Relationship Between Oxytocin Levels and Brain Volume in Anorexia Nervosa Compared to Healthy Controls

Abstract Background: A disruption in food motivation pathways has been described in females with anorexia nervosa (AN), a psychiatric disorder characterized by food restriction despite low weight. We have shown that in AN and healthy controls (HC), levels of oxytocin (OXT), a hormone involved in lactation, social behavior and weight regulation, decrease after a meal. In HC, we identified a relationship between postprandial change in OXT and subjective appetite, yet this association was absent in females with AN, suggesting a disconnect between OXT and appetite regulation in AN. Prior studies have shown that gray matter volume of the amygdala and hippocampus, areas rich in OXT receptors, correlate with OXT levels in HC. Furthermore, these regions play a central role in food reward and decreased volume has been reported in AN. We hypothesized that the relationship between postprandial change in OXT and amygdala and hippocampal gray matter volume would differ between AN and HC. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 51 females (23 restrictive AN; 28 HC). We drew blood for OXT levels fasting and 60 min after a standard meal and performed T1-weighted MRI scans of the brain in the fasted state. MRI data was quality controlled and processed with FreeSurfer. Average gray matter brain volumes were extracted from the bilateral amygdala and hippocampus for each subject. Linear regression models were used to determine differences between AN and HC of postprandial percent change in OXT on amygdala and hippocampus gray matter volume. Results: Median [IQR] age was higher in females with AN (20.6 years [19.3, 21.5]) than HC (18.8 years [IQR 17.6, 20.3], p=0.02), and percentage of ideal body weight was lower in AN (75.5%) than HC (97.4%, p<0.01). Right hippocampus volume, adjusted for age and total intracranial volume, was significantly lower in AN (estimated difference -188 dm3 [95%-CI -360, -17], p=0.04). Percent change in OXT was not different (p=0.5) but there was a trend for a positive interaction effect (p=0.08) for AN and percent change in OXT on right hippocampus volume. Posthoc exploratory analysis indicated a positive correlation in AN (R2=0.41, p=0.02) and no correlation in HC (R2=0.17,p=0.4) between percent change in OXT and right hippocampus volume. There was no significant between group difference in volume nor postprandial change in OXT for the bilateral amygdala or left hippocampus between groups. Discussion: Our results indicate smaller right hippocampus volume and a trend towards a positive association with postprandial change in OXT in AN compared to HC. Future studies will be important to better define the relationships between OXT secretion and food motivation brain regions and the impact on eating behavior in AN.

Download Full-text

Neurostructural correlates of work-related risk propensity (WRP): The PCC gray matter volume mediates the impact of extraversion on WRP

Personality and Individual Differences ◽

10.1016/j.paid.2021.110820 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 177 ◽

pp. 110820 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhengqiang Zhong ◽

Fumin Deng ◽

Han Ren

Keyword(s):

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Risk Propensity ◽

Work Related ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Related Risk ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Association of Age at Onset With Gray Matter Volume and White Matter Microstructural Abnormalities in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000012869 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012869

Author(s):

Raffaello Bonacchi ◽

Alessandro Meani ◽

Elisabetta Pagani ◽

Olga Marchesi ◽

Andrea Falini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

White Matter ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Linear Models ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Age At Onset ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Compensatory Mechanisms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Matter Volume

Objective:To investigate whether age at onset influences brain gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter (WM) microstructural abnormalities in adult multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, given its influence on clinical phenotype and disease course.Method:In this hypothesis-driven cross-sectional study, we enrolled 67 pediatric-onset MS (POMS) patients and 143 sex- and disease duration (DD)-matched randomly-selected adult-onset MS (AOMS) patients, together with 208 healthy controls. All subjects underwent neurological evaluation and 3T MRI acquisition. MRI variables were standardized based on healthy controls, to remove effects of age and sex. Associations with DD in POMS and AOMS patients were studied with linear models. Time to reach clinical and MRI milestones was assessed with product-limit approach.Results:At DD=1 year, GMV and WM fractional anisotropy (FA) were abnormal in AOMS but not in POMS patients. Significant interaction of age at onset (POMS vs AOMS) into the association with DD was found for GMV and WM FA. The crossing point of regression lines in POMS and AOMS patients was at 20 years of DD for GMV and 14 for WM FA. For POMS and AOMS patients, median DD was 29 and 19 years to reach Expanded Disability Status Scale=3 (p<0.001), 31 and 26 years to reach abnormal Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task-3 (p=0.01), 24 and 18 years to reach abnormal GMV (p=0.04), and 19 and 17 years to reach abnormal WM FA (p=0.36).Conclusions:Younger patients are initially resilient to MS-related damage. Then, compensatory mechanisms start failing with loss of WM integrity, followed by GM atrophy and finally disability.

