scholarly journals Aberrant modularity and lower resiliency of structural covariance network in first-episode antipsychotic-naive psychoses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madison T Lewis ◽  
Tales Santini ◽  
Nicholas Theis ◽  
Brendan Muldoon ◽  
Matcheri S Keshavan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Structural Covariance ◽  
Graph Theoretic ◽  
Morphological Heterogeneity ◽  
Cortical Gray Matter ◽  
Resilient Networks ◽  
The Impact

Objective: Structural brain alterations are consistently observed in schizophrenia. However, divergent findings suggest that often-observed regions exist within a network of susceptible regions. We conducted structural covariance analysis of multiple morphometric features of 358 regions from 79 first-episode anti-psychotic-naive psychosis patients (FEAP) and 68 healthy controls to investigate network differences. Methods: Using graph theoretic methods, we investigated structural covariance network of Freesurfer-derived cortical gray matter volumes, thickness, curvature, and surface area using the Brain Connectivity Toolbox within MATLAB, compared network modularity using the Community Detection Toolbox within MATLAB, and examined the resilience of the network using simulated attacks. Results: FEAP showed decreased heterogeneity of cortical volumes compared to controls which was driven by decreased heterogeneity of cortical thickness but not surface area. Reduced morphological heterogeneity was associated with less differentiated community structure in FEAP compared to controls. FEAP patients, in general, showed less resilient networks that were more vulnerable to attacks on fewer nodes compared to healthy subjects. Conclusions: Our findings of decreased heterogeneity may be associated with FEAP-related pathology since the impact of illness chronicity and treatment are minimized. Contribution of cortical thickness but not surface area covariance network suggests that neurodevelopmental processes affecting the thickness rather than the surface area may be pathophysiologically more significant.

scholarly journals Cortical thickness and surface area correlates with cognitive dysfunction among first-episode psychosis patients

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 2145-2155 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Haring ◽  
A. Müürsepp ◽  
R. Mõttus ◽  
P. Ilves ◽  
K. Koch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structure Function ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Neurocognitive Performance ◽  
Episode Psychosis

BackgroundIn studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), some have reported specific brain structure–function relationships among first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients, but findings are inconsistent. We aimed to localize the brain regions where cortical thickness (CTh) and surface area (cortical area; CA) relate to neurocognition, by performing an MRI on participants and measuring their neurocognitive performance using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), in order to investigate any significant differences between FEP patients and control subjects (CS).MethodExploration of potential correlations between specific cognitive functions and brain structure was performed using CANTAB computer-based neurocognitive testing and a vertex-by-vertex whole-brain MRI analysis of 63 FEP patients and 30 CS.ResultsSignificant correlations were found between cortical parameters in the frontal, temporal, cingular and occipital brain regions and performance in set-shifting, working memory manipulation, strategy usage and sustained attention tests. These correlations were significantly dissimilar between FEP patients and CS.ConclusionsSignificant correlations between CTh and CA with neurocognitive performance were localized in brain areas known to be involved in cognition. The results also suggested a disrupted structure–function relationship in FEP patients compared with CS.

scholarly journals Statistical Analysis of Graph-Theoretic Indices to Study EEG-TMS Connectivity in Patients With Depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzbieta Olejarczyk ◽  
Adam Jozwik ◽  
Vladas Valiulis ◽  
Kastytis Dapsys ◽  
Giedrius Gerulskis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Graph Theoretic ◽  
Repetitive Tms ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Right ◽  
Leave One Out ◽  
The Impact

AimThe objective of this work was to demonstrate the usefulness of a novel statistical method to study the impact of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on brain connectivity in patients with depression using different stimulation protocols, i.e., 1 Hz repetitive TMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (protocol G1), 10 Hz repetitive TMS over the left DLPFC (G2), and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) consisting of three 50 Hz burst bundle repeated at 5 Hz frequency (G3).MethodsElectroencephalography (EEG) connectivity analysis was performed using Directed Transfer Function (DTF) and a set of 21 indices based on graph theory. The statistical analysis of graph-theoretic indices consisted of a combination of the k-NN rule, the leave-one-out method, and a statistical test using a 2 × 2 contingency table.ResultsOur new statistical approach allowed for selection of the best set of graph-based indices derived from DTF, and for differentiation between conditions (i.e., before and after TMS) and between TMS protocols. The effects of TMS was found to differ based on frequency band.ConclusionA set of four brain asymmetry measures were particularly useful to study protocol- and frequency-dependent effects of TMS on brain connectivity.SignificanceThe new approach would allow for better evaluation of the therapeutic effects of TMS and choice of the most appropriate stimulation protocol.

