Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging RSS feed: Current Issue. The Neuroimaging section of Psychiatry Research publishes manuscripts on positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, computerized electroencephalographic topography, regional cerebral blood flow, computed tomography, magnetoencephalography, autoradiography, post-mortem regional analyses, and other imaging techniques. Reports concerning results in psychiatric disorders, dementias, and the effects of behaviorial tasks and pharmacological treatments are featured. We also invite manuscripts on the methods of obtaining images and computer processing of the images themselves. Selected case reports are also published. http://www.psyn-journal.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging0925-4927194330 December 2011 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS092549271100360X/abstract?rss=yesEditorial Board10.1016/S0925-4927(11)00360-XPsychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4IFCIFChttp://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002058/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: The aim of this study was to examine the changes in cognitive flexibility and associated cerebral blood flow in the anterior cingulate lobe of drug-naive patients with first-episode schizophrenia who were treated with atypical antipsychotics for 6weeks. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images were obtained from 8 healthy subjects both at rest and while performing the flexibility subtest of the TAP (Test for Attentional Performance). SPECT images were obtained in parallel from 8 first-episode drug-naive schizophrenic patients while they were performing the same task both before and after 6weeks of neuroleptic treatment. In the control group, an increase in the perfusion indices of the dorsal section of the anterior cingulate gyrus was observed in the activation condition. Task performance was altered and the level of perfusion of the brain region related to the task execution was significantly decreased in the patients at baseline. After treatment, there was a significant improvement in both task performance and the level of perfusion of the dorsal section of the anterior cingulate. We conclude that treatment with second-generation neuroleptics improves cognitive flexibility, and there was a relationship between such improvements and normalization of perfusion indices of the involved brain areas.Improvement of cognitive flexibility and cingulate blood flow correlates after atypical antipsychotic treatment in drug-naive patients with first-episode schizophreniaBernardo M. Pardo, Maite Garolera, Mar Ariza, Deborah Pareto, Manel Salamero, Vicenç Valles, Luis Delgado, Joan Alberni10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.06.001Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Single photon emission computed tomography205211http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711000680/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: The P300 is a cortically generated event related potential (ERP) widely used in neurophysiological research since it is related to cognitive functions and central information processing. Intracerebral recordings and functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that this potential is generated by various brain regions including frontal, temporal and parietal cortices. Regarding the neurochemical background, clinical and genetic investigations suggest that dopaminergic neurons could be involved in the generation of the P300. However, there is no direct evidence in vivo that P300 amplitudes and latencies are related to dopaminergic parameters. The aim of this study was to further elucidate dopaminergic aspects of the P300 ERP by combining neurophysiological and nuclear medicine assessments in vivo. Patients with a major depressive episode underwent both P300 recordings and dynamic [123I] IBZM SPECT for the evaluation of striatal dopamine D2/D3-receptor availability. There were statistically significant positive correlations of the striatal dopamine D2/D3-receptor status with P300 amplitudes and significant negative correlations with P300 latencies. Using this combined approach, the study presents direct evidence in vivo that the central dopaminergic system might play an important role in the generation of the P300 and that central dopaminergic activity could be involved in the modulation of P300 parameters. This association might be of relevance for the interpretation of P300 studies in psychiatric disorders.Dopaminergic mechanisms of target detection — P300 event related potential and striatal dopamineOliver Pogarell, Frank Padberg, Susanne Karch, Felix Segmiller, Georg Juckel, Christoph Mulert, Ulrich Hegerl, Klaus Tatsch, Walter Koch10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.02.002Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Single photon emission computed tomography212218http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001491/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) after charcoal burning results in delayed neuropsychological sequelae (DNS), which show clinical resemblance to Parkinson's disease, without adequate predictors at present. This study examined the role of dopamine transporter (DAT) binding for the prediction of DNS. Twenty-seven suicide attempters with COP were recruited. Seven of them developed DNS, while the remainder did not. The striatal DAT binding was measured by single photon emission computed tomography with 99mTc-TRODAT. The specific uptake ratio was derived based on a ratio equilibrium model. Using a logistic regression model, multiple clinical variables were examined as potential predictors for DNS. COP patients with DNS had a lower binding on left striatal DAT binding than patients without DNS. Logistic regression analysis showed that a combination of initial loss