Download Full-text

Association of Sleep, Neuropsychological Performance, and Gray Matter Volume With Glymphatic Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000013215 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013215

Author(s):

Tiing Yee Siow ◽

Cheng Hong Toh ◽

Jung-Lung Hsu ◽

Geng-Hao Liu ◽

Shwu-Hua Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Intracranial Volume ◽

Waste Products ◽

Glymphatic System ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Gray Matter Volumes ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Background and Objectives:The glymphatic system, which is robustly enabled during some stages of sleep, is a fluid-transport pathway that clears cerebral waste products. Most contemporary knowledge regarding glymphatic system is inferred from rodent experiments and human research is limited. The objective of the research is to explore the associations between human glymphatic function, sleep, neuropsychological performances, and cerebral gray matter volumes.Methods:This cross-sectional study included individuals 60 years or older who had participated in the Integrating Systemic Data of Geriatric Medicine to Explore the Solution for Health Aging study between September 2019 and October 2020. Community-dwelling older adults were enrolled at 2 different sites. Participants with dementia, major depressive disorders, and other major organ system abnormalities were excluded. Sleep profile was accessed using questionnaires and polysomnography. Administered neuropsychological test batteries included Everyday Cognition (ECog) and the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropsychological Battery (CERAD-NB). Gray matter volumes were estimated based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diffusion tensor imaging-analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index was used as the MRI marker of glymphatic function.Results:A total of 84 participants (mean [SD] age, 73.3 [7.1] years, 47 [56.0%] women) were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression model determined that age (unstandardized β, -0.0025 [SE, 0.0001]; P = 0.02), N2 sleep duration (unstandardized β, 0.0002 [SE, 0.0001]; P = 0.04), and the apnea-hypopnea index (unstandardized β, -0.0011 [SE, 0.0005]; P = 0.03) were independently associated with DTI-ALPS. Higher DTI-ALPS was associated with better ECog language scores (unstandardized β, -0.59 [SE, 0.28]; P = 0.04) and better CERAD-NB word-list-learning delayed recall subtest scores (unstandardized β, 6.17 [SE, 2.31]; P = 0.009) after co-varying for age and education. Higher DTI-ALPS was also associated with higher gray matter volume (unstandardized β, 107.00 [SE, 43.65]; P = 0.02) after controlling for age, gender, and total intracranial volume.Discussion:Significant associations were identified between glymphatic function and sleep stressing the importance of sleep for brain health. This study also revealed associations between DTI-ALPS, neuropsychological performances, and cerebral gray matter volumes suggesting the potential of DTI-ALPS as a biomarker for cognitive disorders.

Download Full-text

The Impact of MRI T1 Hypointense Brain Lesions on Cerebral Deep Gray Matter Volume Measures in Multiple Sclerosis

Journal of Neuroimaging ◽

10.1111/jon.12611 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Korhan Buyukturkoglu ◽

Enricomaria Mormina ◽

Philip L. Jager ◽

Claire S. Riley ◽

Victoria M. Leavitt

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Brain Lesions ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Deep Gray Matter ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Men is Associated with Reduction of Relative Gray Matter Volume in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Compared to Healthy Controls

The Journal of Urology ◽

10.1016/j.juro.2012.08.043 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 188 (6) ◽

pp. 2233-2237 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Livio Mordasini ◽

Christian Weisstanner ◽

Christian Rummel ◽

George N. Thalmann ◽

Rajeev K. Verma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Chronic Pelvic Pain ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome ◽

