Psychoradiology最新文献

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers have shown considerable potential in elucidating the neurobiological underpinnings of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, clinical translation of these biomarkers remains limited due to reliance on group-level analyses, which fail to capture the individual variability inherent in MDD. Precision psychiatry, which advocates for individualized approaches, offers a framework that could enhance the clinical utility of MRI biomarkers across multiple domains, including diagnostic classification, treatment response prediction, and individualized interventions. Despite this potential, current research applying MRI biomarkers to MDD within the framework of precision psychiatry remains fragmented, lacking an integrated clinical system that seamlessly combines these components. This review introduces the concept of a closed-loop clinical system, emphasizing the integration of diagnostic classification, treatment response prediction, and individualized interventions into a unified approach at the individual patient level. We summarize recent advances in these three clinical domains, highlight existing fragmentation, and discuss the challenges of achieving a cohesive system. Finally, we propose that the integration of MRI biomarkers into a closed-loop clinical system, as envisioned by precision psychiatry, holds great promise for the individualized management of MDD, improving clinical outcomes from diagnosis through recovery.

Background: Suicide attempts (SA) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are serious public health problems that frequently co-occur in adolescents females with major depressive disorder (MDD), yet their neurobiological distinctions remain unclear. Here, we sought to explore female adolescents' neural mechanisms via the local gyrification index (LGI) and resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) analysis.

Methods: We compared scale scores, LGI, and seed-based RS-FC among three groups of female adolescents: MDD with both NSSI and SA (SA + NSSI, n = 43), MDD with NSSI only (NSSI, n = 28), and healthy controls (HC, n = 27). Exploratory correlation analysis was applied to examine associations between the neuroimaging alterations and clinical symptom severity in depressed adolescents with SA and NSSI.

Results: Compared with the HC group, both SA + NSSI and NSSI groups showed significantly decreased LGI in the prefrontal cortex, including right rostral/caudal middle frontal gyrus (MFG), precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus (po-CG.R), as well as left rostral MFG, precentral gyrus and opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus. The brain regions with altered RS-FC (seeds based on po-CG.R and the rostral MFG.L) are mainly distributed in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, postcentral gyrus, and occipital lobe (P < 0.05, FDR correction). Moreover, exploratory correlation analysis suggested no statistically significant correlations after FDR correction (α = 0.05).

Conclusion: Reduced cortical folding in postcentral and middle frontal gyri was found in both patient groups, alongside distinct functional connectivity, offering deeper neurobiological insights into SA and NSSI.

Background: Despite advances in understanding the effective connectivity (EC) of brain networks in leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibody encephalitis, the specific cause and underlying mechanisms of LGI1 encephalitis remain unclear.

Materials and methods: The study included 27 patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis and 28 age- and sex-matched normal controls. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis identified altered brain regions. Spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM) then assessed EC between these regions. Relationships between EC strength and both clinical severity and cognitive function were analyzed.

Results: Distinct EC patterns were found in patients versus controls. Specifically, inhibitory EC was observed from the hippocampus to the superior temporal gyrus, while excitatory EC was noted in the reverse direction. Patients also showed reduced inhibitory self-connections in the posterior cingulate cortex. Crucially, inhibitory EC from the right hippocampus to the left superior temporal gyrus correlated inversely with symptom severity and positively with cognitive performance. Conversely, reduced inhibitory self-connections in the posterior cingulate cortex correlated positively with symptom severity and negatively with cognitive function.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that changes in causal connections between specific brain regions significantly contribute to neurological deficits in anti-LGI1 encephalitis. The inhibitory connectivity from the hippocampus to the superior temporal gyrus may serve as a potential biomarker for personalized diagnosis, offering new insights into the underlying pathological mechanisms of this disorder.

Background: Altered connectivity patterns in socio-emotional brain networks are characteristic of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Despite recent research on intranasal oxytocin's modulation effects of network topology in autism, its specific effects on the functional connectivity network topology remain underexplored.

Methods: To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory data-driven study employing a dimensional approach using data from a large cohort of 250 neurotypical adult male subjects with either high or low autistic traits and who had administered 24 IU of intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized, controlled, double-blind design. Resting-state functional connectivity data were analyzed using network-based statistical methods and graph theoretical approaches.

Results: The findings from treatment × autistic trait group interactions revealed significantly different effects of oxytocin in local (cluster coefficient, efficiency, nodal path length, degree and betweenness centrality) but not global graph metrics in individuals with higher autistic traits compared to those with lower ones, across multiple brain regions. Changes across multiple measures were found in the motor, auditory/language, visual, default mode and socio-emotional processing networks, all of which are influenced in autism spectrum disorder.

Conclusion: Overall, findings from this dimensional approach demonstrate that oxytocin particularly targets widespread enhancement of local but not global neural network processing parameters in neurotypical individuals with higher autistic traits. This suggests that intranasal oxytocin may represent a therapeutic option for social, emotional and sensorimotor symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder by modulating local integration within brain regions involved in their regulation.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI), commonly known as "chemo brain," affects a significant proportion of cancer survivors, manifesting as memory deficits, reduced attention, and impaired executive function. Conventional pharmacological treatments offer limited efficacy, prompting interest in complementary, non-invasive interventions. Yoga nidra (YN), a structured form of guided yogic relaxation, has demonstrated potential benefits for neurocognitive and emotional regulation. Grounded in ancient Indian traditions and increasingly supported by modern neuroscientific findings, YN appears to influence brainwave activity, autonomic function, and stress-related biomarker mechanisms implicated in the pathophysiology of CICI. This perspective review explores the emerging role of YN in managing chemo brain, integrating insights from neuroimaging, cognitive neuroscience, and psychophysiology. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature from PubMed- and Scopus-indexed sources, the article highlights the need for further research, including functional imaging and biomarker-based studies, to elucidate its therapeutic mechanisms. The findings underscore YN's potential as an adjunctive tool within integrative oncology and neurorehabilitation frameworks.

