Gray Matter Volume In Patients Research Articles

209. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Polymorphism Affects Ventricular and Gray Matter Volume in Patients With Recurrent Depression – Interaction With Childhood Trauma

209. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Polymorphism Affects Ventricular and Gray Matter Volume in Patients With Recurrent Depression – Interaction With Childhood Trauma

Structural and functional abnormalities in the medial prefrontal cortex were associated with pain and depressive symptoms in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Chronic pain and depression have been shown to coexist in patients with adhesive capsulitis (AC). Recent studies identified the shared brain plasticity between pain and depression; however, how such neuroplasticity contributes to AC remains unclear. Here, we employed a combination of psychophysics, structural MRI, and functional MRI techniques to examine the brain's structural and functional changes in AC. Fifty-two patients with AC and 52 healthy controls (HCs) were included in our study. Voxelwise comparisons were performed to reveal the differences in grey matter volume (GMV) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) between AC and HCs. Furthermore, region of interest to whole brain functional connectivity (FC) was calculated and compared between the groups. Finally, Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to reveal the association between clinical data and brain alterations. Mediation analyses were performed to investigate the path association among brain alterations and clinical measures. Three main findings were observed: (1) patients with AC exhibited a higher depression subscale of hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS-D) score correlating with the GMV within the right medial prefrontal cortices (mPFC) compared with HCs; (2) relative to HCs, patients with AC exhibited lower ReHo within the right mPFC, which largely overlapped with the structural abnormalities; (3) the impact of pain duration on HADS-D score was mediated by ventral part of medial prefrontal cortices (vmPFC) GMV in patients with AC. In summary, our current findings suggest that vmPFC alterations correlate with both the pain duration and the emotional comorbidities experienced by patients with AC. Our research provides an enhanced comprehension of the underlying mechanisms of AC, thereby facilitating the development of more effective treatment approaches for AC.

Are there any differences at gray matter sites between severe obstructive sleep apnea patients and healthy controls?

ObjectivesObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease that may cause many medical conditions. Neurocognitive disorders may be triggered by OSA. In recent studies, selectively decreased gray matter tissue was observed in patients with OSA. We aimed to determine if there was a substantial difference in patients with extreme OSA by comparing the microstructural changes in different gray matter sub-areas with healthy controls using diffusion-weighted imaging methods. MethodsWe studied 15 diagnosed severe OSA subjects before any treatment and 32 healthy control subjects. High resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) T1 and T2-weighted scans were visually examined to assess any major brain lesions. ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences of age and gender between the groups.The left and right globus pallidus, putamen and thalamus values did not differ significantly between OSA and control subjects. Right putamen values was negatively correlated with Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), supine AHI and non-REM AHI in OSA subjects, but no correlations appeared with left putamen values. The other gray matter parameters did not show any correlations with PSG parameters. AHI, Supine AHI, Non-Supine AHI, REM and NON-REM AHI values was not show any correlation with Right and Left Putamen volume sizes. ConclusionsWe made a morphological comparison of various gray matter areas of OSA patients and healthy volunteers in our study. We observed a significant decrease in right putamen gray matter volumes in patients with higher AHI values. Decreased cognitive functions are found in patients with OSA. In order to demonstrate this cognitive loss in patients with morphologically there is a need for further prospective studies with larger sample sizes.

Correlation of Disease Severity, Proinflammatory Cytokines, and Reduced Brain Gray Matter Volumes in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. However, few studies have investigated brain changes associated with chronic inflammation. We hypothesized that chronic inflammation might be related to brain structural alterations in patients with AD. Objectives: To investigate the association between disease severity (Eczema Area and Severity Index [EASI]), proinflammatory cytokines, and differences in brain gray matter (GM) volume in patients with AD. Methods: Nineteen patients with AD and 19 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled. All participants underwent clinical assessment and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Voxel-based morphometry was performed to analyze GM volume differences. Results: Patients with AD exhibited significantly decreased GM volume in many brain regions, such as bilateral precentral gyrus, right frontal pole, and right middle temporal gyrus (P < 0.001), compared with healthy subjects. Notably, in patients with AD, the GM volume in right middle temporal gyrus was negatively associated with both EASI score and proinflammatory cytokines (sIL-2R [soluble interleukin 2 receptor] and TNF-α receptor-1), whereas the GM volume in left precentral gyrus was negatively associated with both EASI score and proinflammatory cytokines (sIL-2R and CRP). Conclusion: Patients with AD demonstrated significant brain GM volume reduction in many brain regions, which is related to disease severity and proinflammatory cytokines.

