Brain Structure & Function最新文献

In a digital era defined by an overwhelming abundance of information (both accurate and misleading), the need for accessible, trustworthy scientific information has become increasingly important. To strengthen the dialogue between neuroscientists and the general public, we launched the Brain HelpDesk (BHD), an online platform where non-scientists can submit questions related to the brain and receive clear, accessible, and scientifically grounded answers. This paper offers a practical guide for researchers interested in creating similar initiatives. We position the BHD in the current science communication landscape and describe our workflow design, standardised answer template, and the geographic spread of our audience. The questions we have received and addressed so far highlight the public's interest in fundamental and mechanistic over more pathology-focused topics. Based on our own experience, we recommend (1) using a clear and consistent answer format, (2) starting with a small dedicated team, (3) designing a user-friendly, yet privacy-minded website, (4) having both an online and (5) in-person presence, (6) creating a structured workflow and (7) using institutional support to boost both visibility and credibility. With this paper, we aim to inspire and support fellow scientists in launching their own scientific helpdesks, fostering dialogue and making science more accessible and understandable to everyone.

The DHHC palmitoyltransferase Zdhhc22 is known to play a role in neuronal differentiation, synaptic regulation, and brain development. While transcriptomic data hint at region-specific expression, its exact spatiotemporal and cell-type distribution in the mammalian brain is unclear. For this purpose, we generated a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mouse line that expresses the mCherry fluorescent reporter driven by the Zdhhc22 promoter. We then analyzed Zdhhc22 expression from embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) through adulthood. mCherry fluorescence was detected in many brain regions, including the cortex, thalamus, midbrain, piriform cortex, and brainstem. Interestingly, a dynamic developmental gene expression pattern was observed: Zdhhc22 expression was initially restricted to the cortical marginal zone between E13.5 and E15.5, it then expanded into deeper cortical layers by E17.5, and at postnatal day 0 (P0), it persisted in deep layers while also appearing in a new subset of cortical plate neurons. Through co-immunostaining, mCherry expression was found to be predominantly neuronal, showing strong co-localization with NeuN and minimal overlap with glial cells. In the cortex, Zdhhc22 expression showed no co-localization with CUX1 or CTIP2 but did partially overlap with FOG2, a marker for layer VI pyramidal neurons. A particularly striking finding was that nearly all marginal zone mCherry-positive cells co-expressed RELN, identifying them as Cajal-Retzius cells. This neuronal specificity was maintained in the adult brain. Our findings validate the Zdhhc22-mCherry BAC transgenic line as a faithful model of endogenous Zdhhc22 expression, providing invaluable insight into its cellular specificity and a powerful new tool for future research.

Although motor deficits in developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are well documented, the underlying neurological alterations remain poorly understood. While some studies report reduced grey matter (GM) volume and altered white matter (WM) organisation, others show contradictory results or found no differences at all. These studies focus exclusively on paediatric populations and commonly employ diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This technique is limited in distinguishing crossing fibres, which compromises the reliability of its findings. Therefore, we used the state-of-the-art fixel-based analysis (FBA) technique, providing a more precise measurement that accounts for crossing fibres. Sixteen adults with DCD and thirteen typically developing (TD) peers (18-35y) underwent comprehensive motor assessment (MABC-2) and T1- and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) MRI scans. GM volume was examined in motor-related regions, including the motor cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. WM organization was analysed in key motor tracts such as the corticospinal tract (CST), cerebellar peduncles, and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). No significant differences in GM volume or WM organization were found between adults with DCD and TD controls. Additionally, there was no significant relationship between WM organization and motor performance scores. However, with this relatively small sample, small or moderate effects remain undetected. Furthermore, according to Bayesian analyses the findings only provide anecdotal support for the absence of group differences, except for the left middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP), where moderate evidence supported the null hypothesis. Future studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these conclusions.

Development of gray and white matter tissue microstructure is critical for the emergence of sensory and cognitive functions. However, it is unknown how microstructural tissue properties of the human visual system develop in the first year of human life. Across 85 infant sessions, we used tissue relaxation rate (R₁) obtained using quantitative MRI to measure the longitudinal development of gray and white matter in brain areas spanning three visual processing streams: dorsal, lateral, and ventral, during the first year of life. R₁ in gray and white matter of all visual regions in the three processing streams increases postnatally, indicating microstructural tissue growth. R₁ increases faster between 0-6 months than 6-12 months, and faster in white matter than gray matter, with white matter R₁ surpassing that of gray matter after two months of age. Notably, this microstructural growth is hierarchical: across all streams, early visual areas are more mature at birth than higher-level areas but develop more slowly postnatally than higher-level areas. The exception is TO1 (MT), which is similar to V1: it is microstructurally more mature at birth and develops more slowly than neighboring areas. Overall, our findings provide the first comprehensive measurement of microstructural tissue growth in infancy across three visual processing streams and propose a new hypothesis that functional development of the visual cortex may follow the hierarchical pattern of microstructural development.

The pineal gland is an organ that undergoes significant degeneration with age, and these degenerative changes lead to numerous physiological alterations. This study investigated age-related molecular changes and Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated pathology in the human pineal gland using histopathological analyses. This study collected a total of 54 human pineal gland specimens. Of these, 47 were categorised into five age groups: 0-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, and 81-100 years. A further 7 cases with confirmed AD-related neuropathological changes were assigned to the AD group, while matched to 7 controls. Our findings revealed that pineal calcification was initiated as early as age 3, with progressive accumulation of calcification and accompanying cellular loss during the ageing process. A remarkable degree of sexual dimorphism was observed: female-predominant patterns included lipofuscin deposition and pineal cysts, whereas male-predominant characteristics included glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity and connective tissue expression. Significantly, phosphorylated Tau (P-Tau) and amyloid-beta (Aβ) have recently been detected within the pineal gland. Aβ deposition was positively correlated with age and was markedly elevated in individuals with AD. Furthermore, individuals with AD exhibited marked pineal cellular depletion compared with controls, alongside elevated GFAP expression. Cerebro-spinal fluid analysis further revealed significantly reduced melatonin levels in the AD cohort. Overall, this study systematically elucidated the multidimensional pathological features of the pineal gland during ageing and AD progression, and these findings may open new avenues for mechanistic exploration and precision medicine in AD.