Transcriptomic Signatures Associated With Gray Matter Volume Changes in Patients With Functional Constipation.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Cai W
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8766403 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:SubjectsVestibular migraine (VM) is the most common neurological cause of vertigo in adults. Previous neuroimaging studies have reported structural alterations in areas associated with pain and vestibular processing. However, it is unclear whether altered resting-state functional connectivity (FC) exists in brain regions with structural abnormalities in patients with VM.MethodsResting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-dimensional T1-weighed MRI were performed in 30 patients with VM and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Patients underwent an evaluation of migraine and dizziness severity. FC and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) were performed using DPABI 4.3 and CAT12, respectively. The association between changes in gray matter (GM) volume or FC and clinical parameters was also analyzed.ResultsCompared with HCs, patients with VM demonstrated a reduced GM volume in the bilateral parietoinsular vestibular cortex (PIVC), right middle frontal gyrus, and precuneus. The GM volume of the left PIVC was negatively associated with Dizziness Handicap Inventory score in patients with VM. Taking this region as a seed region, we further observed increased FC between the left primary somatosensory cortex (S1)/inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and the left PIVC in patients with VM.ConclusionFC between regions with a decline in GM volume (the PIVC and S1/IPL) is altered in patients with VM, suggesting that abnormalities in vestibular cortical network could be useful for understanding the underlying mechanisms of VM.
| S-EPMC8297163 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sleep deprivation disrupted functional and structural brain areas which are associated with cognition and emotion in healthy participants. However, the effect of age on the structural changes after sleep restriction remains unclear. In the current study, gray matter volume was calculated in 43 young adults and 37 old adults before and after sleep restriction. Two-way mixed analysis of variance (between-subject factor: deprivation; within-subject factor: age) was then employed to investigate differences in gray matter volume changes between young and old adults. Gaussian random field theory was applied for multiple comparison correction. Results revealed that sleep restriction decreases gray matter volume in the right thalamus, left precuneus, and postcentral gyrus. More importantly, we found a significant deprivation × age interaction effect mainly in the right dorsal/ventral anterior insula where the gray matter volume increased in young adults after sleep restriction but showed no difference in old adults. These findings highlight the crucial role of the anterior insula in the neural mechanisms underlying sleep lose, especially among young adults. The current work provided structural evidence for describing emotional dysfunction and suggests the potential effect of age on functional and structural changes after sleep restriction.
| S-EPMC7004551 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Neurodegenerative change in the central nervous system has been suggested as one of the pathophysiological mechanisms of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). We analyzed gray matter (GM) volume changes and clinical parameters in patients with PD to investigate any involvement in the brain structures responsible for autonomic control in patients with PD having orthostatic hypotension (OH). Voxel-based morphometry was applied to compare regional GM volumes between PD patients with and without OH. Multivariate logistic regression analysis using a hierarchical model was carried out to identify clinical factors independently contributing to the regional GM volume changes in PD patients with OH. The Sobel test was used to analyze mediation effects between the independent contributing factors to the GM volume changes. PD patients with OH had more severe autonomic dysfunction and reduction in volume in the right inferior temporal cortex than those without OH. The right inferior temporal volume was positively correlated with the Qualitative Scoring MMSE Pentagon Test (QSPT) score, reflecting visuospatial/visuoperceptual function, and negatively correlated with the Composite Autonomic Severity Score (CASS). The CASS and QSPT scores were found to be factors independently contributing to regional volume changes in the right inferior temporal cortex. The QSPT score was identified as a mediator in which regional GM volume predicts the CASS. Our findings suggest that a decrease in the visuospatial/visuoperceptual process may be involved in the presentation of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in PD patients.
| S-EPMC7996881 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Skill learning induces changes in estimates of gray matter volume (GMV) in the human brain, commonly detectable with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Rapid changes in GMV estimates while executing tasks may however confound between- and within-subject differences. Fluctuations in arterial blood flow are proposed to underlie this apparent task-related tissue plasticity. To test this hypothesis, we acquired multiple repetitions of structural T1-weighted and functional blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI measurements from 51 subjects performing a finger-tapping task (FTT; á 2 min) repeatedly for 30-60 min. Estimated GMV was decreased in motor regions during FTT compared with rest. Motor-related BOLD signal changes did not overlap nor correlate with GMV changes. Nearly simultaneous BOLD signals cannot fully explain task-induced changes in T1-weighted images. These sensitive and behavior-related GMV changes pose serious questions to reproducibility across studies, and morphological investigations during skill learning can also open new avenues on how to study rapid brain plasticity.