Interhemispheric asymmetrical change in gray matter volume in patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis.

To clarify the interhemispheric asymmetrical change in gray matter volume (GMV) in unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS), we compared changes in GMV relative to normal subjects between the HS and contralateral or non-HS sides. Forty-five patients with unilateral HS and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled. We quantified changes in GMV in the patients with HS as compared to GMV in the normal subjects by introducing the Z-score (Z-GMV) in each region or region of interest in unilateral HS. Then, we assessed the asymmetrically decreased regions, that is, regions with significantly higher Z-GMV on the HS side than the contralateral or non-HS side. Z-GMV was calculated according to the two templates of 58 regions per hemisphere covering the whole brain by anatomical automatic labeling (AAL) and 78 regions per cerebral hemisphere using the Anatomy Toolbox. Seven and four regions in AAL and 17 and 11 regions in Anatomy Toolbox were asymmetrically decreased in the Left Hand Side (LHS) and Right Hand Side (RHS), respectively. Hippocampus and Caudate in AAL, five subregions of the hippocampus (CA1-3, Dentate Gyrus and hippocampus-amygdala-transition-area and 4 extrahippocampal regions including two subregions in amygdala (CM: Centromedial, SF: Superficial), basal forebrain (BF) (Ch4), and thalamus (temporal) in anatomy toolbox were common among LHS and RHS concerning asymmetrically decreased regions. By introducing Z-GMV, we demonstrated the regions with asymmetrically decreased GMV in LHS and RHS, and found that the hippocampus and extrahippocampal regions, including the BF, were the common asymmetrically decreased regions among LHS and RHS.

QOL-17. SLEEP QUALITY DIMENSIONS IN LOW AND HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA SURVIVORS

Abstract In this study, we examined the relationship between sleep disturbance and tumor grades in a group of low-grade (LGG; grade I-II) and high-grade glioma (HGG; grade III-IV) survivors &amp;lt; 1 to 10+ years from initial diagnosis. 42 glioma survivors completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We examined frequency of poor sleep quality (defined as PSQI &amp;gt;5) and compared global PSQI between LGG and HGG groups. We obtained high-resolution T1 weighted images from a subset of 24 patients for gray matter volume analyses. The sample was predominantly male (66%) and Caucasian (82%). Of the 42 participants, 31% (n = 13) had LGG and 69% (n = 29) had HGG. 60% (n = 25) of all participants had poor sleep quality, with no differences observed between LGG and HGG. There were no differences between groups in age, education, measures of depression and anxiety, or general health-related quality of life (MOS SF-36). A Mann-Whitney U test indicated that there was no significant difference in global PSQI scores between LGG (Mdn = 4) and HGG groups (Mdn = 6), U = 239, p = .254. Sleep quality was not associated with time since diagnosis for either LGG (r = .108, p = .724) and HGG groups (r=-.058, p = .762). Whole brain vertex-wise comparison revealed smaller gray matter volumes in patients with poor sleep quality versus good sleep quality in the isthmus cingulate, cuneus, and precuneus of the left hemisphere (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Our analyses suggest that sleep quality is important to assess in glioma survivors of any grade and at any time since diagnosis. Poor sleep in glioma survivorship could be associated with structural differences in brain regions sensitive to sleep problems in other populations. Given the high rate of sleep disturbance, further study is warranted to better understand risk and develop targeted interventions.

A voxel- and source-based morphometry analysis of grey matter volume differences in very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis.

