The Relationship Between Isolated Hypertension with Brain Volumes in UK Biobank

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Newby ◽  
Laura Winchester ◽  
William Sproviero ◽  
Marco Fernandes ◽  
Upamanyu Ghose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Brain Volumes ◽  
Dementia Risk ◽  
Diastolic Hypertension ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Hypertension is a well-established risk factor for cognitive impairment, brain atrophy, and dementia. However, the relationship of other types of hypertension, such as, isolated hypertension on brain health and its comparison to systolic-diastolic hypertension (where systolic and diastolic measures are high), is still relatively unknown. Due to its increased prevalence, it is important to investigate the impact of isolated hypertension to help understand its potential impact on cognitive decline and future dementia risk. In this study, we compared a variety of global brain measures between participants with isolated hypertension to those with normal blood pressure or systolic-diastolic hypertension using the largest cohort of healthy individuals. Using the UK Biobank cohort, we carried out a cross-sectional study using 29775 participants [mean age 63 years, 53% female] with BP measurements and brain MRI data. We used linear regression models adjusted for multiple confounders to compare a variety of global, sub cortical and white matter brain measures. We compared participants with either isolated systolic or diastolic hypertension with normotensives and then with participants with systolic-diastolic hypertension. The results showed that participants with isolated systolic or diastolic hypertension taking BP medications had smaller grey matter but larger white matter microstructures and macrostructures compared to normotensives. However, isolated hypertensives had larger total grey matter and smaller white matter traits when comparing these regions with participants with systolic-diastolic hypertension.These results provide support to investigate possible preventative strategies that target isolated hypertension as well as systolic-diastolic hypertension to maintain brain health and/or reduce dementia risk earlier in life particularly in white matter regions.

Regional brain volumes, microstructure and neurodevelopment in moderate–late preterm children

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire E Kelly ◽  
Deanne K Thompson ◽  
Alicia J Spittle ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Marc L Seal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
Late Preterm ◽  
Brain Volumes ◽  
Regional Brain ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Cortical Grey Matter

ObjectiveTo explore whether regional brain volume and white matter microstructure at term-equivalent age (TEA) are associated with development at 2 years of age in children born moderate–late preterm (MLPT).Study designA cohort of MLPT infants had brain MRI at approximately TEA (38–44 weeks’ postmenstrual age) and had a developmental assessment (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment) at 2 years’ corrected age. Relationships between cortical grey matter and white matter volumes and 2-year developmental outcomes were explored using voxel-based morphometry. Relationships between diffusion tensor measures of white matter microstructure (fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial (AD), radial (RD) and mean (MD) diffusivities) and 2-year developmental outcomes were explored using tract-based spatial statistics.Results189 MLPT children had data from at least one MRI modality (volumetric or diffusion) and data for at least one developmental domain. Larger cortical grey and white matter volumes in many brain regions, and higher FA and lower AD, RD and MD in several major white matter regions, were associated with better cognitive and language scores. There was little evidence that cortical grey matter and white matter volumes and white matter microstructure were associated with motor and behavioural outcomes.ConclusionsRegional cortical grey matter and white matter volumes and white matter microstructure are associated with cognitive and language development at 2 years of age in MLPT children. Thus, early alterations to brain volumes and microstructure may contribute to some of the developmental deficits described in MLPT children.

scholarly journals Associations of the Lifestyle for Brain Health Index With Structural Brain Changes and Cognition: Results From the Maastricht Study

Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012572
Author(s):  
Irene S Heger ◽  
Kay Deckers ◽  
Miranda T Schram ◽  
Coen DA Stehouwer ◽  
Pieter C Dagnelie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensities ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Dementia Risk

