scholarly journals Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide plasma levels associated with affective symptoms and brain structure and function in healthy females

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rozalyn A. Simon ◽  
Nawroz Barazanji ◽  
Michael P. Jones ◽  
Olga Bednarska ◽  
Adriane Icenhour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
Healthy Females ◽  
Intestinal Polypeptide

AbstractVasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a neuroendocrine peptide distributed throughout the human body, including the CNS, where it is particularly abundant in brain regions associated with anxiety and depression. Based on earlier studies indicating that peripheral VIP may cross through the blood–brain barrier, we hypothesized plasma VIP levels to be associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as brain volume and resting-state functional connectivity in the amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampus, and orbitofrontal cortex. Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females. Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate functional connectivity and brain volume respectively, and their associations with VIP concentrations within brain regions associated with anxiety and depression. Negative correlations were found between VIP levels and symptoms of anxiety (r = − 0.44, p = 0.002) and depression (r = − 0.50, p = 0.001). Functional connectivity demonstrated significant VIP-dependent positive associations between the amygdala seed region with both the right parahippocampus (t(33) = 3.1, pFDR = 0.02) and right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; t(33) = 2.9, pFDR = 0.02). Moreover, VIP concentrations were significantly, positively correlated with brain volume in the left amygdala (r = 0.28, p = 0.007) and left lateral OFC (r = 0.29, p = 0.004). The present findings highlight a potential role for VIP in the neurobiology of affective symptoms.

scholarly journals Medication overuse headache associated with decreased dopamine transporter availability in the left orbitofrontal cortex: A 11CFT PET/MR study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanxian Liu ◽  
Jiajin Liu ◽  
Shuping Sun ◽  
Wei Dai ◽  
Binbin Nie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dopamine Transporter ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Medication Overuse ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Standardized Uptake Value ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Dopamine System ◽  
Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System ◽  
Clinical Measures

Abstract BackgroundsThe dysfunction of dopamine in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system in MOH is unknown. Dopamine transporter (DAT) regulates dopamine clearance and neurotransmission and is sensitive to dopamine levels. A decrease in DAT availability can reflect a decrease in dopamine. To determine DAT availability abnormalities in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system and explore functional network changes in medication overuse headache (MOH) patients.MethodsWe examined 17 MOH patients and 16 healthy controls (HCs) using integrated positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) brain scans with 11CFT, a radioligand that binds to DAT. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr) images were compared voxelwise between MOH patients and HCs. Then, the significantly changed cluster (p < 0.01, GRF correction) with abnormal DAT availability was selected as a specific seed region to further evaluate altered functional connectivity (FC) in MOH. SUVr and mean FC values from significantly changed regions were extracted, and partial correlation analyses with clinical measures were conducted.ResultsMOH patients had lower SUVr levels in the left rather than right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) than HCs. There was altered FC between the left OFC and the left superior temporal pole and bilateral calcarine gyri. SUVr levels in the left OFC and the connectivity strength linking the positive brain regions with the left OFC were not correlated with clinical measures in the MOH patients.ConclusionsMOH is characterized by decreased DAT availability in the left OFC, which might reflect compensatory downregulation due to low dopamine signalling within the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. In addition, the OFC on both sides may have different functions in the pathogenesis of MOH. Altered intrinsic FC in the left OFC was identified in MOH patients, which may provide a new perspective to understand the pathogenesis of MOH.

scholarly journals Ketamine modulates subgenual cingulate connectivity with the memory-related neural circuit – a mechanism of relevance to resistant depression?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing J Wong ◽  
Owen O'Daly ◽  
Mitul A Mehta ◽  
James M Stone
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Retrosplenial Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Acute Administration ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Resistant Depression