| S-EPMC9528898 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The mechanisms of motor functional recovery after pontine infarction (PI) remain unclear. Here, we assessed longitudinal changes in gray matter volume (GMV) and examined the relationship between GMV and clinical outcome. Fifteen patients with unilateral PI underwent magnetic resonance imaging and neurological exams five times during a period of 6 months. Another 15 healthy participants were enrolled as the normal control (NC) group and were examined with the same protocol. The MR exam included routine protocol and a 3D T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo scan. Changes in GMV were assessed using voxel-based morphometry. Furthermore, the correlations between GMV changes in regions of interest and clinical scores were assessed. Compared with NCs, the decreased GMVs in the contralateral uvula of cerebellum and the ipsilateral tuber of cerebellum were detected at third month after stroke onset. At the sixth month after stroke onset, the decreased GMVs were detected in the contralateral culmen of cerebellum, putamen, as well as in the ipsilateral tuber/tonsil of cerebellum. Compared with NC, the PI group exhibited significant increases in GMV at each follow-up time point relative to stroke onset. Specifically, the significant GMV increase was found in the ipsilateral middle frontal gyrus and ventral anterior nucleus of thalamus at second week after stroke onset. At first month after stroke onset, the increased GMVs in the ipsilateral middle temporal gyrus were detected. The significant GMV increase in the ipsilateral mediodorsal thalamus was noted at third month after stroke onset. At the end of sixth month after stroke onset, the GMV increase was found in the ipsilateral mediodorsal thalamus, superior frontal gyrus, and the contralateral precuneus. Across five times during a period of 6-month, a negative correlation was observed between mean GMV in the contralateral uvula, culmen, putamen, and ipsilateral tuber/tonsil and mean Fugl-Meyer (FM) score. However, mean GMV in the ipsilateral mediodorsal thalamus was positively correlated with mean FM score. Our findings suggest that structural reorganization of the ipsilateral mediodorsal thalamus might contribute to motor functional recovery after PI.
| S-EPMC5992285 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The role of gonadal hormones in neural plasticity remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of naturally fluctuating hormone levels over the menstrual cycle in healthy females. Gray matter, functional connectivity (FC) and white matter changes over the cycle were assessed by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), resting state fMRI, and structural MRIs, respectively, and associated with serum gonadal hormone levels. Moreover, electrocutaneous sensitivity was evaluated in 14 women in four phases of their menstrual cycle (menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal). Electrocutaneous sensitivity was greater during follicular compared to menstrual phase. Additionally, pain unpleasantness was lower in follicular phase than other phases while pain intensity ratings did not change over the cycle. Significant variations in cycle phase effects on gray matter volume were found in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) using voxel-based morphometry. Subsequent Freesurfer analysis revealed greater thickness of left IPL during the menstrual phase when compared to other phases. Also, white matter volume fluctuated across phases in left IPL. Blood estradiol was positively correlated with white matter volume both in left parietal cortex and whole cortex. Seed-driven FC between left IPL and right secondary visual cortex was enhanced during ovulatory phase. A seed placed in right IPL revealed enhanced FC between left and right IPL during the ovulatory phase. Additionally, we found that somatosensory cortical gray matter was thinner during follicular compared to menstrual phase. We discuss these results in the context of likely evolutionary pressures selecting for enhanced perceptual sensitivity across modalities specifically during ovulation.
| S-EPMC7783210 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and the 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 polymorphisms in its gene (SLC6A4) have been associated with depression, increased stress-response, and brain structural alterations such as reduced hippocampal volumes. Recently, epigenetic processes including SLC6A4 promoter methylation were shown to be affected by stress, trauma, or maltreatment and are regarded to be involved in the etiology of affective disorders. However, neurobiological correlates of SLC6A4 promoter methylation have never been studied or compared to genotype effects by means of human neuroimaging hitherto METHODS:Healthy subjects were recruited in two independent samples (N?=?94, N?=?95) to obtain structural gray matter images processed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM8), focusing on hippocampal, amygdala, and anterior cingulate gyrus gray matter structure. SLC6A4 promoter methylation within an AluJb element and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 genotypes were analyzed in view of a possible impact on local gray matter volume RESULTS:Strong associations of AluJb methylation and hippocampal gray matter volumes emerged within each sample separately, which in the combined sample withstood most conservative alpha-corrections for the entire brain. The amygdala, insula, and caudate nucleus showed similar associations. The 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 showed no main effect on gray matter, and the effect of methylation rates on hippocampal structure was comparable among the genotype groups CONCLUSIONS:Methylation within the AluJb appears to have strong effects on hippocampal gray matter volumes, indicating that epigenetic processes can alter brain structures crucially involved in stress-related disorders. Different ways of regulating SLC6A4 expression might involve exonization or transcription factor binding as potentially underlying mechanisms, which, however, is speculative and warrants further investigation.
