scholarly journals Diffusion MRI of white matter microstructure development in childhood and adolescence: Methods, challenges and progress

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian K. Tamnes ◽  
David R. Roalf ◽  
Anne-Lise Goddings ◽  
Catherine Lebel
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
Molecular Events ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Analysis Quality ◽  
Over Time

AbstractDiffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) continues to grow in popularity as a useful neuroimaging method to study brain development, and longitudinal studies that track the same individuals over time are emerging. Over the last decade, seminal work using dMRI has provided new insights into the development of brain white matter (WM) microstructure, connections and networks throughout childhood and adolescence. This review provides an introduction to dMRI, both diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and other dMRI models, as well as common acquisition and analysis approaches. We highlight the difficulties associated with ascribing these imaging measurements and their changes over time to specific underlying cellular and molecular events. We also discuss selected methodological challenges that are of particular relevance for studies of development, including critical choices related to image acquisition, image analysis, quality control assessment, and the within-subject and longitudinal reliability of dMRI measurements. Next, we review the exciting progress in the characterization and understanding of brain development that has resulted from dMRI studies in childhood and adolescence, including brief overviews and discussions of studies focusing on sex and individual differences. Finally, we outline future directions that will be beneficial to the field.

scholarly journals Association between breastfeeding during infancy and white matter microstructure in early childhood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Kar ◽  
Jess E. Reynolds ◽  
Melody N. Grohs ◽  
Rhonda C. Bell ◽  
Megan Jarman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
White Matter Development ◽  
Exclusive Or

Introduction: Associations between breastfeeding and brain development, in the context of child, perinatal, and sociodemographic variables, remain unclear. This study investigates whether exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and total duration of any breastfeeding are associated with brain white matter microstructure in young children. Methods: This study included a sample of 83 mothers and 85 typically developing children (42 males). Children underwent their first diffusion tensor imaging scan between ages 2.34-6.97 years; some children returned multiple times, providing a total of 331 datasets. Feeding information was collected from the mothers at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum and at their child's scan to calculate breastfeeding status at 6 months (exclusive or not) as well as total duration of any breastfeeding. Linear regression was used to investigate associations between breastfeeding exclusivity/duration and fractional anisotropy (FA, a measure sensitive to myelination/axonal packing/fibre coherence) for the whole brain and 10 individual white matter tracts. Results: Breastfeeding exclusivity and duration were associated with global and regional white matter microstructure, even after controlling for perinatal and sociodemographic factors. Greater exclusivity was associated with higher FA in females and lower FA in males. Conclusions: These findings suggest white matter differences associated with breastfeeding that differ by sex. These may stem from different trajectories in white matter development between males and females in early childhood and suggest possible long-term white matter differences associated with breastfeeding.

Brain White Matter Microstructure as a Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline After Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michiel B. de Ruiter ◽  
Liesbeth Reneman ◽  
Jacobien M. Kieffer ◽  
Hester S. A. Oldenburg ◽  
Sanne B. Schagen
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Premorbid Intelligence

PURPOSE Cognitive decline is frequently observed after chemotherapy. As chemotherapy is associated with changes in brain white matter microstructure, we investigated whether white matter microstructure before chemotherapy is a risk factor for cognitive decline after chemotherapy. METHODS Neuropsychologic tests were administered before and 6 months (n = 49), 2 years (n = 32), and 3 years (n = 32) after chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (BC + CT group), at matched intervals to patients with BC who did not receive systemic therapy (BC – CT group: n = 39, 23, and 19, respectively) and to no-cancer controls (NC group: n = 37, 29, and 28, respectively). Using multivariate normative comparison, we evaluated to what extent the cognitive profiles of patients deviated from those of controls. Fractional anisotropy (FA), derived from magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, was used to measure white matter microstructure before treatment. FA was evaluated as a risk factor for cognitive decline, in addition to baseline age, fatigue, cognitive complaints, and premorbid intelligence quotient. We subsequently ran voxel-wise diffusion tensor imaging analyses to investigate white matter microstructure in specific nerve tracts. RESULTS Low FA independently predicted cognitive decline early (6 months, P = .013) and late (3 years, P < .001) after chemotherapy. FA did not predict cognitive decline in the BC – CT and NC groups. Voxel-wise analysis indicated involvement of white matter tracts essential for cognitive functioning. CONCLUSION Low FA may reflect low white matter reserve. This may be a risk factor for cognitive decline after chemotherapy for BC. If validated in future trials, identification of patients with low white matter reserve could improve patient care, for example, by facilitating targeted, early interventions or even by influencing choices of patients and doctors for receiving chemotherapy.

scholarly journals Transient changes in white matter microstructure during general anesthesia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247678
Author(s):  
Cheuk Y. Tang ◽  
Victoria X. Wang ◽  
Min Yin Lun ◽  
Joshua S. Mincer ◽  
Johnny C. Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
General Anesthesia ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Volumetric Analysis ◽  
Sevoflurane Anesthesia ◽  
Transient Effects ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure

Cognitive dysfunction after surgery under general anesthesia is a well-recognized clinical phenomenon in the elderly. Physiological effects of various anesthetic agents have been studied at length. Very little is known about potential effects of anesthesia on brain structure. In this study we used Diffusion Tensor Imaging to compare the white matter microstructure of healthy control subjects under sevoflurane anesthesia with their awake state. Fractional Anisotropy, a white mater integrity index, transiently decreases throughout the brain during sevoflurane anesthesia and then returns back to baseline. Other DTI metrics such as mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity were increased under sevoflurane anesthesia. Although DTI metrics are age dependent, the transient changes due to sevoflurane were independent of age and sex. Volumetric analysis shows various white matter volumes decreased whereas some gray matter volumes increased during sevoflurane anesthesia. These results suggest that sevoflurane anesthesia has a significant, but transient, effect on white matter microstructure. In spite of the transient effects of sevoflurane anesthesia there were no measurable effects on brain white matter as determined by the DTI metrics at 2 days and 7 days following anesthesia. The role of white matter in the loss of consciousness under anesthesia will need to be studied and MRI studies with subjects under anesthesia will need to take these results into account.

scholarly journals Sex differences in associations of socioemotional dispositions measured in childhood and adolescence with brain white matter microstructure 12 years later

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin B. Lahey ◽  
Kendra E. Hinton ◽  
Francisco Calvache Meyer ◽  
Victoria Villalta-Gil ◽  
Carol A. Van Hulle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
Negative Emotionality ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Intracranial Volume ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Causal Nature ◽  
Demographic Covariates ◽  
Adolescent Twins

Abstract Predictive associations were estimated between socioemotional dispositions measured at 10–17 years using the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale (CADS) and future individual differences in white matter microstructure measured at 22–31 years of age. Participants were 410 twins (48.3% monozygotic) selected for later neuroimaging by oversampling on risk for psychopathology from a representative sample of child and adolescent twins. Controlling for demographic covariates and total intracranial volume (TICV), each CADS disposition (negative emotionality, prosociality, and daring) rated by one of the informants (parent or youth) significantly predicted global fractional anisotropy (FA) averaged across the major white matter tracts in brain in adulthood, but did so through significant interactions with sex after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. In females, each 1 SD difference in greater parent-rated prosociality was associated with 0.43 SD greater FA (p < 0.0008). In males, each 1 SD difference in greater parent-rated daring was associated with 0.24 SD lower FA (p < 0.0008), and each 1 SD difference in greater youth-rated negative emotionality was associated with 0.18 SD greater average FA (p < 0.0040). These findings suggest that CADS dispositions are associated with FA, but associations differ by sex. Exploratory analyses suggest that FA may mediate the associations between dispositions and psychopathology in some cases. These associations over 12 years could reflect enduring brain–behavior associations in spite of transactions with the environment, but could equally reflect processes in which dispositional differences in behavior influence the development of white matter. Future longitudinal studies are needed to resolve the causal nature of these sex-moderated associations.

scholarly journals Brain white matter after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury: a diffusion tensor and neurite orientation and dispersion imaging study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayushi Shukla ◽  
Ashley L Ware ◽  
Sunny Guo ◽  
Bradley Gooodyear ◽  
Miriam H Beauchamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
Orthopedic Injury ◽  
White Matter Microstructure

Background: Pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects millions of children annually. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is sensitive to axonal injuries and white matter microstructure and has been used to characterize the brain changes associated with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) is a diffusion model that can provide additional insight beyond traditional DTI metrics, but has not been examined in pediatric mTBI. The goal of this study was to employ DTI and NODDI to gain added insight into white matter alterations in children with mTBI compared to children with mild orthopedic injury (OI). Methods: Children (mTBI n=320, OI n=176) aged 8-16.99 years (12.39 ± 2.32 years) were recruited from emergency departments at five hospitals across Canada and underwent 3T MRI on average 11 days post-injury. DTI and NODDI metrics were calculated for seven major white matter tracts and compared between groups using univariate analysis of covariance controlling for age, sex, and scanner type. False discovery rate (FDR) was used to correct for multiple comparisons. Results: Univariate analysis revealed no significant group main effects or interactions in DTI or NODDI metrics. Fractional anisotropy and neurite density index in all tracts exhibited a significant positive association with age and mean diffusivity in all tracts exhibited a significant negative association with age in the whole sample. Conclusions: Overall, there were no differences between mTBI and OI groups in brain white matter microstructure from either DTI or NODDI in the seven tracts. This indicates that mTBI is associated with only relatively minor white matter differences, if any, at the post-acute stage. Brain differences may evolve at later stages of injury, so longitudinal studies with long-term follow-up are needed.

