Brain age of rhesus macaques over the lifespan.

Through the application of machine learning algorithms to neuroimaging data the brain age methodology was shown to provide a useful individual-level biological age prediction and identify key brain regions responsible for the prediction. In this study, we present the methodology of constructing a rhesus macaque brain age model using a machine learning algorithm and discuss the key predictive brain regions in comparison to the human brain, to shed light on cross-species primate similarities and differences. Structural information of the brain (e.g., parcellated volumes) from brain magnetic resonance imaging of 43 rhesus macaques were used to develop brain atlas-based features to build a brain age model that predicts biological age. The best-performing model used 22 selected features and achieved an R2 of 0.72. We also identified interpretable predictive brain features including Right Fronto-orbital Cortex, Right Frontal Pole, Right Inferior Lateral Parietal Cortex, and Bilateral Posterior Central Operculum. Our findings provide converging evidence of the parallel and comparable brain regions responsible for both non-human primates and human biological age prediction.

Investigating the structural network underlying brain-immune interactions using combined histopathology and neuroimaging: a critical review for its relevance in acute and long COVID-19.

Current views on immunity support the idea that immunity extends beyond defense functions and is tightly intertwined with several other fields of biology such as virology, microbiology, physiology and ecology. It is also critical for our understanding of autoimmunity and cancer, two topics of great biological relevance and for critical public health considerations such as disease prevention and treatment. Central to this review, the immune system is known to interact intimately with the nervous system and has been recently hypothesized to be involved not only in autonomic and limbic bio-behaviors but also in cognitive function. Herein we review the structural architecture of the brain network involved in immune response. Furthermore, we elaborate upon the implications of inflammatory processes affecting brain-immune interactions as reported recently in pathological conditions due to SARS-Cov-2 virus infection, namely in acute and post-acute COVID-19. Moreover, we discuss how current neuroimaging techniques combined with ad hoc clinical autopsies and histopathological analyses could critically affect the validity of clinical translation in studies of human brain-immune interactions using neuroimaging. Advances in our understanding of brain-immune interactions are expected to translate into novel therapeutic avenues in a vast array of domains including cancer, autoimmune diseases or viral infections such as in acute and post-acute or Long COVID-19.

Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia (AMP® SCZ): Rationale and Study Design of the Largest Global Prospective Cohort Study of Clinical High Risk for Psychosis.

This article describes the rationale, aims, and methodology of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia (AMP® SCZ). This is the largest international collaboration to date that will develop algorithms to predict trajectories and outcomes of individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis and to advance the development and use of novel pharmacological interventions for CHR individuals. We present a description of the participating research networks and the data processing analysis and coordination center, their processes for data harmonization across 43 sites from 13 participating countries (recruitment across North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, and South America), data flow and quality assessment processes, data analyses, and the transfer of data to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Data Archive (NDA) for use by the research community. In an expected sample of approximately 2000 CHR individuals and 640 matched healthy controls, AMP SCZ will collect clinical, environmental, and cognitive data along with multimodal biomarkers, including neuroimaging, electrophysiology, fluid biospecimens, speech and facial expression samples, novel measures derived from digital health technologies including smartphone-based daily surveys, and passive sensing as well as actigraphy. The study will investigate a range of clinical outcomes over a 2-year period, including transition to psychosis, remission or persistence of CHR status, attenuated positive symptoms, persistent negative symptoms, mood and anxiety symptoms, and psychosocial functioning. The global reach of AMP SCZ and its harmonized innovative methods promise to catalyze the development of new treatments to address critical unmet clinical and public health needs in CHR individuals.

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) activity, hippocampal extracellular free water, and cognitive deficits are associated with each other in early phase psychosis.