| S-EPMC6869452 | biostudies-literature
Project description:AimA substantial portion of children and adolescents show subthreshold psychotic symptoms called psychotic experience (PE). Because PE shares its biological and environmental risk factors with psychotic spectrum disorders, parental neuroanatomical variation could reflect a heritable biological underpinning of PE that may predict an offspring's PE.MethodsA total of 94 participants from 35 families without a diagnosis of major neuropsychiatric disorders were examined, including 14 mother-daughter, 17 mother-son, 12 father-daughter, and 16 father-son dyads. An offspring's PE was assessed with the Atypicality subscale of the Behavior Assessment System for Children - 2nd Edition, Self-Report of Personality form (BASCaty). We examined correlations between voxel-by-voxel parental gray matter volume and their offspring's BASCaty score.ResultsMaternal cerebellar gray matter volume using voxel-based morphometry was positively correlated with their daughters' BASCaty scores. The findings were significant in a more robust approach using cerebellum-specific normalization known. We did not find significant correlation between paternal gray matter volume and BASCaty scores or between offspring gray matter volumes and their BASCaty scores.ConclusionExpanding upon parent-of-origin effects in psychosis, maternal neuroanatomical variation was associated with daughters' PE. The nature of this sex-specific intergenerational effect is unknown, but maternally transmitted genes may relate cerebellum development to PE pathogenesis.
| S-EPMC7424852 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDespite decades of research, there is continued uncertainty regarding whether autism is associated with a specific profile of gray matter (GM) structure. This inconsistency may stem from the widespread use of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) methods that combine indices of GM density and GM volume. If GM density or volume, but not both, prove different in autism, the traditional VBM approach of combining the two indices may obscure the difference. The present study measures GM density and volume separately to examine whether autism is associated with alterations in GM volume, density, or both.MethodsDifferences in MRI-based GM density and volume were examined in 6-25 year-olds with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (n = 213, 80.8% male, IQ 47-154) and a typically developing (TD) sample (n = 190, 71.6% male, IQ 67-155). High-resolution T1-weighted anatomical images were collected on a single MRI scanner. Regional density and volume were estimated via whole-brain parcellation comprised of 1625 parcels. Parcel-wise analyses were conducted using generalized additive models while controlling the false discovery rate (FDR, q < 0.05). Volume differences in the 68-region Desikan-Killiany atlas derived from Freesurfer were also examined, to establish the generalizability of findings across methods.ResultsNo density differences were observed between the autistic and TD groups, either in individual parcels or whole brain mean density. Increased volume was observed in autism compared to the TD group when controlling for Age, Sex, and IQ, both at the level of the whole brain (total volume) and in 45 parcels (2.8% of total parcels). Parcels with greater volume included inferior, middle, and superior temporal gyrus, inferior and superior frontal gyrus, precuneus, and fusiform gyrus. Converging evidence from a standard Freesurfer pipeline also identified greater volume in a number of overlapping regions.LimitationsThe method for determining "density" is not a direct measure of neuronal density, and this study cannot reveal underlying cellular differences. While this study represents possibly the largest single-site sample of its kind, it is underpowered to detect very small differences.ConclusionsThese results provide compelling evidence that autism is associated with regional GM volumetric differences, which are more prominent than density differences. This underscores the importance of examining volume and density separately, and suggests that direct measures of volume (e.g. region-of-interest or tensor-based morphometry approaches) may be more sensitive to autism-relevant differences in neuroanatomy than concentration/density-based approaches.
| S-EPMC8633367 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The anti-apoptotic protein B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) gene is a major regulator of neural plasticity and cellular resilience. Recently, the Bcl-2 rs956572 single nucleotide polymorphism was proposed to be a functional allelic variant that modulates cellular vulnerability to apoptosis. Our cross-sectional study investigated the genetic effect of this Bcl-2 polymorphism on age-related decreases in gray matter (GM) volume across the adult lifespan. Our sample comprised 330 healthy volunteers (191 male, 139 female) with a mean age of 56.2±22.0 years (range: 21-92). Magnetic resonance imaging and genotyping of the Bcl-2 rs956572 were performed for each participant. The differences in regional GM volumes between G homozygotes and A-allele carriers were tested using optimized voxel-based morphometry. The association between the Bcl-2 rs956572 polymorphism and age was a predictor of regional GM volumes in the right cerebellum, bilateral lingual gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and right parahippocampal gyrus. We found that the volume of these five regions decreased with increasing age (all P<.001). Moreover, the downward slope was steeper among the Bcl-2 rs956572 A-allele carriers than in the G-homozygous participants. Our data provide convergent evidence for the genetic effect of the Bcl-2 functional allelic variant in brain aging. The rs956572 G-allele, which is associated with significantly higher Bcl-2 protein expression and diminished cellular sensitivity to stress-induced apoptosis, conferred a protective effect against age-related changes in brain GM volume, particularly in the cerebellum.
| S-EPMC3577673 | biostudies-literature