Background: Ketamine has been reported to have efficacy as an antidepressant in several studies of treatment-resistant depression. In this study, we investigate whether an acute administration of ketamine leads to reductions in the functional connectivity of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) with other brain regions. Methods: Thirteen right-handed healthy male subjects underwent a 15 minute resting state fMRI with an infusion of intravenous ketamine (target blood level=150ng/ml) starting at 5 minutes. We used a seed region centred on the sgACC and assessed functional connectivity before and during ketamine administration. Results: Before ketamine administration, positive coupling with the sgACC seed region was observed in a large cluster encompassing the anterior cingulate and negative coupling was observed with the anterior cerebellum. Following ketamine administration, sgACC coupling decreased with the brainstem, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, retrosplenial cortex, and thalamus. Discussion: Ketamine reduced functional connectivity of the sgACC with brain regions implicated in emotion, memory and mind wandering. It is possible the therapeutic effects of ketamine may be mediated via this mechanism, although further work is required to test this hypothesis.

scholarly journals Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide Regulates Dynamic Changes in Astrocyte Morphometry: Impact on Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons

Endocrinology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 147 (5) ◽  
pp. 2197-2202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynnette M. Gerhold ◽  
Phyllis M. Wise
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide ◽  
Random Sequence ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Diurnal Rhythms ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Vip Receptors ◽  
Gnrh Neurons ◽  
17Β Estradiol ◽  
Intestinal Polypeptide

Recent studies suggest that astrocytes modulate the GnRH-induced LH surge. In particular, we have shown that the surface area of astrocytes that ensheath GnRH neurons exhibits diurnal rhythms. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) influences numerous aspects of astrocyte function in multiple brain regions and is a neurotransmitter in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that affects GnRH neurons. The goals of this study were to: 1) assess whether astrocytes that surround GnRH neurons express VIP receptors, 2) determine the effects VIP suppression in the SCN on the morphometry of astrocytes surrounding GnRH neurons, and 3) assess whether this effect mimics aging-like changes in surface area of astrocytes. Young rats were ovariectomized (d 0), implanted with cannulae into the SCN (d 5), injected with VIP antisense (antioligo) or random sequence oligonucleotides, implanted with capsules containing 17β-estradiol dissolved in oil (d 7), and perfused at 0300, 1400, and 1800 h (d 9). Brains were processed for immunocytochemistry. Our results demonstrate that astrocytes in close apposition to GnRH neurons express VIP receptors. Antioligo treatment blocked diurnal rhythms in surface area of astrocytes ensheathing GnRH neurons. The absence of diurnal rhythms resembles observations in middle-aged rats. Together these findings suggest that the ability of the VIP-containing neurons in the SCN to relay diurnal information to GnRH neurons may be by influencing dynamic changes in the morphometry of astrocytes that surround GnRH neurons. Furthermore, the absence of a VIP rhythm in aging animals may lead to altered GnRH activity via astrocyte-dependent mechanisms.

scholarly journals Ketamine modulates subgenual cingulate connectivity with the memory-related neural circuit – a mechanism of relevance to resistant depression?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing J Wong ◽  
Owen O'Daly ◽  
Mitul A Mehta ◽  
James M Stone
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Retrosplenial Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Acute Administration ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Resistant Depression

Background: Ketamine has been reported to have efficacy as an antidepressant in several studies of treatment-resistant depression. In this study, we investigate whether an acute administration of ketamine leads to reductions in the functional connectivity of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) with other brain regions. Methods: Thirteen right-handed healthy male subjects underwent a 15 minute resting state fMRI with an infusion of intravenous ketamine (target blood level=150ng/ml) starting at 5 minutes. We used a seed region centred on the sgACC and assessed functional connectivity before and during ketamine administration. Results: Before ketamine administration, positive coupling with the sgACC seed region was observed in a large cluster encompassing the anterior cingulate and negative coupling was observed with the anterior cerebellum. Following ketamine administration, sgACC coupling decreased with the brainstem, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, retrosplenial cortex, and thalamus. Discussion: Ketamine reduced functional connectivity of the sgACC with brain regions implicated in emotion, memory and mind wandering. It is possible the therapeutic effects of ketamine may be mediated via this mechanism, although further work is required to test this hypothesis.

scholarly journals Altered Gray Matter Volume and Functional Connectivity in Patients With Vestibular Migraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Zhe ◽  
Xiaoling Zhang ◽  
Li Chen ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Min Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Vestibular Migraine ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Vestibular Cortex

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.

scholarly journals Ketamine modulates subgenual cingulate connectivity with the memory-related neural circuit—a mechanism of relevance to resistant depression?