Increasing evidence points toward the role of the extracellular matrix, specifically matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), in the pathophysiology of psychosis. MMP-9 is a critical regulator of the crosstalk between peripheral and central inflammation, extracellular matrix remodeling, hippocampal development, synaptic pruning, and neuroplasticity. Here, we aim to characterize the relationship between plasma MMP-9 activity, hippocampal microstructure, and cognition in healthy individuals and individuals with early phase psychosis. We collected clinical, blood, and structural and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data from 39 individuals with early phase psychosis and 44 age and sex-matched healthy individuals. We measured MMP-9 plasma activity, hippocampal extracellular free water (FW) levels, and hippocampal volumes. We used regression analyses to compare MMP-9 activity, hippocampal FW, and volumes between groups. We then examined associations between MMP-9 activity, FW levels, hippocampal volumes, and cognitive performance assessed with the MATRICS battery. All analyses were controlled for age, sex, body mass index, cigarette smoking, and years of education. Individuals with early phase psychosis demonstrated higher MMP-9 activity (p < 0.0002), higher left (p < 0.05) and right (p < 0.05) hippocampal FW levels, and lower left (p < 0.05) and right (p < 0.05) hippocampal volume than healthy individuals. MMP-9 activity correlated positively with hippocampal FW levels (all participants and individuals with early phase psychosis) and negatively with hippocampal volumes (all participants and healthy individuals). Higher MMP-9 activity and higher hippocampal FW levels were associated with slower processing speed and worse working memory performance in all participants. Our findings show an association between MMP-9 activity and hippocampal microstructural alterations in psychosis and an association between MMP-9 activity and cognitive performance. Further, more extensive longitudinal studies should examine the therapeutic potential of MMP-9 modulators in psychosis.

More organized white matter is associated with positivity bias in older adults.

On average, healthy older adults prefer positive over neutral or negative stimuli. This positivity bias is related to memory and attention processes and is linked to the function and structure of several interconnected brain areas. However, the relationship between the positivity bias and white matter integrity remains elusive. The present study examines how white matter organization relates to the degree of the positivity bias among older adults. We collected imaging and behavioral data from 25 individuals (12 females, 13 males, and a mean age of 77.32). Based on a functional memory task, we calculated a Pos-Neg score, reflecting the memory for positively valenced information over negative information, and a Pos-Neu score, reflecting the memory for positively valenced information over neutral information. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data were processed using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. We performed two non-parametric permutation tests to correlate whole brain white matter integrity and the Pos-Neg and Pos-Neu scores while controlling for age, sex, and years of education. We observed a statistically significant positive association between the Pos-Neu score and white matter integrity in multiple brain connections, mostly frontal. The results did not remain significant when including verbal episodic memory as an additional covariate. Our study indicates that the positivity bias in memory in older adults is associated with more organized white matter in the connections of the frontal brain. While these frontal areas are critical for memory and executive processes and have been related to pathological aging, more extensive studies are needed to fully understand their role in the positivity bias and the potential for therapeutic interventions.

Structural connectivity of cytoarchitectonically distinct human left temporal pole subregions: a diffusion MRI tractography study.

The temporal pole (TP) is considered one of the major paralimbic cortical regions, and is involved in a variety of functions such as sensory perception, emotion, semantic processing, and social cognition. Based on differences in cytoarchitecture, the TP can be further subdivided into smaller regions (dorsal, ventrolateral and ventromedial), each forming key nodes of distinct functional networks. However, the brain structural connectivity profile of TP subregions is not fully clarified. Using diffusion MRI data in a set of 31 healthy subjects, we aimed to elucidate the comprehensive structural connectivity of three cytoarchitectonically distinct TP subregions. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis suggested that major association fiber pathways such as the inferior longitudinal, middle longitudinal, arcuate, and uncinate fasciculi provide structural connectivity to the TP. Further analysis suggested partially overlapping yet still distinct structural connectivity patterns across the TP subregions. Specifically, the dorsal subregion is strongly connected with wide areas in the parietal lobe, the ventrolateral subregion with areas including constituents of the default-semantic network, and the ventromedial subregion with limbic and paralimbic areas. Our results suggest the involvement of the TP in a set of extensive but distinct networks of cortical regions, consistent with its functional roles.

Simulation Analysis of Sensors with Different Geometry Used in Measurements of Atmospheric Electricity.

The atmospheric electric current, "air-earth current", flows between the low ionosphere and Earth's surface. The source of this current is the potential difference between the global equalizing layer called the ionosphere and the ground surface. According to Wilson's concept of the Earth's Global Electric Circuit, in the areas of so-called fair weather, based on current measurements at the Earth's surface, it is possible to conclude the global electrical processes in the ionosphere and higher layers. The theoretical basis for this inference is the law of continuity of electric current or the principle of conservation of electric charge. We present the results of simulations of the distribution of electric field lines for sensors with different geometries placed in a uniform electric field, representing the atmospheric electric field. The sensors are metal surfaces on which electric charges are induced or deposited. In the external measuring circuit to which the sensor is connected, an electric current [A] will flow, related to the air-earth current density [A/m2], but their relationship may be challenging to interpret. We analyze the impact of sensor geometry on the possibility of interpreting the atmospheric electric conduction and atmospheric displacement current based on the current measured in the external circuit. This present method can be used for the geometric construction of new sensors at the stage of determining the electrical characteristics of the sensor (e.g., effective collecting area). It can support the comprehensive design of a measurement system at the interface between an atmosphere, sensor, and electronic equipment.