of consciousness and lower left striatal DAT binding predicted the development of DNS. Our data indicate that the left striatal DAT binding could help to predict the development of DNS. This finding not only demonstrates the feasibility of brain imaging techniques for predicting the development of DNS but will also help clinicians to improve the quality of care for COP patients.Striatal dopamine transporter binding for predicting the development of delayed neuropsychological sequelae in suicide attempters by carbon monoxide poisoning: A SPECT studyKai-Chun Yang, Hsiao-Lun Ku, Chia-Liang Wu, Shyh-Jen Wang, Chen-Chang Yang, Jou-Fang Deng, Ming-Been Lee, Yuan-Hwa Chou10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.006Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Single photon emission computed tomography219223http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001739/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Previous brain imaging studies have demonstrated a seasonal difference of serotonin transporter (SERT) binding in the human brain. However, the results were somewhat contradictory. We conducted test–retest study with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 123I-ADAM as ligand in 28 healthy subjects. Ten of the subjects were studied within 1month, whereas 18 were randomly assigned to be studied over a period of up to 1year. The primary measure was the specific uptake ratio (SUR). Regions of interest included the midbrain, thalamus, putamen and caudate. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.52–0.94 across different brain regions over 1month, whereas the ICC was -0.24–0.63 over a 1-year period. The 1-month variability ranged from 6.5±5.1% to 12.5±10.6% across different brain regions, and the 1-year variability ranged from 16.5±9.6% to 41.9±35.5%. The Kruskal–Wallis test revealed a significant difference of variability across months. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed the SUR between test-retest scans was of borderline significance. Curve fitting, using a 4th degree polynomial model, revealed a significant circadian correlation between the variability and interval of test-retest measurements. Our findings demonstrate the test–retest reproducibility of 123I-ADAM in different time periods and suggest that circadian variation of SERT levels in the human brain might exist.Short term vs. long term test–retest reproducibility of 123I-ADAM for the binding of serotonin transporters in the human brainJu-Wei Hsu, Shyh-Jen Wang, Chun-Lung Lin, Wen-Chi Hsieh, Jiing-Feng Lirng, Yuh-Chiang Shen, Mei-Hsiu Liao, Yuan-Hwa Chou10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.011Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Single photon emission computed tomography224229http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001508/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Evidence from biochemical, imaging, and treatment studies suggest abnormalities of the serotonin system in autism spectrum disorders, in particular in frontolimbic areas of the brain. We used the radiotracers [11C]MDL 100907 and [11C]DASB to characterize the 5-HT2A receptor and serotonin transporter in Asperger's Disorder. Seventeen individuals with Asperger's Disorder (age=34.3±11.1years) and 17 healthy controls (age=33.0±9.6years) were scanned with [11C]MDL 100907. Of the 17 patients, eight (age=29.7±7.0years) were also scanned with [11C]DASB, as were eight healthy controls (age=28.7±7.0years). Patients with Asperger's Disorder and healthy control subjects were matched for age, gender, and ethnicity, and all had normal intelligence. Metabolite-corrected arterial plasma inputs were collected and data analyzed by two-tissue compartment modeling. The primary outcome measure was regional binding potential BPND. Neither regional [11C]MDL 100907 BPND nor [11C]DASB BPND was statistically different between the Asperger's and healthy subjects. This study failed to find significant alterations in binding parameters of 5-HT2A receptors and serotonin transporters in adult subjects with Asperger's Disorder.The 5-HT2A receptor and serotonin transporter in Asperger's Disorder: A PET study with [11C]MDL 100907 and [11C]DASBRagy R. Girgis, Mark Slifstein, Xiaoyan Xu, W. Gordon Frankle, Evdokia Anagnostou, Stacey Wasserman, Lauren Pepa, Alexander Kolevzon, Anissa Abi-Dargham, Marc Laruelle, Eric Hollander10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.007Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Positron emission tomography230234http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002320/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Behavioral impairments occur frequently in dementia. Studies with magnetic resonance imaging, measuring atrophy, have systematically investigated their neural correlates. Such a systematic approach has not yet been applied to imaging with [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), although regional hypometabolism may precede and exceed atrophy in dementia. The present study related all behavioral disorders as assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory to reductions in brain glucose utilization as measured by FDG-PET with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM5). It included 54 subjects mainly with early Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and subjective cognitive impairment. Apathy, disinhibition and eating disorders – most frequent in frontotemporal lobar degeneration – correlated significantly with regional brain hypometabolism. Whereas a single regressor analysis and conjunction analysis revealed largely overlapping frontomedian regions that were associated with all three behavioral domains, a disjunction analysis identified three specific neural networks for each behavioral disorder, independent of dementia severity. Apathy was related to the ventral tegmental area, a component