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing J. Wong ◽  
Owen O’Daly ◽  
Mitul A. Mehta ◽  
Allan H. Young ◽  
James M. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Retrosplenial Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Acute Administration ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Resistant Depression

Background.Ketamine has been reported to have efficacy as an antidepressant in several studies of treatment-resistant depression. In this study, we investigate whether an acute administration of ketamine leads to reductions in the functional connectivity of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) with other brain regions.Methods.Thirteen right-handed healthy male subjects underwent a 15 min resting state fMRI with an infusion of intravenous ketamine (target blood level = 150 ng/ml) starting at 5 min. We used a seed region centred on the sgACC and assessed functional connectivity before and during ketamine administration.Results.Before ketamine administration, positive coupling with the sgACC seed region was observed in a large cluster encompassing the anterior cingulate and negative coupling was observed with the anterior cerebellum. Following ketamine administration, sgACC activity became negatively correlated with the brainstem, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, retrosplenial cortex, and thalamus.Discussion.Ketamine reduced functional connectivity of the sgACC with brain regions implicated in emotion, memory and mind wandering. It is possible the therapeutic effects of ketamine may be mediated via this mechanism, although further work is required to test this hypothesis.

scholarly journals Resting-State Functional Connectivity Signatures of Apathy in Community-Living Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Yun Jang ◽  
S. Duke Han ◽  
Belinda Yew ◽  
Anna E. Blanken ◽  
Shubir Dutt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Neural Mechanism ◽  
Resting State Fmri ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
The Right

Apathy predicts poor outcomes in older adults, and its underlying neural mechanism needs further investigation. We examined the association between symptoms of apathy and functional connectivity (FC) in older adults without stroke or dementia. Participants included 48 individuals (mean age = 70.90) living independently in the community, who underwent resting-state fMRI and completed the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). Seed-to-voxel analysis (cluster-level p-FDR &lt;0.05, voxel threshold p &lt; 0.001) tested the association between AES scores and the whole-brain FC of brain regions involved in reward- and salience-related processing. We found that AES scores were negatively associated with FC of the right insula cortex and right anterior temporal regions (124 voxels, t = −5.10) and FC of the left orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate regions (160 voxels, t = −5.45), and were positively associated with FC of the left orbitofrontal cortex and left lateral prefrontal (282 voxels, t = 4.99) and anterior prefrontal (123 voxels, t = 4.52) regions. These findings suggest that apathy in older adults may reflect disruptions in neural connectivity involved in reward- and salience-related processing.

scholarly journals Multivariate pattern connectivity

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Anzellotti ◽  
Alfonso Caramazza ◽  
Rebecca Saxe
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Face Area ◽  
The Right ◽  
Multivariate Pattern ◽  
Differential Connectivity ◽  
Over Time

