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and have not considered puberty. The current study focused on puberty-specific changes in brain function and their association with mood. A sample of 77 healthy adolescents (26 pre-/early pubertal, 51 mid-/late pubertal) recruited in a narrow age range (mean = 11.94 years, SD = 0.75) were assessed for sexual maturation and circulating testosterone, completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) guessing task with monetary reward, and underwent experience sampling of mood in natural environments. For comparison, 19 healthy adults completed the fMRI assessment. Adolescents with more advanced pubertal maturation exhibited less striatal and more mPFC reactivity during reward outcome than similarly aged adolescents with less advanced maturation. Testosterone was positively correlated with striatal reactivity in boys during reward anticipation and negatively correlated with striatal reactivity in girls and boys during reward outcome. Striatal reactivity was positively correlated with real-world subjective positive affect and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. mPFC reactivity was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Reward-related brain function changes with puberty and is associated with adolescents' positive affect and depressive symptoms. Increased reward-seeking behavior at this developmental point could serve to compensate for these changes.

Decreased interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity in first-episode, drug-naive major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Dai, Yi; Jiang, Muliang; Zhang, Jian; Yu, Liuyu; Long, Liling; Chen, Huafu; Gao, Qing; Xiao, Changqing

2013-03-05

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is shown to have structural and functional abnormalities in specific brain areas and connections by recent neuroimaging studies. However, little is known about the alterations of the interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in patients with MDD. In the present study, we used a newly developed voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) method to investigate the interhemispheric FC of the whole brain in patients with MDD at rest. Twenty-four first-episode, drug-naive patients with MDD and 24 age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy subjects underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). An automated VMHC approach was used to analyze the data. Patients with MDD showed lower VMHC than healthy subjects in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCu), two core regions within default mode network (DMN). Both left and right MPFC showed reduced FC with the other frontal areas and with right anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC), while PCC/PCu exhibited abnormal FC with the frontal areas and thalamus in patient group. Significant positive correlation was observed between VMHC in MPFC and persistent error response of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST-Pre) in patients. Further ROC analysis revealed that VMHC in the MPFC and PCC/PCu could be used to differentiate the patients from healthy subjects with relatively high sensitivity and specificity. Our results suggest that decreased VMHC in brain regions within DMN may underlie the pathogenesis of MDD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Neural Correlates of Emotion–Cognition Interaction Using an Affective Stroop Task

PubMed Central

Raschle, Nora M.; Fehlbaum, Lynn V.; Menks, Willeke M.; Euler, Felix; Sterzer, Philipp; Stadler, Christina

2017-01-01

The human brain has the capacity to integrate various sources of information and continuously adapts our behavior according to situational needs in order to allow a healthy functioning. Emotion–cognition interactions are a key example for such integrative processing. However, the neuronal correlates investigating the effects of emotion on cognition remain to be explored and replication studies are needed. Previous neuroimaging studies have indicated an involvement of emotion and cognition related brain structures including parietal and prefrontal cortices and limbic brain regions. Here, we employed whole brain event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an affective number Stroop task and aimed at replicating previous findings using an adaptation of an existing task design in 30 healthy young adults. The Stroop task is an indicator of cognitive control and enables the quantification of interference in relation to variations in cognitive load. By the use of emotional primes (negative/neutral) prior to Stroop task performance, an emotional variation is added as well. Behavioral in-scanner data showed that negative primes delayed and disrupted cognitive processing. Trials with high cognitive demand furthermore negatively influenced cognitive control mechanisms. Neuronally, the emotional primes consistently activated emotion-related brain regions (e.g., amygdala, insula, and prefrontal brain regions) while Stroop task performance lead to activations in cognition networks of the brain (prefrontal cortices, superior temporal lobe, and insula). When assessing the effect of emotion on cognition, increased cognitive demand led to decreases in neural activation in response to emotional stimuli (negative > neutral) within prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and insular cortex. Overall, these results suggest that emotional primes significantly impact cognitive performance and increasing cognitive demand leads to reduced neuronal activation in emotion related brain regions, and therefore support previous findings investigating emotion–cognition interaction in healthy adults. Moreover, emotion and cognition seem to be tightly related to each other, as indicated by shared neural networks involved in both of these processes. Emotion processing, cognitive control, and their interaction are crucial for healthy functioning and a lack thereof is related to psychiatric disorders such as, disruptive behavior disorders. Future studies may investigate the neural characteristics of children and adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders. PMID:28919871

Exposure to Severe Urban Air Pollution Influences Cognitive Outcomes, Brain Volume and Systemic Inflammation in Clinically Healthy Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calderon-Garciduenas, Lilian; Engle, Randall; Mora-Tiscareno, Antonieta; Styner, Martin; Gomez-Garza, Gilberto; Zhu, Hongtu; Jewells, Valerie; Torres-Jardon, Ricardo; Romero, Lina; Monroy-Acosta, Maria E.; Bryant, Christopher; Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Luis Oscar; Medina-Cortina, Humberto; D'Angiulli, Amedeo

2011-01-01

Exposure to severe air pollution produces neuroinflammation and structural brain alterations in children. We tested whether patterns of brain growth, cognitive deficits and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) are associated with exposures to severe air pollution. Baseline and 1 year follow-up measurements of global and regional brain MRI volumes,…

A Pathological Brain Detection System based on Extreme Learning Machine Optimized by Bat Algorithm.

PubMed

Lu, Siyuan; Qiu, Xin; Shi, Jianping; Li, Na; Lu, Zhi-Hai; Chen, Peng; Yang, Meng-Meng; Liu, Fang-Yuan; Jia, Wen-Juan; Zhang, Yudong

2017-01-01

It is beneficial to classify brain images as healthy or pathological automatically, because 3D brain images can generate so much information which is time consuming and tedious for manual analysis. Among various 3D brain imaging techniques, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the most suitable for brain, and it is now widely applied in hospitals, because it is helpful in the four ways of diagnosis, prognosis, pre-surgical, and postsurgical procedures. There are automatic detection methods; however they suffer from low accuracy. Therefore, we proposed a novel approach which employed 2D discrete wavelet transform (DWT), and calculated the entropies of the subbands as features. Then, a bat algorithm optimized extreme learning machine (BA-ELM) was trained to identify pathological brains from healthy controls. A 10x10-fold cross validation was performed to evaluate the out-of-sample performance. The method achieved a sensitivity of 99.04%, a specificity of 93.89%, and an overall accuracy of 98.33% over 132 MR brain images. The experimental results suggest that the proposed approach is accurate and robust in pathological brain detection. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Dermatoglyphics in relation to brain volumes in twins concordant and discordant for bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Vonk, R; van der Schot, A C; van Baal, G C M; van Oel, C J; Nolen, W A; Kahn, R S

2014-12-01

Palmar and finger dermatoglyphics are formed between the 10th and the 17th weeks of gestation and their morphology can be influenced by genetic or environmental factors, interfering with normal intrauterine development. As both the skin and the brain develop from the same embryonal ectoderm, dermatoglyphic alterations may be informative for early abnormal neurodevelopmental processes in the brain. We investigated whether dermatoglyphic alterations are related to structural brain abnormalities in bipolar disorder and to what extent they are of a genetic and of an environmental origin. Dermatoglyphics and volumetric data from structural MRI were obtained in 53 twin pairs concordant or discordant for bipolar disorder and 51 healthy matched control twin pairs. Structural equation modeling was used. Bipolar disorder was significantly positively associated with palmar a-b ridge count (ABRC), indicating higher ABRC in bipolar patients (rph=.17 (CI .04-.30)). Common genes appear to be involved because the genetic correlation with ABRC was significant (rph-A=.21 (CI .05-.36). Irrespective of disease, ABRC showed a genetically mediated association with brain volume, indicated by a significant genetic correlation rph-A of respectively -.36 (CI -.52 to -.22) for total brain, -.34 (CI -.51 to -.16) total cortical volume, -.27 (CI -.43 to -.08) cortical gray matter and -.23 (CI -.41 to -.04) cortical white matter. In conclusion, a genetically determined abnormal development of the foetal ectoderm between the 10th and 15th week of gestation appears related to smaller brain volumes in (subjects at risk for) bipolar disorder. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Penetration and distribution of gadolinium-based contrast agents into the cerebrospinal fluid in healthy rats: a potential pathway of entry into the brain tissue.

PubMed

Jost, Gregor; Frenzel, Thomas; Lohrke, Jessica; Lenhard, Diana Constanze; Naganawa, Shinji; Pietsch, Hubertus

2017-07-01

Signal hyperintensity on unenhanced MRI in certain brain regions has been reported after multiple administrations of some, but not all, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). One potential initial pathway of GBCA entry into the brain, infiltration from blood into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), was systematically evaluated in this preclinical study. GBCA infiltration and distribution in the CSF were investigated in healthy rats using repeated fluid-attenuated MRI up to 4 h after high-dose (1.8 mmol/kg) administration of six marketed and one experimental GBCA. Additionally, gadolinium measurements in CSF, blood and brain tissue samples (after 24 h) were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Enhanced MRI signals in the CSF spaces with similar distribution kinetics were observed for all GBCAs. No substantial differences in the gadolinium concentrations among the marketed GBCAs were found in the CSF, blood or brain tissue. After 4.5 h, the concentration in the CSF was clearly higher than in blood but was almost completely cleared and lower than the brain tissue concentration after 24 h. In contrast to the brain signal hyperintensities, no differences in penetration and distribution into the CSF of healthy rats exist among the marketed GBCAs. • Gadolinium-based contrast agents can cross the blood-CSF barrier. • Fluid-attenuated MRI shows GBCA distribution with CSF flow. • GBCA structure and physicochemical properties do not impact CSF penetration and distribution. • GBCA clearance from CSF was almost complete within 24 h in rats. • CSF is a potential pathway of GBCA entry into the brain.

FDTD analysis of a noninvasive hyperthermia system for brain tumors.

PubMed

Yacoob, Sulafa M; Hassan, Noha S

2012-08-14

Hyperthermia is considered one of the new therapeutic modalities for cancer treatment and is based on the difference in thermal sensitivity between healthy tissues and tumors. During hyperthermia treatment, the temperature of the tumor is raised to 40-45°C for a definite period resulting in the destruction of cancer cells. This paper investigates design, modeling and simulation of a new non-invasive hyperthermia applicator system capable of effectively heating deep seated as well as superficial brain tumors using inexpensive, simple, and easy to fabricate components without harming surrounding healthy brain tissues. The proposed hyperthermia applicator system is composed of an air filled partial half ellipsoidal chamber, a patch antenna, and a head model with an embedded tumor at an arbitrary location. The irradiating antenna is placed at one of the foci of the hyperthermia chamber while the center of the brain tumor is placed at the other focus. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is used to compute both the SAR patterns and the temperature distribution in three different head models due to two different patch antennas at a frequency of 915 MHz. The obtained results suggest that by using the proposed noninvasive hyperthermia system it is feasible to achieve sufficient and focused energy deposition and temperature rise to therapeutic values in deep seated as well as superficial brain tumors without harming surrounding healthy tissue. The proposed noninvasive hyperthermia system proved suitable for raising the temperature in tumors embedded in the brain to therapeutic values by carefully selecting the systems components. The operator of the system only needs to place the center of the brain tumor at a pre-specified location and excite the antenna at a single frequency of 915 MHz. Our study may provide a basis for a clinical applicator prototype capable of heating brain tumors.

Monoamine oxidase: Radiotracer chemistry and human studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, Joanna S.; Logan, Jean; Shumay, Elena

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) oxidizes amines from both endogenous and exogenous sources thereby regulating the concentration of neurotransmitter amines such as serot onin, norepinephrine and dopamine as well as many xenobiotics. MAO inhibitor drugs are used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and in depression stimulating the development of radiotracer tools to probe the role of MAO in normal human biology and in disease. Over the past 30 since the first radiotracers were developed and the first PET images of MAO in humans were carried out, PET studies of brain MAO in healthy volunteers and in patients have identified different variablesmore » which have contributed to different MAO levels in brain and in peripheral organs. MAO radiotracers and PET have also been used to study the current and developing MAO inhibitor drugs including the selection of doses for clinical trials. In this article, we describe (1) the development of MAO radiotracers; (2) human studies including the relationship of brain MAO levels to genotype, personality, neurological and psychiatric disorders; (3) examples of the use of MAO radiotracers in drug research and development. We will conclude with outstanding needs to improve the radiotracers which are currently used and possible new applications.« less

Monoamine oxidase: Radiotracer chemistry and human studies

DOE PAGES

Fowler, Joanna S.; Logan, Jean; Shumay, Elena; ...

2015-03-01

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) oxidizes amines from both endogenous and exogenous sources thereby regulating the concentration of neurotransmitter amines such as serot onin, norepinephrine and dopamine as well as many xenobiotics. MAO inhibitor drugs are used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and in depression stimulating the development of radiotracer tools to probe the role of MAO in normal human biology and in disease. Over the past 30 since the first radiotracers were developed and the first PET images of MAO in humans were carried out, PET studies of brain MAO in healthy volunteers and in patients have identified different variablesmore » which have contributed to different MAO levels in brain and in peripheral organs. MAO radiotracers and PET have also been used to study the current and developing MAO inhibitor drugs including the selection of doses for clinical trials. In this article, we describe (1) the development of MAO radiotracers; (2) human studies including the relationship of brain MAO levels to genotype, personality, neurological and psychiatric disorders; (3) examples of the use of MAO radiotracers in drug research and development. We will conclude with outstanding needs to improve the radiotracers which are currently used and possible new applications.« less

Police as contributors to Healthy Communities: Aiken, South Carolina.

PubMed

Frommer, P; Papouchado, K

2000-01-01

In Aiken, South Carolina, community policing has led to numerous innovative programs that have contributed to a healthy community. The MOMS and COPS (Managing Our Maternity System with Community Oriented Policing System) program has played a significant part in the county's 50% decrease in infant mortality since 1989 and contributed to Aiken's designation as an All-America City in 1997. Other programs include a mentoring program for at-risk teen girls; instant crime reporting with donated cellular phones; seminars for seniors to alert them to scams and common crimes; demolition of unsafe homes; free installation of smoke detectors; a child ID program; and parental education on child brain development.

Altered predictive capability of the brain network EEG model in schizophrenia during cognition.

PubMed

Gomez-Pilar, Javier; Poza, Jesús; Gómez, Carlos; Northoff, Georg; Lubeiro, Alba; Cea-Cañas, Benjamín B; Molina, Vicente; Hornero, Roberto

2018-05-12

The study of the mechanisms involved in cognition is of paramount importance for the understanding of the neurobiological substrates in psychiatric disorders. Hence, this research is aimed at exploring the brain network dynamics during a cognitive task. Specifically, we analyze the predictive capability of the pre-stimulus theta activity to ascertain the functional brain dynamics during cognition in both healthy and schizophrenia subjects. Firstly, EEG recordings were acquired during a three-tone oddball task from fifty-one healthy subjects and thirty-five schizophrenia patients. Secondly, phase-based coupling measures were used to generate the time-varying functional network for each subject. Finally, pre-stimulus network connections were iteratively modified according to different models of network reorganization. This adjustment was applied by minimizing the prediction error through recurrent iterations, following the predictive coding approach. Both controls and schizophrenia patients follow a reinforcement of the secondary neural pathways (i.e., pathways between cortical brain regions weakly connected during pre-stimulus) for most of the subjects, though the ratio of controls that exhibited this behavior was statistically significant higher than for patients. These findings suggest that schizophrenia is associated with an impaired ability to modify brain network configuration during cognition. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that the changes in phase-based brain network parameters from pre-stimulus to cognitive response in the theta band are closely related to the performance in important cognitive domains. Our findings not only contribute to the understanding of healthy brain dynamics, but also shed light on the altered predictive neuronal substrates in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A decade of changes in brain volume and cognition.

PubMed

Aljondi, Rowa; Szoeke, Cassandra; Steward, Chris; Yates, Paul; Desmond, Patricia

2018-05-09

Brain atrophy can occur several decades prior to onset of cognitive impairments. However, few longitudinal studies have examined the relationship between brain volume changes and cognition over a long follow-up period in healthy elderly women. In the present study we investigate the relationship between whole brain and hippocampal atrophy rates and longitudinal changes in cognition, including verbal episodic memory and executive function, in older women. We also examine whether baseline brain volume predicts subsequent changes in cognitive performance over a 10-year period. A total of 60 individuals from the population-based Women's Healthy Ageing Project with a mean age at baseline of 59 years underwent 3T MRI. Of these, 40 women completed follow-up cognitive assessments, 23 of whom had follow-up MRI scans. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between brain atrophy and changes in verbal episodic memory and executive function over a 10-year period. The results show that baseline measurements of frontal and temporal grey matter volumes predict changes in verbal episodic memory performance, whereas hippocampal volume at baseline is associated with changes in executive function performance over a 10-year period of follow-ups. In addition, higher whole brain and hippocampal atrophy rates are correlated with a decline in verbal episodic memory. These findings indicate that in addition to atrophy rate, smaller regional grey matter volumes even 10 years prior is associated with increased rates of cognitive decline. This study suggests useful neuroimaging biomarkers for the prediction of cognitive decline in healthy elderly women.

Micro-SPECT/CT-based pharmacokinetic analysis of 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid in rats with blood-brain barrier disruption induced by focused ultrasound.