Very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis (VLOSLP) is associated with significant burden. Its clinical importance is increasing as the global population of older adults rises, yet owing to limited research in this population, the neurobiological underpinnings of VLOSP remain insufficiently clarified. Here we address this knowledge gap using novel morphometry techniques to investigate grey matter volume (GMV) differences between VLOSLP and healthy older adults, and their correlations with neuropsychological scores. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated whole-brain GMV differences between 35 individuals with VLOSLP (mean age 76.7, 26 female) and 36 healthy controls (mean age 75.7, 27 female) using whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and supplementary source-based morphometry (SBM) on high resolution 3D T1-weighted MRI images. Additionally, we investigated relationships between GMV differences and cognitive function assessed with an extensive neuropsychological battery. VBM showed lower GMV in the thalamus, left inferior frontal gyrus and left insula in patients with VLOSLP compared to healthy controls. SBM revealed lower thalamo-temporal GMV in patients with VLOSLP. Processing speed, selective attention, mental flexibility, working memory, verbal memory, semantic fluency and confrontation naming were impaired in patients with VLOSLP. Correlations between thalamic volumes and memory function were significant within the group of individuals with VLOSLP, whereas no significant associations remained in the healthy controls. Lower GMV in the thalamus and fronto-temporal regions may be part of the underlying neurobiology of VLOSLP, with lower thalamic GMV contributing to memory impairment in the disorder.

Independent effects of posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis and metabolic syndrome status on prefrontal cortical thickness and subcortical gray matter volumes.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are associated with overlapping brain structural differences. These often involve brain structures involved in the regulation of appetite, food intake, satiety, and reward processing. We examined the individual and interactive effects of PTSD diagnosis and MetS on cortical thickness and subcortical gray matter volumes in patients with PTSD (n = 104) compared to trauma-exposed controls (n = 97). Multivariate models were constructed for FreeSurfer-generated prefrontal cortical thickness and subcortical gray matter regions-of-interest (ROIs) to explore the effects of PTSD diagnosis and MetS as predictors, adjusting for relevant socio-demographic and clinical covariates. Individual prefrontal cortical and subcortical limbic ROIs were also selected based on apriori evidence of their involvement in both PTSD and MetS. The mean age of the sample (n = 201; 78% female) was 41.6 (SD, 13.1) years. PTSD and MetS status showed independent associations with prefrontal cortical thickness and subcortical gray matter volumes across multiple ROIs, adjusting for age, sex, scanner sequence, alcohol, and tobacco use. PTSD and MetS are independently associated with brain structural differences, including thinner prefrontal cortical thickness and smaller subcortical gray matter volumes, across multipleROIs implicated in the hedonic and homeostatic regulation of food intake.

Synergistic structural and functional alterations in the medial prefrontal cortex of patients with high-grade gliomas infiltrating the thalamus and the basal ganglia.

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are characterized by a high degree of tissue invasion and uncontrolled cell proliferation, inevitably damaging the thalamus and the basal ganglia. The thalamus exhibits a high level of structural and functional connectivity with the default mode network (DMN). The present study investigated the structural and functional compensation within the DMN in HGGs invading the thalamus along with the basal ganglia (HITBG). A total of 32 and 22 healthy controls were enrolled, and their demographics and neurocognition (digit span test, DST) were assessed. Of the 32 patients, 18 patients were involved only on the left side, while 15 of them were involved on the right side. This study assessed the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), gray matter (GM) volume, and functional connectivity (FC) within the DMN and compared these measures between patients with left and right HITBG and healthy controls (HCs). The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) region existed in synchrony with the significant increase in ALFF and GM volume in patients with left and right HITBG compared with HCs. In addition, patients with left HITBG exhibited elevated ReHo and GM precuneus volumes, which did not overlap with the findings in patients with right HITBG. The patients with left and right HITBG showed decreased GM volume in the contralateral hippocampus without any functional variation. However, no significant difference in FC values was observed in the regions within the DMN. Additionally, the DST scores were significantly lower in patients with HITBG, but there was no significant correlation with functional or GM volume measurements. The observed pattern of synchrony between structure and function was present in the neuroplasticity of the mPFC and the precuneus. However, patients with HITBG may have a limited capacity to affect the connectivity within the regions of the DMN. Furthermore, the contralateral hippocampus in patients with HITBG exhibited atrophy. Thus, preventing damage to these regions may potentially delay the progression of neurological function impairment in patients with HGG.

