scholarly journals Exposure to prenatal maternal distress and infant white matter neurodevelopment

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 1526-1538
Author(s):  
Catherine H. Demers ◽  
Maria M. Bagonis ◽  
Khalid Al-Ali ◽  
Sarah E. Garcia ◽  
Martin A. Styner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Maternal Distress ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Axial Diffusivity ◽  
Prenatal Distress ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

AbstractThe prenatal period represents a critical time for brain growth and development. These rapid neurological advances render the fetus susceptible to various influences with life-long implications for mental health. Maternal distress signals are a dominant early life influence, contributing to birth outcomes and risk for offspring psychopathology. This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the association between prenatal maternal distress and infant white matter microstructure. Participants included a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of 85 mother–infant dyads. Prenatal distress was assessed at 17 and 29 weeks’ gestational age (GA). Infant structural data were collected via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 42–45 weeks’ postconceptional age. Findings demonstrated that higher prenatal maternal distress at 29 weeks’ GA was associated with increased fractional anisotropy, b = .283, t(64) = 2.319, p = .024, and with increased axial diffusivity, b = .254, t(64) = 2.067, p = .043, within the right anterior cingulate white matter tract. No other significant associations were found with prenatal distress exposure and tract fractional anisotropy or axial diffusivity at 29 weeks’ GA, or earlier in gestation.

scholarly journals Greater Loss of White Matter Integrity in Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty Subtype of Parkinson's Disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 763-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quanquan Gu ◽  
Peiyu Huang ◽  
Min Xuan ◽  
Xiaojun Xu ◽  
Dan Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Postural Instability ◽  
White Matter Integrity ◽  
Radial Diffusivity ◽  
Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus ◽  
Axial Diffusivity ◽  
White Matter Abnormalities

ABSTRACTBackground: Patients with the postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) subtype of Parkinson disease (PD) are at a higher risk of dysfunction and are less responsive to dopamine replacement therapy. The PIGD subtype was found to largely associate with white matter lesions, but details of the diffusion changes within these lesions have not been fully investigated. Voxel-based analysis for diffusion tensor imaging data is one of the preferred measures to compare diffusion changes in each voxel in any part of the brain. Methods: PD patients with the PIGD (n=12) and non-PIGD subtypes (n=12) were recruited to compare diffusion differences in fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity with voxel-based analysis. Results: Significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral anterior corona radiata, and the left genu of the corpus callosum were shown in the PIGD subtype compared with the non-PIGD subtype. Increased radial diffusivity in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus was found in the PIGD subtype with no statistical differences in axial diffusivity found. Conclusions: Our study confirms previous findings that white matter abnormalities were greater in the PIGD subtype than in the non-PIGD subtype. Additionally, our findings suggested: (1) compared with the non-PIGD subtype, loss of white matter integrity was greater in the PIGD subtype; (2) bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus may play a critical role in microstructural white matter abnormalities in the PIGD subtype; and (3) reduced white matter integrity in the PIGD subtype could be mainly attributed to demyelination rather than axonal loss.

scholarly journals Cannabis, Connectivity, and Coming of Age: Associations between Cannabis Use and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Connectivity during the Transition to Adulthood

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah D. Lichenstein ◽  
Daniel S. Shaw ◽  
Erika E. Forbes
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

AbstractBackgroundCannabis use is common among adolescents and emerging adults and is associated with significant adverse consequences for a subset of users. Rates of use peak between the ages of 18-25, yet the neurobiological consequences for neural systems that are actively developing during this time remain poorly understood. In particular, cannabis exposure may interfere with adaptive development of white matter pathways underlying connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex, including the cingulum and anterior thalamic radiations (ATR).MethodsThe current study examined the association between cannabis use during adolescence and emerging adulthood and white matter microstructure of the cingulum and ATR among 158 male subjects enrolled in the Pitt Mother & Child Project, a prospective, longitudinal study of risk and resilience among men of low socioeconomic status. Participants were recruited in infancy, completed follow-up assessments throughout childhood and adolescence, and underwent diffusion imaging at age 20 and 22.ResultsAt age 20, moderate cannabis use across adolescence (age 12-19) was associated with higher fractional anisotropy of the cingulum and ATR, relative to both minimal and heavy adolescent use. Longitudinally, moderate and heavy extended cannabis use (age 12-21) was associated with reduced positive change in FA in both pathways from age 20 to 22, relative to minimal use.ConclusionsThese results suggest that precocious white matter development may be linked to increased risk for use, whereas cannabis exposure may delay white matter maturation during the transition to adulthood and potentially impact individuals’ functioning later in development.

scholarly journals Abnormal anterior cingulum integrity in bipolar disorder determined through diffusion tensor imaging

2008 ◽  
Vol 193 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Wang ◽  
Marcel Jackowski ◽  
Jessica H. Kalmar ◽  
Lara G. Chepenik ◽  
Karen Tie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Neural System ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Healthy Participants

