Dynamic cerebral reorganization in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia: a MRI-derived cortical thickness study

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 2201-2214 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Guo ◽  
L. Palaniyappan ◽  
P. F. Liddle ◽  
J. Feng
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Tissue Loss ◽  
Cerebral Reorganization ◽  
Thickness Variations ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry ◽  
Cortical Maturation ◽  
Tissue Reduction

BackgroundA structural neuroanatomical change indicating a reduction in brain tissue is a notable feature of schizophrenia. Several pathophysiological processes such as aberrant cortical maturation, progressive tissue loss and compensatory tissue increase could contribute to the structural changes seen in schizophrenia.MethodWe studied cortical thickness using surface-based morphometry in 98 clinically stable patients with schizophrenia and 83 controls. Using a pattern classification approach, we studied whether the features that discriminate patients from controls vary across the different stages of the illness. Using a covariance analysis, we also investigated if concurrentincreasesaccompanydecreasesin cortical thickness.ResultsVery high levels of accuracy (96.3%), specificity (98.8%) and sensitivity (88%) were noted when classifying patients with <2 years of illness from controls. Within the patient group, reduced thickness was consistently accompanied by increased thickness in distributed brain regions. A pattern of cortical amelioration or normalization (i.e. reduced deviation from controls) was noted with increasing illness duration. While temporo-limbic and fronto-parietal regions showed reduced thickness, the occipital cortex showed increased thickness, especially in those with a long-standing illness.ConclusionA compensatory remodelling process might contribute to the cortical thickness variations in different stages of schizophrenia. Subtle cerebral reorganization reflecting the inherent plasticity of brain may occur concomitantly with processes contributing to tissue reduction in adult patients with schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Effects of Deafness and Sign Language Experience on the Human Brain: Voxel-based and Surface-based Morphometry

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen McCullough ◽  
Karen Emmorey
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Signed Language ◽  
Native Signers ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry

We investigated, using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), how deafness and sign language experience affect the anatomical structures of the human brain by comparing gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) structures across congenitally deaf native signers, hearing native signers, and hearing sign-naïve controls (n = 90). We also compared the same groups on cortical thickness, surface area, and local gyrification using surface-based morphometry (SBM). Both VBM and SBM results revealed deafness-related changes in visual cortices and right frontal lobe. The GM in the auditory cortices did not appear to be affected by deafness; however, there was a significant WM reduction in left Heschl's gyrus for deaf signers only. The SBM comparisons revealed changes associated with lifelong signing experience: expansions in the surface area within left anterior temporal and left occipital lobes, and a reduction in cortical thickness in the right occipital lobe for deaf and hearing signers. Structural changes within these brain regions may be related to adaptations in the neural networks involved in processing signed language (i.e., visual perception of face and body movements). Hearing native signers also had unique neuroanatomical changes (e.g., reduced gyrification in premotor areas), perhaps due to lifelong experience with both a spoken and a signed language.

scholarly journals Characterization of late structural maturation with a neuroanatomical marker that considers both cortical thickness and intracortical myelination

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Maingault ◽  
Antonietta Pepe ◽  
Bernard Mazoyer ◽  
Nathalie Tzourio-Mazoyer ◽  
Fabrice Crivello
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Linear Increase ◽  
Brain Maturation ◽  
Linear Component ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Maturation Index ◽  
Cortical Maturation

ABSTRACTThe cortical ribbon changes throughout a person’s lifespan, with the most significant changes occurring during crucial development and aging periods. Changes during adulthood are rarely investigated due to the scarcity of neuroimaging data during this period. After childhood, the brain loses gray matter, which is evidenced by an apparent reduction in cortical thickness (CT); one factor of this thinning process is intense ongoing intracortical myelination (MYEL). Here, we report age-related changes in CT, MYEL, and their ratio in 447 participants aged 18 to 57 years (BIL&GIN cohort). We propose the CT/MYEL ratio to be a multimodal cortical maturation index (MATUR) capable of reflecting 1) stages during which CT and MYEL patterns diverge and 2) the regional differences in cortical maturation that occur in adulthood. Age mainly decreased CT in all cortical regions, with larger reductions occurring in the bilateral insular lobes, temporal and frontal poles, and cingulate cortices. Age led to a linear increase in MYEL in the entire cortex and larger increases in the primary motor, auditory, and visual cortices. The effects of age on the MATUR index were characterized by both linear and quadratic components. The linear component mimicked the pattern found in CT, with 1) a robust amplification of the global and regional effects of age on CT and 2) evidence of new bilateral linear decreases in the frontal and cortical cortices. Most importantly, age exhibited additional large quadratic effects on the MATUR index in the bilateral frontal (more prominent in the right hemisphere), parietal, temporal, and cingulate regions that were not highlighted by the CT metric. Thus, the MATUR index was more sensitive to age-related cortical structural changes during adulthood than was either CT or MYEL alone. As evidenced by the large quadratic component of the effect of age, the newly proposed maturation index dramatically improved the characterization of the regional cortical territories, uncovering the latest brain maturation steps that occur before stabilization and deterioration occur in mid- and late adulthood.