of the motivational dopaminergic network; disinhibition to both anterior temporal lobes including the anterior hippocampi and left amygdala, caudate head, orbitofrontal cortex and insulae; and eating disorders to the right lateral (orbito) frontal cortex/insula. Our study contributes to the understanding of behavioral deficits in early dementia and suggests specific diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.Dissociating behavioral disorders in early dementia—An FDG-PET studyMatthias L. Schroeter, Barbara Vogt, Stefan Frisch, Georg Becker, Anita Seese, Henryk Barthel, Karsten Mueller, Arno Villringer, Osama Sabri10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.06.009Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Positron emission tomography235244http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002022/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Schizophrenia patients are often impaired in their memory for emotional events compared with healthy subjects. Investigations of the neural correlates of emotional memory in schizophrenia patients are scarce in the literature. The present study aimed to compare cerebral activations in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls during memory retrieval of emotional images that varied in both valence and arousal. In a study with functional magnetic resonance imaging, 37 schizophrenia patients were compared with 37 healthy participants while performing a yes/no recognition paradigm with positive, negative (differing in arousal intensity) and neutral images. Schizophrenia patients performed worse than healthy controls in all experimental conditions. They showed less cerebral activation in limbic and prefrontal regions than controls during retrieval of negatively valenced stimuli, but had a similar pattern of brain activation compared with controls during retrieval of positively valenced stimuli (particularly in the high arousal condition) in the cerebellum, temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex. Both groups demonstrated increased brain activations in the high relative to low arousing conditions. Our results suggest atypical brain function during retrieval of negative pictures, but intact functional circuitry of positive affect during episodic memory retrieval in schizophrenia patients. The arousal data revealed that schizophrenia patients closely resemble the control group at both the behavioral and neurofunctional level.Neural correlates of emotional recognition memory in schizophrenia: Effects of valence and arousalNadia Lakis, José A. Jiménez, Adham Mancini-Marïe, Emmanuel Stip, Marc E. Lavoie, Adrianna Mendrek10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.010Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional magnetic resonance imaging245256http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002034/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Working memory (WM) dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a core feature of schizophrenia, but few studies have investigated prefrontal activation during WM tasks in early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorder (EOS). Our aim was to explore prefrontal activation during a WM-task in EOS patients compared to healthy controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Fifteen patients with EOS and 15 matched healthy controls performed a 0-back and a 2-back task while fMRI data were acquired. Results indicated that even though performance between patients and controls was comparable on both tasks, there was a hyperactivation in patients' ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) during the 2-back task compared to healthy controls. This pattern of activation suggests that, in patients with EOS, the VLPFC compensated in order to match performance of the controls. The activations in the EOS group may reflect the use of a compensatory, cognitive strategy while solving WM-tasks.Prefrontal hyperactivation during a working memory task in early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders: An fMRI studyRune Thormodsen, Jimmy Jensen, Aina Holmèn, Monica Juuhl-Langseth, Kyrre Eeg Emblem, Ole Andreas Andreassen, Bjørn Rishovd Rund10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.011Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional magnetic resonance imaging257262http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002356/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Anhedonia, the loss of interest or pleasure in normally rewarding activities, is a hallmark feature of unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). A growing body of literature has identified frontostriatal dysfunction during reward anticipation and outcomes in MDD. However, no study to date has directly compared responses to different types of rewards such as pleasant images and monetary rewards in MDD. To investigate the neural responses to monetary and pleasant image rewards in MDD, a modified Monetary Incentive Delay task was used during functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess neural responses during anticipation and receipt of monetary and pleasant image rewards. Participants included nine adults with MDD and 13 affectively healthy controls. The MDD group showed lower activation than controls when anticipating monetary rewards in right orbitofrontal cortex and subcallosal cortex, and when anticipating pleasant image rewards in paracingulate and supplementary motor cortex. The MDD group had relatively greater activation in right putamen when anticipating monetary versus pleasant image rewards, relative to the control group. Results suggest reduced reward network activation in MDD when anticipating rewards, as well as relatively greater hypoactivation to pleasant image than monetary rewards.Major depressive disorder is characterized by greater reward network activation to monetary than