PubMed

Yang, Feng-Yi; Wang, Hsin-Ell; Lin, Guan-Liang; Teng, Ming-Che; Lin, Hui-Hsien; Wong, Tai-Tong; Liu, Ren-Shyan

2011-03-01

This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics of (99m)Tc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetate acid ((99m)Tc-DTPA) after intravenous administration in healthy and F98 glioma-bearing F344 rats in the presence of blood-brain barrier disruption (BBB-D) induced by focused ultrasound (FUS). The pharmacokinetics of the healthy and tumor-containing brains after BBB-D were compared to identify the optimal time period for combined treatment. Healthy and F98 glioma-bearing rats were injected intravenously with Evans blue (EB) and (99m)Tc-DTPA; these treatments took place with or without BBB-D induced by transcranial FUS of 1 hemisphere of the brain. The permeability of the BBB was quantified by EB extravasation. Twelve rats were scanned for 2 h to estimate uptake of (99m)Tc radioactivity with respect to time for the pharmacokinetic analysis. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed to examine tissue damage. The accumulations of EB and (99m)Tc-DTPA in normal brains or brains with a tumor were significantly elevated after the intravenous injection when BBB-D was induced. The disruption-to-nondisruption ratio of the brains and the tumor-to-ipsilateral brain ratio of the tumors in terms of radioactivity reached a peak at 45 and 60 min, respectively. EB injection followed by sonication showed that there was an increase of about 2-fold in the tumor-to-ipsilateral brain EB ratio of the target tumors (7.36), compared with the control tumors (3.73). TUNEL staining showed no significant differences between the sonicated tumors and control tumors. This study demonstrates that (99m)Tc-DTPA micro-SPECT/CT can be used for the pharmacokinetic analysis of BBB-D induced by FUS. This method should be able to provide important information that will help with establishing an optimal treatment protocol for drug administration after FUS-induced BBB-D in clinical brain disease therapy.

Persistent post-traumatic headache vs. migraine: an MRI study demonstrating differences in brain structure.

PubMed

Schwedt, Todd J; Chong, Catherine D; Peplinski, Jacob; Ross, Katherine; Berisha, Visar

2017-08-22

The majority of individuals with post-traumatic headache have symptoms that are indistinguishable from migraine. The overlap in symptoms amongst these individuals raises the question as to whether post-traumatic headache has a unique pathophysiology or if head trauma triggers migraine. The objective of this study was to compare brain structure in individuals with persistent post-traumatic headache (i.e. headache lasting at least 3 months following a traumatic brain injury) attributed to mild traumatic brain injury to that of individuals with migraine. Twenty-eight individuals with persistent post-traumatic headache attributed to mild traumatic brain injury and 28 individuals with migraine underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging on a 3 T scanner. Regional volumes, cortical thickness, surface area and curvature measurements were calculated from T1-weighted sequences and compared between subject groups using ANCOVA. MRI data from 28 healthy control subjects were used to interpret the differences in brain structure between migraine and persistent post-traumatic headache. Differences in regional volumes, cortical thickness, surface area and brain curvature were identified when comparing the group of individuals with persistent post-traumatic headache to the group with migraine. Structure was different between groups for regions within the right lateral orbitofrontal lobe, left caudal middle frontal lobe, left superior frontal lobe, left precuneus and right supramarginal gyrus (p < .05). Considering these regions only, there were differences between individuals with persistent post-traumatic headache and healthy controls within the right lateral orbitofrontal lobe, right supramarginal gyrus, and left superior frontal lobe and no differences when comparing the migraine cohort to healthy controls. In conclusion, persistent post-traumatic headache and migraine are associated with differences in brain structure, perhaps suggesting differences in their underlying pathophysiology. Additional studies are needed to further delineate similarities and differences in brain structure and function that are associated with post-traumatic headache and migraine and to determine their specificity for each of the headache types.

Gender differences in functional connectivities between insular subdivisions and selective pain-related brain structures.

PubMed

Dai, Yu-Jie; Zhang, Xin; Yang, Yang; Nan, Hai-Yan; Yu, Ying; Sun, Qian; Yan, Lin-Feng; Hu, Bo; Zhang, Jin; Qiu, Zi-Yu; Gao, Yi; Cui, Guang-Bin; Chen, Bi-Liang; Wang, Wen

2018-03-14

The incidence of pain disorders in women is higher than in men, making gender differences in pain a research focus. The human insular cortex is an important brain hub structure for pain processing and is divided into several subdivisions, serving different functions in pain perception. Here we aimed to examine the gender differences of the functional connectivities (FCs) between the twelve insular subdivisions and selected pain-related brain structures in healthy adults. Twenty-six healthy males and 11 age-matched healthy females were recruited in this cross-sectional study. FCs between the 12 insular subdivisions (as 12 regions of interest (ROIs)) and the whole brain (ROI-whole brain level) or 64 selected pain-related brain regions (64 ROIs, ROI-ROI level) were measured between the males and females. Significant gender differences in the FCs of the insular subdivisions were revealed: (1) The FCs between the dorsal dysgranular insula (dId) and other brain regions were significantly increased in males using two different techniques (ROI-whole brain and ROI-ROI analyses); (2) Based on the ROI-whole brain analysis, the FC increases in 4 FC-pairs were observed in males, including the left dId - the right median cingulate and paracingulate/ right posterior cingulate gyrus/ right precuneus, the left dId - the right median cingulate and paracingulate, the left dId - the left angular as well as the left dId - the left middle frontal gyrus; (3) According to the ROI-ROI analysis, increased FC between the left dId and the right rostral anterior cingulate cortex was investigated in males. In summary, the gender differences in the FCs of the insular subdivisions with pain-related brain regions were revealed in the current study, offering neuroimaging evidence for gender differences in pain processing. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02820974 . Registered 28 June 2016.

Current Strategies for Brain Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Dong, Xiaowei

2018-01-01

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been a great hurdle for brain drug delivery. The BBB in healthy brain is a diffusion barrier essential for protecting normal brain function by impeding most compounds from transiting from the blood to the brain; only small molecules can cross the BBB. Under certain pathological conditions of diseases such as stroke, diabetes, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer disease, the BBB is disrupted. The objective of this review is to provide a broad overview on current strategies for brain drug delivery and related subjects from the past five years. It is hoped that this review could inspire readers to discover possible approaches to deliver drugs into the brain. After an initial overview of the BBB structure and function in both healthy and pathological conditions, this review re-visits, according to recent publications, some questions that are controversial, such as whether nanoparticles by themselves could cross the BBB and whether drugs are specifically transferred to the brain by actively targeted nanoparticles. Current non-nanoparticle strategies are also reviewed, such as delivery of drugs through the permeable BBB under pathological conditions and using non-invasive techniques to enhance brain drug uptake. Finally, one particular area that is often neglected in brain drug delivery is the influence of aging on the BBB, which is captured in this review based on the limited studies in the literature. PMID:29556336

Robust skull stripping using multiple MR image contrasts insensitive to pathology.

PubMed

Roy, Snehashis; Butman, John A; Pham, Dzung L

2017-02-01

Automatic skull-stripping or brain extraction of magnetic resonance (MR) images is often a fundamental step in many neuroimage processing pipelines. The accuracy of subsequent image processing relies on the accuracy of the skull-stripping. Although many automated stripping methods have been proposed in the past, it is still an active area of research particularly in the context of brain pathology. Most stripping methods are validated on T 1 -w MR images of normal brains, especially because high resolution T 1 -w sequences are widely acquired and ground truth manual brain mask segmentations are publicly available for normal brains. However, different MR acquisition protocols can provide complementary information about the brain tissues, which can be exploited for better distinction between brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and unwanted tissues such as skull, dura, marrow, or fat. This is especially true in the presence of pathology, where hemorrhages or other types of lesions can have similar intensities as skull in a T 1 -w image. In this paper, we propose a sparse patch based Multi-cONtrast brain STRipping method (MONSTR), 2 where non-local patch information from one or more atlases, which contain multiple MR sequences and reference delineations of brain masks, are combined to generate a target brain mask. We compared MONSTR with four state-of-the-art, publicly available methods: BEaST, SPECTRE, ROBEX, and OptiBET. We evaluated the performance of these methods on 6 datasets consisting of both healthy subjects and patients with various pathologies. Three datasets (ADNI, MRBrainS, NAMIC) are publicly available, consisting of 44 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with schizophrenia. Other three in-house datasets, comprising 87 subjects in total, consisted of patients with mild to severe traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, and various movement disorders. A combination of T 1 -w, T 2 -w were used to skull-strip these datasets. We show significant improvement in stripping over the competing methods on both healthy and pathological brains. We also show that our multi-contrast framework is robust and maintains accurate performance across different types of acquisitions and scanners, even when using normal brains as atlases to strip pathological brains, demonstrating that our algorithm is applicable even when reference segmentations of pathological brains are not available to be used as atlases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individual variation in functional brain connectivity: implications for personalized approaches to psychiatric disease.

PubMed

Finn, Emily S; Todd Constable, R

2016-09-01

Functional brain connectivity measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a popular technique for investigating neural organization in both healthy subjects and patients with mental illness. Despite a rapidly growing body of literature, however, functional connectivity research has yet to deliver biomarkers that can aid psychiatric diagnosis or prognosis at the single-subject level. One impediment to developing such practical tools has been uncertainty regarding the ratio of intra- to interindividual variability in functional connectivity; in other words, how much variance is state- versus trait-related. Here, we review recent evidence that functional connectivity profiles are both reliable within subjects and unique across subjects, and that features of these profiles relate to behavioral phenotypes. Together, these results suggest the potential to discover reliable correlates of present and future illness and/or response to treatment in the strength of an individual's functional brain connections. Ultimately, this work could help develop personalized approaches to psychiatric illness.

The chronnectome: time-varying connectivity networks as the next frontier in fMRI data discovery.

PubMed

Calhoun, Vince D; Miller, Robyn; Pearlson, Godfrey; Adalı, Tulay

2014-10-22

Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth of interest in moving functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) beyond simple scan-length averages and into approaches that capture time-varying properties of connectivity. In this Perspective we use the term "chronnectome" to describe metrics that allow a dynamic view of coupling. In the chronnectome, coupling refers to possibly time-varying levels of correlated or mutually informed activity between brain regions whose spatial properties may also be temporally evolving. We primarily focus on multivariate approaches developed in our group and review a number of approaches with an emphasis on matrix decompositions such as principle component analysis and independent component analysis. We also discuss the potential these approaches offer to improve characterization and understanding of brain function. There are a number of methodological directions that need to be developed further, but chronnectome approaches already show great promise for the study of both the healthy and the diseased brain.

Changes in plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations following acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

PubMed

Dong, Xiao-Qiao; Yu, Wen-Hua; Zhu, Qiang; Cheng, Zhen-Yu; Chen, Yi-Hua; Lin, Xiao-Feng; Ten, Xian-Lin; Tang, Xiao-Bing; Chen, Juan

2015-10-23

Angiogenesis is a fundamental process for brain development and repair. Thrombospondin-1 is the first identified endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. Its expression in rat brain is upregulated after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We determined whether plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations are associated with injury severity and prognosis in ICH patients. This observational, prospective study recruited 110 patients and 110 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Blood samples were collected from the patients at admission and from the healthy controls at study entry to measure plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations. The endpoints included 1-week mortality, 6-month mortality, 6-month overall survival and 6-month unfavorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations were markedly higher in patients than in healthy controls. Thrombospondin-1 was an independent predictive factor for all endpoints and plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations were highly associated with injury severity reflected by hematoma volume and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. Under receiver operating characteristic curves, plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations had similar predictive values compared with hematoma volume and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. Increased plasma thrombospondin-1 concentrations following ICH are independently associated with injury severity and short-term and long-term clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automatic classification of written descriptions by healthy adults: An overview of the application of natural language processing and machine learning techniques to clinical discourse analysis.

PubMed

Toledo, Cíntia Matsuda; Cunha, Andre; Scarton, Carolina; Aluísio, Sandra

2014-01-01

Discourse production is an important aspect in the evaluation of brain-injured individuals. We believe that studies comparing the performance of brain-injured subjects with that of healthy controls must use groups with compatible education. A pioneering application of machine learning methods using Brazilian Portuguese for clinical purposes is described, highlighting education as an important variable in the Brazilian scenario. The aims were to describe how to:(i) develop machine learning classifiers using features generated by natural language processing tools to distinguish descriptions produced by healthy individuals into classes based on their years of education; and(ii) automatically identify the features that best distinguish the groups. The approach proposed here extracts linguistic features automatically from the written descriptions with the aid of two Natural Language Processing tools: Coh-Metrix-Port and AIC. It also includes nine task-specific features (three new ones, two extracted manually, besides description time; type of scene described - simple or complex; presentation order - which type of picture was described first; and age). In this study, the descriptions by 144 of the subjects studied in Toledo 18 were used,which included 200 healthy Brazilians of both genders. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) with a radial basis function (RBF) kernel is the most recommended approach for the binary classification of our data, classifying three of the four initial classes. CfsSubsetEval (CFS) is a strong candidate to replace manual feature selection methods.

Strategies for Preventing Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Adults

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective: Many advances have been made in the understanding of age-related changes in cognition. As research details the cognitive and neurobiological changes that occur in aging, there is increased interest in developing and understanding methods to prevent, slow, or reverse the cognitive decline that may occur in normal healthy older adults. The Institute of Medicine has recently recognized cognitive aging as having important financial and public health implications for society with the increasing older adult population worldwide. Cognitive aging is not dementia and does not result in the loss of neurons but rather changes in neurotransmission that affect brain functioning. The fact that neurons are structurally intact but may be functionally affected by increased age implies that there is potential for remediation. Method and Results: This review article presents recent work using medication-based strategies for slowing cognitive changes in aging. The primary method presented is a hormonal approach for affecting cognition in older women. In addition, a summary of the work examining modifiable lifestyle factors that have shown promise in benefiting cognition in both older men and women is described. Conclusions: Much work remains to be done so that evidence-based recommendations can be made for slowing cognitive decline in healthy older adults. The success of some of these methods thus far indicates that the brains of healthy older adults are plastic enough to be able to respond to these cognitive decline prevention strategies, and further work is needed to define the most beneficial methods. PMID:28703016

Functional Hubs in Mild Cognitive Impairment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navas, Adrián; Papo, David; Boccaletti, Stefano; Del-Pozo, F.; Bajo, Ricardo; Maestú, Fernando; Martínez, J. H.; Gil, Pablo; Sendiña-Nadal, Irene; Buldú, Javier M.

We investigate how hubs of functional brain networks are modified as a result of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition causing a slight but noticeable decline in cognitive abilities, which sometimes precedes the onset of Alzheimer's disease. We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to investigate the functional brain networks of a group of patients suffering from MCI and a control group of healthy subjects, during the execution of a short-term memory task. Couplings between brain sites were evaluated using synchronization likelihood, from which a network of functional interdependencies was constructed and the centrality, i.e. importance, of their nodes was quantified. The results showed that, with respect to healthy controls, MCI patients were associated with decreases and increases in hub centrality respectively in occipital and central scalp regions, supporting the hypothesis that MCI modifies functional brain network topology, leading to more random structures.

Brain Microstructural Correlates of Cognitive Dysfunction in Clinically and Biochemically Normal Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

PubMed

Kumar, Ajay; Deep, Amar; Gupta, Rakesh K; Atam, Virendra; Mohindra, Samir

2017-09-01

This study examined correlates of the brain's neurocognitive performance among clinically and biochemically normal adult patient with hepatitis C virus (HCV). We hypothesized that anti-HCV positive individuals would demonstrate structural brain abnormalities and neurocognitive dysfunction as well as the changes in cell component and extracellular space in the white matter regions of brain in asymptomatic HCV infection by using diffusion tensor tractrography (DTT) metrics. Anti-HCV positive patient ( n  = 40), and healthy controls ( n  = 31), fulfilling inclusion criteria (incidentally detected anti-HCV positive) and able to provide informed consent were screened and recruited for the study. All these subjects and controls underwent subjective assessment of their quality of life related symptoms, neuropsychometric tests (NPT) and magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were subjected to neuroimaging as well as psychological testing. There was no significant difference in basic laboratory parameters in these two groups. Independent t -test reveals significantly lower neuropsychological functioning as compared to healthy control. A significantly decreased FA values and myoinsitol were observed in HCV subjects on sensory, inferior longitudinal fascicules, and STR fiber bundles as compared to healthy control. Bivariate correlation analysis reveals that neuropsychological scores are significantly positive. Our result show that HCV positive individuals would demonstrate structural brain abnormalities and neurocognitive dysfunction as well as the changes in cell component and extracellular space in the white matter regions of brain in asymptomatic HCV infection by using DTT metrics.

Consumption of fermented milk product with probiotic modulates brain activity.

PubMed

Tillisch, Kirsten; Labus, Jennifer; Kilpatrick, Lisa; Jiang, Zhiguo; Stains, Jean; Ebrat, Bahar; Guyonnet, Denis; Legrain-Raspaud, Sophie; Trotin, Beatrice; Naliboff, Bruce; Mayer, Emeran A

2013-06-01

Changes in gut microbiota have been reported to alter signaling mechanisms, emotional behavior, and visceral nociceptive reflexes in rodents. However, alteration of the intestinal microbiota with antibiotics or probiotics has not been shown to produce these changes in humans. We investigated whether consumption of a fermented milk product with probiotic (FMPP) for 4 weeks by healthy women altered brain intrinsic connectivity or responses to emotional attention tasks. Healthy women with no gastrointestinal or psychiatric symptoms were randomly assigned to groups given FMPP (n = 12), a nonfermented milk product (n = 11, controls), or no intervention (n = 13) twice daily for 4 weeks. The FMPP contained Bifidobacterium animalis subsp Lactis, Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Lactococcus lactis subsp Lactis. Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after the intervention to measure brain response to an emotional faces attention task and resting brain activity. Multivariate and region of interest analyses were performed. FMPP intake was associated with reduced task-related response of a distributed functional network (49% cross-block covariance; P = .004) containing affective, viscerosensory, and somatosensory cortices. Alterations in intrinsic activity of resting brain indicated that ingestion of FMPP was associated with changes in midbrain connectivity, which could explain the observed differences in activity during the task. Four-week intake of an FMPP by healthy women affected activity of brain regions that control central processing of emotion and sensation. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional face processing and flat affect in schizophrenia: functional and structural neural correlates.