scholarly journals Differential Effects of a Left Frontal Glioma on the Cortical Thickness and Complexity of Both Hemispheres

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryuta Kinno ◽  
Yoshihiro Muragaki ◽  
Takashi Maruyama ◽  
Manabu Tamura ◽  
Kyohei Tanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Tumor Volume ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Structural Effects ◽  
3D Mri ◽  
The Right ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Glioma is a type of brain tumor that infiltrates and compresses the brain as it grows. Focal gliomas affect functional connectivity both in the local region of the lesion and the global network of the brain. Any anatomical changes associated with a glioma should thus be clarified. We examined the cortical structures of 15 patients with a glioma in the left lateral frontal cortex and compared them with those of 15 healthy controls by surface-based morphometry. Two regional parameters were measured with 3D-MRI: the cortical thickness (CT) and cortical fractal dimension (FD). The FD serves as an index of the topological complexity of a local cortical surface. Our comparative analyses of these parameters revealed that the left frontal gliomas had global effects on the cortical structures of both hemispheres. The structural changes in the right hemisphere were mainly characterized by a decrease in CT and mild concomitant decrease in FD, whereas those in the peripheral regions of the glioma (left hemisphere) were mainly characterized by a decrease in FD with relative preservation of CT. These differences were found irrespective of tumor volume, location, or grade. These results elucidate the structural effects of gliomas, which extend to the distant contralateral regions.

scholarly journals Precuneus Structure Changes in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Haussmann ◽  
Annett Werner ◽  
Antonia Gruschwitz ◽  
Antje Osterrath ◽  
Jan Lange ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Structure Changes ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Higher Cognitive Functions

Patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Due to their prominent memory impairment, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often focuses on the hippocampal region. However, recent positron-emission tomography data suggest that within a network of frontal and temporal changes, patients with aMCI show metabolic alterations in the precuneus, a key region for higher cognitive functions. Using high-resolution MRI and whole-brain cortical thickness analyses in 28 patients with aMCI and 25 healthy individuals, we wanted to investigate whether structural changes in the precuneus would be associated with cortical thickness reductions in frontal and temporal brain regions in patients with aMCI. In contrast to healthy people, patients with aMCI showed an association of cortical thinning in the precuneus with predominantly left-hemispheric thickness reductions in medial temporal and frontal cortices. Our data highlight structural neuronal network characteristics among patients with aMCI.

scholarly journals Cortical Thickness Alterations in Patients With Tinnitus Before and After Sound Therapy: A Surface-Based Morphometry Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Wei ◽  
Han Lv ◽  
Qian Chen ◽  
Zhaodi Wang ◽  
Chunli Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Pulse Sequence ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Sound Therapy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry

This study aimed to explore brain surface-based morphometry cortical thickness changes in patients with idiopathic tinnitus before and after 24 weeks of sound therapy. In this prospective observational study, we recruited 33 tinnitus patients who had undergone 24 weeks of sound therapy and 26 matched healthy controls. For the two groups of subjects, a 3D-BRAVO pulse sequence was acquired both at baseline and at the 24th week. Structural image data preprocessing was performed using the DPABISurf toolbox. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score was assessed to determine the severity of tinnitus before and after treatment. Two-way mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used in the statistical analysis. Student–Newman–Keuls (SNK) tests were used in the post hoc analysis. Significantly lower cortical thickness was found in the left somatosensory and motor cortex (SMC), left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and right orbital and polar frontal cortex (OPFC) of the participants in the tinnitus group at baseline than in the participants in the HC group at baseline and after 24 weeks; in the tinnitus group, significantly higher cortical thickness was found after the 24 weeks sound therapy in comparison to the baseline in the left SMC, bilateral superior parietal cortex (SPC), left inferior parietal cortex (IPC), left PCC, and right OPFC. In the HC group, no statistically significant difference in cortical thickness was found after the 24 weeks treatment in comparison to the baseline in the bilateral SMC, bilateral SPC, left IPC, left PCC, or right OPFC. The changes in cortical thickness before and after sound therapy can provide certain reference values for clinical tinnitus treatment. These brain regions could serve as potential targets for neuroimaging.