Healthcare systems require the efficient development of expert performance. Several studies have explored the cognitive foundations of medical expert performance, especially in radiology. Studying at the brain level could provide further insight into specific mechanisms mediating medical expert performance. Researchers have recently begun to systematically employ neuroimaging in this field. Most studies focus on specific specializations rather than identifying shared neural substrates across disciplines. This systematic review and activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A total of 297 studies examining neural correlates were identified by comparing expert and novice medical performance. After screening, 22 studies were included in the final analysis. For studies reporting three-dimensional coordinates, ALE meta-analysis revealed consistent involvement of the medial frontal lobe, including the superior frontal gyrus, dorsomedial and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and inferior frontal and fusiform gyri. Radiology-specific analyses highlighted activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the left pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), along with the fusiform and opercular inferior frontal gyri. Internal medicine-based studies highlighted involvement of the SMA, inferior frontal gyrus, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Our results revealed involvement, at different levels, of the medial frontal cortex, including the SMA and superior and inferior frontal gyri, which is part of the network relevant for inhibitory control and decision-making. The development of decision-making during the diagnostic process is relevant for the training of future professionals.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a hereditary disease characterized by cerebellar atrophy and motor dysfunction. Patients also exhibit non-ataxic symptoms such as cognitive impairment. While prior neuroimaging studies have identified multiple cognition-associated brain regions in SCA3 patients, research on Papez circuit structural damage (e.g., mammillary bodies (MBs)) remains sparse. Advancements in 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have enabled scanning and quantitative analysis of structures such as the MBs within the Papez circuit. In this study, we investigated the relationship between cognitive impairment in patients with SCA3 and structural changes in the three Papez circuit structures: the MBs, the mammillothalamic tract (MTT), and the post-commissural fornix (PF).

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 46 SCA3 patients and 48 healthy controls undergoing 7T MRI and neuropsychological assessments. Using manual delineation and a deep learning model, we extracted the MB, MTT, and PF volumes from participants. Subsequently, we statistically analyzed the quantitative data.

Results: SCA3 patients exhibited reduced MB, PF, and MTT volumes compared with those of the healthy controls. The MB, left MTT, and left PF volumes were significantly lower in cognitive impairment than in cognitive preserved. Cognitive function in SCA3 patients was positively correlated with the MB, left MTT, and left PF, whereas motor function was negatively correlated with the MB and left PF.

Conclusion: Decreased cognitive and memory function in SCA3 patients is associated with MB, MTT, and PF alterations and is more pronounced on the left side. Motor dysfunction may be correlated with cognitive impairment development.

Background: Suicide has profound effects on individuals, families, and societies globally, underscoring the urgent need for effective early detection and prevention strategies. This systematic review aims to investigate the use of event-related potentials (ERPs) as a tool for identifying and monitoring suicide risk.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted, resulting in the inclusion of 23 articles that met the eligibility criteria. The review synthesized findings related to various ERP components associated with suicide risk.

Results: The analysis revealed that individuals with a history of suicide risk exhibited significantly reduced P3 amplitudes in response to novel stimuli during the go/no-go paradigm compared to healthy controls [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [-0.96; -0.10]]. Additionally, altered P3 responses to positive feedback on rewards indicated impairments in those at risk (SMD = -1.12, 95% CI = [-1.74; -0.49]). Variability in other ERP components was also highlighted, with several moderators, such as sample characteristics and methodological design, influencing ERP components.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that specific ERP components, particularly the P3, may serve as valuable indicators for assessing suicide risk. The review emphasizes the need for future research to utilize larger, more homogeneous samples and advanced analytical techniques to enhance detection accuracy. The application of ERPs is posited as a promising avenue for improving understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms associated with suicide risk and enhancing prevention efforts.

Professor Jeffrey Bishop from the University of Minnesota and Professor Konasale Prasad from the University of Pittsburgh were invited to attend the ISMRM-Endorsed Workshop on MR for Psychiatry in Chengdu, China, from 20 to 22 July 2024. Professor Bishop and Professor Prasad delivered lectures on the molecular and neuro-mechanism of schizophrenia respectively during the session titled "Exploring Schizophrenia with MRI" on the morning of 21 July. Their presentations were met with great enthusiasm and sparked lively discussions among the participants. Following the conference, the Psychoradiology journal interviewed Professors Prasad and Bishop. In the interview, they narrated their personal journeys into the research field and unanimously agreed that psychoradiological techniques have brought a revolutionary change in the characterization of phenotypes with potential future implications for facilitating diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment strategies of mental disorders. They also noted that the field is now facing technological challenges and resource constraints, and that defining mental illnesses biologically and achieving precision treatment will be significant opportunities and challenges in the future. They highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, believing it fosters in-depth dialogue across various domains. Additionally, they encouraged young researchers to maintain perseverance and patience in the long run of scientific research, aligning their goals effectively with practice.