PubMed

Lepage, M; Sergerie, K; Benoit, A; Czechowska, Y; Dickie, E; Armony, J L

2011-09-01

There is a general consensus in the literature that schizophrenia causes difficulties with facial emotion perception and discrimination. Functional brain imaging studies have observed reduced limbic activity during facial emotion perception but few studies have examined the relation to flat affect severity. A total of 26 people with schizophrenia and 26 healthy controls took part in this event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Sad, happy and neutral faces were presented in a pseudo-random order and participants indicated the gender of the face presented. Manual segmentation of the amygdala was performed on a structural T1 image. Both the schizophrenia group and the healthy control group rated the emotional valence of facial expressions similarly. Both groups exhibited increased brain activity during the perception of emotional faces relative to neutral ones in multiple brain regions, including multiple prefrontal regions bilaterally, the right amygdala, right cingulate cortex and cuneus. Group comparisons, however, revealed increased activity in the healthy group in the anterior cingulate, right parahippocampal gyrus and multiple visual areas. In schizophrenia, the severity of flat affect correlated significantly with neural activity in several brain areas including the amygdala and parahippocampal region bilaterally. These results suggest that many of the brain regions involved in emotional face perception, including the amygdala, are equally recruited in both schizophrenia and controls, but flat affect can also moderate activity in some other brain regions, notably in the left amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus bilaterally. There were no significant group differences in the volume of the amygdala.

Neuroimaging Studies of Factors Related to Exercise: Rationale and design of a 9 month trial

PubMed Central

Herrmann, Stephen D.; Martin, Laura E.; Breslin, Florence J.; Honas, Jeffery J.; Willis, Erik A.; Lepping, Rebecca J.; Gibson, Cheryl A.; Befort, Christie A.; Lambourne, Kate; Burns, Jeffrey M.; Smith, Bryan K.; Sullivan, Debra K.; Washburn, Richard A.; Yeh, Hung-Wen; Donnelly, Joseph E.; Savage, Cary R.

2014-01-01

The prevalence of obesity is high resulting from chronic imbalances between energy intake and expenditure. On the expenditure side, regular exercise is associated with health benefits, including enhanced brain function. The benefits of exercise are not immediate and require persistence to be realized. Brain regions associated with health-related decisions, such as whether or not to exercise or controlling the impulse to engage in immediately rewarding activities (e.g., sedentary behavior), include reward processing and cognitive control regions. A 9 month aerobic exercise study will be conducted in 180 sedentary adults (n = 90 healthy weight [BMI= 18.5 to 26.0 kg/m2]; n = 90 obese [BMI=29.0 to 41.0 kg/m2) to examine the brain processes underlying reward processing and impulse control that may affect adherence in a new exercise regimen. The primary aim is to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine reward processing and impulse control among participants that adhere (exercise >80% of sessions) and those that do not adhere to a nine-month exercise intervention with secondary analyses comparing sedentary obese and sedentary healthy weight participants. Our results will provide valuable information characterizing brain activation underlying reward processing and impulse control in sedentary obese and healthy weight individuals. In addition, our results may identify brain activation predictors of adherence and success in the exercise program along with measuring the effects of exercise and improved fitness on brain activation. PMID:24291150

Frontal lobe connectivity and cognitive impairment in pediatric frontal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Braakman, Hilde M H; Vaessen, Maarten J; Jansen, Jacobus F A; Debeij-van Hall, Mariette H J A; de Louw, Anton; Hofman, Paul A M; Vles, Johan S H; Aldenkamp, Albert P; Backes, Walter H

2013-03-01

Cognitive impairment is frequent in children with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE), but its etiology is unknown. With functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we have explored the relationship between brain activation, functional connectivity, and cognitive functioning in a cohort of pediatric patients with FLE and healthy controls. Thirty-two children aged 8-13 years with FLE of unknown cause and 41 healthy age-matched controls underwent neuropsychological assessment and structural and functional brain MRI. We investigated to which extent brain regions activated in response to a working memory task and assessed functional connectivity between distant brain regions. Data of patients were compared to controls, and patients were grouped as cognitively impaired or unimpaired. Children with FLE showed a global decrease in functional brain connectivity compared to healthy controls, whereas brain activation patterns in children with FLE remained relatively intact. Children with FLE complicated by cognitive impairment typically showed a decrease in frontal lobe connectivity. This decreased frontal lobe connectivity comprised both connections within the frontal lobe as well as connections from the frontal lobe to the parietal lobe, temporal lobe, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. Decreased functional frontal lobe connectivity is associated with cognitive impairment in pediatric FLE. The importance of impairment of functional integrity within the frontal lobe network, as well as its connections to distant areas, provides new insights in the etiology of the broad-range cognitive impairments in children with FLE. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2012 International League Against Epilepsy.

In vivo NAD assay reveals the intracellular NAD contents and redox state in healthy human brain and their age dependences

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiao-Hong; Lu, Ming; Lee, Byeong-Yeul; Ugurbil, Kamil; Chen, Wei

2015-01-01

NAD is an essential metabolite that exists in NAD+ or NADH form in all living cells. Despite its critical roles in regulating mitochondrial energy production through the NAD+/NADH redox state and modulating cellular signaling processes through the activity of the NAD+-dependent enzymes, the method for quantifying intracellular NAD contents and redox state is limited to a few in vitro or ex vivo assays, which are not suitable for studying a living brain or organ. Here, we present a magnetic resonance (MR) -based in vivo NAD assay that uses the high-field MR scanner and is capable of noninvasively assessing NAD+ and NADH contents and the NAD+/NADH redox state in intact human brain. The results of this study provide the first insight, to our knowledge, into the cellular NAD concentrations and redox state in the brains of healthy volunteers. Furthermore, an age-dependent increase of intracellular NADH and age-dependent reductions in NAD+, total NAD contents, and NAD+/NADH redox potential of the healthy human brain were revealed in this study. The overall findings not only provide direct evidence of declined mitochondrial functions and altered NAD homeostasis that accompany the normal aging process but also, elucidate the merits and potentials of this new NAD assay for noninvasively studying the intracellular NAD metabolism and redox state in normal and diseased human brain or other organs in situ. PMID:25730862

The ICCAM platform study: An experimental medicine platform for evaluating new drugs for relapse prevention in addiction. Part B: fMRI description

PubMed Central

McGonigle, John; Murphy, Anna; Paterson, Louise M; Reed, Laurence J; Nestor, Liam; Nash, Jonathan; Elliott, Rebecca; Ersche, Karen D; Flechais, Remy SA; Newbould, Rexford; Orban, Csaba; Smith, Dana G; Taylor, Eleanor M; Waldman, Adam D; Robbins, Trevor W; Deakin, JF William; Nutt, David J; Lingford-Hughes, Anne R; Suckling, John

2016-01-01

Objectives: We aimed to set up a robust multi-centre clinical fMRI and neuropsychological platform to investigate the neuropharmacology of brain processes relevant to addiction – reward, impulsivity and emotional reactivity. Here we provide an overview of the fMRI battery, carried out across three centres, characterizing neuronal response to the tasks, along with exploring inter-centre differences in healthy participants. Experimental design: Three fMRI tasks were used: monetary incentive delay to probe reward sensitivity, go/no-go to probe impulsivity and an evocative images task to probe emotional reactivity. A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis was carried out for the reward and impulsivity tasks to help establish region of interest (ROI) placement. A group of healthy participants was recruited from across three centres (total n=43) to investigate inter-centre differences. Principle observations: The pattern of response observed for each of the three tasks was consistent with previous studies using similar paradigms. At the whole brain level, significant differences were not observed between centres for any task. Conclusions: In developing this platform we successfully integrated neuroimaging data from three centres, adapted validated tasks and applied whole brain and ROI approaches to explore and demonstrate their consistency across centres. PMID:27703042

Tissue classification and diagnostics using a fiber probe for combined Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicchi, Riccardo; Anand, Suresh; Rossari, Susanna; Sturiale, Alessandro; Giordano, Flavio; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Maio, Vincenza; Massi, Daniela; Nesi, Gabriella; Buccoliero, Anna Maria; Tonelli, Francesco; Guerrini, Renzo; Pimpinelli, Nicola; Pavone, Francesco S.

2015-03-01

Two different optical fiber probes for combined Raman and fluorescence spectroscopic measurements were designed, developed and used for tissue diagnostics. Two visible laser diodes were used for fluorescence spectroscopy, whereas a laser diode emitting in the NIR was used for Raman spectroscopy. The two probes were based on fiber bundles with a central multimode optical fiber, used for delivering light to the tissue, and 24 surrounding optical fibers for signal collection. Both fluorescence and Raman spectra were acquired using the same detection unit, based on a cooled CCD camera, connected to a spectrograph. The two probes were successfully employed for diagnostic purposes on various tissues in a good agreement with common routine histology. This study included skin, brain and bladder tissues and in particular the classification of: malignant melanoma against melanocytic lesions and healthy skin; urothelial carcinoma against healthy bladder mucosa; brain tumor against dysplastic brain tissue. The diagnostic capabilities were determined using a cross-validation method with a leave-one-out approach, finding very high sensitivity and specificity for all the examined tissues. The obtained results demonstrated that the multimodal approach is crucial for improving diagnostic capabilities. The system presented here can improve diagnostic capabilities on a broad range of tissues and has the potential of being used for endoscopic inspections in the near future.

Tissue classification and diagnostics using a fiber probe for combined Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicchi, Riccardo; Anand, Suresh; Crisci, Alfonso; Giordano, Flavio; Rossari, Susanna; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Maio, Vincenza; Massi, Daniela; Nesi, Gabriella; Buccoliero, Anna Maria; Guerrini, Renzo; Pimpinelli, Nicola; Pavone, Francesco S.

2015-07-01

Two different optical fiber probes for combined Raman and fluorescence spectroscopic measurements were designed, developed and used for tissue diagnostics. Two visible laser diodes were used for fluorescence spectroscopy, whereas a laser diode emitting in the NIR was used for Raman spectroscopy. The two probes were based on fiber bundles with a central multimode optical fiber, used for delivering light to the tissue, and 24 surrounding optical fibers for signal collection. Both fluorescence and Raman spectra were acquired using the same detection unit, based on a cooled CCD camera, connected to a spectrograph. The two probes were successfully employed for diagnostic purposes on various tissues in a good agreement with common routine histology. This study included skin, brain and bladder tissues and in particular the classification of: malignant melanoma against melanocytic lesions and healthy skin; urothelial carcinoma against healthy bladder mucosa; brain tumor against dysplastic brain tissue. The diagnostic capabilities were determined using a cross-validation method with a leave-one-out approach, finding very high sensitivity and specificity for all the examined tissues. The obtained results demonstrated that the multimodal approach is crucial for improving diagnostic capabilities. The system presented here can improve diagnostic capabilities on a broad range of tissues and has the potential of being used for endoscopic inspections in the near future.

Brain white matter changes associated with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome: multisite neuroimaging from a MAPP case-control study.

PubMed

Huang, Lejian; Kutch, Jason J; Ellingson, Benjamin M; Martucci, Katherine T; Harris, Richard E; Clauw, Daniel J; Mackey, Sean; Mayer, Emeran A; Schaeffer, Anthony J; Apkarian, A Vania; Farmer, Melissa A

2016-12-01

Clinical phenotyping of urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes (UCPPSs) in men and women have focused on end organ abnormalities to identify putative clinical subtypes. Initial evidence of abnormal brain function and structure in male pelvic pain has necessitated large-scale, multisite investigations into potential UCPPS brain biomarkers. We present the first evidence of regional white matter (axonal) abnormalities in men and women with UCPPS, compared with positive (irritable bowel syndrome, IBS) and healthy controls. Epidemiological and neuroimaging data were collected from participants with UCPPS (n = 52), IBS (n = 39), and healthy sex- and age-matched controls (n = 61). White matter microstructure, measured as fractional anisotropy (FA), was examined by diffusion tensor imaging. Group differences in regional FA positively correlated with pain severity, including segments of the right corticospinal tract and right anterior thalamic radiation. Increased corticospinal FA was specific and sensitive to UCPPS, positively correlated with pain severity, and reflected sensory (not affective) features of pain. Reduced anterior thalamic radiation FA distinguished patients with IBS from those with UCPPS and controls, suggesting greater microstructural divergence from normal tract organization. Findings confirm that regional white matter abnormalities characterize UCPPS and can distinguish between visceral diagnoses, suggesting that regional axonal microstructure is either altered with ongoing pain or predisposes its development.

Brain white matter changes associated with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome: Multi-site neuroimaging from a MAPP case-control study

PubMed Central

Huang, Lejian; Kutch, Jason J.; Ellingson, Benjamin M.; Martucci, Katherine T.; Harris, Richard E.; Clauw, Daniel J.; Mackey, Sean; Mayer, Emeran A.; Schaeffer, Anthony J.; Apkarian, A. Vania; Farmer, Melissa A.

2016-01-01

Clinical phenotyping of urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes (UCPPS) in men and women has focused on end-organ abnormalities to identify putative clinical subtypes. Initial evidence of abnormal brain function and structure in male pelvic pain has necessitated large-scale, multi-site investigations into potential UCPPS brain biomarkers. We present the first evidence of regional white matter (axonal) abnormalities in men and women with UCPPS, compared to positive (irritable bowel syndrome, IBS) and healthy controls. Epidemiological and neuroimaging data was collected from participants with UCPPS (n=52), IBS (n=39), and healthy, sex- and age-matched controls (n=61). White matter microstructure, measured as fractional anisotropy (FA), was examined with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Group differences in regional FA positively correlated with pain severity, including segments of the right corticospinal tract and right anterior thalamic radiation. Increased corticospinal FA was specific and sensitive to UCPPS, positively correlated with pain severity, and reflected sensory (not affective) features of pain. Reduced anterior thalamic radiation FA distinguished IBS from UCPPS patients and controls, suggesting greater microstructural divergence from normal tract organization. Findings confirm that regional white matter abnormalities characterize UCPPS and can distinguish between visceral diagnoses, suggesting that regional axonal microstructure is either altered with ongoing pain or predisposes its development. PMID:27842046

The ICCAM platform study: An experimental medicine platform for evaluating new drugs for relapse prevention in addiction. Part B: fMRI description.

PubMed

McGonigle, John; Murphy, Anna; Paterson, Louise M; Reed, Laurence J; Nestor, Liam; Nash, Jonathan; Elliott, Rebecca; Ersche, Karen D; Flechais, Remy Sa; Newbould, Rexford; Orban, Csaba; Smith, Dana G; Taylor, Eleanor M; Waldman, Adam D; Robbins, Trevor W; Deakin, Jf William; Nutt, David J; Lingford-Hughes, Anne R; Suckling, John

2017-01-01

We aimed to set up a robust multi-centre clinical fMRI and neuropsychological platform to investigate the neuropharmacology of brain processes relevant to addiction - reward, impulsivity and emotional reactivity. Here we provide an overview of the fMRI battery, carried out across three centres, characterizing neuronal response to the tasks, along with exploring inter-centre differences in healthy participants. Three fMRI tasks were used: monetary incentive delay to probe reward sensitivity, go/no-go to probe impulsivity and an evocative images task to probe emotional reactivity. A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis was carried out for the reward and impulsivity tasks to help establish region of interest (ROI) placement. A group of healthy participants was recruited from across three centres (total n=43) to investigate inter-centre differences. Principle observations: The pattern of response observed for each of the three tasks was consistent with previous studies using similar paradigms. At the whole brain level, significant differences were not observed between centres for any task. In developing this platform we successfully integrated neuroimaging data from three centres, adapted validated tasks and applied whole brain and ROI approaches to explore and demonstrate their consistency across centres.

