scholarly journals Sex Differences in Brain Structures and Functional Connectivity among Patients with Bipolar I Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming-Yang Li ◽  
Shih-Jen Tsai ◽  
Albert C. Yang
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Bipolar I Disorder ◽  
Left Thalamus ◽  
And Function

Objectives: Studies have demonstrated that sex differences may play a crucial role in the alternations of brain structures in individuals with bipolar disorder, but findings are not consistent. The current study identified sex differences in brain structure and function among a large sample of individuals with bipolar I disorder (BD-I). Methods: Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets were acquired from 105 individuals with BD-I (36 men and 69 women) and 210 healthy adults (72 men and 138 women). A general linear regression model was used for voxel-wise analysis of grey matter (GM) and functional connectivity. Age, sex, diagnosis, and sex-by-diagnosis interaction were defined as predictors. Results: In GM, the left caudate (p < .001), left thalamus (p < .001), right caudate (p = .003), right thalamus (p < .001), left anterior cingulate gyrus (p = .015), and left middle/posterior cingulate gyrus (p = .022) exhibited sex-by-diagnosis interaction. Furthermore, by using these six brain regions as seeds, we observed sex-by-diagnosis interaction in the alteration of functional connectivity between the left thalamus and right angular gyrus (p = .019). Conclusions: Our data revealed a sex-by-diagnosis interaction associated with structure and function of the limbic system in individuals with BD-I. These findings may serve as reference for future studies on the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder.

scholarly journals High resolution structural and functional MRI of the hippocampus in young adults with Down syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine A Koenig ◽  
Se-Hong Oh ◽  
Melissa R Stasko ◽  
Elizabeth C Roth ◽  
H Gerry Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Drug Efficacy ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
7 Tesla ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
And Function

Abstract Down syndrome is the phenotypic consequence of trisomy 21, with clinical presentation including both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative components. Although the intellectual disability typically displayed by individuals with Down syndrome is generally global, it also involves disproportionate deficits in hippocampally-mediated cognitive processes. Hippocampal dysfunction may also relate to Alzheimer’s disease-type pathology, which can appear in as early as the first decade of life and becomes universal by age 40. Using 7-tesla MRI of the brain, we present an assessment of the structure and function of the hippocampus in 34 individuals with Down syndrome (mean age 24.5 years ± 6.5) and 27 age- and sex-matched typically developing healthy controls. In addition to increased whole-brain mean cortical thickness and lateral ventricle volumes (p &lt; 1.0 × 10−4), individuals with Down syndrome showed selective volume reductions in bilateral hippocampal subfields CA1, dentate gyrus, and tail (p &lt; 0.005). In the group with Down syndrome, bilateral hippocampi showed widespread reductions in the strength of functional connectivity, predominately to frontal regions (p &lt; 0.02). Age was not related to hippocampal volumes or functional connectivity measures in either group, but both groups showed similar relationships of age to whole-brain volume measures (p &lt; 0.05). Finally, we performed an exploratory analysis of a subgroup of individuals with Down syndrome with both imaging and neuropsychological assessments. This analysis indicated that measures of spatial memory were related to mean cortical thickness, total gray matter volume, and right hemisphere hippocampal subfield volumes (p &lt; 0.02). This work provides a first demonstration of the usefulness of high-field MRI to detect subtle differences in structure and function of the hippocampus in individuals with Down syndrome, and suggests the potential for development of MRI-derived measures as surrogate markers of drug efficacy in pharmacological studies designed to investigate enhancement of cognitive function.

scholarly journals The Brain Resting-State Functional Connectivity Underlying Violence Proneness: Is It a Reliable Marker for Neurocriminology? A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ángel Romero-Martínez ◽  
Macarena González ◽  
Marisol Lila ◽  
Enrique Gracia ◽  
Luis Martí-Bonmatí ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Prevention Programs ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Reliable Marker ◽  
The Brain