Characterization of the extracellular free water signal in schizophrenia using multi-site diffusion MRI harmonization.

Studies applying Free Water Imaging have consistently reported significant global increases in extracellular free water (FW) in populations of individuals with early psychosis. However, these published studies focused on homogenous clinical participant groups (e.g., only first episode or chronic), thereby limiting our understanding of the time course of free water elevations across illness stages. Moreover, the relationship between FW and duration of illness has yet to be directly tested. Leveraging our multi-site diffusion magnetic resonance imaging(dMRI) harmonization approach, we analyzed dMRI scans collected by 12 international sites from 441 healthy controls and 434 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders at different illness stages and ages (15-58 years). We characterized the pattern of age-related FW changes by assessing whole brain white matter in individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls. In individuals with schizophrenia, average whole brain FW was higher than in controls across all ages, with the greatest FW values observed from 15 to 23 years (effect size range = [0.70-0.87]). Following this peak, FW exhibited a monotonic decrease until reaching a minima at the age of 39 years. After 39 years, an attenuated monotonic increase in FW was observed, but with markedly smaller effect sizes when compared to younger patients (effect size range = [0.32-0.43]). Importantly, FW was found to be negatively associated with duration of illness in schizophrenia (p = 0.006), independent of the effects of other clinical and demographic data. In summary, our study finds in a large, age-diverse sample that participants with schizophrenia with a shorter duration of illness showed higher FW values compared to participants with more prolonged illness. Our findings provide further evidence that elevations in the FW are present in individuals with schizophrenia, with the greatest differences in the FW being observed in those at the early stages of the disorder, which might suggest acute extracellular processes.

A Proposed Human Structural Brain Connectivity Matrix in the Center for Morphometric Analysis Harvard-Oxford Atlas Framework: A Historical Perspective and Future Direction for Enhancing the Precision of Human Structural Connectivity with a Novel Neuroanatomical Typology.

A complete structural definition of the human nervous system must include delineation of its wiring diagram (e.g., Swanson LW. Brain architecture: understanding the basic plan, 2012). The complete formulation of the human brain circuit diagram (BCD [Front Neuroanat. 2020;14:18]) has been hampered by an inability to determine connections in their entirety (i.e., not only pathway stems but also origins and terminations). From a structural point of view, a neuroanatomic formulation of the BCD should include the origins and terminations of each fiber tract as well as the topographic course of the fiber tract in three dimensions. Classic neuroanatomical studies have provided trajectory information for pathway stems and their speculative origins and terminations [Dejerine J and Dejerine-Klumpke A. Anatomie des Centres Nerveux, 1901; Dejerine J and Dejerine-Klumpke A. Anatomie des Centres Nerveux: Méthodes générales d'étude-embryologie-histogénèse et histologie. Anatomie du cerveau, 1895; Ludwig E and Klingler J. Atlas cerebri humani, 1956; Makris N. Delineation of human association fiber pathways using histologic and magnetic resonance methodologies; 1999; Neuroimage. 1999 Jan;9(1):18-45]. We have summarized these studies previously [Neuroimage. 1999 Jan;9(1):18-45] and present them here in a macroscale-level human cerebral structural connectivity matrix. A matrix in the present context is an organizational construct that embodies anatomical knowledge about cortical areas and their connections. This is represented in relation to parcellation units according to the Harvard-Oxford Atlas neuroanatomical framework established by the Center for Morphometric Analysis at Massachusetts General Hospital in the early 2000s, which is based on the MRI volumetrics paradigm of Dr. Verne Caviness and colleagues [Brain Dev. 1999 Jul;21(5):289-95]. This is a classic connectional matrix based mainly on data predating the advent of DTI tractography, which we refer to as the "pre-DTI era" human structural connectivity matrix. In addition, we present representative examples that incorporate validated structural connectivity information from nonhuman primates and more recent information on human structural connectivity emerging from DTI tractography studies. We refer to this as the "DTI era" human structural connectivity matrix. This newer matrix represents a work in progress and is necessarily incomplete due to the lack of validated human connectivity findings on origins and terminations as well as pathway stems. Importantly, we use a neuroanatomical typology to characterize different types of connections in the human brain, which is critical for organizing the matrices and the prospective database. Although substantial in detail, the present matrices may be assumed to be only partially complete because the sources of data relating to human fiber system organization are limited largely to inferences from gross dissections of anatomic specimens or extrapolations of pathway tracing information from nonhuman primate experiments [Front Neuroanat. 2020;14:18, Front Neuroanat. 2022;16:1035420, and Brain Imaging Behav. 2021;15(3):1589-1621]. These matrices, which embody a systematic description of cerebral connectivity, can be used in cognitive and clinical studies in neuroscience and, importantly, to guide research efforts for further elucidating, validating, and completing the human BCD [Front Neuroanat. 2020;14:18].