Effects of APOE-ε4 allele load on brain morphology in a cohort of middle-aged healthy individuals with enriched genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Cacciaglia, Raffaele; Molinuevo, José Luis; Falcón, Carles; Brugulat-Serrat, Anna; Sánchez-Benavides, Gonzalo; Gramunt, Nina; Esteller, Manel; Morán, Sebastián; Minguillón, Carolina; Fauria, Karine; Gispert, Juan Domingo

2018-03-27

Apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 is the major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. However, the dose-dependent impact of this allele on brain morphology of healthy individuals remains unclear. We analyzed gray matter volumes (GMvs) in a sample of 533 healthy middle-aged individuals with a substantial representation of ε4-carriers (207 heterozygotes and 65 homozygotes). We found APOE-ε4 additive GMv reductions in the right hippocampus, caudate, precentral gyrus, and cerebellar crus. In these regions, the APOE genotype interacted with age, with homozygotes displaying lower GMv after the fifth decade of life. APOE-ε4 was also associated to greater GMv in the right thalamus, left occipital gyrus, and right frontal cortex. Our data indicate that APOE-ε4 exerts additive effects on GMv in regions relevant for Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology already in healthy individuals. These findings elucidate the mechanisms underlying the increased Alzheimer's disease risk in ε4-carriers, suggesting a dose-dependent disease vulnerability on the brain structure level. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex modulates fatigue after penetrating traumatic brain injury

PubMed Central

Pardini, Matteo; Krueger, Frank; Raymont, Vanessa; Grafman, Jordan

2010-01-01

Background: Fatigue is a common and disabling symptom in neurologic disorders including traumatic penetrating brain injury (PBI). Despite fatigue's prevalence and impact on quality of life, its pathophysiology is not understood. Studies on effort perception in healthy subjects, animal behavioral paradigms, and recent evidence in different clinical populations suggest that ventromedial prefrontal cortex could play a significant role in fatigue pathophysiology in neurologic conditions. Methods: We enrolled 97 PBI patients and 37 control subjects drawn from the Vietnam Head Injury Study registry. Fatigue was assessed with a self-report questionnaire and a clinician-rated instrument; lesion location and volume were evaluated on CT scans. PBI patients were divided in 3 groups according to lesion location: a nonfrontal lesion group, a ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesion (vmPFC) group, and a dorso/lateral prefrontal cortex (d/lPFC) group. Fatigue scores were compared among the 3 PBI groups and the healthy controls. Results: Individuals with vmPFC lesions were significantly more fatigued than individuals with d/lPFC lesions, individuals with nonfrontal lesions, and healthy controls, while these 3 latter groups were equally fatigued. VmPFC volume was correlated with fatigue scores, showing that the larger the lesion volume, the higher the fatigue scores. Conclusions: We demonstrated that ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesion (vmPFC) plays a critical role in penetrating brain injury–related fatigue, providing a rationale to link fatigue to different vmPFC functions such as effort and reward perception. The identification of the anatomic and cognitive basis of fatigue can contribute to developing pathophysiology-based treatments for this disabling symptom. GLOSSARY AAL = Automated Anatomic Labeling; ANOVA = analysis of variance; BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; d/lPFC = dorso/lateral prefrontal cortex; DSM-IV = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition; NBRS = Neurobehavioral Rating Scale; NF = nonfrontal lesion; PBI = penetrating brain injury; ROI = region of interest; SCID-I = Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Axis I; VHIS = Vietnam Head Injury Study; vmPFC = ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesion. PMID:20194914

Residual effects of cannabis use in adolescent and adult brains - A meta-analysis of fMRI studies.

PubMed

Blest-Hopley, Grace; Giampietro, Vincent; Bhattacharyya, Sagnik

2018-05-01

While numerous studies have investigated the residual effects of cannabis use on human brain function, results of these studies have been inconsistent. Using meta-analytic approaches we summarize the effects of prolonged cannabis exposure on human brain function as measured using task-based functional MRI (fMRI) across studies employing a range of cognitive activation tasks comparing regular cannabis users with non-users. Separate meta-analyses were carried out for studies investigating adult and adolescent cannabis users. Systematic literature search identified 20 manuscripts (13 adult and 7 adolescent studies) meeting study inclusion criteria. Adult analyses compared 530 cannabis users to 580 healthy controls while adolescent analyses compared 219 cannabis users to 224 healthy controls. In adult cannabis users brain activation was increased in the superior and posterior transverse temporal and inferior frontal gyri and decreased in the striate area, insula and middle temporal gyrus. In adolescent cannabis users, activation was increased in the inferior parietal gyrus and putamen compared to healthy controls. Functional alteration in these areas may reflect compensatory neuroadaptive changes in cannabis users. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Plasticity in the Healthy Language Network: Implications for Language Recovery after Stroke

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Across the last three decades, the application of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has substantially increased the current knowledge of the brain's potential to undergo rapid short-term reorganization on the systems level. A large number of studies applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the healthy brain to probe the functional relevance and interaction of specific areas for different cognitive processes. NIBS is also increasingly being used to induce adaptive plasticity in motor and cognitive networks and shape cognitive functions. Recently, NIBS has been combined with electrophysiological techniques to modulate neural oscillations of specific cortical networks. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in the use of NIBS to modulate neural activity and effective connectivity in the healthy language network, with a special focus on the combination of NIBS and neuroimaging or electrophysiological approaches. Moreover, we outline how these results can be transferred to the lesioned brain to unravel the dynamics of reorganization processes in poststroke aphasia. We conclude with a critical discussion on the potential of NIBS to facilitate language recovery after stroke and propose a phase-specific model for the application of NIBS in language rehabilitation. PMID:27830094

Buen Comienzo, Buen Futuro: El Bebe de Un Mes (Healthy Start, Grow Smart: Your One-Month-Old).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

This pamphlet, distributed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, is designed to provide parents with information and advice about their infants in the first month of life. The pamphlet provides information on ways the mother can take care of herself, the one-month checkup, early brain development, infant…

Developmental Changes in Topological Asymmetry Between Hemispheric Brain White Matter Networks from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

PubMed

Zhong, Suyu; He, Yong; Shu, Hua; Gong, Gaolang

2017-04-01

Human brain asymmetries have been well described. Intriguingly, a number of asymmetries in brain phenotypes have been shown to change throughout the lifespan. Recent studies have revealed topological asymmetries between hemispheric white matter networks in the human brain. However, it remains unknown whether and how these topological asymmetries evolve from adolescence to young adulthood, a critical period that constitutes the second peak of human brain and cognitive development. To address this question, the present study included a large cohort of healthy adolescents and young adults. Diffusion and structural magnetic resonance imaging were acquired to construct hemispheric white matter networks, and graph-theory was applied to quantify topological parameters of the hemispheric networks. In both adolescents and young adults, rightward asymmetry in both global and local network efficiencies was consistently observed between the 2 hemispheres, but the degree of the asymmetry was significantly decreased in young adults. At the nodal level, the young adults exhibited less rightward asymmetry of nodal efficiency mainly around the parasylvian area, posterior tempo-parietal cortex, and fusiform gyrus. These developmental patterns of network asymmetry provide novel insight into the human brain structural development from adolescence to young adulthood and also likely relate to the maturation of language and social cognition that takes place during this period. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Coordination of Gene Expression of Arachidonic and Docosahexaenoic Acid Cascade Enzymes during Human Brain Development and Aging

PubMed Central

Ryan, Veronica H.; Primiani, Christopher T.; Rao, Jagadeesh S.; Ahn, Kwangmi; Rapoport, Stanley I.; Blanchard, Helene

2014-01-01

Background The polyunsaturated arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids (AA and DHA) participate in cell membrane synthesis during neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, and neurotransmission throughout life. Each is metabolized via coupled enzymatic reactions within separate but interacting metabolic cascades. Hypothesis AA and DHA pathway genes are coordinately expressed and underlie cascade interactions during human brain development and aging. Methods The BrainCloud database for human non-pathological prefrontal cortex gene expression was used to quantify postnatal age changes in mRNA expression of 34 genes involved in AA and DHA metabolism. Results Expression patterns were split into Development (0 to 20 years) and Aging (21 to 78 years) intervals. Expression of genes for cytosolic phospholipases A2 (cPLA2), cyclooxygenases (COX)-1 and -2, and other AA cascade enzymes, correlated closely with age during Development, less so during Aging. Expression of DHA cascade enzymes was less inter-correlated in each period, but often changed in the opposite direction to expression of AA cascade genes. Except for the PLA2G4A (cPLA2 IVA) and PTGS2 (COX-2) genes at 1q25, highly inter-correlated genes were at distant chromosomal loci. Conclusions Coordinated age-related gene expression during the brain Development and Aging intervals likely underlies coupled changes in enzymes of the AA and DHA cascades and largely occur through distant transcriptional regulation. Healthy brain aging does not show upregulation of PLA2G4 or PTGS2 expression, which was found in Alzheimer's disease. PMID:24963629

Effectiveness of brain-based learning and animated cartoons for enhancing healthy habits among school children in Khon Kaen, Thailand.

PubMed

Banchonhattakit, Pannee; Duangsong, Rujira; Muangsom, Niramon; Kamsong, Theppamon; Phangwan, Krittiya

2015-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of brain-based learning (BBL) and animated cartoons on video compact discs (VCDs) in enhancing the healthy habits of school children. A representative sample of 1085 school children in the first through the third grades at 16 schools was selected by multistage random sampling. Knowledge of healthy habits and self-reported adoption of practices were assessed by a questionnaire. BBL and VCD, either combined or as single-intervention techniques, led to improved knowledge and practice of healthy behavior, whereas conventional teaching did not. As a single-intervention technique, BBL on its own led to a greater improvement in healthy practices than VCD, but the addition of BBL to VCD made no difference, and there was no difference between BBL and VCD in terms of improvements in knowledge. In conclusion, both BBL and VCD are effective, but VCD requires fewer resources. Recommendations are made for further research. © 2012 APJPH.

Coping with Stress During Aging: The Importance of a Resilient Brain.

PubMed

Sampedro-Piquero, P; Alvarez-Suarez, P; Begega, A

2018-03-05

Resilience is the ability to achieve a positive outcome when we are in the face of adversity. It supposes an active resistance to adversity by coping mechanisms in which genetic, molecular, neural and environmental factors are involved. Resilience has been usually studied in early ages and few is known about it during aging. In this review, we will address the age-related changes in the brain mechanisms involved in regulating the stress response. Furthermore, using the EE paradigm, we analyse the resilient potential of this intervention and its neurobiological basis. In this case, we will focus on identifying the characteristics of a resilient brain (modifications in HPA structure and function, neurogenesis, specific neuron types, glia, neurotrophic factors, nitric oxide synthase or microRNAs, among others). The evidence suggests that a healthy lifestyle has a crucial role to promote a resilient brain during aging. Along with the behavioral changes described, a better regulation of HPA axis, enhanced levels of postmitotic type-3 cells or changes in GABAergic neurotransmission are some of the brain mechanisms involved in resilience. Future research should identify different biomarkers that increase the resistance to develop mood disorders and based on this knowledge, develop new potential therapeutic targets. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Brain activation during dual-task processing is associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and performance in older adults

PubMed Central

Wong, Chelsea N.; Chaddock-Heyman, Laura; Voss, Michelle W.; Burzynska, Agnieszka Z.; Basak, Chandramallika; Erickson, Kirk I.; Prakash, Ruchika S.; Szabo-Reed, Amanda N.; Phillips, Siobhan M.; Wojcicki, Thomas; Mailey, Emily L.; McAuley, Edward; Kramer, Arthur F.

2015-01-01

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with better cognitive performance and enhanced brain activation. Yet, the extent to which cardiorespiratory fitness-related brain activation is associated with better cognitive performance is not well understood. In this cross-sectional study, we examined whether the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function was mediated by greater prefrontal cortex activation in healthy older adults. Brain activation was measured during dual-task performance with functional magnetic resonance imaging in a sample of 128 healthy older adults (59–80 years). Higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with greater activation during dual-task processing in several brain areas including the anterior cingulate and supplementary motor cortex (ACC/SMA), thalamus and basal ganglia, right motor/somatosensory cortex and middle frontal gyrus, and left somatosensory cortex, controlling for age, sex, education, and gray matter volume. Of these regions, greater ACC/SMA activation mediated the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and dual-task performance. We provide novel evidence that cardiorespiratory fitness may support cognitive performance by facilitating brain activation in a core region critical for executive function. PMID:26321949

Dopaminergic contributions to working memory-related brain activation in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Dumas, Julie A; Filippi, Christopher G; Newhouse, Paul A; Naylor, Magdalena R

2017-02-01

The current study examined the effects of pharmacologic dopaminergic manipulations on working memory-related brain activation in postmenopausal women to further understand the neurochemistry underlying cognition after menopause. Eighteen healthy postmenopausal women, mean age 55.21 years, completed three study days with dopaminergic drug challenges during which they performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging visual verbal N-back test of working memory. Acute stimulation with 1.25 mg oral D2 agonist bromocriptine, acute blockade with 1.5 mg oral haloperidol, and matching placebo were administered randomly and blindly on three study days. We found that dopaminergic stimulation increased activation primarily in the posterior regions of the working memory network compared with dopaminergic blockade using a whole brain cluster-level corrected analysis. The dopaminergic medications did not affect working memory performance. Patterns of increased blood-oxygen-level dependent signal activation after dopaminergic stimulation were found in this study in posterior brain regions with no effect on working memory performance. Further studies should examine specific dopaminergic contributions to brain functioning in healthy postmenopausal women to determine the effects of the increased brain activation on cognition and behavior.

Neural loss aversion differences between depression patients and healthy individuals: A functional MRI investigation.

PubMed

Chandrasekhar Pammi, V S; Pillai Geethabhavan Rajesh, Purushothaman; Kesavadas, Chandrasekharan; Rappai Mary, Paramban; Seema, Satish; Radhakrishnan, Ashalatha; Sitaram, Ranganatha

2015-04-01

Neuroeconomics employs neuroscience techniques to explain decision-making behaviours. Prospect theory, a prominent model of decision-making, features a value function with parameters for risk and loss aversion. Recent work with normal participants identified activation related to loss aversion in brain regions including the amygdala, ventral striatum, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. However, the brain network for loss aversion in pathologies such as depression has yet to be identified. The aim of the current study is to employ the value function from prospect theory to examine behavioural and neural manifestations of loss aversion in depressed and healthy individuals to identify the neurobiological markers of loss aversion in economic behaviour. We acquired behavioural data and fMRI scans while healthy controls and patients with depression performed an economic decision-making task. Behavioural loss aversion was higher in patients with depression than in healthy controls. fMRI results revealed that the two groups shared a brain network for value function including right ventral striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and right amygdala. However, the neural loss aversion results revealed greater activations in the right dorsal striatum and the right anterior insula for controls compared with patients with depression, and higher activations in the midbrain region ventral tegmental area for patients with depression compared with controls. These results suggest that while the brain network for loss aversion is shared between depressed and healthy individuals, some differences exist with respect to differential activation of additional areas. Our findings are relevant to identifying neurobiological markers for altered decision-making in the depressed. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Reduced Brain Gray Matter Concentration in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

PubMed Central

Joo, Eun Yeon; Tae, Woo Suk; Lee, Min Joo; Kang, Jung Woo; Park, Hwan Seok; Lee, Jun Young; Suh, Minah; Hong, Seung Bong

2010-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate differences in brain gray matter concentrations or volumes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) and healthy volunteers. Designs: Optimized voxel-based morphometry, an automated processing technique for MRI, was used to characterize structural differences in gray matter in newly diagnosed male patients. Setting: University hospital Patients and Participants: The study consisted of 36 male OSA and 31 non-apneic male healthy volunteers matched for age (mean age, 44.8 years). Interventions: Using the t-test, gray matter differences were identified. The statistical significance level was set to a false discovery rate P < 0.05 with an extent threshold of kE > 200 voxels. Measurements and Results: The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of patients was 52.5/ h. On visual inspection of MRI, no structural abnormalities were observed. Compared to healthy volunteers, the gray matter concentrations of OSA patients were significantly decreased in the left gyrus rectus, bilateral superior frontal gyri, left precentral gyrus, bilateral frontomarginal gyri, bilateral anterior cingulate gyri, right insular gyrus, bilateral caudate nuclei, bilateral thalami, bilateral amygdalo-hippocampi, bilateral inferior temporal gyri, and bilateral quadrangular and biventer lobules in the cerebellum (false discovery rate P < 0.05). Gray matter volume was not different between OSA patients and healthy volunteers. Conclusions: The brain gray matter deficits may suggest that memory impairment, affective and cardiovascular disturbances, executive dysfunctions, and dysregulation of autonomic and respiratory control frequently found in OSA patients might be related to morphological differences in the brain gray matter areas. Citation: Joo EY; Tae WS; Lee MJ; Kang JW; Park HS; Lee JY; Suh M; Hong SB. Reduced brain gray matter concentration in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. SLEEP 2010;33(2):235-241. PMID:20175407

Age-related differences in the topological efficiency of the brain structural connectome in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Zhao, Tengda; Sheng, Can; Bi, Qiuhui; Niu, Weili; Shu, Ni; Han, Ying

2017-11-01

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is accompanied by the accelerated cognitive decline and rapid brain degeneration with aging. However, the age-related alterations of the topological organization of the brain connectome in aMCI patients remained largely unknown. In this study, we constructed the brain structural connectome in 51 aMCI patients and 51 healthy controls by diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and deterministic tractography. The different age-related alteration patterns of the global and regional network metrics between aMCI patients and healthy controls were assessed by a linear regression model. Compared with healthy controls, significantly decreased global and local network efficiency in aMCI patients were found. When correlating network efficiency with age, we observed a significant decline in network efficiency with aging in the aMCI patients, while not in the healthy controls. The age-related decreases of nodal efficiency in aMCI patients were mainly distributed in the key regions of the default-mode network, such as precuneus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus. In addition, age-related decreases in the connection strength of the edges between peripheral nodes were observed in aMCI patients. Moreover, the decreased regional efficiency of the parahippocampal gyrus was correlated with impaired memory performances in patients. The present study suggests an age-related disruption of the topological organization of the brain structural connectome in aMCI patients, which may provide evidence for different neural mechanisms underlying aging in aMCI and may serve as a potential imaging marker for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential associations between types of verbal memory and prefrontal brain structure in healthy aging and late life depression.