pleasant image rewardsMoria J. Smoski, Alison Rittenberg, Gabriel S. Dichter10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.06.012Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional magnetic resonance imaging263270http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002800/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Generalized social anxiety disorder (GSAD) is characterized by excessive fears of scrutiny and negative evaluation, but neural circuitry related to scrutiny in GSAD has been little studied. In this study, 16 unmedicated adults with GSAD and 16 matched healthy comparison (HC) participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess neural response to viewed images of faces simulating movement into eye contact versus away from eye contact. GSAD patients were then treated for 8 weeks with paroxetine, and 15 patients were re-imaged. At baseline, GSAD patients had elevated neural response to eye contact in parahippocampal cortex, inferior parietal lobule, supramarginal gyrus, posterior cingulate and middle occipital cortex. During paroxetine treatment, symptomatic improvement was associated with decreased neural response to eye contact in regions including inferior and middle frontal gyri, anterior cingulate, posterior cingulate, precuneus and inferior parietal lobule. Both the magnitude of GSAD symptom reduction with paroxetine treatment and the baseline comparison of GSAD vs. HCs were associated with neural processing of eye contact in distributed networks that included regions involved in self-referential processing. These findings demonstrate that eye contact in GSAD engages neurocircuitry consistent with the heightened self-conscious emotional states known to characterize GSAD patients during scrutiny.Neural response to eye contact and paroxetine treatment in generalized social anxiety disorderFranklin R. Schneier, Marc Pomplun, Melissa Sy, Joy Hirsch10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.08.006Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional magnetic resonance imaging271278http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002484/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate dysfunction in the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex in adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders and psychopathic traits during a moral judgment task. Fourteen adolescents with psychopathic traits and 14 healthy controls were assessed using fMRI while they categorized illegal and legal behaviors in a moral judgment implicit association task. fMRI data were then analyzed using random-effects analysis of variance and functional connectivity. Youths with psychopathic traits showed reduced amygdala activity when making judgments about legal actions and reduced functional connectivity between the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex during task performance. These results suggest that psychopathic traits are associated with amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex dysfunction. This dysfunction may relate to previous findings of disrupted moral judgment in this population.Reduced amygdala–orbitofrontal connectivity during moral judgments in youths with disruptive behavior disorders and psychopathic traitsAbigail A. Marsh, Elizabeth C. Finger, Katherine A. Fowler, Ilana T.N. Jurkowitz, Julia C. Schechter, Henry H. Yu, Daniel S. Pine, R.J.R. Blair10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.07.008Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional magnetic resonance imaging279286http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001533/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Individuals who abuse methamphetamine (MA) perform at levels below those of healthy controls on tests that require cognitive control. As cognitive control deficits may influence the success of treatment for addiction, we sought to help clarify the neural correlates of this deficit. MA-dependent (n=10, abstinent 4–7days) and control subjects (n=18) performed a color-word Stroop task, which requires cognitive control, during functional MRI (fMRI). The task included a condition in which participants were required to respond to one stimulus dimension while ignoring another conflicting dimension, and another condition without conflict. We compared the groups on performance and neural activation in the two conditions. MA-dependent subjects made more errors and responded more slowly than controls. Controlling for response times in the incongruent condition, voxel-wise mixed effects analyses (whole-brain corrected) demonstrated that MA-dependent subjects had less activation than control subjects in the right inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor cortex/anterior cingulate gyrus and the anterior insular cortex during the incongruent condition only. MA-dependent subjects did not exhibit greater activation in any brain region in either of the Stroop conditions. These preliminary findings suggest that hypofunction in cortical areas that are important for executive function underlies cognitive control deficits associated with MA dependence.Prefrontal hypoactivation during cognitive control in early abstinent methamphetamine-dependent subjectsLiam J. Nestor, Dara G. Ghahremani, John Monterosso, Edythe D. London10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.010Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional magnetic resonance imaging287295http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001995/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Functional neuroimaging implicates hyperactivity of amygdala-orbitofrontal circuitry as a common neurobiological mechanism underlying the development of anxiety. Less is known about anxiety-related structural differences in this network. In this study, a sample of healthy adults with no history of anxiety disorders completed a 3T