scholarly journals Differences in cortical structure between cognitively normal East Asian and Caucasian older adults: a surface-based morphometry study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Woo Kang ◽  
Sheng-Min Wang ◽  
Hae-Ran Na ◽  
Sonya Youngju Park ◽  
Nak Young Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Precentral Gyrus ◽  
Cognitively Normal ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Surface Based Morphometry

AbstractThere is a growing literature on the impact of ethnicity on brain structure and function. Despite the regional heterogeneity in age-related changes and non-uniformity across brain morphometry measurements in the aging process, paucity of studies investigated the difference in cortical anatomy between the East Asian and Caucasian older adults. The present study aimed to compare cortical anatomy measurements, including cortical thickness, volume and surface area, between cognitively normal East Asian (n = 171) and Caucasian (n = 178) older adults, using surface-based morphometry and vertex-wise group analysis of high-dimensional structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The East Asian group showed greater cortical thickness and larger cortical volume in the right superior temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and inferior parietal cortex. The Caucasian group showed thicker and larger cortex in the left transverse temporal cortex, lingual gyrus, right lateral occipital cortex, and precentral gyrus. Additionally, the difference in surface area was discordant with that in cortical thickness. Differences in brain structure between the East Asian and Caucasian might reflect differences in language and information processing, but further studies using standardized methods for assessing racial characteristics are needed. The research results represent a further step towards developing a comprehensive understanding of differences in brain structure between ethnicities of older adults, and this would enrich clinical research on aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

No progression of the alterations in the cortical thickness of individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder: a three-year longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study of first-episode patients

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (13) ◽  
pp. 2861-2871 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Roiz-Santiáñez ◽  
V. Ortiz-García de la Foz ◽  
R. Ayesa-Arriola ◽  
D. Tordesillas-Gutiérrez ◽  
R. Jorge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Early Years ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Antipsychotic Treatment ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

BackgroundCortical thickness measurement offers an index of brain development processes. In healthy individuals, cortical thickness is reduced with increasing age and is related to cognitive decline. Cortical thinning has been reported in schizophrenia. Whether cortical thickness changes differently over time in patients and its impact on outcome remain unanswered.MethodData were examined from 109 patients and 76 healthy controls drawn from the Santander Longitudinal Study of first-episode schizophrenia for whom adequate structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were available (n = 555 scans). Clinical and cognitive assessments and MRIs were acquired at three regular time points during a 3-year follow-up period. We investigated likely progressive cortical thickness changes in schizophrenia during the first 3 years after initiating antipsychotic treatment. The effects of cortical thickness changes on cognitive and clinical variables were also examined along with the impact of potential confounding factors.ResultsThere were significant diagnoses × scan time interaction main effects for total cortical thickness (F1,309.1 = 4.60, p = 0.033) and frontal cortical thickness (F1,310.6 = 5.30, p = 0.022), reflecting a lesser thinning over time in patients. Clinical and cognitive outcome was not associated with progressive cortical changes during the early years of the illness.ConclusionsCortical thickness abnormalities do not unswervingly progress, at least throughout the first years of the illness. Previous studies have suggested that modifiable factors may partly account for cortical thickness abnormalities. Therefore, the importance of implementing practical actions that may modify those factors and improve them over the course of the illness should be highlighted.