Amygdala–hippocampal shape and cortical thickness abnormalities in first-episode schizophrenia and mania

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 1353-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Qiu ◽  
S. C. Gan ◽  
Y. Wang ◽  
K. Sim
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Small Region ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Temporal Region ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri ◽  
The Right ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

BackgroundAbnormalities in cortical thickness and subcortical structures have been studied in schizophrenia but little is known about corresponding changes in mania and brain structural differences between these two psychiatric conditions, especially early in the stage of the illness. In this study we aimed to compare cortical thickness and shape of the amygdala–hippocampal complex in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and mania (FEM).MethodStructural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 28 FES patients, 28 FEM patients and 28 healthy control subjects who were matched for age, gender and handedness.ResultsOverall, the shape of the amygdala was deformed in both patient groups, relative to controls. Compared to FEM patients, FES patients had significant inward shape deformation in the left hippocampal tail, right hippocampal body and a small region in the right amygdala. Cortical thinning was more widespread in FES patients, with significant differences found in the temporal brain regions when compared with FEM and controls.ConclusionsSignificant differences were observed between the two groups of patients with FES and FEM in terms of the hippocampal shape and cortical thickness in the temporal region, highlighting that distinguishable brain structural changes are present early in the course of schizophrenia and mania.

scholarly journals Remote effects of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: long-term morphological changes after surgical resection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Campbell Arnold ◽  
Lohith G. Kini ◽  
John M. Bernabei ◽  
Andrew Y. Revell ◽  
Sandhitsu R. Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy ◽  
Temporal Lobe ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Temporal Lobectomy ◽  
Surgical Approaches ◽  
Cortical Thinning ◽  
Selective Amygdalohippocampectomy ◽  
Automated Method

ABSTRACTObjectiveWe present a semi-automated method for quantifying structural changes after epilepsy surgery that accounts for tissue deformation caused by resection. We demonstrate its utility by comparing the remote structural effects of two surgical approaches, the anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) and the selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH).MethodsWe studied 37 temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients who underwent resective surgery. Patients were treated with either an anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL, N=21) or a selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH, N=16). All patients received same-scanner MR imaging preoperatively and postoperatively (5+ months after surgery). To analyze structural changes in remote brain regions, we (1) implemented an automated method for segmenting resections with manual review, (2) applied cost function masking to the resection zone, and (3) estimated longitudinal cortical thickness changes using Advanced Normalization Tools (ANTs). We then compared post-operative changes in cortical thickness between the two surgical groups in brain regions outside the resected area.ResultsPatients treated with ATL exhibited significantly greater cortical thinning globally when compared to patients treated with SAH (p = 0.049). There were significant focal differences between the two treatment groups in the ipsilateral frontal lobe (superior medial and medial orbital regions) and insula (p > 0.001, α = 0.05 Bonferroni corrected). No significant effects were seen in the contralateral hemisphere.SignificanceWe present and share a semi-automated pipeline for quantifying remote longitudinal changes in cortical thickness after neurosurgery. The technique is applicable to a broad array of applications, including surgical planning and mapping neuropsychological function to brain structure. Using this tool, we demonstrate that patients treated with SAH for refractory temporal lobe epilepsy have less postoperative cortical thinning in remote brain regions than those treated with ATL. We share all algorithm code and results to accelerate collaboration and clinical translation of our work.KEY POINTS BOXDifferent epilepsy surgical approaches lead to distinct patterns of postoperative cortical atrophy in remote brain regionsPatients treated with SAH have less postoperative cortical thinning than patients treated with ATLThe insula and frontal lobe demonstrated the greatest focal differences in postoperative cortical thinning when comparing SAH and ATLPostoperative cortical thinning analyses may inform surgical planning and our understanding of cognitive sequelae

Brain Structural Plasticity Associated with Maternal Caregiving in Mothers: A Voxel- and Surface-Based Morphometry Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 192-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaihua Zhang ◽  
Mengxing Wang ◽  
Jilei Zhang ◽  
Xiaoxia Du ◽  
Zhong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Postpartum Period ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Precentral Gyrus ◽  
Structural Dynamic ◽  
Longitudinal Changes ◽  
Maternal Caregiving ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry

Background: Pregnancy constitutes a significant period in the lives of women, after which they often experience numerous crucial physiological and psychological changes. Functional neuroimaging studies have shown longitudinal changes in functional brain activity in mothers responding to infant-related stimuli. However, the structural changes that occur in the brains of mothers after delivery remain to be explored. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the structural changes in mothers during the postpartum phase. Methods: We recruited 35 primiparous mothers and 26 nonmothers to participate in this voxel- and surface-based morphometry study, and 22 mothers were scanned twice with a follow-up of approximately 2 years. Results: Compared to nonmothers, mothers exhibited reduced gray matter (GM) volumes and increased white matter (WM) volumes in regions associated with empathy and reward networks (supplementary motor area, precuneus, inferior parietal lobe, insula, and striatum), decreased cortical thickness in the precentral gyrus and increased gyrification index in the orbitofrontal cortex. Furthermore, mothers showed longitudinal changes in the GM and WM volumes and cortical thickness of several of these regions (including the superior and medial frontal gyrus, insula, limbic lobe, superior and middle temporal gyrus, and precentral gyrus), which have been associated with maternal networks during the postpartum period. Additionally, the changes in GM and WM volumes were related to changes in empathetic abilities in mothers. Conclusion: These results suggest that the brains of mothers exhibit adaptive structural dynamic plasticity. These findings provide a neuroanatomical basis for understanding how mothers process emotional sensory information during the postpartum period.

scholarly journals Altered cortical morphology in major depression disorder patients with suicidality

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Huiru Li ◽  
Huawei Zhang ◽  
Li Yin ◽  
Feifei Zhang ◽  
Ziqi Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Emotional Processing ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Depressed Patients ◽  
Cortical Morphology ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry ◽  
Sulcal Depth

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with high risk of suicide, but the biological underpinnings of suicidality in MDD patients are far from conclusive. Previous neuroimaging studies using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) demonstrated that depressed individuals with suicidal thoughts or behaviors exhibit specific cortical structure alterations. To complement VBM findings, surface-based morphometry (SBM) can provide more details into gray matter structure, including the cortical complexity, cortical thickness and sulcal depth for brain images. Objective This study aims to use SBM to investigate cortical morphology alterations to obtain evidence for neuroanatomical alterations in depressed patients with suicidality. Methods Here, 3D T1-weighted MR images of brain from 39 healthy controls, 40 depressed patients without suicidality (patient controls), and 39 with suicidality (suicidal groups) were analyzed based on SBM to estimate the fractal dimension, gyrification index, sulcal depth, and cortical thickness using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox. Correlation analyses were performed between clinical data and cortical surface measurements from patients. Results Surface-based morphometry showed decreased sulcal depth in the parietal, frontal, limbic, occipital and temporal regions and decreased fractal dimension in the frontal regions in depressed patients with suicidality compared to both healthy and patient controls. Additionally, in patients with depression, the sulcal depth of the left caudal anterior cingulate cortex was negatively correlated with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. Conclusions Depressed patients with suicidality had abnormal cortical morphology in some brain regions within the default mode network, frontolimbic circuitry and temporal regions. These structural deficits may be associated with the dysfunction of emotional processing and impulsivity control. This study provides insights into the underlying neurobiology of the suicidal brain.

scholarly journals Gray-Matter Expansion of Social Brain Networks in Individuals High in Public Self-Consciousness

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 374
Author(s):  
Tomoyo Morita ◽  
Minoru Asada ◽  
Eiichi Naito
Keyword(s):  
Gray Matter ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Brain Networks ◽  
Japanese Version ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
The Self ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Default Mode ◽  
Public Self Consciousness

Self-consciousness is a personality trait associated with an individual’s concern regarding observable (public) and unobservable (private) aspects of self. Prompted by previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, we examined possible gray-matter expansions in emotion-related and default mode networks in individuals with higher public or private self-consciousness. One hundred healthy young adults answered the Japanese version of the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS) questionnaire and underwent structural MRI. A voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed that individuals scoring higher on the public SCS showed expansions of gray matter in the emotion-related regions of the cingulate and insular cortices and in the default mode network of the precuneus and medial prefrontal cortex. In addition, these gray-matter expansions were particularly related to the trait of “concern about being evaluated by others”, which was one of the subfactors constituting public self-consciousness. Conversely, no relationship was observed between gray-matter volume in any brain regions and the private SCS scores. This is the first study showing that the personal trait of concern regarding public aspects of the self may cause long-term substantial structural changes in social brain networks.

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