Background and Objectives:Observational research has shown that a substantial proportion of all dementia cases worldwide is attributable to modifiable risk factors. Dementia risk scores might be useful to identify high-risk individuals and monitor treatment adherence. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a dementia risk score, the LIfestyle for BRAin health (LIBRA) index, is associated with MRI markers and cognitive functioning/impairment in the general population.Methods:Cross-sectional data was used from the observational population-based cohort of The Maastricht Study.. The weighted compound score of LIBRA (including twelve dementia risk and protective factors, e.g. hypertension, physical inactivity) was calculated, with higher scores indicating higher dementia risk. Standardized volumes of white matter, grey matter, CSF (as proxy for general brain atrophy), white matter hyperintensities, and presence of cerebral small vessel disease were derived from 3T MRI. Cognitive functioning was tested in three domains: memory, information processing speed, and executive function and attention. Values ≤1.5 SD below the average were defined as cognitive impairment. Multiple regression analyses and structural equation modelling were used, adjusted for age, sex, education, intracranial volume and type-2 diabetes.Results:Participants (n=4,164; mean age 59y; 49.7% men) with higher LIBRA scores (mean=1.19, range=-2.7 to +9.2), denoting higher dementia risk, had higher volumes of white matter hyperintensities (β=0.051, p=.002), and lower scores on information processing speed (β=-0.067, p=.001) and executive function and attention (β=-0.065, p=.004). Only in men, associations between LIBRA and volumes of grey matter (β=-0.093, p<.001), CSF (β=0.104, p<.001) and memory (β=-0.054, p=.026) were found. White matter hyperintensities and CSF volume partly mediated the association between LIBRA and cognition.Discussion:Higher health- and lifestyle-based dementia risk is associated with markers of general brain atrophy, cerebrovascular pathology and worse cognition, suggesting that LIBRA meaningfully summarizes individual lifestyle-related brain health. Improving LIBRA factors on an individual level might improve population brain health. Sex differences in lifestyle-related pathology and cognition need to be further explored.Classification of Evidence:This study provides Class II evidence that higher LIBRA scores are significantly associated with lower scores on some cognitive domains and a higher risk of cognitive impairment.

scholarly journals Association of polygenic risk for major psychiatric illness with subcortical volumes and white matter integrity in UK Biobank

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
LM Reus ◽  
X Shen ◽  
J Gibson ◽  
E Wigmore ◽  
L Ligthart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Brain Volumes ◽  
Polygenic Risk ◽  
Subcortical Brain ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Subcortical Volumes

AbstractMajor depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) are common, disabling and heritable psychiatric diseases with a complex overlapping polygenic architecture. Individuals with these disorders, as well as their unaffected relatives, show widespread structural differences in corticostriatal and limbic networks. Structural variation in many of these brain regions is also heritable and polygenic but whether their genetic architecture overlaps with major psychiatric disorders is unknown. We sought to address this issue by examining the impact of polygenic risk of MDD, SCZ, and BP on subcortical brain volumes and white matter (WM) microstructure in a large single sample of neuroimaging data; the UK Biobank Imaging study. The first release of UK Biobank imaging data compromised participants with overlapping genetic data and subcortical volumes (N = 978) and WM measures (N = 816). Our, findings however, indicated no statistically significant associations between either subcortical volumes or WM microstructure, and polygenic risk for MDD, SCZ or BP. In the current study, we found little or no evidence for genetic overlap between major psychiatric disorders and structural brain measures. These findings suggest that subcortical brain volumes and WM microstructure may not be closely linked to the genetic mechanisms of major psychiatric disorders.

scholarly journals Associations Between Brain Volumes and Cognitive Tests with Hypertensive Burden in UK Biobank

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Danielle Newby ◽  
Laura Winchester ◽  
William Sproviero ◽  
Marco Fernandes ◽  
Di Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Brain Volumes ◽  
Multiple Measures ◽  
The Impact

Background: Mid-life hypertension is an established risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia and related to greater brain atrophy and poorer cognitive performance. Previous studies often have small sample sizes from older populations that lack utilizing multiple measures to define hypertension such as blood pressure, self-report information, and medication use; furthermore, the impact of the duration of hypertension is less extensively studied. Objective: To investigate the relationship between hypertension defined using multiple measures and length of hypertension with brain measure and cognition. Methods: Using participants from the UK Biobank MRI visit with blood pressure measurements (n = 31,513), we examined the cross-sectional relationships between hypertension and duration of hypertension with brain volumes and cognitive tests using generalized linear models adjusted for confounding. Results: Compared with normotensives, hypertensive participants had smaller brain volumes, larger white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and poorer performance on cognitive tests. For total brain, total grey, and hippocampal volumes, those with greatest duration of hypertension had the smallest brain volumes and the largest WMH, ventricular cerebrospinal fluid volumes. For other subcortical and white matter microstructural regions, there was no clear relationship. There were no significant associations between duration of hypertension and cognitive tests. Conclusion: Our results show hypertension is associated with poorer brain and cognitive health however, the impact of duration since diagnosis warrants further investigation. This work adds further insights by using multiple measures defining hypertension and analysis on duration of hypertension which is a substantial advance on prior analyses—particularly those in UK Biobank which present otherwise similar analyses on smaller subsets.

scholarly journals Right fronto-parietal networks mediate the neurocognitive benefits of enriched environments.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meadhbh B Brosnan ◽  
Nir Shalev ◽  
Jivesh Ramduny ◽  
Stamatios Sotiropoulos ◽  
Magdalena Chechlacz
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Microstructural Properties ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Enriched Environments ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Relationship

