The effects of an aerobic training intervention on cognition, grey matter volumes and white matter microstructure

ObjectiveTo explore whether regional brain volume and white matter microstructure at term-equivalent age (TEA) are associated with development at 2 years of age in children born moderate–late preterm (MLPT).Study designA cohort of MLPT infants had brain MRI at approximately TEA (38–44 weeks’ postmenstrual age) and had a developmental assessment (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment) at 2 years’ corrected age. Relationships between cortical grey matter and white matter volumes and 2-year developmental outcomes were explored using voxel-based morphometry. Relationships between diffusion tensor measures of white matter microstructure (fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial (AD), radial (RD) and mean (MD) diffusivities) and 2-year developmental outcomes were explored using tract-based spatial statistics.Results189 MLPT children had data from at least one MRI modality (volumetric or diffusion) and data for at least one developmental domain. Larger cortical grey and white matter volumes in many brain regions, and higher FA and lower AD, RD and MD in several major white matter regions, were associated with better cognitive and language scores. There was little evidence that cortical grey matter and white matter volumes and white matter microstructure were associated with motor and behavioural outcomes.ConclusionsRegional cortical grey matter and white matter volumes and white matter microstructure are associated with cognitive and language development at 2 years of age in MLPT children. Thus, early alterations to brain volumes and microstructure may contribute to some of the developmental deficits described in MLPT children.

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Brain structural correlates of autistic traits across the diagnostic divide: A grey matter and white matter microstructure study

NeuroImage Clinical ◽

10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102897 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 102897

Author(s):

Varun Arunachalam Chandran ◽

Christos Pliatsikas ◽

Janina Neufeld ◽

Garret O'Connell ◽

Anthony Haffey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

White Matter Microstructure

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The neural determinants of age-related changes in fluid intelligence: a pre-registered, longitudinal analysis in UK Biobank

Wellcome Open Research ◽

10.12688/wellcomeopenres.14241.1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rogier A. Kievit ◽

Delia Fuhrmann ◽

Gesa Sophia Borgeest ◽

Ivan L. Simpson-Kent ◽

Richard N. A. Henson

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

White Matter ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Matter Volume ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

The Mean ◽

Intelligence Scores

Background: Fluid intelligence declines with advancing age, starting in early adulthood. Within-subject declines in fluid intelligence are highly correlated with contemporaneous declines in the ability to live and function independently. To support healthy aging, the mechanisms underlying these declines need to be better understood. Methods: In this pre-registered analysis, we applied latent growth curve modelling to investigate the neural determinants of longitudinal changes in fluid intelligence across three time points in 185,317 individuals (N=9,719 two waves, N=870 three waves) from the UK Biobank (age range: 39-73 years). Results: We found a weak but significant effect of cross-sectional age on the mean fluid intelligence score, such that older individuals scored slightly lower. However, the mean longitudinal slope was positive, rather than negative, suggesting improvement across testing occasions. Despite the considerable sample size, the slope variance was non-significant, suggesting no reliable individual differences in change over time. This null-result is likely due to the nature of the cognitive test used. In a subset of individuals, we found that white matter microstructure (N=8839, as indexed by fractional anisotropy) and grey-matter volume (N=9931) in pre-defined regions-of-interest accounted for complementary and unique variance in mean fluid intelligence scores. The strongest effects were such that higher grey matter volume in the frontal pole and greater white matter microstructure in the posterior thalamic radiations were associated with higher fluid intelligence scores. Conclusions: In a large preregistered analysis, we demonstrate a weak but significant negative association between age and fluid intelligence. However, we did not observe plausible longitudinal patterns, instead observing a weak increase across testing occasions, and no significant individual differences in rates of change, likely due to the suboptimal task design. Finally, we find support for our preregistered expectation that white- and grey matter make separate contributions to individual differences in fluid intelligence beyond age.

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Brain structural correlates of autistic traits across the diagnostic divide: A grey matter and white matter microstructure study

10.1101/2021.05.29.446259 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Varun Arunachalam Chandran ◽

Christos Pliatsikas ◽

Janina Neufeld ◽

Garret O'Connell ◽

Anthony Haffey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Brain Volumes ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

The Social ◽

Brain Correlates

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a set of neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication as well as stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest. Autistic traits exist in a continuum across the general population, whilst the extreme end of this distribution is diagnosed as clinical ASD. While many studies have investigated brain structure in autism using a case-control design, few have used a dimensional approach. To add to this growing body of literature, we investigated the structural brain correlates of autistic traits in a mixed sample of adults (N=91) with and without a clinical diagnosis of autism. We examined regional brain volumes (using voxel-based morphometry and surface-based morphometry) and white matter microstructure properties (using Diffusion Tensor Imaging). Our findings show widespread grey matter differences, including in the social brain regions, and some evidence for white matter microstructure differences related to higher autistic traits. These grey matter and white matter microstructure findings from our study are consistent with previous reports and support the brain structural differences in ASD. These findings provide further support for shared aetiology for autistic traits across the diagnostic divide.

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Calibrated imaging reveals altered grey matter metabolism related to white matter microstructure and symptom severity in multiple sclerosis

Human Brain Mapping ◽

10.1002/hbm.23727 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (11) ◽

pp. 5375-5390 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Nicholas A. Hubbard ◽

Monroe P. Turner ◽

Minhui Ouyang ◽

Lyndahl Himes ◽

Binu P. Thomas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

White Matter ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Grey Matter ◽

White Matter Microstructure

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The neural determinants of age-related changes in fluid intelligence: a pre-registered, longitudinal analysis in UK Biobank

Wellcome Open Research ◽

10.12688/wellcomeopenres.14241.2 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Rogier A. Kievit ◽

Delia Fuhrmann ◽

Gesa Sophia Borgeest ◽

Ivan L. Simpson-Kent ◽

Richard N. A. Henson

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

White Matter ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Matter Volume ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

The Mean ◽

Intelligence Scores

Background: Fluid intelligence declines with advancing age, starting in early adulthood. Within-subject declines in fluid intelligence are highly correlated with contemporaneous declines in the ability to live and function independently. To support healthy aging, the mechanisms underlying these declines need to be better understood. Methods: In this pre-registered analysis, we applied latent growth curve modelling to investigate the neural determinants of longitudinal changes in fluid intelligence across three time points in 185,317 individuals (N=9,719 two waves, N=870 three waves) from the UK Biobank (age range: 39-73 years). Results: We found a weak but significant effect of cross-sectional age on the mean fluid intelligence score, such that older individuals scored slightly lower. However, the mean longitudinal slope was positive, rather than negative, suggesting improvement across testing occasions. Despite the considerable sample size, the slope variance was non-significant, suggesting no reliable individual differences in change over time. This null-result is likely due to the nature of the cognitive test used. In a subset of individuals, we found that white matter microstructure (N=8839, as indexed by fractional anisotropy) and grey-matter volume (N=9931) in pre-defined regions-of-interest accounted for complementary and unique variance in mean fluid intelligence scores. The strongest effects were such that higher grey matter volume in the frontal pole and greater white matter microstructure in the posterior thalamic radiations were associated with higher fluid intelligence scores. Conclusions: In a large preregistered analysis, we demonstrate a weak but significant negative association between age and fluid intelligence. However, we did not observe plausible longitudinal patterns, instead observing a weak increase across testing occasions, and no significant individual differences in rates of change, likely due to the suboptimal task design. Finally, we find support for our preregistered expectation that white- and grey matter make separate contributions to individual differences in fluid intelligence beyond age.

Download Full-text