PubMed

Lamar, Melissa; Charlton, Rebecca; Zhang, Aifeng; Kumar, Anand

2012-07-01

Verbal memory deficits attributed to late life depression (LLD) may result from executive dysfunction that is more detrimental to list-learning than story-based recall when compared to healthy aging. Despite these behavioral dissociations, little work has been done investigating related neuroanatomical dissociations across types of verbal memory performance in LLD. We compared list-learning to story-based memory performance in 24 non-demented individuals with LLD (age ~ 66.1 ± 7.8) and 41 non-demented/non-depressed healthy controls (HC; age ~ 67.6 ± 5.3). We correlated significant results of between-group analyses across memory performance variables with brain volumes of frontal, temporal and parietal regions known to be involved with verbal learning and memory. When compared to the HC group, the LLD group showed significantly lower verbal memory performance for spontaneous recall after repeated exposure and after a long-delay but only for the list-learning task; groups did not differ on story-based memory performance. Despite equivalent brain volumes across regions, only the LLD group showed brain associations with verbal memory performance and only for the list-learning task. Specifically, frontal volumes important for subjective organization and response monitoring correlated with list-learning performance in the LLD group. This study is the first to demonstrate neuroanatomical dissociations across types of verbal memory performance in individuals with LLD. Results provide structural evidence for the behavioral dissociations between list-learning and story-based recall in LLD when compared to healthy aging. More specifically, it points toward a network of predominantly anterior brain regions that may underlie the executive contribution to list-learning in older adults with depression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Her versus his migraine: multiple sex differences in brain function and structure

PubMed Central

Linnman, Clas; Brawn, Jennifer; Burstein, Rami; Becerra, Lino; Borsook, David

2012-01-01

Migraine is twice as common in females as in males, but the mechanisms behind this difference are still poorly understood. We used high-field magnetic resonance imaging in male and female age-matched interictal (migraine free) migraineurs and matched healthy controls to determine alterations in brain structure. Female migraineurs had thicker posterior insula and precuneus cortices compared with male migraineurs and healthy controls of both sexes. Furthermore, evaluation of functional responses to heat within the migraine groups indicated concurrent functional differences in male and female migraineurs and a sex-specific pattern of functional connectivity of these two regions with the rest of the brain. The results support the notion of a ‘sex phenotype’ in migraine and indicate that brains are differentially affected by migraine in females compared with males. Furthermore, the results also support the notion that sex differences involve both brain structure as well as functional circuits, in that emotional circuitry compared with sensory processing appears involved to a greater degree in female than male migraineurs. PMID:22843414

Focal changes in brain energy and phospholipid metabolism in first-episode schizophrenia: 31P-MRS chemical shift imaging study at 4 Tesla.

PubMed

Jensen, J Eric; Miller, Jodi; Williamson, Peter C; Neufeld, Richard W J; Menon, Ravi S; Malla, Ashok; Manchanda, Rahul; Schaefer, Betsy; Densmore, Maria; Drost, Dick J

2004-05-01

Membrane phospholipid and high-energy abnormalities measured with phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P-MRS) have been reported in patients with schizophrenia in several brain regions. Using improved imaging techniques, previously inaccessible brain regions were examined in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and healthy volunteers with 4.0 T (31)P-MRS. Brain spectra were collected in vivo from 15 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 15 healthy volunteers from 15 cm(3) effective voxels in the thalamus, cerebellum, hippocampus, anterior/posterior cingulate, prefrontal cortex and parieto-occipital cortex. People with first-episode schizophrenia showed increased levels of glycerophosphocholine in the anterior cingulate. Inorganic phosphate, phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate concentrations were also increased in the anterior cingulate in this group. The increased phosphodiester and high-energy phosphate levels in the anterior cingulate of brains of people with first-episode schizophrenia may indicate neural overactivity in this region during the early stages of the illness, resulting in increased excitotoxic neural membrane breakdown.

Her versus his migraine: multiple sex differences in brain function and structure.

PubMed

Maleki, Nasim; Linnman, Clas; Brawn, Jennifer; Burstein, Rami; Becerra, Lino; Borsook, David

2012-08-01

Migraine is twice as common in females as in males, but the mechanisms behind this difference are still poorly understood. We used high-field magnetic resonance imaging in male and female age-matched interictal (migraine free) migraineurs and matched healthy controls to determine alterations in brain structure. Female migraineurs had thicker posterior insula and precuneus cortices compared with male migraineurs and healthy controls of both sexes. Furthermore, evaluation of functional responses to heat within the migraine groups indicated concurrent functional differences in male and female migraineurs and a sex-specific pattern of functional connectivity of these two regions with the rest of the brain. The results support the notion of a 'sex phenotype' in migraine and indicate that brains are differentially affected by migraine in females compared with males. Furthermore, the results also support the notion that sex differences involve both brain structure as well as functional circuits, in that emotional circuitry compared with sensory processing appears involved to a greater degree in female than male migraineurs.

Inflammatory Cytokines in Depression: Neurobiological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

PubMed Central

Felger, Jennifer C.; Lotrich, Francis E.

2013-01-01

Mounting evidence indicates that inflammatory cytokines contribute to the development of depression in both medically ill and medically healthy individuals. Cytokines are important for development and normal brain function, and have the ability to influence neurocircuitry and neurotransmitter systems to produce behavioral alterations. Acutely, inflammatory cytokine administration or activation of the innate immune system produces adaptive behavioral responses that promote conservation of energy to combat infection or recovery from injury. However, chronic exposure to elevated inflammatory cytokines and persistent alterations in neurotransmitter systems can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders and depression. Mechanisms of cytokine behavioral effects involve activation of inflammatory signaling pathways in the brain that results in changes in monoamine, glutamate, and neuropeptide systems, and decreases in growth factors, e.g. brain derived neurotrophic factor. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines may serve as mediators of both environmental (e.g. childhood trauma, obesity, stress, and poor sleep) and genetic (functional gene polymorphisms) factors that contribute to depression’s development. This review explores the idea that specific gene polymorphisms and neurotransmitter systems can confer protection from or vulnerability to specific symptom dimensions of cytokine-related depression. Additionally, potential therapeutic strategies that target inflammatory cytokine signaling or the consequences of cytokines on neurotransmitter systems in the brain to prevent or reverse cytokine effects on behavior are discussed. PMID:23644052

Altered effective connectivity of default model brain network underlying amnestic MCI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hao; Wang, Yonghui; Tian, Jie

2012-02-01

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the transitional, heterogeneous continuum from healthy elderly to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that brain functional activity in the default mode network (DMN) is impaired in MCI patients. However, the altered effective connectivity of the DMN in MCI patients remains largely unknown. The present study combined an independent component analysis (ICA) approach with Granger causality analysis (mGCA) to investigate the effective connectivity within the DMN in 12 amnestic MCI patients and 12 age-matched healthy elderly. Compared to the healthy control, the MCI exhibited decreased functional activity in the posterior DMN regions, as well as a trend towards activity increases in anterior DMN regions. Results from mGCA further supported this conclusion that the causal influence projecting to the precuneus/PCC became much weaker in MCI, while stronger interregional interactions emerged within the frontal-parietal cortices. These findings suggested that abnormal effective connectivity within the DMN may elucidate the dysfunctional and compensatory processes in MCI brain networks.

Polymorphism of DCDC2 Reveals Differences in Cortical Morphology of Healthy Individuals—A Preliminary Voxel Based Morphometry Study

PubMed Central

Gelernter, Joel; Gruen, Jeffrey R.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Meng, Haiying; Cope, Natalie A.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.

2008-01-01

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there is an association between the putative reading disability (RD) susceptibility gene Doublecortin Domain Containing 2 (DCDC2), and gray matter (GM) distribution in the brain, in a sample of healthy control individuals. Method Fifty-six control subjects were genotyped for an RD-associated deletion in intron 2 of DCDC2. Voxel based morphometry (VBM) was used to examine structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to assess GM differences between the two groups. Results Individuals heterozygous for the deletion exhibited significantly higher GM volumes in reading/language and symbol-decoding related brain regions including superior, medial and inferior temporal, fusiform, hippocampal/para-hippocampal, inferior occipito-parietal, inferior and middle frontal gyri, especially in the left hemisphere. GM values correlated with published data on regional DCDC2 expression in a lateralized manner. Conclusions These data suggest a role for DCDC2 in GM distribution in language-related brain regions in healthy individuals. PMID:19096528

Communication of brain network core connections altered in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia but possibly preserved in early-onset Alzheimer's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daianu, Madelaine; Jahanshad, Neda; Mendez, Mario F.; Bartzokis, George; Jimenez, Elvira E.; Thompson, Paul M.

2015-03-01

Diffusion imaging and brain connectivity analyses can assess white matter deterioration in the brain, revealing the underlying patterns of how brain structure declines. Fiber tractography methods can infer neural pathways and connectivity patterns, yielding sensitive mathematical metrics of network integrity. Here, we analyzed 1.5-Tesla wholebrain diffusion-weighted images from 64 participants - 15 patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), 19 with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD), and 30 healthy elderly controls. Using whole-brain tractography, we reconstructed structural brain connectivity networks to map connections between cortical regions. We evaluated the brain's networks focusing on the most highly central and connected regions, also known as hubs, in each diagnostic group - specifically the "high-cost" structural backbone used in global and regional communication. The high-cost backbone of the brain, predicted by fiber density and minimally short pathways between brain regions, accounted for 81-92% of the overall brain communication metric in all diagnostic groups. Furthermore, we found that the set of pathways interconnecting high-cost and high-capacity regions of the brain's communication network are globally and regionally altered in bvFTD, compared to healthy participants; however, the overall organization of the high-cost and high-capacity networks were relatively preserved in EOAD participants, relative to controls. Disruption of the major central hubs that transfer information between brain regions may impair neural communication and functional integrity in characteristic ways typical of each subtype of dementia.

Developing Brain Vital Signs: Initial Framework for Monitoring Brain Function Changes Over Time

PubMed Central

Ghosh Hajra, Sujoy; Liu, Careesa C.; Song, Xiaowei; Fickling, Shaun; Liu, Luke E.; Pawlowski, Gabriela; Jorgensen, Janelle K.; Smith, Aynsley M.; Schnaider-Beeri, Michal; Van Den Broek, Rudi; Rizzotti, Rowena; Fisher, Kirk; D'Arcy, Ryan C. N.

2016-01-01

Clinical assessment of brain function relies heavily on indirect behavior-based tests. Unfortunately, behavior-based assessments are subjective and therefore susceptible to several confounding factors. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs), derived from electroencephalography (EEG), are often used to provide objective, physiological measures of brain function. Historically, ERPs have been characterized extensively within research settings, with limited but growing clinical applications. Over the past 20 years, we have developed clinical ERP applications for the evaluation of functional status following serious injury and/or disease. This work has identified an important gap: the need for a clinically accessible framework to evaluate ERP measures. Crucially, this enables baseline measures before brain dysfunction occurs, and might enable the routine collection of brain function metrics in the future much like blood pressure measures today. Here, we propose such a framework for extracting specific ERPs as potential “brain vital signs.” This framework enabled the translation/transformation of complex ERP data into accessible metrics of brain function for wider clinical utilization. To formalize the framework, three essential ERPs were selected as initial indicators: (1) the auditory N100 (Auditory sensation); (2) the auditory oddball P300 (Basic attention); and (3) the auditory speech processing N400 (Cognitive processing). First step validation was conducted on healthy younger and older adults (age range: 22–82 years). Results confirmed specific ERPs at the individual level (86.81–98.96%), verified predictable age-related differences (P300 latency delays in older adults, p < 0.05), and demonstrated successful linear transformation into the proposed brain vital sign (BVS) framework (basic attention latency sub-component of BVS framework reflects delays in older adults, p < 0.05). The findings represent an initial critical step in developing, extracting, and characterizing ERPs as vital signs, critical for subsequent evaluation of dysfunction in conditions like concussion and/or dementia. PMID:27242415

Functional neuroanatomy of sustained memory encoding performance in healthy aging and in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Weis, Susanne; Leube, Dirk; Erb, Michael; Heun, Reinhard; Grodd, Wolfgang; Kircher, Tilo

2011-07-01

The aim of our study was to examine brain networks involved with sustaining memory encoding performance in healthy aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since different brain regions are affected by degradation in these two conditions, it might be conceivable that different compensation mechanisms occur to keep up memory performance in aging and in AD. Using an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) design and a correlation analysis, 8 patients suffering from AD and 29 elderly control subjects were scanned while they studied a list of words for a subsequent memory test. Individual performance was assessed on the basis of a subsequent recognition test, and brain regions were identified where functional activations during study correlated with memory performance. In both groups, successful memory encoding performance was significantly correlated with the activation of the right frontal cortex. Furthermore, in healthy controls, there was a significant correlation of memory performance and the activation of the left medial and lateral temporal lobe. In contrast, in AD patients, increasing memory performance goes along with increasing activation of the hippocampus and a bilateral brain network including the frontal and temporal cortices. Our data show that in healthy aging and in AD, common and distinct compensatory mechanisms are employed to keep up a certain level of memory performance. Both in healthy aging and in patients with AD, an increased level of monitoring and control processes mediated by the (right) frontal lobe seems to be necessary to maintain a certain level of memory performance. In addition, memory performance in healthy older subjects seems to rely on an increased effort in encoding item-specific semantic and contextual information in lateral areas of the (left) temporal lobe. In AD patients, on the other hand, the maintenance of memory performance is related to an increase of activation of the (left) hippocampus in conjunction with a bilateral network of cortical areas that might be involved with phonological and visual rehearsal of the incoming information.

MR susceptibility imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duyn, Jeff

2013-04-01

This work reviews recent developments in the use of magnetic susceptibility contrast for human MRI, with a focus on the study of brain anatomy. The increase in susceptibility contrast with modern high field scanners has led to novel applications and insights into the sources and mechanism contributing to this contrast in brain tissues. Dedicated experiments have demonstrated that in most of healthy brain, iron and myelin dominate tissue susceptibility variations, although their relative contribution varies substantially. Local variations in these compounds can affect both amplitude and frequency of the MRI signal. In white matter, the myelin sheath introduces an anisotropic susceptibility that has distinct effects on the water compartments inside the axons, between the myelin sheath, and the axonal space, and renders their signals dependent on the angle between the axon and the magnetic field. This offers opportunities to derive tissue properties specific to these cellular compartments.

Neural Activation During Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Previously Depressed Compared to Healthy Children: Evidence of Specific Alterations

PubMed Central

Belden, Andy C.; Pagliaccio, David; Murphy, Eric R.; Luby, Joan L.; Barch, Deanna M.

2015-01-01

Objective Impairments in cognitive emotion regulation (CER) have been linked to functional neural abnormalities and the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Few functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have investigated the neural underpinnings of CER in samples with depression. As CER develops in childhood, understanding dysfunctional CER-related alterations in brain function during this period could advance knowledge of the developmental psychopathology of MDD. Method This study tested whether neural activity in brain regions known to support cognitive reappraisal differed between healthy 7- to 15-year-old children and same-age peers with a history of MDD (MDD-ever). A total of 64 children participated in this event-related fMRI study, which used a developmentally appropriate and validated fMRI reappraisal task. Children were instructed to passively view sad or neutral images and to decrease negative emotions using cognitive reappraisal. Results MDD-ever and healthy children showed similar patterns of cortical activation during reappraisal, but with a significant difference found in 1 key CER region, the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). In addition, individual differences in CER were associated with left IFG activity during reappraisal. Conclusion Alterations in the neurocircuitry of reappraisal are evident in children with a depression history compared to healthy controls. The finding that MDD-ever children showed reappraisal-related neural responses in many regions similar to healthy controls has clinical implications. Findings suggest that identification of alterations in reappraisal in children with remitted depression, for whom much, although not all, of the neural circuitry remains intact, may be an important window of opportunity for intervention. PMID:26299299

Differences between chronological and brain age are related to education and self-reported physical activity.