P50 inhibition defects, psychopathology and gray matter volume in patients with first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia.

Sensory gating deficits and gray matter volume (GMV) abnormalities have been found to be associated with the pathogenesis and psychopathology of patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, no studies have investigated their interrelationship in first-episode treatment-naive (FETN) SCZ patients. We recruited 52 FETN SCZ patients and 57 healthy controls. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to measure the psychopathology of the patients. We collected magnetic resonance imaging and P50 inhibition data from all participants. Compared to healthy controls, patients had shorter S1 and S2 latencies but larger S2 amplitudes and P50 ratio (Bonferroni adjusted all p<0.01). In patients, S2 latency was independently associated with PANSS total score, negative symptoms and general psychopathology (t=2.26-2.58, both P<0.05), whereas S1 (t=2.44, P<0.05) and S2 latencies (t=2.13, P<0.05) were associated with PANSS cognitive factor. Moreover, GMV in the left inferior temporal gyrus, left lingual gyrus and right superior occipital gyrus, and bilateral dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus were each associated with the P50 components (all p<0.05). In addition, GMV associated with S2 latency was negatively correlated with PANSS general psychopathology (t=-2.46, p<0.05) and total score (t=-2.34, p<0.05). Our findings indicate that FETN SCZ patients exhibit deficits in P50 inhibition and GMV of brain regions associated with these deficits may be associated with their psychopathological symptoms, suggesting that brain structures associated with P50 components may be important biomarkers of SCZ psychopathology. Future studies could use a prospective longitudinal design to investigate the potential causal relationship of brain structures associated with P50 components in the psychopathological symptoms of SCZ patients.

Electroconvulsive therapy induced large-scale grey matter increases do not lead to any significant functional brain changes

Abstract Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for severe depression and induces gray matter increases in the brain. Small-scale studies suggest that ECT also leads to changes in brain functioning, but findings are inconsistent. In this talk, we will discuss our recent publication where we investigated the influence of ECT on changes in both brain structure and multiple measures of brain function and their relation to clinical improvement using multicenter neuroimaging data from the Global ECT-MRI Research Collaboration (GEMRIC). We found wide-spread increases in gray matter volume in patients following ECT. In contrast, no significant changes in any of the functional measures were observed, and there were no visible differences in structural or functional changes between ECT responders and non-responders. Multimodal analysis revealed that volume increases in the striatum, supplementary motor area and fusiform gyrus were associated with local changes in brain function. These results confirm wide-spread increases in GM volume, and suggest that this is not accompanied by functional changes or associated with clinical response. While focal changes in brain function appear related to individual differences in brain volume increases, we emphasize the need for approaches beyond standard activity measures of fMRI to investigate the working mechanism of ECT. Research Category and Technology and Methods Clinical Research: 2. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Keywords: Electroconvulsive Therapy, Gray matter, Brain Function, Neuroimaging

Aberrant gray matter structure in neurosyphilis without conventional MRI abnormality: a pilot study with voxel and surface-based morphology.

The underlying mechanism of neurosyphilis was not fully understood. To assess gray matter (GM) microstructure in patients with early-stage neurosyphilis without overt conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormality using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM) analyses. Three-dimensional high-resolution T1-weighted imaging data from 19 individuals with neurosyphilis and 19 healthy controls were analyzed. A battery of neuropsychological tests was performed before each MRI examination. The differences of GM volume and cerebral cortical morphological data between the two groups were compared. The correlations between MRI metrics and neuropsychology/laboratory tests in the patient group were investigated. Regional decreased GM volumes in patients with neurosyphilis were found in the left frontal cortices (Rolandic operculum, middle frontal, and precentral) and bilateral temporal/occipital cortices (bilateral middle temporal, left lingual, and right middle occipital) (P < 0.05, FDR correction). SBM analysis showed significant cortical thickness reduction in the right medial orbitofrontal lobe, and reduced gyrification index in the left insula in patients with neurosyphilis (P < 0.05, FDR correction). Additionally, in the patient group, the GM volume in the middle frontal gyrus, the cortical thickness of right medial orbitofrontal lobe, and the gyrification index in the left insula were negatively correlated to the number connection test-A scores. The gyrification index was also negatively correlated to cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count. Early-stage neurosyphilis without conventional MRI abnormality presented regional GM volume reduction and cortical morphological changes, which might be related to cognitive impairment and intra-cranial infection. VBM and SBM analyses might be useful for understanding the underlying neural trait of neurosyphilis.