A preliminary choroid plexus volumetric study in individuals with psychosis.

The choroid plexus (ChP) is part of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, regulating brain homeostasis and the brain's response to peripheral events. Its upregulation and enlargement are considered essential in psychosis. However, the timing of the ChP enlargement has not been established. This study introduces a novel magnetic resonance imaging-based segmentation method to examine ChP volumes in two cohorts of individuals with psychosis. The first sample consists of 41 individuals with early course psychosis (mean duration of illness = 1.78 years) and 30 healthy individuals. The second sample consists of 30 individuals with chronic psychosis (mean duration of illness = 7.96 years) and 34 healthy individuals. We utilized manual segmentation to measure ChP volumes. We applied ANCOVAs to compare normalized ChP volumes between groups and partial correlations to investigate the relationship between ChP, LV volumes, and clinical characteristics. Our segmentation demonstrated good reliability (.87). We further showed a significant ChP volume increase in early psychosis (left: p < .00010, right: p < .00010) and a significant positive correlation between higher ChP and higher LV volumes in chronic psychosis (left: r = .54, p = .0030, right: r = .68; p < .0010). Our study suggests that ChP enlargement may be a marker of acute response around disease onset. It might also play a modulatory role in the chronic enlargement of lateral ventricles, often reported in psychosis. Future longitudinal studies should investigate the dynamics of ChP enlargement as a promising marker for novel therapeutic strategies.

Shared and distinct white matter abnormalities in adolescent-onset schizophrenia and adolescent-onset psychotic bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: While adolescent-onset schizophrenia (ADO-SCZ) and adolescent-onset bipolar disorder with psychosis (psychotic ADO-BPD) present a more severe clinical course than their adult forms, their pathophysiology is poorly understood. Here, we study potentially state- and trait-related white matter diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) abnormalities along the adolescent-onset psychosis continuum to address this need. METHODS: Forty-eight individuals with ADO-SCZ (20 female/28 male), 15 individuals with psychotic ADO-BPD (7 female/8 male), and 35 healthy controls (HCs, 18 female/17 male) underwent dMRI and clinical assessments. Maps of extracellular free-water (FW) and fractional anisotropy of cellular tissue (FAT) were compared between individuals with psychosis and HCs using tract-based spatial statistics and FSL's Randomise. FAT and FW values were extracted, averaged across all voxels that demonstrated group differences, and then utilized to test for the influence of age, medication, age of onset, duration of illness, symptom severity, and intelligence. RESULTS: Individuals with adolescent-onset psychosis exhibited pronounced FW and FAT abnormalities compared to HCs. FAT reductions were spatially more widespread in ADO-SCZ. FW increases, however, were only present in psychotic ADO-BPD. In HCs, but not in individuals with adolescent-onset psychosis, FAT was positively related to age. CONCLUSIONS: We observe evidence for cellular (FAT) and extracellular (FW) white matter abnormalities in adolescent-onset psychosis. Although cellular white matter abnormalities were more prominent in ADO-SCZ, such alterations may reflect a shared trait, i.e. neurodevelopmental pathology, present across the psychosis spectrum. Extracellular abnormalities were evident in psychotic ADO-BPD, potentially indicating a more dynamic, state-dependent brain reaction to psychosis.

The decoupling of structural and functional connectivity of auditory networks in individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis.