Introduction: There is growing scientific interest in understanding the biological mechanisms affecting and/or underlying violent behaviors in order to develop effective treatment and prevention programs. In recent years, neuroscientific research has tried to demonstrate whether the intrinsic activity within the brain at rest in the absence of any external stimulation (resting-state functional connectivity; RSFC) could be employed as a reliable marker for several cognitive abilities and personality traits that are important in behavior regulation, particularly, proneness to violence. Aims: This review aims to highlight the association between the RSFC among specific brain structures and the predisposition to experiencing anger and/or responding to stressful and distressing situations with anger in several populations. Methods: The scientific literature was reviewed following the PRISMA quality criteria for reviews, using the following digital databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Psicodoc, and Dialnet. Results: The identification of 181 abstracts and retrieval of 34 full texts led to the inclusion of 17 papers. The results described in our study offer a better understanding of the brain networks that might explain the tendency to experience anger. The majority of the studies highlighted that diminished RSFC between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala might make people prone to reactive violence, but that it is also necessary to contemplate additional cortical (i.e. insula, gyrus [angular, supramarginal, temporal, fusiform, superior, and middle frontal], anterior and posterior cingulated cortex) and subcortical brain structures (i.e. hippocampus, cerebellum, ventral striatum, and nucleus centralis superior) in order to explain a phenomenon as complex as violence. Moreover, we also described the neural pathways that might underlie proactive violence and feelings of revenge, highlighting the RSFC between the OFC, ventral striatal, angular gyrus, mid-occipital cortex, and cerebellum. Conclusions. The results from this synthesis and critical analysis of RSFC findings in several populations offer guidelines for future research and for developing a more accurate model of proneness to violence, in order to create effective treatment and prevention programs.

Sex Steroids and Human Behavior: Implications for Developmental Psychopathology

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerianne M. Alexander ◽  
Bradley S. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Sex Steroids ◽  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Postnatal Life ◽  
Brain Structure And Function ◽  
Atypical Development ◽  
And Function

AbstractIn a variety of mammalian species, prenatal androgens organize brain structures and functions that are later activated by steroid hormones in postnatal life. In humans, studies of individuals with typical and atypical development suggest that sex differences in reproductive and nonreproductive behavior derive in part from similar prenatal and postnatal steroid effects on brain development. This paper provides a summary of research investigating hormonal influences on human behavior and describes how sex differences in the prevalences and natural histories of developmental psychopathologies may be consistent with these steroid effects. An association between patterns of sexual differentiation and specific forms of psychopathology suggests novel avenues for assessing the effects of sex steroids on brain structure and function, which may in turn improve our understanding of typical and atypical development in women and men.

Akt-mTOR hypoactivity in bipolar disorder gives rise to cognitive impairments associated with altered neuronal structure and function

Neuron ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Vanderplow ◽  
Andrew L. Eagle ◽  
Bailey A. Kermath ◽  
Kathryn J. Bjornson ◽  
Alfred J. Robison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Neuronal Structure ◽  
And Function

Sex Differences in Adrenocortical Structure and Function

1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (07) ◽  
pp. 378-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Leśniewska ◽  
M. Nowak ◽  
L. Malendowicz
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
And Function

scholarly journals Survivors of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Show Neuropsychiatric Sequelae Measured by Surveys, Neurocognitive Testing, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Preliminary Results

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Hack ◽  
Jacob Brawer ◽  
Megan Chesnut ◽  
Xue Zhang ◽  
Max Wintermark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Neurocognitive Testing ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Brain Structure And Function ◽  
And Function