scholarly journals Evidence of Genetic Overlap Between Circadian Preference and Brain White Matter Microstructure

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Luis M. García-Marín ◽  
Sarael Alcauter ◽  
Adrian I. Campos ◽  
Aoibhe Mulcahy ◽  
Pik-Fang Kho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Causal Association ◽  
Posterior Limb ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Genetic Overlap ◽  
Circadian Preference

AbstractSeveral neuroimaging studies have reported associations between brain white matter microstructure and chronotype. However, it is unclear whether those phenotypic relationships are causal or underlined by genetic factors. In the present study, we use genetic data to examine the genetic overlap and infer causal relationships between chronotype and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures. We identify 29 significant pairwise genetic correlations, of which 13 also show evidence for a causal association. Genetic correlations were identified between chronotype and brain-wide mean, axial and radial diffusivities. When exploring individual tracts, 10 genetic correlations were observed with mean diffusivity, 10 with axial diffusivity, 4 with radial diffusivity and 2 with mode of anisotropy. We found evidence for a possible causal association of eveningness with white matter microstructure measures in individual tracts including the posterior limb and the retrolenticular part of the internal capsule; the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum and the posterior, superior and anterior regions of the corona radiata. Our findings contribute to the understanding of how genes influence circadian preference and brain white matter and provide a new avenue for investigating the role of chronotype in health and disease.

Selective effects of aging on brain white matter microstructure: A diffusion tensor imaging tractography study

NeuroImage ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 1190-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stijn Michielse ◽  
Nick Coupland ◽  
Richard Camicioli ◽  
Rawle Carter ◽  
Peter Seres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging Tractography ◽  
Selective Effects

scholarly journals Rest-activity rhythms and white matter microstructure across the lifespan

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan McMahon ◽  
Yoshita Malneedi ◽  
Darrell A Worthy ◽  
David M Schnyer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Adult Development ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure ◽  
Sleep Physiology ◽  
Rhythm Stability ◽  
Rest Activity

Abstract Study Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine how rest-activity (RA) rhythm stability may be associated with white matter microstructure across the lifespan in healthy adults free of significant cardiovascular risk. Methods We analyzed multi-shell diffusion tensor images from 103 healthy young and older adults using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to examine relationships between white matter microstructure and RA rhythm stability. RA measures were computed using both cosinor and non-parametric methods derived from 7 days of actigraphy data. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were examined in this analysis. Because prior studies have suggested that the corpus callosum (CC) is sensitive to sleep physiology and RA rhythms, we also conducted a focused region of interest analysis on the CC. Results Greater rest-activity rhythm stability was associated with greater FA across both young and older adults, primarily in the CC and anterior corona radiata. This effect was not moderated by age group. While RA measures were associated with sleep metrics, RA rhythm measures uniquely accounted for the variance in white matter integrity. Conclusions This study strengthens existing evidence for a relationship between brain white matter structure and RA rhythm stability in the absence of health risk factors. While there are differences in RA stability between age groups, the relationship with brain white matter was present across both young and older adults. RA rhythms may be a useful biomarker of brain health across both periods of adult development.

scholarly journals SYT1 Gene-Wide Analysis on White Matter Microstructure in Adulthood ADHD

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Basso Cupertino ◽  
Bruna Santos da Silva ◽  
Jaqueline Bohrer Schuch ◽  
Cibele Edom Bandeira ◽  
Maria Eduarda Tavares ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
In Silico Analysis ◽  
Cellular Level ◽  
White Matter Tracts ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
White Matter Microstructure

Abstract The Synaptotagmin-1 encoding gene (SYT1) is a key regulator of neurotransmitter release and is associated with cognitive and psychiatric phenotypes in GWAS, and with ADHD in single-gene studies, raising the need for dissecting possible cross-trait effects on clinical and brain phenotypes. Inferences about white matter microstructure can be made by diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), which makes this method a promising tool in the understanding of biological changes that underpin cognitive functions and brain disorders. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects multiple functioning domains, highly overlapping with other psychiatric disorders, and known to involve white matter abnormalities and neurotransmission dysfunction. Using a set-based analysis, the present study investigates how genetic variants within SYT1 might affect brain white matter at a cellular level using DTI in adults with ADHD (n = 85). The combined effect of all measured variations in the gene (i.e., 468 variants) was evaluated concerning specific white matter tracts. Set-based analysis was performed in PLINK software and followed by in silico analysis of all variants included in the study. SYT1 gene was nominally associated with white matter changes in two important tracts: forceps major and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. In addition, two regions within the SYT1 have more consistent associations with different white matter tracts. These findings endorse the involvement of SYT1 on psychiatric phenotypes and suggest that white matter tracts underlie this complex relationship.

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