Childhood abuse and cortical gray matter volume in patients with major depressive disorder

Childhood abuse is associated with brain structural alterations; however, few studies have investigated the association between specific types of childhood abuse and cortical volume in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). We aimed to investigate the association between specific types of childhood abuse and gray matter volumes in patients with MDD. Seventy-five participants with MDD and 97 healthy controls (HCs) aged 19–64 years were included. Cortical gray matter volumes were compared between MDD and HC groups, and also compared according to exposure to each type of specific childhood abuse. Emotional, sexual, and physical childhood abuse were assessed using the 28-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Patients with MDD showed a significantly decreased gray matter volume in the right anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG). Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) was associated with significantly decreased gray matter volume in the right middle occipital gyrus (MOG). In the post-hoc comparison of volumes of the right ACG and MOG, MDD patients with CSA had significantly smaller volumes in the right MOG than did MDD patients without CSA or HCs. The right MOG volume decrease could be a neuroimaging marker associated with CSA and morphological changes in the brain may be involved in the pathophysiology of MDD.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Gray Matter Volume in Patients with Opioid Dependence

Introduction: Recently, several mindfulness-based programs showed promising clinical effects in the treatment of psychiatric disorders including substance use disorders. However, very little is known about the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on brain structure in such patients. Methods: This study aimed to detect changes in gray matter volume (GMV) in opioid-dependent patients receiving MBI during their first month of treatment. Thirty patients were assigned to either 3 weeks of MBI (n = 16) or treatment as usual (TAU, n = 14) and were investigated using structural magnetic resonance imaging before and after treatment. Longitudinal pipeline of the Computational Anatomy Toolbox for SPM (CAT12) was used to detect significant treatment-related changes over time. The identified GMV changes following treatment were related to clinically relevant measures such as impulsivity, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. Results: After treatment, increased mindfulness scores were found in individuals receiving MBI compared to TAU. In the MBI group, there were also significant differences with respect to distress tolerance and impulsivity. Effects on mindfulness, distress tolerance, and impulsivity were also found in the TAU group. Longitudinal within-group analysis revealed increased left anterior insula GMV in individuals receiving MBI. Anterior insula volume increase was associated with decreased impulsivity levels. In the TAU group, significant GMV changes were found in the right lingual gyrus and right entorhinal cortex. Discussion/Conclusion: MBI can yield significant clinical effects during early abstinence from opioid dependence. MBI is particularly associated with increased insula GMV, supporting an important role of this region in the context of MBI-induced neural changes.

Subcortical structures associated with childhood trauma and perceived stress in schizophrenia.

Childhood trauma influences the clinical features of schizophrenia. In this study, we examined how childhood trauma and perceived stress are associated with clinical manifestations and subcortical gray matter volumes (GMVs) in patients with schizophrenia. We recruited 127 patients with schizophrenia and 83 healthy controls for assessment of early childhood trauma, perceived stress, and clinical symptoms. With structural brain imaging, we identified the GMVs of subcortical structures and examined the relationships between childhood trauma, perceived stress, clinical symptoms, and subcortical GMVs. Compared to controls, patients with schizophrenia showed higher levels of childhood trauma and perceived stress. Patients with schizophrenia showed significantly smaller amygdala and hippocampus GMVs as well as total cortical GMVs than age-matched controls. Childhood trauma score was significantly correlated with the severity of clinical symptoms, depression, perceived stress, and amygdala GMVs. Perceived stress was significantly correlated with clinical symptoms, depression, and hippocampus and amygdala GMVs. Further, the association between childhood trauma (emotional neglect) and stress coping ability was mediated by right amygdala GMV in patients with schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia had more exposure to early-life trauma and poorer stress coping. Both childhood trauma and perceived stress were associated with smaller amygdala volumes. The relationship between early-life trauma and perceived stress was mediated by right amygdala GMV in patients with schizophrenia. These findings together suggest the long-term effects of childhood trauma on perceived stress and the subcortical volumetric correlates of the effects in schizophrenia.