AbstractA significant number of individuals experience physical, cognitive, and mental health symptoms in the months after acute infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This study assessed depressive and anxious symptoms, cognition, and brain structure and function in participants with symptomatic COVID-19 confirmed by PCR testing (n=100) approximately three months following infection, leveraging self-report questionnaires, objective neurocognitive testing, and structural and functional neuroimaging data. Preliminary results demonstrated that over 1/5 of our cohort endorsed clinically significant depressive and/or anxious symptoms, and >40% of participants had cognitive impairment on objective testing across multiple domains, consistent with ‘brain-fog’. While depression and one domain of quality of life (physical functioning) were significantly different between hospitalized and non-hospitalized participants, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and most domains of functioning were not, suggesting that the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection does not necessarily relate to the severity of neuropsychiatric outcomes and impaired functioning in the months after infection. Furthermore, we found that the majority of participants in a subset of our cohort who completed structural and functional neuroimaging (n=15) had smaller olfactory bulbs and sulci in conjunction with anosmia. We also showed that this subset of participants had dysfunction in attention network functional connectivity and ventromedial prefrontal cortex seed-based functional connectivity. These functional imaging dysfunctions have been observed previously in depression and correlated with levels of inflammation. Our results support and extend previous findings in the literature concerning the neuropsychiatric sequelae associated with long COVID. Ongoing data collection and analyses within this cohort will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the longitudinal relationships between neuropsychiatric symptoms, neurocognitive performance, brain structure and function, and inflammatory and immune profiles.

scholarly journals Altered Functional Integration in the Salience and Default Mode Networks in Euthymic Pediatric Bipolar Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Weifang Cao ◽  
Haoran Chen ◽  
Qing Jiao ◽  
Dong Cui ◽  
Yongxin Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Integration ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Pediatric Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Connectivity Analysis ◽  
Functional Connectivity Density ◽  
Default Mode ◽  
Functional Connectivity Analysis

Accumulating studies demonstrate emotional and cognitive dysregulation in the euthymic period of pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD). However, the relative contribution of functional integration in human brain to disturbed emotion and cognitive function in the euthymic PBD patients remains unclear. In this study, 16 euthymic PBD patients and 16 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. A data-driven functional connectivity analysis was used to investigate functional connectivity changes of the euthymic PBD. Compared with healthy controls, the euthymic PBD exhibited greater global functional connectivity density in the left anterior insula and lower global functional connectivity density in the right temporoparietal junction, the left angular gyrus, and the bilateral occipital lobule. A distant functional connectivity analysis demonstrated altered integration within the salience and default mode networks in euthymic PBD. Correlation analysis found that altered functional connectivity of the salience network was related to the reduced performance in the backward digit span test, and altered functional connectivity of the default mode network was related to the Young Mania Rating Scale in euthymic PBD patients. Our findings indicated that disturbed functional integration in salience and default mode networks might shed light on the physiopathology associated with emotional and cognitive dysregulation in PBD.

OR-05 SEX DIFFERENCES IN VASCULAR STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (C) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Thessa Hilgenkamp ◽  
Garett Griffith ◽  
Robert W. Motl ◽  
Tracy Baynard ◽  
Bo Fernhall
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Vascular Structure ◽  
And Function

The role of the amygdala in bipolar disorder development

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1285-1296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Garrett ◽  
Kiki Chang
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Prefrontal Cortical ◽  
Amygdala Activity ◽  
Psychiatric Conditions ◽  
Cortical Regions ◽  
And Function ◽  
Experienced Emotion

AbstractThe amygdala has received great interest as a possible neurophysiological substrate of bipolar disorder (BD). This review summarizes information about the structure and function of the amygdala with attention to its role in experienced emotion and mood. We review the evidence for amygdala pathology in psychiatric conditions and discuss the role of the amygdala in BD during development. There appear to be consistent findings in the neuroimaging literature that suggest an etiological model for BD that involves abnormalities in the structure and function of the amygdala, but also depends on the failure of prefrontal cortical regions to modulate amygdala activity. In addition, evidence is accumulating to suggest that this model has flexible outcomes, depending on factors intrinsic and extrinsic to BD, and may follow several possible paths across the course of maturational development.

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