BackgroundConvergent evidence implicates white matter abnormalities in bipolar disorder. The cingulum is an important candidate structure for study in bipolar disorder as it provides substantial white matter connections within the corticolimbic neural system that subserves emotional regulation involved in the disorder.AimsTo test the hypothesis that bipolar disorder is associated with abnormal white matter integrity in the cingulum.MethodFractional anisotropy in the anterior and posterior cingulum was compared between 42 participants with bipolar disorder and 42 healthy participants using diffusion tensor imaging.ResultsFractional anisotropy was significantly decreased in the anterior cingulum in the bipolar disorder group compared with the healthy group (P=0.003); however, fractional anisotropy in the posterior cingulum did not differ significantly between groups.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate abnormalities in the structural integrity of the anterior cingulum in bipolar disorder. They extend evidence that supports involvement of the neural system comprising the anterior cingulate cortex and its corticolimbic gray matter connection sites in bipolar disorder to implicate abnormalities in the white matter connections within the system provided by the cingulum.

Assessment of White Matter Lesions in Parkinson's Disease: Voxel-based Analysis and Tract-based Spatial Statistics Analysis of Parkinson's Disease with Mild Cognitive Impairment

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 480-486
Author(s):  
Wei Pu ◽  
Xudong Shen ◽  
Mingming Huang ◽  
Zhiqian Li ◽  
Xianchun Zeng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Corpus Callosum ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Spatial Statistics ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Tract Based Spatial Statistics

Objective: Application of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to explore the changes of FA value in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: 27 patients with PD were divided into PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) group (n = 7) and PD group (n = 20). The original images were processed using voxel-based analysis (VBA) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Results: The average age of pd-mci group was longer than that of PD group, and the course of disease was longer than that of PD group. Compared with PD group, the voxel based analysis-fractional anisotropy (VBA-FA) values of PD-MCI group decreased in the following areas: bilateral frontal lobe, bilateral temporal lobe, bilateral parietal lobe, bilateral subthalamic nucleus, corpus callosum, and gyrus cingula. Tract-based spatial statistics-fractional anisotropy (TBSS-FA) values in PD-MCI group decreased in bilateral corticospinal tract, anterior cingulum, posterior cingulum, fornix tract, bilateral superior thalamic radiation, corpus callosum(genu, body and splenium), bilateral uncinate fasciculus, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and bilateral parietal-occipital tracts. The mean age of onset in the PD-MCI group was greater than that in the PD group, and the disease course was longer than that in the PD group. Conclusion: DTI-based VBA and TBSS post-processing methods can detect abnormalities in multiple brain areas and white matter fiber tracts in PD-MCI patients. Impairment of multiple cerebral cortex and white matter fiber pathways may be an important causes of cognitive dysfunction in PD-MCI.

scholarly journals Infratentorial pathology in frontotemporal dementia: cerebellar grey and white matter alterations in FTD phenotypes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Clare McKenna ◽  
Rangariroyashe H. Chipika ◽  
Stacey Li Hi Shing ◽  
Foteini Christidi ◽  
Jasmin Lope ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Cerebellar Atrophy ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Radial Diffusivity ◽  
Axial Diffusivity ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Crus I

AbstractThe contribution of cerebellar pathology to cognitive and behavioural manifestations is increasingly recognised, but the cerebellar profiles of FTD phenotypes are relatively poorly characterised. A prospective, single-centre imaging study has been undertaken with a high-resolution structural and diffusion tensor protocol to systematically evaluate cerebellar grey and white matter alterations in behavioural-variant FTD(bvFTD), non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia(nfvPPA), semantic-variant primary progressive aphasia(svPPA), C9orf72-positive ALS-FTD(C9 + ALSFTD) and C9orf72-negative ALS-FTD(C9-ALSFTD). Cerebellar cortical thickness and complementary morphometric analyses were carried out to appraise atrophy patterns controlling for demographic variables. White matter integrity was assessed in a study-specific white matter skeleton, evaluating three diffusivity metrics: fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD). Significant cortical thickness reductions were identified in: lobule VII and crus I in bvFTD; lobule VI VII, crus I and II in nfvPPA; and lobule VII, crus I and II in svPPA; lobule IV, VI, VII and Crus I and II in C9 + ALSFTD. Morphometry revealed volume reductions in lobule V in all groups; in addition to lobule VIII in C9 + ALSFTD; lobule VI, VIII and vermis in C9-ALSFTD; lobule V, VII and vermis in bvFTD; and lobule V, VI, VIII and vermis in nfvPPA. Widespread white matter alterations were demonstrated by significant fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity changes in each FTD phenotype that were more focal in those with C9 + ALSFTD and svPPA. Our findings indicate that FTD subtypes are associated with phenotype-specific cerebellar signatures with the selective involvement of specific lobules instead of global cerebellar atrophy.

scholarly journals Quantitative diffusion tensor imaging analysis does not distinguish pediatric canines with mucopolysaccharidosis I from control canines