PubMed

Steffener, Jason; Habeck, Christian; O'Shea, Deirdre; Razlighi, Qolamreza; Bherer, Louis; Stern, Yaakov

2016-04-01

This study investigated the relationship between education and physical activity and the difference between a physiological prediction of age and chronological age (CA). Cortical and subcortical gray matter regional volumes were calculated from 331 healthy adults (range: 19-79 years). Multivariate analyses identified a covariance pattern of brain volumes best predicting CA (R(2) = 47%). Individual expression of this brain pattern served as a physiologic measure of brain age (BA). The difference between CA and BA was predicted by education and self-report measures of physical activity. Education and the daily number of flights of stairs climbed (FOSC) were the only 2 significant predictors of decreased BA. Effect sizes demonstrated that BA decreased by 0.95 years for each year of education and by 0.58 years for 1 additional FOSC daily. Effects of education and FOSC on regional brain volume were largely driven by temporal and subcortical volumes. These results demonstrate that higher levels of education and daily FOSC are related to larger brain volume than predicted by CA which supports the utility of regional gray matter volume as a biomarker of healthy brain aging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sparse network-based models for patient classification using fMRI

PubMed Central

Rosa, Maria J.; Portugal, Liana; Hahn, Tim; Fallgatter, Andreas J.; Garrido, Marta I.; Shawe-Taylor, John; Mourao-Miranda, Janaina

2015-01-01

Pattern recognition applied to whole-brain neuroimaging data, such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), has proved successful at discriminating psychiatric patients from healthy participants. However, predictive patterns obtained from whole-brain voxel-based features are difficult to interpret in terms of the underlying neurobiology. Many psychiatric disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia, are thought to be brain connectivity disorders. Therefore, pattern recognition based on network models might provide deeper insights and potentially more powerful predictions than whole-brain voxel-based approaches. Here, we build a novel sparse network-based discriminative modeling framework, based on Gaussian graphical models and L1-norm regularized linear Support Vector Machines (SVM). In addition, the proposed framework is optimized in terms of both predictive power and reproducibility/stability of the patterns. Our approach aims to provide better pattern interpretation than voxel-based whole-brain approaches by yielding stable brain connectivity patterns that underlie discriminative changes in brain function between the groups. We illustrate our technique by classifying patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy participants, in two (event- and block-related) fMRI datasets acquired while participants performed a gender discrimination and emotional task, respectively, during the visualization of emotional valent faces. PMID:25463459

Can ketones compensate for deteriorating brain glucose uptake during aging? Implications for the risk and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Cunnane, Stephen C; Courchesne-Loyer, Alexandre; St-Pierre, Valérie; Vandenberghe, Camille; Pierotti, Tyler; Fortier, Mélanie; Croteau, Etienne; Castellano, Christian-Alexandre

2016-03-01

Brain glucose uptake is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A key question is whether cognitive decline can be delayed if this brain energy defect is at least partly corrected or bypassed early in the disease. The principal ketones (also called ketone bodies), β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate, are the brain's main physiological alternative fuel to glucose. Three studies in mild-to-moderate AD have shown that, unlike with glucose, brain ketone uptake is not different from that in healthy age-matched controls. Published clinical trials demonstrate that increasing ketone availability to the brain via moderate nutritional ketosis has a modest beneficial effect on cognitive outcomes in mild-to-moderate AD and in mild cognitive impairment. Nutritional ketosis can be safely achieved by a high-fat ketogenic diet, by supplements providing 20-70 g/day of medium-chain triglycerides containing the eight- and ten-carbon fatty acids octanoate and decanoate, or by ketone esters. Given the acute dependence of the brain on its energy supply, it seems reasonable that the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at AD mandates consideration of how the underlying problem of deteriorating brain fuel supply can be corrected or delayed. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

Low-resolution electromagnetic brain tomography (LORETA) of monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

PubMed

Sherlin, Leslie; Budzynski, Thomas; Kogan Budzynski, Helen; Congedo, Marco; Fischer, Mary E; Buchwald, Dedra

2007-02-15

Previous work using quantified EEG has suggested that brain activity in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and normal persons differs. Our objective was to investigate if specific frequency band-pass regions and spatial locations are associated with CFS using low-resolution electromagnetic brain tomography (LORETA). We conducted a co-twin control study of 17 pairs of monozygotic twins where 1 twin met criteria for CFS and the co-twin was healthy. Twins underwent an extensive battery of tests including a structured psychiatric interview and a quantified EEG. Eyes closed EEG frequency-domain analysis was computed and the entire brain volume was compared of the CFS and healthy twins using a multiple comparison procedure. Compared with their healthy co-twins, twins with CFS differed in current source density. The CFS twins had higher delta in the left uncus and parahippocampal gyrus and higher theta in the cingulate gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus. These findings suggest that neurophysiological activity in specific areas of the brain may differentiate individuals with CFS from those in good health. The study corroborates that slowing of the deeper structures of the limbic system is associated with affect. It also supports the neurobiological model that the right forebrain is associated with sympathetic activity and the left forebrain with the effective management of energy. These preliminary findings await replication.

Neurocognitive predictors of financial capacity in traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Martin, Roy C; Triebel, Kristen; Dreer, Laura E; Novack, Thomas A; Turner, Crystal; Marson, Daniel C

2012-01-01

To develop cognitive models of financial capacity (FC) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Longitudinal design. Inpatient brain injury rehabilitation unit. Twenty healthy controls, and 24 adults with moderate-to-severe TBI were assessed at baseline (30 days postinjury) and 6 months postinjury. The FC instrument (FCI) and a neuropsychological test battery. Univariate correlation and multiple regression procedures were employed to develop cognitive models of FCI performance in the TBI group, at baseline and 6-month time follow-up. Three cognitive predictor models of FC were developed. At baseline, measures of mental arithmetic/working memory and immediate verbal memory predicted baseline FCI performance (R = 0.72). At 6-month follow-up, measures of executive function and mental arithmetic/working memory predicted 6-month FCI performance (R = 0.79), and a third model found that these 2 measures at baseline predicted 6-month FCI performance (R = 0.71). Multiple cognitive functions are associated with initial impairment and partial recovery of FC in moderate-to-severe TBI patients. In particular, arithmetic, working memory, and executive function skills appear critical to recovery of FC in TBI. The study results represent an initial step toward developing a neurocognitive model of FC in patients with TBI.

Genetic strategies to investigate neuronal circuit properties using stem cell-derived neurons

PubMed Central

Garcia, Isabella; Kim, Cynthia; Arenkiel, Benjamin R.

2012-01-01

The mammalian brain is anatomically and functionally complex, and prone to diverse forms of injury and neuropathology. Scientists have long strived to develop cell replacement therapies to repair damaged and diseased nervous tissue. However, this goal has remained unrealized for various reasons, including nascent knowledge of neuronal development, the inability to track and manipulate transplanted cells within complex neuronal networks, and host graft rejection. Recent advances in embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, alongside novel genetic strategies to mark and manipulate stem cell-derived neurons, now provide unprecedented opportunities to investigate complex neuronal circuits in both healthy and diseased brains. Here, we review current technologies aimed at generating and manipulating neurons derived from ESCs and iPSCs toward investigation and manipulation of complex neuronal circuits, ultimately leading to the design and development of novel cell-based therapeutic approaches. PMID:23264761

Altered intrinsic functional brain architecture in female patients with bulimia nervosa

PubMed Central

Wang, Li; Kong, Qing-Mei; Li, Ke; Li, Xue-Ni; Zeng, Ya-Wei; Chen, Chao; Qian, Ying; Feng, Shi-Jie; Li, Ji-Tao; Su, Yun’Ai; Correll, Christoph U.; Mitchell, Philip B.; Yan, Chao-Gan; Zhang, Da-Rong; Si, Tian-Mei

2017-01-01

Background Bulimia nervosa is a severe psychiatric syndrome with uncertain pathogenesis. Neural systems involved in sensorimotor and visual processing, reward and impulsive control may contribute to the binge eating and purging behaviours characterizing bulimia nervosa. However, little is known about the alterations of functional organization of whole brain networks in individuals with this disorder. Methods We used resting-state functional MRI and graph theory to characterize functional brain networks of unmedicated women with bulimia nervosa and healthy women. Results We included 44 unmedicated women with bulimia nervosa and 44 healthy women in our analyses. Women with bulimia nervosa showed increased clustering coefficient and path length compared with control women. The nodal strength in patients with the disorder was higher in the sensorimotor and visual regions as well as the precuneus, but lower in several subcortical regions, such as the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex. Patients also showed hyperconnectivity primarily involving sensorimotor and unimodal visual association regions, but hypoconnectivity involving subcortical (striatum, thalamus), limbic (amygdala, hippocampus) and paralimbic (orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus) regions. The topological aberrations correlated significantly with scores of bulimia and drive for thinness and with body mass index. Limitations We reruited patients with only acute bulimia nervosa, so it is unclear whether the topological abnormalities comprise vulnerability markers for the disorder developing or the changes associated with illness state. Conclusion Our findings show altered intrinsic functional brain architecture, specifically abnormal global and local efficiency, as well as nodal- and network-level connectivity across sensorimotor, visual, subcortical and limbic systems in women with bulimia nervosa, suggesting that it is a disorder of dysfunctional integration among large-scale distributed brain regions. These abnormalities contribute to more comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanism underlying pathological eating and body perception in women with bulimia nervosa. PMID:28949286

Altered intrinsic functional brain architecture in female patients with bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Kong, Qing-Mei; Li, Ke; Li, Xue-Ni; Zeng, Ya-Wei; Chen, Chao; Qian, Ying; Feng, Shi-Jie; Li, Ji-Tao; Su, Yun'Ai; Correll, Christoph U; Mitchell, Philip B; Yan, Chao-Gan; Zhang, Da-Rong; Si, Tian-Mei

2017-11-01

Bulimia nervosa is a severe psychiatric syndrome with uncertain pathogenesis. Neural systems involved in sensorimotor and visual processing, reward and impulsive control may contribute to the binge eating and purging behaviours characterizing bulimia nervosa. However, little is known about the alterations of functional organization of whole brain networks in individuals with this disorder. We used resting-state functional MRI and graph theory to characterize functional brain networks of unmedicated women with bulimia nervosa and healthy women. We included 44 unmedicated women with bulimia nervosa and 44 healthy women in our analyses. Women with bulimia nervosa showed increased clustering coefficient and path length compared with control women. The nodal strength in patients with the disorder was higher in the sensorimotor and visual regions as well as the precuneus, but lower in several subcortical regions, such as the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex. Patients also showed hyperconnectivity primarily involving sensorimotor and unimodal visual association regions, but hypoconnectivity involving subcortical (striatum, thalamus), limbic (amygdala, hippocampus) and paralimbic (orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus) regions. The topological aberrations correlated significantly with scores of bulimia and drive for thinness and with body mass index. We reruited patients with only acute bulimia nervosa, so it is unclear whether the topological abnormalities comprise vulnerability markers for the disorder developing or the changes associated with illness state. Our findings show altered intrinsic functional brain architecture, specifically abnormal global and local efficiency, as well as nodal- and network-level connectivity across sensorimotor, visual, subcortical and limbic systems in women with bulimia nervosa, suggesting that it is a disorder of dysfunctional integration among large-scale distributed brain regions. These abnormalities contribute to more comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanism underlying pathological eating and body perception in women with bulimia nervosa.

Robust modulation of arousal regulation, performance, and frontostriatal activity through central thalamic deep brain stimulation in healthy nonhuman primates

PubMed Central

Ryou, Jae-Wook; Wei, Xuefeng F.; Butson, Christopher R.; Schiff, Nicholas D.; Purpura, Keith P.

2016-01-01

The central thalamus (CT) is a key component of the brain-wide network underlying arousal regulation and sensory-motor integration during wakefulness in the mammalian brain. Dysfunction of the CT, typically a result of severe brain injury (SBI), leads to long-lasting impairments in arousal regulation and subsequent deficits in cognition. Central thalamic deep brain stimulation (CT-DBS) is proposed as a therapy to reestablish and maintain arousal regulation to improve cognition in select SBI patients. However, a mechanistic understanding of CT-DBS and an optimal method of implementing this promising therapy are unknown. Here we demonstrate in two healthy nonhuman primates (NHPs), Macaca mulatta, that location-specific CT-DBS improves performance in visuomotor tasks and is associated with physiological effects consistent with enhancement of endogenous arousal. Specifically, CT-DBS within the lateral wing of the central lateral nucleus and the surrounding medial dorsal thalamic tegmental tract (DTTm) produces a rapid and robust modulation of performance and arousal, as measured by neuronal activity in the frontal cortex and striatum. Notably, the most robust and reliable behavioral and physiological responses resulted when we implemented a novel method of CT-DBS that orients and shapes the electric field within the DTTm using spatially separated DBS leads. Collectively, our results demonstrate that selective activation within the DTTm of the CT robustly regulates endogenous arousal and enhances cognitive performance in the intact NHP; these findings provide insights into the mechanism of CT-DBS and further support the development of CT-DBS as a therapy for reestablishing arousal regulation to support cognition in SBI patients. PMID:27582298

Chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI contrast in the human brain at 9.4 T.

PubMed

Zaiss, Moritz; Schuppert, Mark; Deshmane, Anagha; Herz, Kai; Ehses, Philipp; Füllbier, Lars; Lindig, Tobias; Bender, Benjamin; Ernemann, Ulrike; Scheffler, Klaus

2018-06-15

The high chemical shift separation at 9.4 T allows for selective saturation of proton pools in exchange with water protons. For the first time, highly selective and comprehensive chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) experiments were performed in the human brain at 9.4 T. This work provides insight into CEST signals in the human brain in comparison with existing animal studies, as well as with CEST effects in vivo at lower field strengths. A novel snapshot-CEST method for human brain scans at 9.4 T was optimized and employed for highly-spectrally-resolved (95 offsets) CEST measurements in healthy subjects and one brain tumor patient. Reproducibility and stability between scans was verified in grey and white matter after B 0 , B 1 , and motion correction of the acquired 3D CEST volumes. Two-step Lorentzian fitting was used to further improve separation of spectrally discernible signals to create known and novel CEST contrast maps at 9.4 T. At a saturation power of B 1  = 0.5 μT most selective CEST effects could be obtained in the human brain with high inter-scan reproducibility. While contrast behavior of previously measured signals at lower field, namely amide-, guanidyl- and NOE-CEST effects, could be reproduced, novel signals at 2.7 ppm, and -1.6 ppm could be verified in healthy subjects and in a brain tumor patient for the first time. High spectral resolution chemical exchange saturation transfer at 9.4 T allows deeper insights into the Z-spectrum structure of the human brain, and provides many different contrasts showing different correlations in healthy tissue and in tumor-affected areas of the brain, generating hypotheses for future investigations of in-vivo-CEST at UHF. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of brain core temperature using MR DWI-thermometry in Alzheimer disease patients compared to healthy subjects.

PubMed

Sparacia, Gianvincenzo; Sakai, Koji; Yamada, Kei; Giordano, Giovanna; Coppola, Rosalia; Midiri, Massimo; Grimaldi, Luigi Maria

2017-04-01

To assess the brain core temperature of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients in comparison with healthy volunteers using diffusion-weighted thermometry. Fourteen AD patients (3 men, 11 women; age range 60-81 years, mean age 73.8 ± 6.1 years) and 14 healthy volunteers, age and sex-matched (mean age 70.1 ± 6.9 years; range 62-84 years; 5 men, 9 women) underwent MR examination between February 2014 and March 2016. MR imaging studies were performed with a 1.5-T MR scanner. Brain core temperature (T: °C) was calculated using the following equation from the diffusion coefficient (D) in the lateral ventricular (LV) cerebrospinal fluid: T = 2256.74/ln (4.39221/D) - 273.15 using a standard DWI single-shot echo-planar pulse sequence (b value 1000 s/mm 2 ). Statistical analysis was performed using a nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test to compare the patient and control groups regarding LV temperatures. There was no significant difference (P = 0.1937) in LV temperature between patients (mean 37.9 ± 1.1 °C, range 35.8-39.2 °C) and control group (38.7 ± 1.4 °C, range 36.9-42.7 °C). Brain core temperature in AD patients showed no significant alterations compared to healthy volunteers.

A cross-sectional and longitudinal study evaluating brain volumes, RNFL, and cognitive functions in MS patients and healthy controls.

PubMed

Frau, Jessica; Fenu, Giuseppe; Signori, Alessio; Coghe, Giancarlo; Lorefice, Lorena; Barracciu, Maria Antonietta; Sechi, Vincenzo; Cabras, Federico; Badas, Mauro; Marrosu, Maria Giovanna; Cocco, Eleonora

2018-05-11

The principal biomarker of neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be brain volume, which is associated with cognitive functions and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL). A cross-sectional and longitudinal assessment of the relationship between RNFL, cognitive functions and brain volume. At baseline, relapsing patients and healthy controls underwent 1.5 T MRI to estimate the normalized volume of brain (NBV), grey (NGV), white (NWV) and peripheral grey (pNGV) matter. Cognitive functions were evaluated by BICAMS, RNFL by Spectral-Domain OCT. Patients were re-evaluated after 12 months. Cognitive functions, brain volume, and RNFL differed between the group of 66 patients and that of 16 healthy controls. In the MS group, at baseline, an association was found between: p-NGV and symbol-digit (SDMT) (p = 0.022); temporal-RNFL and NBV (p = 0.007), NWV (p = 0.012), NGV (p = 0.048), and p-NGV (p = 0.021); papillo-macular bundle-RNFL and NBV (p = 0.013), NWV (p = 0.02), NGV (p = 0.049), and p-NGV (p = 0.032). Over the observational period, we found a reduction of brain volume (p < 0.001), average-RNFL (p = 0.001), temporal-RNFL (p = 0.006), and papillo-macular bundle-RNFL (p = 0.009). No association was found between OCT, MRI, and cognitive changes. Brain volume, cognitive functions, and RNFL are continuous measures of different neurodegenerative aspects. BICAMS and OCT have low costs and can be easily used in clinical practice to monitor neurodegeneration.

Detection of Brain Reorganization in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional MRI

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

Page | 2 AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0464 TITLE: Detection of Brain Reorganization in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional MRI...Sep 2014 – 29 Sep 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Detection of Brain Reorganization in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional...findings include: 1) detection of brain organization in a cohort of 24 pediatric onset multiple sclerosis patients (POMS) and 25 healthy controls

Mapping brain development during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xiaojuan; Jin, Zhen; Chen, Kewei; Peng, Danling; Li, Yao

2009-02-01

Using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM), this study systematically investigated the differences and similarities of brain structural changes during the early three developmental periods of human lives: childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. These brain changes were discussed in relationship to the corresponding cognitive function development during these three periods. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data from 158 Chinese healthy children, adolescents and young adults, aged 7.26 to 22.80 years old, were included in this study. Using the customized brain template together with the gray matter/white matter/cerebrospinal fluid prior probability maps, we found that there were more age-related positive changes in the frontal lobe, less in hippocampus and amygdala during childhood, but more in bilateral hippocampus and amygdala and left fusiform gyrus during adolescence and young adulthood. There were more age-related negative changes near to central sulcus during childhood, but these changes extended to the frontal and parietal lobes, mainly in the parietal lobe, during adolescence and young adulthood, and more in the prefrontal lobe during young adulthood. So gray matter volume in the parietal lobe significantly decreased from childhood and continued to decrease till young adulthood. These findings may aid in understanding the age-related differences in cognitive function.

Improving data availability for brain image biobanking in healthy subjects: Practice-based suggestions from an international multidisciplinary working group

PubMed Central

Shenkin, Susan D.; Pernet, Cyril; Nichols, Thomas E.; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Matthews, Paul M.; van der Lugt, Aad; Mackay, Clare; Lanyon, Linda; Mazoyer, Bernard; Boardman, James P.; Thompson, Paul M.; Fox, Nick; Marcus, Daniel S.; Sheikh, Aziz; Cox, Simon R.; Anblagan, Devasuda; Job, Dominic E.; Dickie, David Alexander; Rodriguez, David; Wardlaw, Joanna M.