Pain Syndrome ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Pelvic Pain Syndrome ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Matter Volume

Download Full-text

The impact of CACNA1C allelic variation on regional gray matter volume in Chinese population

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics ◽

10.1002/ajmg.b.32418 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 171 (3) ◽

pp. 396-401 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Liang Huang ◽

Yin Mo ◽

Xuejin Sun ◽

Hualin Yu ◽

Hao Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gray Matter ◽

Chinese Population ◽

Allelic Variation ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Brain gray matter volume differences in obese youth with type 2 diabetes: a pilot study

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1515/jpem-2017-0349 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 261-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jacob M. Redel ◽

Mark DiFrancesco ◽

Jennifer Vannest ◽

Mekibib Altaye ◽

Dean Beebe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Direct Result ◽

Intracranial Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Obese Youth

AbstractBackground:Adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have significantly lower gray matter volume (GMV) compared to healthy peers. Whether GMV differences exist in youth with T2D remains unclear. Thus, we compared global and regional GMV between obese youth with T2D with age, race and sex similar healthy controls.Methods:In a cross-sectional study, 20 obese youth with T2D underwent T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Comparisons were made to 20 age, race and sex similar controls. Differences in global and regional GMV between groups were identified using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).Results:Youth with T2D had a significantly lower global GMV-to-intracranial volume ratio (0.51±0.02 in T2D vs. 0.53±0.02 in controls, p=0.02, Cohen’sd=0.85). There were 14 regions where GMV was significantly lower in the T2D group, and nine of these were found in either the temporal or occipital lobes. There were six regions with increased GMV in T2D. All regional differences were significant at p<0.05 after adjusting for multiple comparisons.Conclusions:Results from this pilot study show obese youth with T2D have significantly lower global GMV and regional GMV differences, when compared to their age, race and sex similar peers. Future work is needed to determine whether these brain findings are a direct result of adolescent-onset T2D.

Download Full-text

Developmental Patterning of Irritability Enhances Prediction of Psychopathology in Pre-adolescence: Improving RDoC with Developmental Science

10.1101/2020.04.30.070714 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Katherine S. F. Damme ◽

Lauren S. Wakschlag ◽

Margaret J. Briggs-Gowan ◽

Elizabeth S. Norton ◽

Vijay A. Mittal

Keyword(s):

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Interactive Effect ◽

Volume Growth ◽

Externalizing Symptoms ◽

Preschool Age ◽

Internalizing Behavior ◽

School Age ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Impact

AbstractResearch has demonstrated the transdiagnostic importance of irritability in psychopathology pathways but the contribution of developmentally-unfolding patterns has only recently been explored. To address this question, irritability patterns of 110 youth from a large and diverse early childhood cohort were assessed at preschool age and at school age (∼2.5 years later) with a dimensional irritability scale designed to capture the normal:abnormal spectrum. Participants then returned at Pre-adolescence (∼6 years later) for an assessment with a structured clinical interview (internalizing/externalizing symptoms) and a magnetic resonance imaging scan. When only preschool age irritability was considered, this was a transdiagnostic predictor of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, a model including both preschool and school age irritability provided a more nuanced picture. A high preschool and decreasing school age profile of irritability predicted elevated pre-adolescence internalizing symptoms, potentially reflecting emerging coping/internalizing behavior in pre-adolescence. In contrast, a stable irritability profile across these timepoints predicted increased pre-adolescence externalizing symptoms. Further, preschool irritability (a period of rapid growth) did not predict pre-adolescent gray matter volume abnormality, an indicator of transdiagnostic clinical risk. However, irritability at school age (when gray matter volume growth is largely finished) demonstrated an interactive effect among regions; increased school age irritability predicted reduced volume in pre-adolescence emotional regions (e.g., amygdala, medial orbitofrontal cortex) and increased volume in other regions (e.g., cerebellum). Expanding the impact of RDoC’s approach yielding transdiagnostic phenotypes and multiple units of analysis, a developmentally informed approach provides critical new insights into the complex unfolding of mechanisms underlying emerging psychopathology.

Download Full-text