Correlation between parameters related to sarcopenia and gray matter volume in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by brain atrophy and closely correlated with sarcopenia. Mounting studies indicate that parameters related to sarcopenia are associated with AD, but some results show inconsistent. Furthermore, the association between the parameters related to sarcopenia and gray matter volume (GMV) has rarely been explored. To investigate the correlation between parameters related to sarcopenia and cerebral GMV in AD. Demographics, neuropsychological tests, parameters related to sarcopenia, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were collected from 42 patients with AD and 40 normal controls (NC). Parameters related to sarcopenia include appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), grip strength, 5-times sit-to-stand (5-STS) time and 6-m gait speed. The GMV of each cerebral region of interest (ROI) and the intracranial volume were calculated by computing the numbers of the voxels in the specific region based on MRI data. Partial correlation and multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis explored the correlation between different inter-group GMV ratios in ROIs and parameters related to sarcopenia, adjusting for covariates. The 82 participants included 40 NC aged 70.13 ± 5.94years, 24 mild AD patients aged 73.54 ± 8.27years and 18 moderate AD patients aged 71.67 ± 9.39years. Multivariate stepwise linear regression showed that 5-STS time and gait speed were correlated with bilateral hippocampus volume ratios in total AD. Grip strength was associated with the GMV ratio of the left middle frontal gyrus in mild AD and the GMV ratios of the right superior temporal gyrus and right hippocampus in moderate AD. However, ASMI did not have a relationship to any cerebral GMV ratio. Among parameters related to sarcopenia, 5-STS time and gait speed were associated with bilateral hippocampus volume ratios at different clinical stages of patients with AD. Five-STS time provide an objective basis for early screening and can help diagnose patients with AD.

Gray matter volume of cerebellum associated with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: A cross-sectional analysis.

The cause of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus's (iNPH) clinical symptoms remains unclear. The cerebral cortex is the center of the brain and provides a structural basis for complex perception and motor function. This study aimed to explore the relationship between changes in cerebral cortex volume and clinical symptoms in patients with iNPH. This study included 21 iNPH patients and 20 normal aging (NA) controls. Voxel-based morphometry statistical results showed that, compared with NA, the gray matter volumes of patients with iNPH in the bilateral temporal lobe, bilateral hippocampus, bilateral thalamus, bilateral insula, left amygdala, right lenticular nucleus, right putamen, and cerebellum decreased, while the volumes of gray matter in the bilateral paracentral lobules, precuneus, bilateral supplementary motor area, medial side of the left cerebral hemisphere, and median cingulate and paracingulate gyri increased. Correlation analysis among the volumes of white matter and gray matter in the cerebrum and cerebellum and the iNPH grading scale (iNPHGS) revealed that the volume of white matter was negatively correlated with the iNPHGS (P < 0.05), while the gray matter volumes of cerebellar area 6 and area 8 were negatively correlated with the clinical symptoms of iNPH (P < 0.05). The volume of gray matter in the cerebellar vermis was negatively correlated with gait, and the gray matter volume of cerebellar area 6 was negatively correlated with cognition. Our findings suggest that the cerebellum also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of iNPH, potentially highlighting new research avenues for iNPH.

Microstructural deficits of the thalamus in major depressive disorder.

