The relationship of symptom dimensions and grey matter volume in a transdiagnostic cohort: Results from the DFG FOR2107

BackgroundSymptoms in schizophrenia duster into syndromes, each of which may be associated with a particular pattern of cerebral blood flow. We sought to investigate whether these syndromes are also related to neuroanatomical changes.MethodA semi-automated method was used to examine structural magnetic resonance images in 12 patients with schizophrenia. The relationship between the relative regional grey matter volume and ratings of the syndromes of psychomotor poverty, disorganisation and reality distortion was investigated.ResultsThere was a significant negative correlation between psychomotor poverty score and the relative volume of the left ventro-medial prefrontal grey matter, and a significant positive correlation between disorganisation and the relative volumes of the hippocampus, and the parahippocampal/fusiform gyrus bilaterally.ConclusionThe correlation between psychomotor poverty and left prefrontal grey matter volume resembles that previously seen with prefrontal blood flow in the same patients, suggesting that this functional abnormality is related to an underlying anatomical change.

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Non-modifiable factors as moderators of the relationship between physical activity and brain volume: A cross-sectional UK Biobank study

10.1101/2022.01.01.22268616 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Belinda M Brown ◽

Jaisalmer de Frutos Lucas ◽

Tenielle Porter ◽

Natalie Frost ◽

Michael Vacher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Brain Volume ◽

Hippocampal Volume ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Cortical Grey Matter ◽

Objectively Measured ◽

The Relationship ◽

Objectively Measured Physical Activity

Background: Grey matter atrophy occurs as a function of ageing and is accelerated in dementia. Previous research suggests physical activity attenuates grey matter loss; however, there appears to be individual variability in this effect. Understanding factors that can affect the relationship between physical activity and brain volume may enable prediction of individual response, and aid in identifying those that gain the greatest neural benefits from physical activity. The current study examined the relationship between objectively-measured physical activity and brain volume; and whether this relationship is moderated by age, sex, or a priori candidate genetic factors. Methods: Data from 10,083 men and women (50 years and over) of the UK Biobank were used to examine: 1) the relationship between objectively-measured physical activity and brain volume; and 2) whether the relationship between objectively-measured physical activity and brain volume is moderated by age, sex, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met, or apolipoprotein (APOE) e4 allele carriage. All participants underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan to quantify grey matter volumes, physical activity monitoring via accelerometry, and genotyping. Results: Physical activity was associated with total grey matter volume (B = 0.14, p = 0.001, q = 0.005) and right hippocampal volume (B = 1.45, p = 0.008, q = 0.016). The physical activity*sex interaction predicted cortical grey matter (B = 0.22, p = 0.003, q = 0.004), total grey matter (B = 0.30, p < 0.001, q = 0.001), and right hippocampal volume (B = 3.60, p = 0.001, q = 0.002). Post-hoc analyses revealed males received benefit from higher physical activity levels, in terms of greater cortical grey matter volume (B = 0.13, p = 0.01), total grey matter volume (B=0.23, p < 0.001), and right hippocampal volume (B = 3.05, p = 0.008). No moderating effects of age, APOE e4 allele carriage, or BDNF Val66Met genotype were observed. Discussion: Our results indicate that in males, but not females, an association exists between objectively-measured physical activity and grey matter volume. Future research should evaluate longitudinal brain volumetrics to better understand the nature of sex-effects on the relationship between physical activity and brain volume.

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Epigenetic Clock Deceleration and Maternal Parity: Associations With Increasing Grey Matter Volume of the Precuneus

10.21203/rs.3.rs-111892/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shota Nishitani ◽

Ryoko Kasaba ◽

Daiki Hiraoka ◽

Koji Shimada ◽

Takashi Fujisawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grey Matter ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Reproductive Effort ◽

Brain Structures ◽

Mediation Effect ◽

Child Rearing ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Epigenetic Clock ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Reproductive effort experiences, such as pregnancy, delivery, and interaction with their children, make female maternal brains optimised for child-rearing. However, extensive studies in non-human species revealed there is a trade-off between reproductive effort and life expectancy. In humans, large demographic studies have shown that this is the case for the most part, but molecular marker studies of aging remain controversial, and there are no studies evaluating the relationship between reproductive effort, aging, and brain structures simultaneously. We examined the associations among the reproductive efforts, DNA methylation age acceleration, and the regional grey matter of structural brain scans by voxel-based morphometry in 27-46-year-old mothers. We found that greater reproductive efforts, including the number of delivery and motherhood periods, were significantly associated with decelerated aging in mothers with 1-4 children. We also found that the precuneus grey matter volume was larger as age deceleration occurred and found a mediation effect of the greater left precuneus grey matter volume on the relationship between parity and age deceleration. Our findings suggest that mothers of early childhood children who have less than four children may benefit from aging via precuneus structural changes.