2017-01-01

Brain imaging is now ubiquitous in clinical practice and research. The case for bringing together large amounts of image data from well-characterised healthy subjects and those with a range of common brain diseases across the life course is now compelling. This report follows a meeting of international experts from multiple disciplines, all interested in brain image biobanking. The meeting included neuroimaging experts (clinical and non-clinical), computer scientists, epidemiologists, clinicians, ethicists, and lawyers involved in creating brain image banks. The meeting followed a structured format to discuss current and emerging brain image banks; applications such as atlases; conceptual and statistical problems (e.g. defining ‘normality’); legal, ethical and technological issues (e.g. consents, potential for data linkage, data security, harmonisation, data storage and enabling of research data sharing). We summarise the lessons learned from the experiences of a wide range of individual image banks, and provide practical recommendations to enhance creation, use and reuse of neuroimaging data. Our aim is to maximise the benefit of the image data, provided voluntarily by research participants and funded by many organisations, for human health. Our ultimate vision is of a federated network of brain image biobanks accessible for large studies of brain structure and function. PMID:28232121

Improving data availability for brain image biobanking in healthy subjects: Practice-based suggestions from an international multidisciplinary working group.

PubMed

Shenkin, Susan D; Pernet, Cyril; Nichols, Thomas E; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Matthews, Paul M; van der Lugt, Aad; Mackay, Clare; Lanyon, Linda; Mazoyer, Bernard; Boardman, James P; Thompson, Paul M; Fox, Nick; Marcus, Daniel S; Sheikh, Aziz; Cox, Simon R; Anblagan, Devasuda; Job, Dominic E; Dickie, David Alexander; Rodriguez, David; Wardlaw, Joanna M

2017-06-01

Brain imaging is now ubiquitous in clinical practice and research. The case for bringing together large amounts of image data from well-characterised healthy subjects and those with a range of common brain diseases across the life course is now compelling. This report follows a meeting of international experts from multiple disciplines, all interested in brain image biobanking. The meeting included neuroimaging experts (clinical and non-clinical), computer scientists, epidemiologists, clinicians, ethicists, and lawyers involved in creating brain image banks. The meeting followed a structured format to discuss current and emerging brain image banks; applications such as atlases; conceptual and statistical problems (e.g. defining 'normality'); legal, ethical and technological issues (e.g. consents, potential for data linkage, data security, harmonisation, data storage and enabling of research data sharing). We summarise the lessons learned from the experiences of a wide range of individual image banks, and provide practical recommendations to enhance creation, use and reuse of neuroimaging data. Our aim is to maximise the benefit of the image data, provided voluntarily by research participants and funded by many organisations, for human health. Our ultimate vision is of a federated network of brain image biobanks accessible for large studies of brain structure and function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of altitude on brain intracellular pH and inorganic phosphate levels

PubMed Central

Shi, Xian-Feng; Carlson, Paul J.; Kim, Tae-Suk; Sung, Young-Hoon; Hellem, Tracy L.; Fiedler, Kristen K.; Kim, Seong-Eun; Glaeser, Breanna; Wang, Kristina; Zuo, Chun S.; Jeong, Eun-Kee; Renshaw, Perry F.; Kondo, Douglas G.

2015-01-01

Normal brain activity is associated with task-related pH changes. Although central nervous system syndromes associated with significant acidosis and alkalosis are well understood, the effects of less dramatic and chronic changes in brain pH are uncertain. One environmental factor known to alter brain pH is the extreme, acute change in altitude encountered by mountaineers. However, the effect of long-term exposure to moderate altitude has not been studied. The aim of this two-site study was to measure brain intracellular pH and phosphate-bearing metabolite levels at two altitudes in healthy volunteers, using phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). Increased brain pH and reduced inorganic phosphate (Pi) levels were found in healthy subjects who were long-term residents of Salt Lake City, UT (4720 ft/1438 m), compared with residents of Belmont, MA (20 ft/6 m). Brain intracellular pH at the altitude of 4720 ft was more alkaline than that observed near sea level. In addition, the ratio of inorganic phosphate to total phosphate signal also shifted toward lower values in the Salt Lake City region compared with the Belmont area. These results suggest that long-term residence at moderate altitude is associated with brain chemical changes. PMID:24768210

A preliminary study of sex differences in brain activation during a spatial navigation task in healthy adults.

PubMed

Sneider, Jennifer Tropp; Sava, Simona; Rogowska, Jadwiga; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah A

2011-10-01

The hippocampus plays a significant role in spatial memory processing, with sex differences being prominent on various spatial tasks. This study examined sex differences in healthy adults, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in areas implicated in spatial processing during navigation of a virtual analogue of the Morris water-maze. There were three conditions: learning, hidden, and visible control. There were no significant differences in performance measures. However, sex differences were found in regional brain activation during learning in the right hippocampus, right parahippocampal gyrus, and the cingulate cortex. During the hidden condition, the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and cingulate cortex were activated in both men and women. Additional brain areas involved in spatial processing may be recruited in women when learning information about the environment, by utilizing external cues (landmarks) more than do men, contributing to the observed sex differences in brain activation.

Prediction of clinical depression scores and detection of changes in whole-brain using resting-state functional MRI data with partial least squares regression

PubMed Central

Shimizu, Yu; Yoshimoto, Junichiro; Takamura, Masahiro; Okada, Go; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Yamawaki, Shigeto; Doya, Kenji

2017-01-01

In diagnostic applications of statistical machine learning methods to brain imaging data, common problems include data high-dimensionality and co-linearity, which often cause over-fitting and instability. To overcome these problems, we applied partial least squares (PLS) regression to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data, creating a low-dimensional representation that relates symptoms to brain activity and that predicts clinical measures. Our experimental results, based upon data from clinically depressed patients and healthy controls, demonstrated that PLS and its kernel variants provided significantly better prediction of clinical measures than ordinary linear regression. Subsequent classification using predicted clinical scores distinguished depressed patients from healthy controls with 80% accuracy. Moreover, loading vectors for latent variables enabled us to identify brain regions relevant to depression, including the default mode network, the right superior frontal gyrus, and the superior motor area. PMID:28700672

Is amyloid-β harmful to the brain? Insights from human imaging studies.

PubMed

Jagust, William

2016-01-01

Although the amyloid-β protein associated with the Alzheimer's disease plaque has been detectable in living people for over a decade, its importance in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is still debated. The frequent presence of amyloid-β in the brains of cognitively healthy older people has been interpreted as evidence against a causative role. If amyloid-β is crucial to the development of Alzheimer's disease, it should be associated with other Alzheimer's disease-like neurological changes. This review examines whether amyloid-β is associated with other biomarkers indicative of early Alzheimer's disease in normal older people. The preponderance of evidence links amyloid-β to functional change, progressive brain atrophy, and cognitive decline. Individuals at greatest risk of decline seem to be those with evidence of both amyloid-β and findings suggestive of neurodegeneration. The crucial question is thus how amyloid-β is related to brain degeneration and how these two processes interact to cause cognitive decline and dementia. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Temporal Lobe and “Default” Hemodynamic Brain Modes Discriminate Between Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Calhoun, Vince D.; Maciejewski, Paul K.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Kiehl, Kent A.

2009-01-01

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are currently diagnosed on the basis of psychiatric symptoms and longitudinal course. The determination of a reliable, biologically-based diagnostic indicator of these diseases (a biomarker) could provide the groundwork for developing more rigorous tools for differential diagnosis and treatment assignment. Recently, methods have been used to identify distinct sets of brain regions or “spatial modes” exhibiting temporally coherent brain activity. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and a multivariate analysis method, independent component analysis, we combined the temporal lobe and the default modes to discriminate subjects with bipolar disorder, chronic schizophrenia, and healthy controls. Temporal lobe and default mode networks were reliably identified in all participants. Classification results on an independent set of individuals revealed an average sensitivity and specificity of 90 and 95%, respectively. The use of coherent brain networks such as the temporal lobe and default mode networks may provide a more reliable measure of disease state than task-correlated fMRI activity. A combination of two such hemodynamic brain networks shows promise as a biomarker for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. PMID:17894392

Temporal lobe and "default" hemodynamic brain modes discriminate between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Calhoun, Vince D; Maciejewski, Paul K; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Kiehl, Kent A

2008-11-01

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are currently diagnosed on the basis of psychiatric symptoms and longitudinal course. The determination of a reliable, biologically-based diagnostic indicator of these diseases (a biomarker) could provide the groundwork for developing more rigorous tools for differential diagnosis and treatment assignment. Recently, methods have been used to identify distinct sets of brain regions or "spatial modes" exhibiting temporally coherent brain activity. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and a multivariate analysis method, independent component analysis, we combined the temporal lobe and the default modes to discriminate subjects with bipolar disorder, chronic schizophrenia, and healthy controls. Temporal lobe and default mode networks were reliably identified in all participants. Classification results on an independent set of individuals revealed an average sensitivity and specificity of 90 and 95%, respectively. The use of coherent brain networks such as the temporal lobe and default mode networks may provide a more reliable measure of disease state than task-correlated fMRI activity. A combination of two such hemodynamic brain networks shows promise as a biomarker for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Brain Neurons as Quantum Computers:

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bershadskii, A.; Dremencov, E.; Bershadskii, J.; Yadid, G.

The question: whether quantum coherent states can sustain decoherence, heating and dissipation over time scales comparable to the dynamical timescales of brain neurons, has been actively discussed in the last years. A positive answer on this question is crucial, in particular, for consideration of brain neurons as quantum computers. This discussion was mainly based on theoretical arguments. In the present paper nonlinear statistical properties of the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) of genetically depressive limbic brain are studied in vivo on the Flinders Sensitive Line of rats (FSL). VTA plays a key role in the generation of pleasure and in the development of psychological drug addiction. We found that the FSL VTA (dopaminergic) neuron signals exhibit multifractal properties for interspike frequencies on the scales where healthy VTA dopaminergic neurons exhibit bursting activity. For high moments the observed multifractal (generalized dimensions) spectrum coincides with the generalized dimensions spectrum calculated for a spectral measure of a quantum system (so-called kicked Harper model, actively used as a model of quantum chaos). This observation can be considered as a first experimental (in vivo) indication in the favor of the quantum (at least partially) nature of brain neurons activity.

Microarray analysis of gene expression in the cyclooxygenase knockout mice - a connection to autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Rai-Bhogal, Ravneet; Ahmad, Eizaaz; Li, Hongyan; Crawford, Dorota A

2018-03-01

The cellular and molecular events that take place during brain development play an important role in governing function of the mature brain. Lipid-signalling molecules such as prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) play an important role in healthy brain development. Abnormalities along the COX-PGE 2 signalling pathway due to genetic or environmental causes have been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to evaluate the effect of altered COX-PGE 2 signalling on development and function of the prenatal brain using male mice lacking cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-1 -/- and COX-2 -/- ) as potential model systems of ASD. Microarray analysis was used to determine global changes in gene expression during embryonic days 16 (E16) and 19 (E19). Gene Ontology: Biological Process (GO:BP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were implemented to identify affected developmental genes and cellular processes. We found that in both knockouts the brain at E16 had nearly twice as many differentially expressed genes, and affected biological pathways containing various ASD-associated genes important in neuronal function. Interestingly, using GeneMANIA and Cytoscape we also show that the ASD-risk genes identified in both COX-1 -/- and COX-2 -/- models belong to protein-interaction networks important for brain development despite of different cellular localization of these enzymes. Lastly, we identified eight genes that belong to the Wnt signalling pathways exclusively in the COX-2 -/- mice at E16. The level of PKA-phosphorylated β-catenin (S552), a major activator of the Wnt pathway, was increased in this model, suggesting crosstalk between the COX-2-PGE 2 and Wnt pathways during early brain development. Overall, these results provide further molecular insight into the contribution of the COX-PGE 2 pathways to ASD and demonstrate that COX-1 -/- and COX-2 -/- animals might be suitable new model systems for studying the disorders. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Smoking and the developing brain: altered white matter microstructure in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and healthy controls.

PubMed

van Ewijk, Hanneke; Groenman, Annabeth P; Zwiers, Marcel P; Heslenfeld, Dirk J; Faraone, Stephen V; Hartman, Catharina A; Luman, Marjolein; Greven, Corina U; Hoekstra, Pieter J; Franke, Barbara; Buitelaar, Jan; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2015-03-01

Brain white matter (WM) tracts, playing a vital role in the communication between brain regions, undergo important maturational changes during adolescence and young adulthood, a critical period for the development of nicotine dependence. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased smoking and widespread WM abnormalities, suggesting that the developing ADHD brain might be especially vulnerable to effects of smoking. This study aims to investigate the effect of smoking on (WM) microstructure in adolescents and young adults with and without ADHD. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed in an extensively phenotyped sample of nonsmokers (n = 95, 50.5% ADHD), irregular smokers (n = 41, 58.5% ADHD), and regular smokers (n = 50, 82.5% ADHD), aged 14-24 years. A whole-brain voxelwise approach investigated associations of smoking, ADHD and their interaction, with WM microstructure as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Widespread alterations in FA and MD were found for regular smokers compared to irregular and nonsmokers, mainly located in the corpus callosum and WM tracts surrounding the basal ganglia. Several regions overlapped with regions of altered FA for ADHD versus controls, albeit in different directions. Irregular and nonsmokers did not differ, and ADHD and smoking did not interact. Results implicate that smoking and ADHD have independent effects on WM microstructure, and possibly do not share underlying mechanisms. Two mechanisms may play a role in the current results. First, smoking may cause alterations in WM microstructure in the maturing brain. Second, pre-existing WM microstructure differences possibly reflect a risk factor for development of a smoking addiction. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is amyloid-β harmful to the brain? Insights from human imaging studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jagust, William

Although the amyloid-β protein associated with the Alzheimer’s disease plaque has been detectable in living people for over a decade, its importance in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease is still debated. The frequent presence of amyloid-β in the brains of cognitively healthy older people has been interpreted as evidence against a causative role. If amyloid-β is crucial to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, it should be associated with other Alzheimer’s disease-like neurological changes. Here, this review examines whether amyloid-β is associated with other biomarkers indicative of early Alzheimer’s disease in normal older people. The preponderance of evidence links amyloid-β tomore » functional change, progressive brain atrophy, and cognitive decline. Individuals at greatest risk of decline seem to be those with evidence of both amyloid-β and findings suggestive of neurodegeneration. Lastly, the crucial question is thus how amyloid-β is related to brain degeneration and how these two processes interact to cause cognitive decline and dementia.« less

Anti-EGFRvIII Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Modified T Cells for Adoptive Cell Therapy of Glioblastoma

PubMed Central

Ren, Pei-pei; Li, Ming; Li, Tian-fang; Han, Shuang-yin

2017-01-01

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most devastating brain tumors with poor prognosis and high mortality. Although radical surgical treatment with subsequent radiation and chemotherapy can improve the survival, the efficacy of such regimens is insufficient because the GBM cells can spread and destroy normal brain structures. Moreover, these non-specific treatments may damage adjacent healthy brain tissue. It is thus imperative to develop novel therapies to precisely target invasive tumor cells without damaging normal tissues. Immunotherapy is a promising approach due to its capability to suppress the growth of various tumors in preclinical model and clinical trials. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting an ideal molecular marker in GBM, e.g. epidermal growth factor receptor type III (EGFRvIII) has demonstrated a satisfactory efficacy in treating malignant brain tumors. Here we summarize the recent progresses in immunotherapeutic strategy using CAR-modified T cells oriented to EGFRvIII against GBM. PMID:28302023

Is amyloid-β harmful to the brain? Insights from human imaging studies

DOE PAGES

Jagust, William

2015-11-26

Although the amyloid-β protein associated with the Alzheimer’s disease plaque has been detectable in living people for over a decade, its importance in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease is still debated. The frequent presence of amyloid-β in the brains of cognitively healthy older people has been interpreted as evidence against a causative role. If amyloid-β is crucial to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, it should be associated with other Alzheimer’s disease-like neurological changes. Here, this review examines whether amyloid-β is associated with other biomarkers indicative of early Alzheimer’s disease in normal older people. The preponderance of evidence links amyloid-β tomore » functional change, progressive brain atrophy, and cognitive decline. Individuals at greatest risk of decline seem to be those with evidence of both amyloid-β and findings suggestive of neurodegeneration. Lastly, the crucial question is thus how amyloid-β is related to brain degeneration and how these two processes interact to cause cognitive decline and dementia.« less

[The search of the "intact" structural and functional brain systems as a paradigm shift in schizophrenia research].

PubMed

Lebedeva, I S

2015-01-01

The search of the structural and functional brain characteristics is one of the most studied directions in the modern biological psychiatry. However, in spite of the numerous studies the results are still controversial. As the necessity of the shift of the current paradigm in schizophrenia research evolves it has been suggested to discriminate not only abnormal but stable functioning neuronal circuits as well. Consequently, the aim is formulated as the search of the minimal brain damage sufficient for disease development. Author analyzed the auditory oddball P300 latency (as a marker of information processing speed), N-acetylaspartate level in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (as a marker of neuronal integrity in this brain area) and fractional anisotropy of the fasciculus uncindtus which connects the frontal and temporal lobes (as a marker of white matter bundles microstructure) in 30 patients with schizophrenia and 27 healthy people. The findings showed that all the tested characteristics are not "obligatory" for schizophrenia.