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 454-460
Author(s):  
Dana M Middleton ◽  
Jonathan Y Li ◽  
Steven D Chen ◽  
Leonard E White ◽  
Patricia I Dickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging System ◽  
Radial Diffusivity ◽  
Mucopolysaccharidosis I ◽  
Diffusivity Measurements

Purpose We compared fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity measurements between pediatric canines affected with mucopolysaccharidosis I and pediatric control canines. We hypothesized that lower fractional anisotropy and higher radial diffusivity values, consistent with dysmyelination, would be present in the mucopolysaccharidosis I cohort. Methods Six canine brains, three affected with mucopolysaccharidosis I and three unaffected, were euthanized at 7 weeks and imaged using a 7T small-animal magnetic resonance imaging system. Average fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values were calculated for four white-matter regions based on 100 regions of interest per region per specimen. A 95% confidence interval was calculated for each mean value. Results No difference was seen in fractional anisotropy or radial diffusivity values between mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected brains in any region. In particular, the 95% confidence intervals for mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected canines frequently overlapped for both fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity measurements. In addition, in some brain regions a large range of fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values were seen within the same cohort. Conclusion The fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values of white matter did not differ between pediatric mucopolysaccharidosis affected canines and pediatric control canines. Possible explanations include: (a) a lack of white matter tissue differences between mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected brains at early disease stages; (b) diffusion tensor imaging does not detect any existing differences; (c) inflammatory processes such as astrogliosis produce changes that offset the decreased fractional anisotropy values and increased radial diffusivity values that are expected in dysmyelination; and (d) our sample size was insufficient to detect differences. Further studies correlating diffusion tensor imaging findings to histology are warranted.

scholarly journals A Correlational Study between Microstructural White Matter Properties and Macrostructural Gray Matter Volume Across Normal Ageing: Conjoint DTI and VBM Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 1178623X1879992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Pareek ◽  
VP Subramanyam Rallabandi ◽  
Prasun K Roy
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Radial Diffusivity ◽  
Axial Diffusivity ◽  
Matter Volume

We investigate the relationship between Gray matter’s volume vis-a-vis White matter’s integrity indices, such Axial diffusivity, Radial diffusivity, Mean diffusivity, and Fractional anisotropy, in individuals undergoing healthy aging. We investigated MRI scans of 177 adults across 20 to 85 years. We used Voxel-based morphometry, and FDT-FSL analysis for estimation of Gray matter volume and White matter’s diffusion indices respectively. Across the life span, we observed an inter-relationship between the Gray matter and White matter, namely that both Axial diffusivity and Mean Diffusivity show strong correlation with Gray matter volume, along the aging process. Furthermore, across all ages the Fractional anisotropy and Mean diffusivity are found to be significantly reduced in females when compared to males, but there are no significant gender differences in Axial Diffusivity and Radial diffusivity. We conclude that for both genders across all ages, the Gray matter’s Volume is strongly correlated with White matter’s Axial Diffusivity and Mean Diffusivity, while being weakly correlated with Fractional Anisotropy. Our study clarifies the multi-scale relationship in brain tissue, by elucidating how the White matter’s micro-structural parameters influences the Gray matter’s macro-structural characteristics, during healthy aging across the life-span.

scholarly journals MRI substrates of sustained attention system and cognitive impairment in pediatric MS patients

Neurology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (12) ◽  
pp. 1265-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ermelinda De Meo ◽  
Lucia Moiola ◽  
Angelo Ghezzi ◽  
Pierangelo Veggiotti ◽  
Ruggero Capra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Attention Network ◽  
Attention System

Objective:To explore the structural and functional integrity of the sustained attention system in patients with pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and its effect on cognitive impairment.Methods:We enrolled 57 patients with pediatric MS and 14 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Patients with >3 abnormal tests at neuropsychological evaluation were classified as cognitively impaired (CI). Sustained attention system activity was studied with fMRI during the Conners Continuous Performance Test (CCPT). Structural integrity of attention network connections was quantified with diffusion tensor (DT) MRI.Results:Within-group analysis showed similar patterns of recruitment of the attention network in HCs and patients with pediatric MS. Diffuse network DT MRI structural abnormalities were found in patients with MS. During CCPT, with increasing task demand, patients with pediatric MS showed increased activation of the left thalamus, anterior insula, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and decreased recruitment of the right precuneus compared to HCs. Thirteen patients (23%) were classified as CI. Compared to cognitively preserved patients, CI patients with pediatric MS had decreased recruitment of several areas located mainly in parietal and occipital lobes and cerebellum and increased deactivation of the ACC, combined with more severe structural damage of white matter tracts connecting these regions.Conclusions:Our results suggest that the age-expected level of sustained attention system functional competence is achieved in patients with pediatric MS. Inefficient regulation of the functional interaction between different areas of this system, due to abnormal white matter integrity, may result in global cognitive impairment in these patients.

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