Exposure to enriched environments (EE) throughout a lifetime, providing so called reserve, protects against cognitive decline in later years. It has been hypothesised that high levels of alertness necessitated by EE might strengthen the right fronto-parietal networks (FPN) to facilitate this neurocognitive resilience. We have previously shown that EE offset age-related deficits in selective attention by preserving grey matter within right fronto-parietal regions. Here, using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), we examined the relationship between EE, microstructural properties of fronto-parietal white matter association pathways (three branches of the superior longitudinal fasciculus, SLF), structural brain health (atrophy), and attention (alertness, orienting and executive control) in a group of older adults. We show that EE is associated with a lower orientation dispersion index (ODI) within the right SLF1 which in turn mediates the relationship between EE and alertness, as well as grey- and white-matter atrophy. This suggests that EE may induce white matter plasticity (and prevent age-related dispersion of axons) within the right FPN to facilitate the preservation of neurocognitive health in later years.

scholarly journals Dementia risk communication. A user manual for Brain Health Services—part 3 of 6

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonie N. C. Visser ◽  
Carolina Minguillon ◽  
Gonzalo Sánchez-Benavides ◽  
Marc Abramowicz ◽  
Daniele Altomare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Prevention Programs ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Risk Profiling ◽  
Dementia Risk ◽  
Dementia Incidence ◽  
The Impact

AbstractGrowing evidence suggests dementia incidence can be reduced through prevention programs targeting risk factors. To accelerate the implementation of such prevention programs, a new generation of brain health services (BHS) is envisioned, involving risk profiling, risk communication, risk reduction, and cognitive enhancement. The purpose of risk communication is to enable individuals at risk to make informed decisions and take action to protect themselves and is thus a crucial step in tailored prevention strategies of the dementia incidence. However, communicating about dementia risk is complex and challenging.In this paper, we provide an overview of (i) perspectives on communicating dementia risk from an ethical, clinical, and societal viewpoint; (ii) insights gained from memory clinical practice; (iii) available evidence on the impact of disclosing APOE and Alzheimer’s disease biomarker test results gathered from clinical trials and observational studies; (iv) the value of established registries in light of BHS; and (v) practical recommendations regarding effective strategies for communicating about dementia risk.In addition, we identify challenges, i.e., the current lack of evidence on what to tell on an individual level—the actual risk—and on how to optimally communicate about dementia risk, especially concerning worried yet cognitively unimpaired individuals. Ideally, dementia risk communication strategies should maximize the desired impact of risk information on individuals’ understanding of their health/disease status and risk perception and minimize potential harms. More research is thus warranted on the impact of dementia risk communication, to (1) evaluate the merits of different approaches to risk communication on outcomes in the cognitive, affective and behavioral domains, (2) develop an evidence-based, harmonized dementia risk communication protocol, and (3) develop e-tools to support and promote adherence to this protocol in BHSs.Based on the research reviewed, we recommend that dementia risk communication should be precise; include the use of absolute risks, visual displays, and time frames; based on a process of shared decision-making; and address the inherent uncertainty that comes with any probability.

scholarly journals Arterial stiffness and dementia pathology

Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (14) ◽  
pp. e1248-e1256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Hughes ◽  
Lynne E. Wagenknecht ◽  
Suzanne Craft ◽  
Akiva Mintz ◽  
Gerardo Heiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Arterial Stiffness ◽  
Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Brain Volumes ◽  
Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities

ObjectiveArterial stiffness has been associated with evidence of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) and fibrillar β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in the brain. These complex relationships have not been examined in racially and cognitively diverse cohorts.MethodsThe Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC)–Neurocognitive Study collected detailed cognitive testing for adjudication of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), brain MRI, and arterial stiffness by pulse wave velocity (PWV, carotid-femoral [cfPWV] and heart-carotid [hcPWV]). The ARIC-PET ancillary study added Aβ imaging using florbetapir ([18F]-AV-45) to obtain standardized uptake volume ratios and defined global Aβ-positivity as standardized uptake volume ratio >1.2. One-SD increase in PWV was related to brain volume, MRI-defined cSVD (e.g., cerebral microbleeds and white matter hyperintensity), and cortical Aβ deposition adjusted for age, body mass index, sex, race, and APOE ε4 status. We examined the cross-sectional relationships including interactions by race, APOE ε4 status, and cognition.ResultsAmong the 320 ARIC-PET participants (76 [5] years, 45% black, 27% MCI), greater central stiffness (hcPWV) was associated with greater Aβ deposition (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.71). Greater central stiffness (cfPWV) was significantly associated with having lower brain volumes in Alzheimer disease–susceptible regions (in mm3, β = −1.5 [0.7 SD], p = 0.03) and high white matter hyperintensity burden (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.1). Furthermore, cfPWV was associated with a higher odds of concomitant high white matter hyperintensity and Aβ-positive scans (OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–2.1). These associations were strongest among individuals with MCI and did not differ by race or APOE ε4 status.ConclusionsArterial stiffness, measured by PWV, is an emerging risk factor for dementia through its repeated relationships with cognition, cSVD, and Aβ deposition.