Macroscopic structural abnormalities in the thalamus and thalamic circuits have been implicated in the neuropathology of major depressive disorder. However, cytoarchitectonic properties underlying these macroscopic abnormalities remain unknown. Here, we examined systematic deficits of brain architecture in depression, from structural brain network organization to microstructural properties. A multi-modal neuroimaging approach including diffusion, anatomical and quantitative MRI was used to examine structural-related alternations in 56 patients with depression compared with 35 age- and sex-matched controls. The seed-based probabilistic tractography showed multiple alterations of structural connectivity within a set of subcortical areas and their connections to cortical regions in patients with depression. These subcortical regions included the putamen, thalamus and caudate, which are predominantly involved in the limbic-cortical-striatal-pallidal-thalamic network. Structural connectivity was disrupted within and between large-scale networks, including the subcortical network, default-mode network and salience network. Consistently, morphometric measurements, including cortical thickness and voxel-based morphometry, showed widespread volume reductions of these key regions in patients with depression. A conjunction analysis identified common structural alternations of the left orbitofrontal cortex, left putamen, bilateral thalamus and right amygdala across macro-modalities. Importantly, the microstructural properties, longitudinal relaxation time of the left thalamus was increased and inversely correlated with its grey matter volume in patients with depression. Together, this work to date provides the first macro–micro neuroimaging evidence for the structural abnormalities of the thalamus in patients with depression, shedding light on the neuropathological disruptions of the limbic-cortical-striatal-pallidal-thalamic circuit in major depressive disorder. These findings have implications in understanding the abnormal changes of brain structures across the development of depression.

Gray Matter Abnormalities in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: A Voxel-Wise Meta-Analysis.

BackgroundA growing number of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies have demonstrated widespread gray matter (GM) abnormalities in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), but the findings are heterogeneous. This study integrated previous VBM studies to identify consistent GM changes in the brains of patients with DM1.MethodsSystematic retrieval was conducted in Web of Science, Pubmed, and Embase databases to identify VBM studies that met the inclusion requirements. Data were extracted. The Seed-based d Mapping with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI) software was used for meta-analysis of voxel aspects.ResultsA total of eight VBM studies were included, including 176 patients with DM1 and 198 healthy controls (HCs). GM volume in patients with DM1 was extensively reduced compared with HCs, including bilateral rolandic operculum, bilateral posterior central gyrus, bilateral precentral gyrus, right insula, right heschl gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, bilateral supplementary motor area, bilateral middle cingulate gyrus/paracingulate gyrus, left paracentral lobule, and bilateral caudate nucleus. Meta-regression analysis found that regional GM abnormalities were associated with disease duration and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF)-recall scores.ConclusionDM1 is not only a disease of muscle injury but also a multisystem disease involving brain motor and neuropsychiatric regions, providing a basis for the pathophysiological mechanism of DM1.

Abnormal brain gray matter volume in patients with major depressive disorder: Associated with childhood trauma?

BackgroundPatients with major depressive disorders (MDD) have abnormalities in the frontal-limbic structures of the brain. Childhood trauma is a risk factor for both structural brain alterations and MDD. However, the relationships among the three have not been confirmed. MethodsSixty-four patients with MDD and sixty-one healthy controls (HC) were checked by using MRI, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare gray matter volume (GMV) differences between the two groups. Moreover, partial correlation and mediation analyses were conducted to test for potential associations between CTQ scores, different GMV, and clinical variables. ResultsCompared to the HC group, the MDD patients showed decreased GMV in the right middle frontal gyrus (rMFG) and right precentral gyrus (rPreCG). In the patient group, reduced GMV in rMFG was associated with CTQ scores (r = −0.30, P = 0.019) and HAMD scores (r = −0.53, P < 0.001). Finally, in the patient group, mediation analysis revealed that the indirect effect of rMFG GMV in CTQ scores and HAMD scores was 0.115 and the proportion of indirect effect to total effect was 23.86%. LimitationsThis study used a cross-sectional collection, and it is unclear whether at the longitudinal level the brain GMV mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and depression. ConclusionsAbnormalities in the frontal GMV were presented in the MDD patients. It is possible that childhood traumatic experiences cause inefficient GMV and ultimately lead to an increased susceptibility to depression.