Higher impulsivity and lower grey matter volume in the bilateral prefrontal cortex in long-term abstinent individuals with severe methamphetamine use disorder

BackgroundSchizophrenia is a complex mental disorder with high heritability and polygenic inheritance. Multimodal neuroimaging studies have also indicated that abnormalities of brain structure and function are a plausible neurobiological characterisation of schizophrenia. However, the polygenic effects of schizophrenia on these imaging endophenotypes have not yet been fully elucidated.AimsTo investigate the effects of polygenic risk for schizophrenia on the brain grey matter volume and functional connectivity, which are disrupted in schizophrenia.MethodGenomic and neuroimaging data from a large sample of Han Chinese patients with schizophrenia (N = 509) and healthy controls (N = 502) were included in this study. We examined grey matter volume and functional connectivity via structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. Using the data from a recent meta-analysis of a genome-wide association study that comprised a large number of Chinese people, we calculated a polygenic risk score (PGRS) for each participant.ResultsThe imaging genetic analysis revealed that the individual PGRS showed a significantly negative correlation with the hippocampal grey matter volume and hippocampus–medial prefrontal cortex functional connectivity, both of which were lower in the people with schizophrenia than in the controls. We also found that the observed neuroimaging measures showed weak but similar changes in unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia.ConclusionsThese findings suggested that genetically influenced brain grey matter volume and functional connectivity may provide important clues for understanding the pathological mechanisms of schizophrenia and for the early diagnosis of schizophrenia.

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Altered heartbeat perception sensitivity associated with brain structural alterations in generalised anxiety disorder

General Psychiatry ◽

10.1136/gpsych-2019-100057 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. e100057 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hui Li ◽

Bin Zhang ◽

Qiang Hu ◽

Lanlan Zhang ◽

Yi Jin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Generalised Anxiety Disorder ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Heartbeat Perception

BackgroundPalpitation is a common complaint in generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Brain imaging studies have investigated the neural mechanism of heartbeat perception in healthy volunteers. This study explored the neuroanatomical differences of altered heartbeat perception in patients with GAD using structural MRI.AimsBased on the strong somatic-interoceptive symptoms in GAD, we explored the regional structural brain abnormalities involved in heartbeat perception in patients with GAD.MethodsThis study was applied to the a priori regions using neuroanatomical theories of heartbeat perception, including the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, supplementary motor area and prefrontal cortex. A total of 19 patients with GAD and 19 healthy control subjects were enrolled. We used the FMRIB Software Library voxel-based morphometry software for estimating the grey matter volume of these regions of interest and analysed the correlation between heartbeat perception sensitivity and the volume of abnormal grey matter.ResultsPatients with GAD showed a significantly decreased volume of grey matter in their left medial prefrontal cortex, right orbital frontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. The grey matter volume of the left medial prefrontal cortex negatively correlated with heartbeat perception sensitivity in patients with GAD.ConclusionsIt should be the first study that shows heartbeat perception is associated with brain structure in GAD. Our findings suggest that the frontal region may play an important role in aberrant heartbeat perception processing in patients with GAD, and this may be an underlying mechanism resulting in the abnormal cardiovascular complaints in GAD. This is hypothesised as a ‘top-down’ deficiency, especially in the medial prefrontal cortex. This will provide the foundation for a more targeted region for neuromodulation intervention in the future.

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Relationship between depression, prefrontal creatine and grey matter volume

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/02698811211050550 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026988112110505

Author(s):

Paul Faulkner ◽

Susanna Lucini Paioni ◽

Petya Kozhuharova ◽

Natasza Orlov ◽

David J Lythgoe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Resonance Spectroscopy ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Whole Brain ◽

Negatively Associated ◽

Matter Volume

Background: Depression and low mood are leading contributors to disability worldwide. Research indicates that clinical depression may be associated with low creatine concentrations in the brain and low prefrontal grey matter volume. Because subclinical depression also contributes to difficulties in day-to-day life, understanding the neural mechanisms of depressive symptoms in all individuals, even at a subclinical level, may aid public health. Methods: Eighty-four young adult participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) to quantify severity of depression, anxiety and stress, and underwent 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the medial prefrontal cortex and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whole-brain grey matter volume. Results/outcomes: DASS depression scores were negatively associated (a) with concentrations of creatine (but not other metabolites) in the prefrontal cortex and (b) with grey matter volume in the right superior medial frontal gyrus. Medial prefrontal creatine concentrations and right superior medial frontal grey matter volume were positively correlated. DASS anxiety and DASS stress scores were not related to prefrontal metabolite concentrations or whole-brain grey matter volume. Conclusions/interpretations: This study provides preliminary evidence from a representative group of individuals who exhibit a range of depression levels that prefrontal creatine and grey matter volume are negatively associated with depression. While future research is needed to fully understand this relationship, these results provide support for previous findings, which indicate that increasing creatine concentrations in the prefrontal cortex may improve mood and well-being.

