Executive function and grey matter atrophy in healthy aging: A voxel-based morphometry analysis

SummaryTwo hypotheses have been proposed about the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders: representation impairments versus disrupted access to representations. We implemented a multi-method brain imaging approach to directly compare the representation vs. access hypotheses in dyscalculia, a highly prevalent but understudied neurodevelopmental disorder in learning to calculate. We combined several magnetic resonance imaging methods and analyses, including multivariate analyses, functional and structural connectivity, and voxel-based morphometry analysis, in a sample of 24 adults with dyscalculia and 24 carefully matched controls. Results showed a clear deficit in the non-symbolic magnitude representations in parietal, temporal, and frontal regions in dyscalculia. We also observed hyper-connectivity in visual brain regions and increased grey matter volume in the default mode network in adults with dyscalculia. Hence, dyscalculia is related to a combination of diverse neural markers which are altogether distributed across a substantial portion of cerebral cortex, supporting a multifactorial model of this neurodevelopmental disorder.

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Localised Grey Matter Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis and Clinically Isolated Syndrome—A Coordinate-Based Meta-Analysis, Meta-Analysis of Networks, and Meta-Regression of Voxel-Based Morphometry Studies

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci10110798 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 798

Author(s):

Sonika Singh ◽

Christopher R. Tench ◽

Radu Tanasescu ◽

Cris S. Constantinescu

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Clinically Isolated Syndrome ◽

Voxel Based Morphometry ◽

Statistical Effect ◽

Meta Regression ◽

Meta Regression Analysis ◽

Subcortical Regions ◽

Grey Matter Atrophy

Background: Atrophy of grey matter (GM) is observed in the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is associated with cognitive decline and physical disability. Localised GM atrophy in MS can be explored and better understood using magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry (VBM). However, results are difficult to interpret due to methodological differences between studies. Methods: Coordinate-based analysis is a way to find the reliably observable results across multiple independent VBM studies. This work uses coordinate-based meta-analysis, meta-analysis of networks, and meta-regression to summarise the evidence from voxel-based morphometry of regional GM hanges in patients with MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and whether these measured changes are relatable to clinical features. Results: Thirty-four published articles reporting forty-four independent experiments using VBM for the assessment of GM atrophy between MS or CIS patients and healthy controls were identified. Analysis identified eight clusters of consistent cross-study reporting of localised GM atrophy involving both cortical and subcortical regions. Meta-network analysis identified a network-like pattern indicating that GM loss occurs with some symmetry between hemispheres. Meta-regression analysis indicates a relationship between disease duration or age and the magnitude of reported statistical effect in some deep GM structures. Conclusions: These results suggest consistency in MRI-detectible regional GM loss across multiple MS studies, and the estimated effect sizes and symmetries can help design prospective studies to test specific hypotheses.

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IC-P1-002: Patterns of grey matter atrophy in mild Alzheimer's disease compared to amnestic mild cognitive impairment and normal aging: A voxel based morphometry study

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2008.05.015 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. T9-T10

Author(s):

Marcio L.F. Balthazar ◽

Clarissa L. Yasuda ◽

Tatiane Pedro ◽

Fernando Cendes ◽

Benito P. Damasceno

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Normal Aging ◽

Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Voxel Based Morphometry ◽

Grey Matter Atrophy

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Comparison of Cerebellar Grey Matter Alterations in Bipolar and Cerebellar Patients: Evidence from Voxel-Based Analysis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22073511 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. 3511

Author(s):

Michela Lupo ◽

Giusy Olivito ◽

Andrea Gragnani ◽

Marco Saettoni ◽

Libera Siciliano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Voxel Based Morphometry ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Affective Disturbance ◽

Morphometry Analysis ◽

Mri Protocol ◽

Similarities And Differences ◽

Crus I ◽

First Time

The aim of this study was to compare the patterns of cerebellar alterations associated with bipolar disease with those induced by the presence of cerebellar neurodegenerative pathologies to clarify the potential cerebellar contribution to bipolar affective disturbance. Twenty-nine patients affected by bipolar disorder, 32 subjects affected by cerebellar neurodegenerative pathologies, and 37 age-matched healthy subjects underwent a 3T MRI protocol. A voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to show similarities and differences in cerebellar grey matter (GM) loss between the groups. We found a pattern of GM cerebellar alterations in both bipolar and cerebellar groups that involved the anterior and posterior cerebellar regions (p = 0.05). The direct comparison between bipolar and cerebellar patients demonstrated a significant difference in GM loss in cerebellar neurodegenerative patients in the bilateral anterior and posterior motor cerebellar regions, such as lobules I−IV, V, VI, VIIIa, VIIIb, IX, VIIb and vermis VI, while a pattern of overlapping GM loss was evident in right lobule V, right crus I and bilateral crus II. Our findings showed, for the first time, common and different alteration patterns of specific cerebellar lobules in bipolar and neurodegenerative cerebellar patients, which allowed us to hypothesize a cerebellar role in the cognitive and mood dysregulation symptoms that characterize bipolar disorder.

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