scholarly journals T183. LOW LEVELS OF VITAMIN D ARE ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED CORTICAL THICKNESS AND SURFACE AREA IN FRONTAL, TEMPORAL AND OCCIPITAL REGIONS IN FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S301-S302
Author(s):  
Simone Ciufolini ◽  
John Lally ◽  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Shubulade Smith ◽  
Marta Di Forti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Vitamin D Levels ◽  
Episode Psychosis ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background Vitamin D is a neuro-steroid hormone important in brain development, maturation and function as it modulates the production of numerous brain growth factors. Indeed insufficient levels seem to compromise brain development and confer an increased risk of developing schizophrenia later on in life. Finally patients with first-episode psychosis tend to have lower levels of vitamin D than healthy controls. We aimed to explore: 1) The association between vitamin levels and brain structure (i.e. cortical thickness and surface area) in FEP individuals; 2) Differences in brain structure (i.e. cortical thickness and surface area) between FEP individuals with optimal and sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D. Methods Sample: 49 patients with first episode of psychosis (mean age: 27.8 SD ± 9.1 years) part of the BRC Psychosis Theme study on Genetics and Psychosis (GAP). Vitamin D: Vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels were determined by immunoassay. Patients were considered to have sub-optimal levels if vitamin D concentration was below 20 ng/ml, with higher concentrations deemed optimal. Twenty patients had sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D whereas 29 had optimal Vitamin D concentration. Brain Structure: 3T MRI scan were used to evaluate the cortical thickness and the surface area in 49 FEP patients. FreeSurfer 5.3.0 was used to correlate Vitamin D levels with both cortical thickness and surface area in a vertex-by-vertex analysis. afterwards differences in cortical thickness and surface area between FEP participants with both optimal and sub-optimal Vitamin D levels were examined using a vertex-by-vertex General Linear Model analysis in FreeSurfer 5.3.0. Results were corrected for multiples comparison with Montecarlo simulation. Results Vitamin D levels positively correlated with cortical thickness in the left superior-frontal gyrus and surface area in the right peri-calcarine and right inferior-parietal gyrus (all p<0.05 FWE corrected). FEP patients with sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D (below 20 ng/ml) had reduced cortical thickness in the right medial-orbitofrontal gyrus and lingual gyrus compared to those with optimal levels of Vitamin D (all p<0.05 FWE corrected). Additionally, FEP patients with sub-optimal levels of Vitamin D had smaller surface areas in the cuneus, latero-orbitofrontal gyrus, pre- and post central gyri, superio-frontal gyrus, and inferio parietal gyrus in the right hemisphere than those with optimal levels (all p<0.05 FWE corrected). Discussion Vitamin D levels are associated with reduced cortical thickness and smaller surface area in frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital brain regions in individuals with FEP. Interestingly, these areas complete their maturation well into late adolescence, thus potentially being exposed to low Vitamin D levels over a long period of time may contribute to specific brain structure in adulthood. The identification of a specific brain conformation associated to low levels of Vitamin D would promote greater understanding of the interface between physical and mental illness fostering the development of precision psychiatry.

scholarly journals Effects of genomic copy number variants penetrant for schizophrenia on cortical thickness and surface area in healthy individuals: analysis of the UK Biobank

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Xavier Caseras ◽  
George Kirov ◽  
Kimberley M. Kendall ◽  
Elliott Rees ◽  
Sophie E. Legge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Copy Number Variants ◽  
Brain Anatomy ◽  
Carrier Status ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Risk Alleles ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Background Schizophrenia is a highly heritable disorder with undetermined neurobiological causes. Understanding the impact on brain anatomy of carrying genetic risk for the disorder will contribute to uncovering its neurobiological underpinnings. Aims To examine the effect of rare copy number variants (CNVs) associated with schizophrenia on brain cortical anatomy in a sample of unaffected participants from the UK Biobank. Method We used regression analyses to compare cortical thickness and surface area (total and across gyri) between 120 unaffected carriers of rare CNVs associated with schizophrenia and 16 670 participants without any pathogenic CNV. A measure of cortical thickness and surface area covariance across gyri was also compared between groups. Results Carrier status was associated with reduced surface area (β = −0.020 mm2, P < 0.001) and less robustly with increased cortical thickness (β = 0.015 mm, P = 0.035), and with increased covariance in thickness (carriers z = 0.31 v. non-carriers z = 0.22, P < 0.0005). Associations were mainly present in frontal and parietal areas and driven by a limited number of rare risk alleles included in our analyses (mainly 15q11.2 deletion for surface area and 16p13.11 duplication for thickness covariance). Conclusions Results for surface area conformed with previous clinical findings, supporting surface area reductions as an indicator of genetic liability for schizophrenia. Results for cortical thickness, though, argued against its validity as a potential risk marker. Increased structural thickness covariance across gyri also appears related to risk for schizophrenia. The heterogeneity found across the effects of rare risk alleles suggests potential different neurobiological gateways into schizophrenia's phenotype.