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The relationship between grey matter volume and striatal dopamine function in psychosis: a multimodal 18F-DOPA PET and voxel-based morphometry study

Molecular Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41380-019-0570-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Enrico D’Ambrosio ◽

Sameer Jauhar ◽

Seoyoung Kim ◽

Mattia Veronese ◽

Maria Rogdaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grey Matter ◽

Striatal Dopamine ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Voxel Based Morphometry ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Relationship

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Social cognition and brain organization in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus)

10.1093/oso/9780198728511.003.0014 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

William D. Hopkins ◽

Cheryl D. Stimpson ◽

Chet C. Sherwood

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Social Behaviour ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Species Differences ◽

Pan Paniscus ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Evolutionary Models ◽

Brain Organization ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Cognition Sociale

Bonobos and chimpanzees are two closely relates species of the genus Pan, yet they exhibit marked differences in anatomy, behaviour and cognition. For this reason, comparative studies on social behaviour, cognition and brain organization between these two species provide important insights into evolutionary models of human origins. This chapter summarizes studies on socio-communicative competencies and social cognition in chimpanzees and bonobos from the authors’ laboratory in comparison to previous reports. Additionally, recent data on species differences and similarities in brain organization in grey matter volume and distribution is presented. Some preliminary findings on microstructural brain organization such as neuropil space and cellular distribution in key neurotransmitters and neuropeptides involved in social behaviour and cognition is presented. Though these studies are in their infancy, the findings point to potentially important differences in brain organization that may underlie bonobo and chimpanzees’ differences in social behaviour, communication and cognition. Les bonobos et les chimpanzés sont deux espèces du genus Pan prochement liées, néanmoins ils montrent des différences anatomiques, comportementales et cognitives marquées. Pour cette raison, les études comparatives sur le comportement social, la cognition et l’organisation corticale entre ces deux espèces fournissent des idées sur les modèles évolutionnaires des origines humaines. Dans ce chapitre, nous résumons des études sur les compétences socio-communicatives et la cognition sociale chez les chimpanzés et les bonobos de notre laboratoire en comparaison avec des rapports précédents. En plus, nous présentons des données récentes sur les différences et similarités d’organisation corticale du volume et distribution de la matière grise entre espèces. Nous présentons plus de résultats préliminaires sur l’organisation corticale microstructurale comme l’espace neuropile et la division cellulaire dans des neurotransmetteurs clés et les neuropeptides impliqués dans le comportement social et la cognition. Bien que ces études sont dans leur enfance, les résultats montrent des différences d’organisation corticale importantes qui sont à la base des différences de comportement social, la communication et la cognition entre les bonobos et les chimpanzés.

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Modelling the cascade of biomarker changes in GRN-related frontotemporal dementia

Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry ◽

10.1136/jnnp-2020-323541 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. jnnp-2020-323541

Author(s):

Jessica L Panman ◽

Vikram Venkatraghavan ◽

Emma L van der Ende ◽

Rebecca M E Steketee ◽

Lize C Jiskoot ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Frontotemporal Dementia ◽

Disease Severity ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Clinical Stage ◽

Data Driven ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Mutation Carriers ◽

Individual Disease

ObjectiveProgranulin-related frontotemporal dementia (FTD-GRN) is a fast progressive disease. Modelling the cascade of multimodal biomarker changes aids in understanding the aetiology of this disease and enables monitoring of individual mutation carriers. In this cross-sectional study, we estimated the temporal cascade of biomarker changes for FTD-GRN, in a data-driven way.MethodsWe included 56 presymptomatic and 35 symptomatic GRN mutation carriers, and 35 healthy non-carriers. Selected biomarkers were neurofilament light chain (NfL), grey matter volume, white matter microstructure and cognitive domains. We used discriminative event-based modelling to infer the cascade of biomarker changes in FTD-GRN and estimated individual disease severity through cross-validation. We derived the biomarker cascades in non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) and behavioural variant FTD (bvFTD) to understand the differences between these phenotypes.ResultsLanguage functioning and NfL were the earliest abnormal biomarkers in FTD-GRN. White matter tracts were affected before grey matter volume, and the left hemisphere degenerated before the right. Based on individual disease severities, presymptomatic carriers could be delineated from symptomatic carriers with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 96.1%. The estimated disease severity strongly correlated with functional severity in nfvPPA, but not in bvFTD. In addition, the biomarker cascade in bvFTD showed more uncertainty than nfvPPA.ConclusionDegeneration of axons and language deficits are indicated to be the earliest biomarkers in FTD-GRN, with bvFTD being more heterogeneous in disease progression than nfvPPA. Our data-driven model could help identify presymptomatic GRN mutation carriers at risk of conversion to the clinical stage.

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