AbstractWhen we perform a cognitive task, multiple brain regions are engaged. Understanding how these regions interact is a fundamental step to uncover the neural bases of behavior. Most research on the interactions between brain regions has focused on the univariate responses in the regions. However, fine grained patterns of response encode important information, as shown by multivariate pattern analysis. In the present article, we introduce and apply multivariate pattern connectivity (MVPC): a technique to study the dependence between brain regions in humans in terms of the multivariate relations between their patterns of responses. MVPC characterizes the responses in each brain region as trajectories in region-specific multidimensional spaces, and models the multivariate relationship between these trajectories. Considering the fusiform face area (FFA) as a seed region, we used searchlight-based MVPC to reveal interactions between regions undetected by univariate functional connectivity analyses. MVPC (but not functional connectivity) identified significant interactions between right FFA and the right anterior temporal lobe, the right superior temporal sulcus, and the dorsal visual stream. Additionally, MVPC outperformed univariate connectivity in its ability to explain independent variance in the responses of individual voxels. In the end, MVPC uncovered different connectivity profiles associated with different representational subspaces of FFA: the first principal component of FFA shows differential connectivity with occipital and parietal regions implicated in the processing of low-level properties of faces, while the second and third components show differential connectivity with anterior temporal regions implicated in the processing of invariant representations of face identity.Author SummaryHuman behavior is supported by systems of brain regions that exchange infor-mation to complete a task. This exchange of information between brain regions leads to statistical relationships between their responses over time. Most likely, these relationships do not link only the mean responses in two brain regions, but also their finer spatial patterns. Analyzing finer response patterns has been a key advance in the study of responses within individual regions, and can be leveraged to study between-region interactions. To capture the overall statistical relationship between two brain regions, we need to describe each region’s responses with respect to dimensions that best account for the variation in that region over time. These dimensions can be different from region to region. We introduce an approach in which each region’s responses are characterized in terms of region-specific dimensions that best account for its responses, and the relationships between regions are modeled with multivariate linear models. We demonstrate that this approach provides a better account of the data as compared to standard functional connectivity, and we use it to discover multiple dimensions within the fusiform face area that have different connectivity profiles with the rest of the brain.

scholarly journals Anxiety and depression severity in neuropsychiatric SLE are associated with perfusion and functional connectivity changes of the frontolimbic neural circuit: a resting-state f(unctional) MRI study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e000473
Author(s):  
Despina Antypa ◽  
Nicholas J Simos ◽  
Eleftherios Kavroulakis ◽  
George Bertsias ◽  
Antonis Fanouriakis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Time Shift ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Intrinsic Connectivity ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Sle ◽  
The Right

ObjectiveTo examine the hypothesis that perfusion and functional connectivity disturbances in brain areas implicated in emotional processing are linked to emotion-related symptoms in neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE).MethodsResting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) was performed and anxiety and/or depression symptoms were assessed in 32 patients with NPSLE and 18 healthy controls (HC). Whole-brain time-shift analysis (TSA) maps, voxel-wise global connectivity (assessed through intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC)) and within-network connectivity were estimated and submitted to one-sample t-tests. Subgroup differences (high vs low anxiety and high vs low depression symptoms) were assessed using independent-samples t-tests. In the total group, associations between anxiety (controlling for depression) or depression symptoms (controlling for anxiety) and regional TSA or ICC metrics were also assessed.ResultsElevated anxiety symptoms in patients with NPSLE were distinctly associated with relatively faster haemodynamic response (haemodynamic lead) in the right amygdala, relatively lower intrinsic connectivity of orbital dlPFC, and relatively lower bidirectional connectivity between dlPFC and vmPFC combined with relatively higher bidirectional connectivity between ACC and amygdala. Elevated depression symptoms in patients with NPSLE were distinctly associated with haemodynamic lead in vmPFC regions in both hemispheres (lateral and medial orbitofrontal cortex) combined with relatively lower intrinsic connectivity in the right medial orbitofrontal cortex. These measures failed to account for self-rated, milder depression symptoms in the HC group.ConclusionBy using rs-fMRI, altered perfusion dynamics and functional connectivity was found in limbic and prefrontal brain regions in patients with NPSLE with severe anxiety and depression symptoms. Although these changes could not be directly attributed to NPSLE pathology, results offer new insights on the pathophysiological substrate of psychoemotional symptomatology in patients with lupus, which may assist its clinical diagnosis and treatment.

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