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Abstract MP67: Long-term TV Viewing Is Associated With Grey Matter Brain Volume In Midlife: The Coronary Artery Risk Development In Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.143.suppl_1.mp67 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 143 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Ryan J Dougherty ◽

Tina Hoang ◽

Lenore J Launer ◽

David R Jacobs ◽

Stephen Sidney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Intracranial Volume ◽

Tv Viewing ◽

Standard Deviation Increase ◽

Matter Volume

Introduction: While it is generally accepted that a physically active lifestyle is important for overall health, sedentary behavior has become a public health focus due to evidence that it may impart unique risk for chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between 20-year television (TV) viewing patterns, as a proxy for sedentary behavior, with grey matter volume in midlife. We hypothesized that greater TV viewing in early to mid-adulthood would be associated with lower grey matter volume at midlife, independent from physical activity. Methods: We evaluated 599 participants (306 female, 264 black, mean age 30.3±3.5 at baseline and 50.2±3.5 years at follow-up and MRI) from the prospective CARDIA study. We assessed TV patterns with repeated interviewer-administered questionnaire spanning 20 years. Structural MRI (3T) measures of grey matter were assessed at year 20 during midlife. We used multivariable linear models to examine the association between long-term TV viewing (mean hours) and frontal cortex, entorhinal cortex, hippocampal, and total grey matter volumes, adjusting for demographics, intracranial volume, and study site. Results: Over the 20 years, participants reported viewing an average of 2.5±1.7 hours of TV per day (range: 0-10 hours). After multivariable adjustment, greater TV viewing was negatively associated with grey matter volume in the frontal (β= -0.773; p = 0.01) and entorhinal cortex (β= -23.8; p = 0.05) as well as total grey matter (β= -2.089; p = 0.003) but not hippocampus. These results remained unchanged after additional adjustment for physical activity. For each one standard deviation increase in TV viewing, the difference in grey matter volume z-score was approximately 0.06 less for each of the three regions ( p< 0.05; Figure 1). Conclusions: Among middle-aged adults, greater TV viewing in early to mid-adulthood was associated with lower grey matter volume. Sedentariness or other facets of TV viewing may be an important risk factor for brain aging even in middle age.

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Baseline grey matter volume of non-transitioned “ultra high risk” for psychosis individuals with and without attenuated psychotic symptoms at long-term follow-up

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/j.schres.2015.05.014 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 173 (3) ◽

pp. 152-158 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Vanessa L. Cropley ◽

Ashleigh Lin ◽

Barnaby Nelson ◽

Renate L.E.P. Reniers ◽

Alison R. Yung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Ultra High Risk ◽

Long Term Follow Up

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Structural abnormalities in gyri of the prefrontal cortex in individuals with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.109.067314 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 196 (2) ◽

pp. 150-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Michael P. Harms ◽

Lei Wang ◽

Carolina Campanella ◽

Kristina Aldridge ◽

Amanda J. Moffitt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Cortical Thickness ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Genetic Factors ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Familial Risk ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Genetic Contribution ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Structural Abnormalities

BackgroundThe relatives of individuals with schizophrenia exhibit deficits of overall frontal lobe volume, consistent with a genetic contribution to these deficits.AimsTo quantify the structure of gyral-defined subregions of prefrontal cortex in individuals with schizophrenia and their siblings.MethodGrey matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area of the superior, middle and inferior frontal gyri were measured in participants with schizophrenia and their unaffected (non-psychotic) siblings (n = 26 pairs), and controls and their siblings (n = 40 pairs).ResultsGrey matter volume was reduced in the middle and inferior frontal gyri of individuals with schizophrenia, relative to controls. However, only inferior frontal gyrus volume was also reduced in the unaffected siblings of those with schizophrenia, yielding a volume intermediate between their affected siblings and controls.ConclusionsThe structure of subregions of the prefrontal cortex may be differentially influenced by genetic factors in schizophrenia, with inferior frontal gyrus volume being most related to familial risk.

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