OBJECTIVES: Disrupted auditory networks play an important role in the pathophysiology of psychosis, with abnormalities already observed in individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR). Here, we examine structural and functional connectivity of an auditory network in CHR utilising state-of-the-art electroencephalography and diffusion imaging techniques. METHODS: Twenty-six CHR subjects and 13 healthy controls (HC) underwent diffusion MRI and electroencephalography while performing an auditory task. We investigated structural connectivity, measured as fractional anisotropy in the Arcuate Fasciculus (AF), Cingulum Bundle, and Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus-II. Gamma-band lagged-phase synchronisation, a functional connectivity measure, was calculated between cortical regions connected by these tracts. RESULTS: CHR subjects showed significantly higher structural connectivity in the right AF than HC (p < .001). Although non-significant, functional connectivity between cortical areas connected by the AF was lower in CHR than HC (p = .078). Structural and functional connectivity were correlated in HC (p = .056) but not in CHR (p = .29). CONCLUSIONS: We observe significant differences in structural connectivity of the AF, without a concomitant significant change in functional connectivity in CHR subjects. This may suggest that the CHR state is characterised by a decoupling of structural and functional connectivity, possibly due to abnormal white matter maturation.

HOA2.0-ComPaRe: A next generation Harvard-Oxford Atlas comparative parcellation reasoning method for human and macaque individual brain parcellation and atlases of the cerebral cortex.

Comparative structural neuroanatomy is a cornerstone for understanding human brain structure and function. A parcellation framework that relates systematically to fundamental principles of histological organization is an essential step in generating structural comparisons between species. In the present investigation, we developed a comparative parcellation reasoning system (ComPaRe), which is a formal ontological system in human and non-human primate brains based on the cortical cytoarchitectonic mapping used for both species as detailed by Brodmann. ComPaRe provides a theoretical foundation for mapping neural systems in humans and other species using neuroimaging. Based on this approach, we revised the methodology of the original Harvard-Oxford Atlas (HOA) system of brain parcellation to produce a comparative framework for the human (hHOA) and the rhesus monkey (mHOA) brains, which we refer to as HOA2.0-ComPaRe. In addition, we used dedicated segmentation software in the publicly available 3D Slicer platform to parcellate an individual human and rhesus monkey brain. This method produces quantitative morphometric parcellations in the individual brains. Based on these parcellations we created a representative template and 3D brain atlas for the two species, each based on a single subject. Thus, HOA2.0-ComPaRe provides a theoretical foundation for mapping neural systems in humans and other species using neuroimaging, while also representing a significant revision of the original human and macaque monkey HOA parcellation schemas. The methodology and atlases presented here can be used in basic and clinical neuroimaging for morphometric (volumetric) analysis, further generation of atlases, as well as localization of function and structural lesions.

Anatomically curated segmentation of human subcortical structures in high resolution magnetic resonance imaging: An open science approach.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based brain segmentation has recently been revolutionized by deep learning methods. These methods use large numbers of annotated segmentations to train algorithms that have the potential to perform brain segmentations reliably and quickly. However, training data for these algorithms are frequently obtained from automated brain segmentation systems, which may contain inaccurate neuroanatomy. Thus, the neuroimaging community would benefit from an open source database of high quality, neuroanatomically curated and manually edited MRI brain images, as well as the publicly available tools and detailed procedures for generating these curated data. Manual segmentation approaches are regarded as the gold standard for brain segmentation and parcellation. These approaches underpin the construction of neuroanatomically accurate human brain atlases. In addition, neuroanatomically precise definitions of MRI-based regions of interest (ROIs) derived from manual brain segmentation are essential for accuracy in structural connectivity studies and in surgical planning for procedures such as deep brain stimulation. However, manual segmentation procedures are time and labor intensive, and not practical in studies utilizing very large datasets, large cohorts, or multimodal imaging. Automated segmentation methods were developed to overcome these issues, and provide high data throughput, increased reliability, and multimodal imaging capability. These methods utilize manually labeled brain atlases to automatically parcellate the brain into different ROIs, but do not have the anatomical accuracy of skilled manual segmentation approaches. In the present study, we developed a custom software module for manual editing of brain structures in the freely available 3D Slicer software platform that employs principles and tools based on pioneering work from the Center for Morphometric Analysis (CMA) at Massachusetts General Hospital. We used these novel 3D Slicer segmentation tools and techniques in conjunction with well-established neuroanatomical definitions of subcortical brain structures to manually segment 50 high resolution T1w MRI brains from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) Young Adult database. The structural definitions used herein are associated with specific neuroanatomical ontologies to systematically interrelate histological and MRI-based morphometric definitions. The resulting brain datasets are publicly available and will provide the basis for a larger database of anatomically curated brains as an open science resource.