scholarly journals A systematic review on the potential role of APOE genotype as a moderator in the relationship between physical activity, brain health and dementia risk

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (S10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaisalmer de Frutos ◽  
Juan Manuel Serrano Rodriguez ◽  
Fernando Maestú ◽  
Simon M Laws ◽  
Belinda M Brown
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Apoe Genotype ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Dementia Risk ◽  
The Relationship

Different white matter lesion characteristics correlate with distinct grey matter abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 687-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Furby ◽  
T Hayton ◽  
D Altmann ◽  
R Brenner ◽  
J Chataway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Lesion Volume ◽  
Secondary Degeneration ◽  
Secondary Progressive ◽  
Demyelinating Lesions ◽  
The Relationship

Background Although MRI measures of grey matter abnormality correlate with clinical disability in multiple sclerosis, it is uncertain whether grey matter abnormality measured on MRI is entirely due to a primary grey matter process or whether it is partly related to disease in the white matter. Methods To explore potential mechanisms of grey matter damage we assessed the relationship of white matter T2 lesion volume, T1 lesion volume, and mean lesion magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR), with MRI measures of tissue atrophy and MTR in the grey matter in 117 subjects with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Results Grey matter fraction and mean grey matter MTR were strongly associated with lesion volumes and lesion MTR mean ( r = ±0.63–0.72). In contrast, only weak to moderate correlations existed between white matter and lesion measures. In a stepwise regression model, T1 lesion volume was the only independent lesion correlate of grey matter fraction and accounted for 52% of the variance. Lesion MTR mean and T2 lesion volume were independent correlates of mean grey matter MTR, accounting for 57% of the variance. Conclusions Axonal transection within lesions with secondary degeneration into the grey matter may explain the relationship between T1 lesions and grey matter fraction. A parallel accumulation of demyelinating lesions in white and grey matter may contribute to the association of T2 lesion volume and lesion MTR with grey matter MTR.

scholarly journals Adapting the UK Biobank brain imaging protocol and analysis pipeline for the C-MORE multi-organ study of COVID-19 survivors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludovica Griffanti ◽  
Betty Raman ◽  
Fidel Alfaro-Almagro ◽  
Nicola Filippini ◽  
Mark Philip Cassar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Brain Anatomy ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Analysis Pipeline ◽  
Imaging Protocol ◽  
Diffusion Weighted Images ◽  
Radiology Reports ◽  
The Uk

SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to damage multiple organs, including the brain. Multiorgan MRI can provide further insight on the repercussions of COVID-19 on organ health but requires a balance between richness and quality of data acquisition and total scan duration. We adapted the UK Biobank brain MRI protocol to produce high-quality images while being suitable as part of a post-COVID-19 multiorgan MRI exam. The analysis pipeline, also adapted from UK Biobank, includes new imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) designed to assess the effects of COVID-19. A first application of the protocol and pipeline was performed in 51 COVID-19 patients post-hospital discharge and 25 controls participating in the Oxford C-MORE study. The protocol acquires high resolution T1, T2-FLAIR, diffusion weighted images, susceptibility weighted images, and arterial spin labelling data in 17 minutes. The automated imaging pipeline derives 1575 IDPs, assessing brain anatomy (including olfactory bulb volume and intensity) and tissue perfusion, hyperintensities, diffusivity, and susceptibility. In the C-MORE data, these quantitative measures were consistent with clinical radiology reports. Our exploratory analysis tentatively revealed that recovered COVID-19 patients had a decrease in frontal grey matter volumes, an increased burden of white matter hyperintensities, and reduced mean diffusivity in the total and normal appearing white matter in the posterior thalamic radiation and sagittal stratum, relative to controls. These differences were generally more prominent in patients who received organ support. Increased T2* in the thalamus was also observed in recovered COVID-19 patients, with a more prominent increase for non-critical patients. This initial evidence of brain changes in COVID-19 survivors prompts the need for further investigations. Follow-up imaging in the C-MORE study is currently ongoing, and this protocol is now being used in large-scale studies. The pipeline is widely applicable and will contribute to new analyses to hopefully clarify the medium to long-term effects of COVID-19.

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