Subcortical Gray Matter Volume Abnormalities in Healthy Bipolar Offspring: Potential Neuroanatomical Risk Marker for Bipolar Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladouceur, Cecile D.; Almeida, Jorge R. C.; Birmaher, Boris; Axelson, David A.; Nau, Sharon; Kalas, Catherine; Monk, Kelly; Kupfer, David J.; Phillips, Mary L.

2008-01-01

A study is conducted to examine the extent to which bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with gray matter volume abnormalities in brain regions in healthy bipolar offspring relative to age-matched controls. Results show increased gray matter volume in the parahippocampus/hippocampus in healthy offspring at genetic risk for BD.

Multiscale Imaging of the Mouse Cortex Using Two-Photon Microscopy and Wide-Field Illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bumstead, Jonathan R.

The mouse brain can be studied over vast spatial scales ranging from microscopic imaging of single neurons to macroscopic measurements of hemodynamics acquired over the majority of the mouse cortex. However, most neuroimaging modalities are limited by a fundamental trade-off between the spatial resolution and the field-of-view (FOV) over which the brain can be imaged, making it difficult to fully understand the functional and structural architecture of the healthy mouse brain and its disruption in disease. My dissertation has focused on developing multiscale optical systems capable of imaging the mouse brain at both microscopic and mesoscopic spatial scales, specifically addressing the difference in spatial scales imaged with two-photon microscopy (TPM) and optical intrinsic signal imaging (OISI). Central to this work has been the formulation of a principled design strategy for extending the FOV of the two-photon microscope. Using this design approach, we constructed a TPM system with subcellular resolution and a FOV area 100 times greater than a conventional two-photon microscope. To image the ellipsoidal shape of the mouse cortex, we also developed the microscope to image arbitrary surfaces within a single frame using an electrically tunable lens. Finally, to address the speed limitations of the TPM systems developed during my dissertation, I also conducted research in large-scale neural phenomena occurring in the mouse brain imaged with high-speed OISI. The work conducted during my dissertation addresses some of the fundamental principles in designing and applying optical systems for multiscale imaging of the mouse brain.

Effects of hypoglycemia on human brain activation measured with fMRI.

PubMed

Anderson, Adam W; Heptulla, Rubina A; Driesen, Naomi; Flanagan, Daniel; Goldberg, Philip A; Jones, Timothy W; Rife, Fran; Sarofin, Hedy; Tamborlane, William; Sherwin, Robert; Gore, John C

2006-07-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure the effects of acute hypoglycemia caused by passive sensory stimulation on brain activation. Visual stimulation was used to generate blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast, which was monitored during hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic and euglycemic clamp studies. Hypoglycemia (50 +/- 1 mg glucose/dl) decreased the fMRI signal relative to euglycemia in 10 healthy human subjects: the fractional signal change was reduced by 28 +/- 12% (P < .05). These changes were reversed when euglycemia was restored. These data provide a basis of comparison for studies that quantify hypoglycemia-related changes in fMRI activity during cognitive tasks based on visual stimuli and demonstrate that variations in blood glucose levels may modulate BOLD signals in the healthy brain.

The relationship between brain volumes and intelligence in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Vreeker, Annabel; Abramovic, Lucija; Boks, Marco P M; Verkooijen, Sanne; van Bergen, Annet H; Ophoff, Roel A; Kahn, René S; van Haren, Neeltje E M

2017-12-01

Bipolar disorder type-I (BD-I) patients show a lower Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and smaller brain volumes as compared with healthy controls. Considering that in healthy individuals lower IQ is related to smaller total brain volume, it is of interest to investigate whether IQ deficits in BD-I patients are related to smaller brain volumes and to what extent smaller brain volumes can explain differences between premorbid IQ estimates and IQ after a diagnosis of BD-I. Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans, IQ and premorbid IQ scores were obtained from 195 BDI patients and 160 controls. We studied the relationship of (global, cortical and subcortical) brain volumes with IQ and IQ change. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between childhood trauma, lithium- and antipsychotic use and IQ. Total brain volume and IQ were positively correlated in the entire sample. This correlation did not differ between patients and controls. Although brain volumes mediated the relationship between BD-I and IQ in part, the direct relationship between the diagnosis and IQ remained significant. Childhood trauma and use of lithium and antipsychotic medication did not affect the relationship between brain volumes and IQ. However, current lithium use was related to lower IQ in patients. Our data suggest a similar relationship between brain volume and IQ in BD-I patients and controls. Smaller brain volumes only partially explain IQ deficits in patients. Therefore, our findings indicate that in addition to brain volumes and lithium use other disease factors play a role in IQ deficits in BD-I patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Promoting Early Brain and Child Development: Perceived Barriers and the Utilization of Resources to Address Them.

PubMed

Garner, Andrew S; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Szilagyi, Moira; Stein, Ruth E K; Green, Cori M; Kerker, Bonnie D; O'Connor, Karen G; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; McCue Horwitz, Sarah

Efforts to promote early brain and child development (EBCD) include initiatives to support healthy parent-child relationships, tools to identify family social-emotional risk factors, and referrals to community programs to address family risk factors. We sought to examine if pediatricians perceive barriers to implementing these activities, and if they utilize resources to address those barriers. Data were analyzed from 304 nontrainee pediatricians who practice general pediatrics and completed a 2013 American Academy of Pediatrics Periodic Survey. Sample weights were used to decrease nonresponse bias. Bivariate comparisons and multivariable regression analyses were conducted. At least half of the pediatricians agreed that barriers to promoting EBCD include: a lack of tools to promote healthy parent-child relationships, a lack of tools to assess the family environment for social-emotional risk factors, and a lack of local resources to address family risks. Endorsing a lack of tools to assess the family environment as a barrier was associated with using fewer screening tools and community resources. Endorsing a lack of local resources as a barrier was associated with using fewer community resources and fewer initiatives to promote parent-child relationships. Interest in pediatric mental health was associated with using more initiatives to promote healthy parent-child relationships, screening tools, and community resources. Although the majority of pediatricians perceive barriers to promoting EBCD, few are routinely using available resources to address these barriers. Addressing pediatricians' perceived barriers and encouraging interest in pediatric mental health may increase resource utilization and enhance efforts to promote EBCD. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of the COMT genotype in the underlying functional brain activity of context processing in schizophrenia and in relatives.

PubMed

Lopez-Garcia, Pilar; Cristobal-Huerta, Alexandra; Young Espinoza, Leslie; Molero, Patricio; Ortuño Sanchez-Pedreño, Felipe; Hernández-Tamames, Juan Antonio

2016-11-03

Context processing deficits have been shown to be present in chronic and first episode schizophrenia patients and in their relatives. This cognitive process is linked to frontal functioning and is highly dependent on dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme plays a prominent role in regulating dopamine levels in PFC. Genotypic variations in the functional polymorphism Val(158)Met COMT appear to have an impact in dopamine signaling in the PFC of healthy subjects and schizophrenia patients. We aimed to explore the effect of the Val(158)Met COMT polymorphism on brain activation during the performance of a context processing task in healthy subjects, schizophrenia spectrum patients and their healthy relatives. 56 participants performed the Dot Probe Expectancy task (DPX) during the fMRI session. Subjects were genotyped and only the Val and Met homozygotes participated in the study. Schizophrenia spectrum patients and their relatives showed worse performance on context processing measures than healthy control subjects. The Val allele was associated with more context processing errors in healthy controls and in relatives compared to patients. There was a greater recruitment of frontal areas (supplementary motor area/cingulate gyrus) during context processing in patients relative to healthy controls. Met homozygotes subjects activated more frontal areas than Val homozygotes subjects. The Val(158)Met COMT polymorphism influences context processing and on its underlying brain activation, showing less recruitment of frontal areas in the subjects with the genotype associated to lower dopamine availability in PFC. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Relationship between Social Defiance, Vindictiveness, Anger, and Brain Morphology in Eight-Year-Old Boys and Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahim, Cherine; Fiori, Marina; Evans, Alan C.; Perusse, Daniel

2012-01-01

The goal of this study is twofold: (1) to assess brain anatomical differences between children meeting diagnostic criteria for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and healthy controls, and (2) to investigate whether morphological brain characteristics associated with ODD differ in boys and girls. Eight-year-old participants (N = 38) were scanned…

Measurement of Physical Performance and Objective Fatigability in People with Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merritta, Catherine; Cherian, Binu; Macaden, Ashish S.; John, Judy Ann

2010-01-01

The aims of this study were to objectively measure the physical performance and physical endurance of patients with traumatic brain injury with minimization of cognitive and psychological fatigue, and to compare the physical performance of brain injured patients with that of healthy controls. This was a nonrandomized partially blinded controlled…

Stages in reproduction particularly vulnerable to xenobiotic hazards and nutritional deficits.

PubMed

House, S

2000-01-01

Biochemical research has identified many failures in reproductive processes with specific nutrient deficits, xenobiotics and some infectious illnesses. This has led to some effective safeguards. During meiosis and fertilization, as genetic material divides and rearranges, it is exposed and open to mutation. A nutritionally unfavourable environment is a major risk factor. At stages of rapid cell division, differentiation and organisation, as in the embryo and later in the fetal brain, the child's survival, completeness and future health and ability are at stake. From months before conception, reproduction needs preparing for, especially with today's environmental pollution, even entering the foodchain. Care from before conception can contribute not only to the child's healthy basis for life, full development of brain, eyesight and other complex attributes, but also to the health of at least the subsequent generation. Since the female baby's oocytes are being formed while she is still in the womb, the grandmother's nutritional status, around the time of conceiving a daughter, can permanently affect a grandchild. Recent insights into evolution, particularly of the brain, give us fresh indications of dietary needs to fulfil human potential for health and acuity. Despite the hazards, nature is remarkably successful. This paper is not designed to alarm but to help attainment of full genetic potential. With healthy parents serious malformations are a low percentage. The numbers of babies with avoidable disorders, however, calls urgently for action, especially in our own inner cities and in developing countries where there is inadequate nutrition. Action will more than justify itself, including financially. It will reward handsomely.

Progressive neurostructural changes in adolescent and adult patients with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Lisy, Megan E; Jarvis, Kelly B; DelBello, Melissa P; Mills, Neil P; Weber, Wade A; Fleck, David; Strakowski, Stephen M; Adler, Caleb M

2011-06-01

Several lines of evidence suggest that bipolar disorder is associated with progressive changes in gray matter volume (GMV), particularly in brain structures involved in emotional regulation and expression. The majority of these studies however, have been cross-sectional in nature. In this study we compared baseline and follow-up scans in groups of bipolar disorder and healthy subjects. We hypothesized bipolar disorder subjects would demonstrate significant GMV changes over time. A total of 58 bipolar disorder and 48 healthy subjects participated in structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subjects were rescanned 3-34 months after their baseline MRI. MRI images were segmented, normalized to standard stereotactic space, and compared voxel-by-voxel using statistical parametrical mapping software (SPM2). A model was developed to investigate differences in GMV at baseline, and associated with time and episodes, as well as in comparison to healthy subjects. We observed increases in GMV in bipolar disorder subjects across several brain regions at baseline and over time, including portions of the prefrontal cortex as well as limbic and subcortical structures. Time-related changes differed to some degree between adolescent and adult bipolar disorder subjects. The interval between scans positively correlated with GMV increases in bipolar disorder subjects in portions of the prefrontal cortex, and both illness duration and number of depressive episodes were associated with increased GMV in subcortical and limbic structures. Our findings support suggestions that widely observed progressive neurofunctional changes in bipolar disorder patients may be related to structural brain abnormalities in anterior limbic structures. Abnormalities largely involve regions previously noted to be integral to emotional expression and regulation, and appear to vary by age. © 2011 John Wiley and Sons A/S.

Perception of Emotional Facial Expressions in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at Behavioural and Brain Metabolic Level.

PubMed

Aho-Özhan, Helena E A; Keller, Jürgen; Heimrath, Johanna; Uttner, Ingo; Kassubek, Jan; Birbaumer, Niels; Ludolph, Albert C; Lulé, Dorothée

2016-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) primarily impairs motor abilities but also affects cognition and emotional processing. We hypothesise that subjective ratings of emotional stimuli depicting social interactions and facial expressions is changed in ALS. It was found that recognition of negative emotions and ability to mentalize other's intentions is reduced. Processing of emotions in faces was investigated. A behavioural test of Ekman faces expressing six basic emotions was presented to 30 ALS patients and 29 age-, gender and education matched healthy controls. Additionally, a subgroup of 15 ALS patients that were able to lie supine in the scanner and 14 matched healthy controls viewed the Ekman faces during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Affective state and a number of daily social contacts were measured. ALS patients recognized disgust and fear less accurately than healthy controls. In fMRI, reduced brain activity was seen in areas involved in processing of negative emotions replicating our previous results. During processing of sad faces, increased brain activity was seen in areas associated with social emotions in right inferior frontal gyrus and reduced activity in hippocampus bilaterally. No differences in brain activity were seen for any of the other emotional expressions. Inferior frontal gyrus activity for sad faces was associated with increased amount of social contacts of ALS patients. ALS patients showed decreased brain and behavioural responses in processing of disgust and fear and an altered brain response pattern for sadness. The negative consequences of neurodegenerative processes in the course of ALS might be counteracted by positive emotional activity and positive social interactions.

Test-Retest Reliability of Brain Activation Using the Face-Name Paired-Associates fMRI Task in Patients with Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Louis, Chelsey N.

Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder associated with cognitive impairments, and clinical symptoms of hallucinations and delusions. Recent imaging and behavioral studies have repeatedly shown aberrant brain activity in the hippocampal regions in relation to episodic memory impairments associated with schizophrenia. These findings have warranted further research to elucidate the neural processes associated with episodic memory. Therefore, the current study examined activity in a priori brain regions associated with episodic memory using the face-name paired-associates fMRI task to determine whether there was reliable activation patterns observed in healthy subjects and patients with self-reported schizophrenia. This was evaluated by using ROI analysis and whole brain analysis to examine activity between subjects during a session, and by using Pearson's R correlation coefficients to examine test-retest reliability over time. 30 schizophrenic (SZ) patients and 31 healthy control (HC) volunteers underwent a series of assessments including the fMRI behavioral task, face-name paired-associates task. The tests were conducted twice with a 14-day interval for the subjects. The results indicated no reliable brain activation in the hippocampus between scanning sessions for either the SZ or HC groups. However, distinct activation patterns were observed within sessions for both groups. These patterns were observed in the hippocampus, and regions of the frontal lobe and occipital lobe. Future studies should further explore these brain activity patterns across sessions in SZ patients compared to HC subjects to determine whether these patterns are due to pathological mechanisms associated with schizophrenia.

Anxiety in healthy humans is associated with orbital frontal chemistry.

PubMed

Grachev, I D; Apkarian, A V

2000-09-01

The present study examines relationships between regional brain chemistry (as identified by localized in vivo three-dimensional single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and anxiety (as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) in 16 healthy subjects. The relative concentrations of N-Acetyl aspartate, choline, glutamate, glutamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, inositol, glucose and lactate were measured relative to creatine within six 8-cm3 brain voxels localized to: thalamus, cingulate, insula, sensorimotor, dorsolateral prefrontal, and orbital frontal cortices (OFC) in the left hemisphere. Analysis of variance, across brain regions, chemicals, and high and low anxiety groups, showed a relationship between anxiety and chemical composition of OFC, with high anxiety subjects demonstrating 32% increase in overall chemical concentrations within OFC, as compared to the lower anxiety group (F= 60.8, P < 10(-7)). Other brain regions, including cingulate, showed no detectable anxiety dependence. The combination of the state and trait anxiety was highly correlated with the concentration of OFC chemicals (r2 = 0.98), and N-Acetyl aspartate in OFC was identified as the strongest chemical marker for anxiety (changed by 43.2% between the two anxiety groups, F = 21.5, P = 0.000005). The results provide direct evidence that the OFC chemistry is associated with anxiety in healthy humans. The method can be used as a neuroimaging/behavioral tool for documentation of OFC chemistry changes in relation to anxiety per se and anxiety disorders. The presented relationship between regional brain chemistry and anxiety reflects the functional/behavioral state of the brain, pointing to possible mechanisms of the neurobiology of anxiety.

Coupled Harmonic Bases for Longitudinal Characterization of Brain Networks

PubMed Central

Hwang, Seong Jae; Adluru, Nagesh; Collins, Maxwell D.; Ravi, Sathya N.; Bendlin, Barbara B.; Johnson, Sterling C.; Singh, Vikas

2016-01-01

There is a great deal of interest in using large scale brain imaging studies to understand how brain connectivity evolves over time for an individual and how it varies over different levels/quantiles of cognitive function. To do so, one typically performs so-called tractography procedures on diffusion MR brain images and derives measures of brain connectivity expressed as graphs. The nodes correspond to distinct brain regions and the edges encode the strength of the connection. The scientific interest is in characterizing the evolution of these graphs over time or from healthy individuals to diseased. We pose this important question in terms of the Laplacian of the connectivity graphs derived from various longitudinal or disease time points — quantifying its progression is then expressed in terms of coupling the harmonic bases of a full set of Laplacians. We derive a coupled system of generalized eigenvalue problems (and corresponding numerical optimization schemes) whose solution helps characterize the full life cycle of brain connectivity evolution in a given dataset. Finally, we show a set of results on a diffusion MR imaging dataset of middle aged people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), who are cognitively healthy. In such asymptomatic adults, we find that a framework for characterizing brain connectivity evolution provides the ability to predict cognitive scores for individual subjects, and for estimating the progression of participant’s brain connectivity into the future. PMID:27812274