Evaluation of 137Cs, 133Xe and 3H activity concentrations monitored in the Arctic atmosphere.

This paper provides a brief introduction to the Arctic atmospheric radioactivity monitoring network. A decade of monitoring results have shown the 137Cs background levels in Arctic air range from 0.05 to 1.50 µBq/m3. The monitoring stations have sufficient sensitivity to detect 137Cs brought to the atmosphere due to resuspension in local soil and reemissions from biomass burning in a daily temporal resolution. These observations can be used as tracers for atmospheric processes. The 133Xe measurements obtained at Yellowknife, Resolute and Spitsbergen could support other research into how air pollution problems arise across intercontinental distances. It will help develop and improve models capable of predicting the long-distance transport and deposition of trace gases in the Arctic. Rainwater monitoring data collected in Finnish Lapland since the 1960's indicate that 3H radioactivity concentrations reached natural background levels in early 2000s, typically around 1-2 Bq/L monthly, with an annual seasonal variation cycle consistent with the observed of other cosmogenic radionuclides.

Cognitive deficits, clinical variables, and white matter microstructure in schizophrenia: a multisite harmonization study.

Cognitive deficits are among the best predictors of real-world functioning in schizophrenia. However, our understanding of how cognitive deficits relate to neuropathology and clinical presentation over the disease lifespan is limited. Here, we combine multi-site, harmonized cognitive, imaging, demographic, and clinical data from over 900 individuals to characterize a) cognitive deficits across the schizophrenia lifespan and b) the association between cognitive deficits, clinical presentation, and white matter (WM) microstructure. Multimodal harmonization was accomplished using T-scores for cognitive data, previously reported standardization methods for demographic and clinical data, and an established harmonization method for imaging data. We applied t-tests and correlation analysis to describe cognitive deficits in individuals with schizophrenia. We then calculated whole-brain WM fractional anisotropy (FA) and utilized regression-mediation analyses to model the association between diagnosis, FA, and cognitive deficits. We observed pronounced cognitive deficits in individuals with schizophrenia (p < 0.006), associated with more positive symptoms and medication dosage. Regression-mediation analyses showed that WM microstructure mediated the association between schizophrenia and language/processing speed/working memory/non-verbal memory. In addition, processing speed mediated the influence of diagnosis and WM microstructure on the other cognitive domains. Our study highlights the critical role of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. We further show that WM is crucial when trying to understand the role of cognitive deficits, given that it explains the association between schizophrenia and cognitive deficits (directly and via processing speed).

Imaging the human brain on oral contraceptives: A review of structural imaging methods and implications for future research goals.

Worldwide over 150 million women use oral contraceptives (OCs), which are the most prescribed form of contraception in both the United States and in European countries. Sex hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, are important endogenous hormones known for shaping the brain across the life span. Synthetic hormones, which are present in OCs, interfere with the natural hormonal balance by reducing the endogenous hormone levels. Little is known how this affects the brain, especially during the most vulnerable times of brain maturation. Here, we review studies that investigate differences in brain gray and white matter in women using OCs in comparison to naturally cycling women. We focus on two neuroimaging methods used to quantify structural gray and white matter changes, namely structural MRI and diffusion MRI. Finally, we discuss the potential of these imaging techniques to advance knowledge about the effects of OCs on the brain and wellbeing in women.