scholarly journals Neuroanatomical Moderators of the Impact of Mild Behavioral Impairment on Cognition

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 707-707
Author(s):  
Hillary Rouse ◽  
Brent Small
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Behavioral Impairment ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Cortical Gray Matter ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Older adults with mild behavioral impairment (MBI), or the presence of late-life neuropsychiatric symptoms, have a unique cognitive phenotype. However, the neural correlates associated with MBI-related cognitive changes is not well understood. The goal of this study is to examine if specific regions of the brain moderate the relationship between the presence of MBI and performance on tasks of cognition. Data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center was utilized for this study. Participants (N=1,451) were included in our analyses if they were cognitively healthy or had mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Multiple domains of cognitive performance were evaluated. The neuroanatomical regions included hippocampus, caudal anterior cingulate (ACC), rostral ACC, entorhinal, and parahippocampal gray matter volume; and caudal ACC, rostral ACC, entorhinal, and parahippocampal mean cortical thickness. Hippocampal, entorhinal, and parahippocampal cortical gray matter volume moderated the relationship between MBI and performance on tasks of episodic memory. Left rostral ACC cortical gray matter volume and entorhinal and parahippocampal mean cortical thickness moderated the relationship between MBI and performance on language tasks. Hippocampi cortical gray matter volume also moderated the relationship between MBI and performance on processing speed tasks. Persons with smaller brain sizes in these areas were more negatively affected in these cognitive domains if they had MBI. These results suggest that the association between smaller brain volumes and cognition was stronger among persons with MBI. These findings suggest that older adults with MBI may perform worse on these tasks due to neurodegeneration that is present.

Cortical morphology and early adverse birth events in men with first-episode psychosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1825-1837 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. Smith ◽  
A. E. Thornton ◽  
D. J. Lang ◽  
G. W. MacEwan ◽  
L. C. Kopala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Fetal Growth ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Cortical Surface ◽  
Global Measure ◽  
Cortical Volume ◽  
Episode Psychosis ◽  
Cortical Morphology

BackgroundReduced cortical gray-matter volume is commonly observed in patients with psychosis. Cortical volume is a composite measure that includes surface area, thickness and gyrification. These three indices show distinct maturational patterns and may be differentially affected by early adverse events. The study goal was to determine the impact of two distinct obstetrical complications (OCs) on cortical morphology.MethodA detailed birth history and MRI scans were obtained for 36 patients with first-episode psychosis and 16 healthy volunteers.ResultsPerinatal hypoxia and slow fetal growth were associated with cortical volume (Cohen's d = 0.76 and d = 0.89, respectively) in patients. However, the pattern of associations differed across the three components of cortical volume. Both hypoxia and fetal growth were associated with cortical surface area (d = 0.88 and d = 0.72, respectively), neither of these two OCs was related to cortical thickness, and hypoxia but not fetal growth was associated with gyrification (d = 0.85). No significant associations were found within the control sample.ConclusionsCortical dysmorphology was associated with OCs. The use of a global measure of cortical morphology or a global measure of OCs obscured important relationships between these measures. Gyrification is complete before 2 years and its strong relationship with hypoxia suggests an early disruption to brain development. Cortical thickness matures later and, consistent with previous research, we found no association between thickness and OCs. Finally, cortical surface area is largely complete by puberty and the present results suggest that events during childhood do not fully compensate for the effects of early disruptive events.

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