Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruiqing Ni
Summary: Amyloid-beta (A beta) is crucial in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, with aberrant accumulation leading to neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular alterations, and cognitive impairments. High-field MRI technology has enabled non-invasive visualization of A beta-related alterations in animal models, offering translational value for clinical MRI applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Helen M. Kamens, Samuel Cramer, Rachel N. Hanley, Spencer Chase, Anna Wickenheisser, William J. Horton, Nanyin Zhang
Summary: This review synthesizes literature on the neurobiological consequences of exposure to abused opioids by utilizing noninvasive neuroimaging tools in animal models. It highlights the advancements in neuroimaging methodology and emphasizes the importance of animal models in studying the mechanisms of opioid abuse. The review also suggests areas where further research is needed.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Rachel F. Buckley
Summary: Neuroimaging plays a crucial role in studying the pathological changes and biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, providing insights into disease progression and potential drug targets. Recent advances in technology and data accumulation have allowed for a more comprehensive evaluation of the disease's spatial and temporal patterns, as well as a better understanding of the pathological propagation of the disease.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stina Syvanen, Silvio R. Meier, Sahar Roshanbin, Mengfei Xiong, Rebecca Faresjo, Tobias Gustavsson, Gillian Bonvicini, Eva Schlein, Ximena Aguilar, Ulrika Julku, Jonas Eriksson, Dag Sehlin
Summary: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a medical imaging technique that has become important in clinical trials of drugs against Alzheimer's disease (AD). PET data contributed to the approval of aducanumab, an antibody targeting amyloid-beta (A beta) aggregates, by showing a dose-dependent reduction in brain amyloid. PET is also useful in preclinical studies with animal models of A beta pathology. It allows for longitudinal studies and has high translatability between species.
PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Karolina Barbara Owsinska-Schmidt, Paulina Drobot, Anna Zimny, Marcin Adam Wrzosek
Summary: This study used an advanced imaging technique to evaluate the microstructure of healthy pig spinal cords, aiming to determine reference values for both animals and growing humans. Results showed that FA increased and ADC decreased with age and weight gain, but there was no significant change in these parameters between different sections of the spinal cord.
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Ruiqing Ni
Summary: This review summarizes the recent advances in using MRI to visualize the pathophysiology of tauopathy in small animals. It discusses the challenges faced in brain imaging using MRI in small animals and proposes future outlooks for visualizing tau-related alterations in the brains of animal models.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Xiaoyan Hu, Min Kuang, Bo Peng, Yang Yang, Wei Lin, Wenbo Li, Yinghua Wu
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the value of diffusion tensor imaging in assessing renal injury in a rat model of preclinical diabetic nephropathy. Results showed that DN rats exhibited hyperglycemia, polyuria, and renal damage, with increased apparent diffusion coefficients and decreased fractional anisotropy values in the cortex and medulla compared to the NC group. Diffusion tensor imaging may be useful for early, non-invasive, quantitative detection, and therapy monitoring of diabetic nephropathy.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
Max K. Colbert, Leon C. Ho, Yolandi van der Merwe, Xiaoling Yang, Gillian J. McLellan, Samuel A. Hurley, Aaron S. Field, Hongmin Yun, Yiqin Du, Ian P. Conner, Carlos Parra, Muneeb A. Faiq, John H. Fingert, Gadi Wollstein, Joel S. Schuman, Kevin C. Chan
Summary: Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), this study characterized the visual pathway integrity of five glaucoma animal models, revealing that chronic IOP elevation resulted in decreased fractional anisotropy and increased radial diffusivity along the optic nerve or optic tract. Variation in axial diffusivity effects between models suggests different aspects of pathological changes over time and with severity.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Daichi Sone, Iman Beheshti
Summary: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by seizures, and machine learning methods have the potential to provide reliable and optimal performance in clinical diagnoses and personalized medicine. Various machine learning methodologies are being examined and validated for precise and reliable clinical applications in epilepsy and neuroimaging. The review focuses on the clinical applications of ML models for brain imaging in epilepsy, addressing practical problems and suggesting future research directions.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Valeria Romeo, Thomas H. Helbich, Katja Pinker
Summary: The recent introduction of hybrid positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) as a promising imaging modality for breast cancer assessment has sparked extensive research on its clinical applications. This state-of-the-art review provides an overview of advanced MRI techniques, PET tracers, and the use of radiomics and artificial intelligence techniques in hybrid breast PET/MRI. The strengths and limitations of hybrid PET/MRI in the real world are also discussed.
JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Petra Hnilicova, Ema Kantorova, Stanislav Sutovsky, Milan Grofik, Kamil Zelenak, Egon Kurca, Norbert Zilka, Petra Parvanovova, Martin Kolisek
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by perturbed cerebral perfusion and metabolism, induced proinflammatory processes, and the aggregation of amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated Tau proteins. Various imaging methods can detect subclinical AD changes, and new insights suggest a link between brain insulin resistance and AD pathogenesis. This article discusses the use of non-neuronal imaging modalities to assess AD-related structural changes in the liver and pancreas, which may be clinically important during the prodromal phase of the disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Sara Zullino, Alessandro Paglialonga, Walter Dastru, Dario Livio Longo, Silvio Aime
Summary: This study presents XNAT-PIC, an extension of the XNAT platform, for supporting the management and exchange of image data in preclinical imaging facilities, aiming to enhance the reproducibility of image processing results and promote open science practices.
JOURNAL OF DIGITAL IMAGING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natasha N. Knier, Sierra Pellizzari, Jiangbing Zhou, Paula J. Foster, Armen Parsyan
Summary: Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) are a major cause of female mortality worldwide. The scarcity of representative experimental preclinical models has hindered the advancement of BCBM treatment. However, recent developments in patient-derived in vitro and in vivo breast cancer culturing systems, along with advances in animal brain imaging, have provided opportunities to better understand BCBM biology and develop novel treatment approaches.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Kathryn E. Anderssen, Mathias Kranz, Shaheen Syed, Svein Kristian Stormo
Summary: This study investigates the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a quantitative method to describe the structure of muscle tissue in meat and seafood. The results show that DTI can effectively distinguish between different sample qualities and detect changes caused by freezing and thawing damage.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Luca Nagel, Martin Gierse, Wolfgang Gottwald, Zumrud Ahmadova, Martin Grashei, Pascal Wolff, Felix Josten, Senay Karaali, Christoph A. Mueller, Sebastian Lucas, Jochen Scheuer, Christoph Mueller, John Blanchard, Geoffrey J. Topping, Andre Wendlinger, Nadine Setzer, Sandra Suehnel, Jonas Handwerker, Christophoros Vassiliou, Frits H. A. van Heijster, Stephan Knecht, Michael Keim, Franz Schilling, Ilai Schwartz
Summary: Hyperpolarization techniques significantly increase nuclear spin polarization, enabling metabolic MRI. However, the complexity, cost, and slowness of current equipment limit its widespread use. In this study, a polarization procedure using parahydrogen-induced polarization by side-arm hydrogenation (PHIP-SAH) in an automated polarizer is demonstrated, which produces purified, concentrated, and highly hyperpolarized pyruvate solutions within a short time. The results show that PHIP is a viable alternative to established hyperpolarization techniques, with equivalent safety profile, image quality, and quantitative measurements.
Article
Immunology
Anna M. Klawonn, Michael Fritz, Silvia Castany, Marco Pignatelli, Carla Canal, Fredrik Simila, Hugo A. Tejeda, Julia Levinsson, Maarit Jaarola, Johan Jakobsson, Juan Hidalgo, Markus Heilig, Antonello Bonci, David Engblom
Summary: The activation of microglia in neurological diseases, especially in major depression, has been found to be crucial in inducing negative affective states. This is mediated by the microglial production of cytokines and prostaglandins, leading to alterations in the excitability of striatal neurons. Intervention targeting this mechanism could potentially alleviate depressive symptoms in diseases involving microglial activation.
Article
Neurosciences
Michael Fritz, Franziska Roesel, Hannah Dobler, Judith Streb, Manuela Dudeck
Summary: Forensic psychiatric patients often exhibit aggression and violent behaviors, with research identifying two distinct dimensions of aggression - instrumental and reactive aggression. Genetic polymorphisms in catecholamine-converting enzymes like MAO-A and COMT, together with childhood trauma, have been shown to potentially enhance aggressive behavior in adulthood. Furthermore, a combination of unfavorable enzyme genotypes and childhood maltreatment may increase violent behavior. This study found that the unfavorable MAO-A genotype was slightly more frequent in the test population, and that a combination of unfavorable gene polymorphisms and childhood trauma significantly increased aggression scores for both reactive and appetitive aggression. In addition, having both disadvantageous genotypes and a negative childhood was a minor predictor for increased reactive aggression, but strongly influenced the pleasure derived from being aggressive.
Article
Neurosciences
Edith V. Sullivan, Natalie M. Zahr, Stephanie A. Sassoon, Adolf Pfefferbaum
Summary: People living with HIV infection who are adequately treated have a near normal life span, but may experience physical problems related to aging, such as postural instability. This study examined how aging with HIV affects postural instability and identified sensory factors that contribute to imbalance. The results showed that HIV-infected individuals had steeper aging trajectories in sway path length compared to those without HIV. Sway paths were disproportionately longer when tested with eyes closed. Sensory perception was found to be a unique predictor of sway path length, while age, sway path length, and self-reports of falls predicted standing on one leg. Understanding sensory signs and symptoms of imbalance can help prevent instability and falls in the aging HIV population.
JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNE PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Natalie May Zahr, Qingyu Zhao, Ryan Goodcase, Adolf Pfefferbaum
Summary: In this study, the researchers used resiquimod (R848) to stimulate inflammation in mice and measured the brain's structural and metabolic responses using magnetic resonance imaging. They found that peripheral immune stimulation caused transient volume expansion in the brain, which is consistent with brain swelling. The neurochemical change was evident earlier than the neurostructural change.
Review
Psychiatry
Judith Streb, Maximilian Lutz, Manuela Dudeck, Verena Klein, Christina Maass, Michael Fritz, Irina Franke
Summary: Women in detention are a lesser-studied group, especially in the field of forensic psychiatry. This study found gender-specific differences in socio-demographic, legal, and clinical characteristics among forensic psychiatric inpatients with substance use disorders. These differences highlight the importance of considering gender in forensic therapy.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David J. Piekarski, Natalie M. Zahr, Qingyu Zhao, Edith Sullivan, Adolf Pfefferbaum
Summary: Binge alcohol consumption has different effects on brain development, influenced by age of exposure and sex. Adolescent exposure to alcohol may have more detrimental effects on brain structure, particularly in females. More research on both sexes is needed to better understand these effects.
Article
Substance Abuse
David Piekarski, Edith V. Sullivan, Adolf Pfefferbaum, Natalie M. Zahr
Summary: The study examines the relationship between disrupted sleep and cognitive dysfunction in individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The findings suggest that AUD individuals have worse sleep quality, lower quality of life, higher depression scores, and poorer cognitive performance compared to healthy controls. The study also reveals that the factors associated with poor sleep differ between men and women with AUD.
Article
Psychiatry
Severine Lannoy, Rosemary Fama, Stephanie A. Sassoon, Anne-Pascale Le Berre, Priya Asok, Natalie M. Zahr, Adolf Pfefferbaum, Edith V. Sullivan
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative effects on mental health. In this study, researchers used self-report questionnaires to assess participants' quality of life, anxiety symptoms, and alcohol use disorder before and during the pandemic. The results showed a decline in quality of life scores and an increase in anxiety symptoms in all groups, with clinical women experiencing the most significant negative changes.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Adolf Pfefferbaum, Edith V. Sullivan, Natalie M. Zahr, Kilian M. Pohl, Manojkumar Saranathan
Summary: This study validated a modified method for segmenting thalamic nuclei in T1 MRI data and quantified age-related volume declines using this method. The study also found functional meaningfulness by predicting performance on motor testing.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Article
Neuroimaging
Allison J. Kwong, Natalie M. Zahr
Summary: This study evaluated the relationship between liver and brain integrity in individuals with chronic liver disease. The results showed that liver fibrosis was associated with high signal intensities in basal ganglia structures, especially the globus pallidus. The high signal intensity in the globus pallidus was significantly correlated with liver fibrosis markers and postural balance problems.
NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Stephanie A. Sassoon, Rosemary Fama, Anne-Pascale Le Berre, Eva M. Muller-Oehring, Natalie M. Zahr, Adolf Pfefferbaum, Edith Sullivan
Summary: Experience of childhood trauma, particularly abuse, increases the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and risky behaviors leading to HIV infection. Both AUD and HIV are associated with lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) possibly influenced by childhood trauma. In this study, individuals with AUD, HIV, AUD+HIV, and controls completed assessments to measure HRQoL, resilience, and childhood trauma. The results showed that AUD, HIV, and AUD+HIV groups had lower HRQoL and resilience scores compared to controls. Greater resilience was a significant predictor of better quality of life in all groups. The impact of childhood trauma on HRQoL differed between AUD and HIV, with higher T-lymphocyte count contributing to better HRQoL in HIV. This study highlights the detrimental effect of AUD, HIV, and their comorbidity on HRQoL, as well as the positive influence of resilience.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Michael Fritz, Georgios Karanassios, Viviane Wolf, Juliane Mayer, Ivonne Steiner, Irina Franke, Verena Klein, Judith Streb, Manuela Dudeck
Summary: This study characterized two female forensic psychiatric patient populations and found that patients with substance use disorder were more frequently exposed to violence in adulthood, while severely mentally ill patients tended to react with violence during their hospital confinement. It was also found that in the addicted group, a violent index crime and physical aggression during hospital confinement increased the odds for violent reoffending.
EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