Association between peripheral inflammation and free-water imaging in Major Depressive Disorder before and after ketamine treatment - A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the peripheral inflammatory profile and white matter (WM) deterioration are frequent in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The present study applies free-water imaging to investigate the relationship between altered peripheral inflammation and WM microstructure and their predictive value in determining response to ketamine treatment in MDD. METHODS: Ten individuals with MDD underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and a blood-draw before and 24 h after ketamine infusion. We utilized MANCOVAs and ANCOVAs to compare tissue-specific fractional anisotropy (FAT) and free-water (FW) of the forceps and cingulum, and the ratio of pro-inflammatory interleukin(IL)-8/anti-inflammatory IL-10 between individuals with MDD and 15 healthy controls at baseline. Next, we compared all baseline measures between ketamine responders (6) and non-responders (4) and analyzed changes in imaging and blood data after ketamine infusion. RESULTS: The MDD group exhibited an increased IL-8/IL-10 ratio compared to controls at baseline (p = .040), which positively correlated with average FW across regions of interest (p = .013). Ketamine responders demonstrated higher baseline FAT in the left cingulum than non-responders (p = .023). Ketamine infusion did not influence WM microstructure but decreased the IL-8/IL-10 ratio (p = .043). LIMITATIONS: The small sample size and short follow-up period limit the conclusion regarding the longer-term effects of ketamine in MDD. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study provides evidence for the role of inflammation in MDD by illustrating an association between peripheral inflammation and WM microstructure. Additionally, we demonstrate that free-water diffusion-weighted imaging might be a valuable tool to determine which individuals with MDD benefit from the anti-inflammatory mediated effects of ketamine treatment.

Longitudinal trajectory of response to electroconvulsive therapy associated with transient immune response & white matter alteration post-stimulation.

Research suggests electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) induces an acute neuroinflammatory response and changes in white matter (WM) structural connectivity. However, whether these processes are related, either to each other or to eventual treatment outcomes, has yet to be determined. We examined the relationship between levels of peripheral pro-inflammatory cytokines and diffusion imaging-indexed changes in WM microstructure in individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) who underwent ECT. Forty-two patients were assessed at baseline, after their second ECT (T2), and after completion of ECT (T3). A Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale improvement of >50% post-ECT defined ECT-responders (n = 19) from non-responders (n = 23). Thirty-four controls were also examined. Tissue-specific fractional anisotropy (FAt) was estimated using diffusion imaging data and the Free-Water method in 17 WM tracts. Inflammatory panels were evaluated from peripheral blood. Cytokines were examined to characterize the association between potential ECT-induced changes in an inflammatory state and WM microstructure. Longitudinal trajectories of both measures were also examined separately for ECT-responders and non-responders. Patients exhibited elevated Interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels at baseline compared to controls. In patients, correlations between IL-8 and FAt changes from baseline to T2 were significant in the positive direction in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (R-SLF) and right cingulum (R-CB) (psig = 0.003). In these tracts, linear mixed-effects models revealed that trajectories of IL-8 and FAt were significantly positively correlated across all time points in responders, but not non-responders (R-CB-p = .001; R-SLF-p = 0.008). Our results suggest that response to ECT in TRD may be mediated by IL-8 and WM microstructure.

Cell type-specific manifestations of cortical thickness heterogeneity in schizophrenia.

Brain morphology differs markedly between individuals with schizophrenia, but the cellular and genetic basis of this heterogeneity is poorly understood. Here, we sought to determine whether cortical thickness (CTh) heterogeneity in schizophrenia relates to interregional variation in distinct neural cell types, as inferred from established gene expression data and person-specific genomic variation. This study comprised 1849 participants in total, including a discovery (140 cases and 1267 controls) and a validation cohort (335 cases and 185 controls). To characterize CTh heterogeneity, normative ranges were established for 34 cortical regions and the extent of deviation from these ranges was measured for each individual with schizophrenia. CTh deviations were explained by interregional gene expression levels of five out of seven neural cell types examined: (1) astrocytes; (2) endothelial cells; (3) oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs); (4) excitatory neurons; and (5) inhibitory neurons. Regional alignment between CTh alterations with cell type transcriptional maps distinguished broad patient subtypes, which were validated against genomic data drawn from the same individuals. In a predominantly neuronal/endothelial subtype (22% of patients), CTh deviations covaried with polygenic risk for schizophrenia (sczPRS) calculated specifically from genes marking neuronal and endothelial cells (r = -0.40, p = 0.010). Whereas, in a predominantly glia/OPC subtype (43% of patients), CTh deviations covaried with sczPRS calculated from glia and OPC-linked genes (r = -0.30, p = 0.028). This multi-scale analysis of genomic, transcriptomic, and brain phenotypic data may indicate that CTh heterogeneity in schizophrenia relates to inter-individual variation in cell-type specific functions. Decomposing heterogeneity in relation to cortical cell types enables prioritization of schizophrenia subsets for future disease modeling efforts.