MRI scan and self-report mood inventories. Post-processing quantitative MRI image analysis included segmentation and volume estimation of subcortical structures, which were regressed on anxiety inventory scores, with depression scores used to establish discriminant validity. We then used a quantitative vertex-based post-processing method to correlate (1) anxiety scores and (2) left amygdala volumes with cortical thickness across the whole cortical mantle. Left amygdala volumes predicted anxiety, with decreased amygdala volume associated with higher anxiety on both state and trait anxiety measures. A negative correlation between left amygdala volume and cortical thickness overlapped with a positive correlation between anxiety and cortical thickness in left lateral orbitofrontal cortex. These results suggest a structural anxiety network that corresponds with a large body of evidence from functional neuroimaging. Such findings raise the possibility that structural abnormalities may result in a greater vulnerability to anxiety or conversely that elevated anxiety symptoms may result in focal structural changes.Structural evidence for involvement of a left amygdala-orbitofrontal network in subclinical anxietyKaren Blackmon, William B. Barr, Chad Carlson, Orrin Devinsky, Jonathan DuBois, Daniel Pogash, Brian T. Quinn, Ruben Kuzniecky, Eric Halgren, Thomas Thesen10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.007Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Structural magnetic resonance imaging296303http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001983/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Offspring from families with multiple cases of alcohol dependence have a greater likelihood of developing alcohol dependence (AD) and related substance use disorders. Greater susceptibility for developing these disorders may be related to structural differences in brain circuits that influence the salience of rewards or modify the efficiency of information processing and AD susceptibility. We examined the cerebellum of 71 adolescent/young adult high-risk (HR) offspring from families with multiple cases of alcohol dependence (multiplex families), and 60 low-risk (LR) controls with no family history of alcohol or drug dependence who were matched for age, gender, socioeconomic status and IQ, with attention given to possible effects of personal use of substances and maternal use during pregnancy. Magnetic resonance images were acquired on a General Electric 1.5-Tesla scanner and manually traced (BRAINS2) blind to clinical information. GABRA2 and BDNF variation were tested for their association with cerebellar volumes. High-risk offspring from multiplex AD families showed greater total volume of the cerebellum and total gray matter (GM), in comparison with LR controls. An interaction between allelic variation in GABRA2 and BDNF genes was associated with GM volumes, suggesting that inherited variation in these genes may promote early developmental differences in neuronal proliferation of the cerebellum.Cerebellum volume in high-risk offspring from multiplex alcohol dependence families: Association with allelic variation in GABRA2 and BDNFShirley Y. Hill, Shuhui Wang, Howard Carter, Kevin Tessner, Brian Holmes, Michael McDermott, Nicholas Zezza, Scott Stiffler10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.006Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Structural magnetic resonance imaging304313http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002472/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response, a measure for sensorimotor gating, exhibits a relatively high inter-individual variability in elderly subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether white matter hyperintensities (WMH), frequently identified on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in elderly subjects with and without cognitive impairment, may contribute to variations in PPI. A passive acoustic PPI paradigm was applied in 92 human subjects (53 healthy and 39 patients with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment) between 60 and 85years of age. WMH were rated visually on craniel MRI FLAIR images using the Fazekas scale. WMH were identified in 70% of all subjects. The latency to peak of the startle response increased significantly with increasing WMH load, whereas the inhibition of the startle response (PPI) was neither significantly related to the degree of WMH nor to cognitive performance. We conclude that the presence of WMH in the fronto-striatal brain circuit may affect the latency of the startle response, but not information processing in elderly subjects.White matter hyperintensities and prepulse inhibition in a mixed elderly populationLise C. Salem, Anne-Mette Hejl, Ellen Garde, Anne Mette Leffers, Olaf B. Paulson, Gunhild Waldemar10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.07.007Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Structural magnetic resonance imaging314318http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001156/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Children of parents with bipolar disorder (BD), especially those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and symptoms of depression or mania, are at significantly high risk for developing BD. As we have previously shown amygdalar reductions in pediatric BD, the current study examined amygdalar volumes in offspring of parents (BD offspring) who have not yet developed a full manic episode. Youth participating in the study included 22 BD offspring and 22 healthy controls of comparable age, gender, handedness, and IQ. Subjects had no history of a manic episode, but met criteria for ADHD and moderate mood symptoms. MRI was performed on a 3T GE scanner, using a 3D volumetric spoiled gradient echo series. Amygdalae were manually traced using BrainImage Java software on positionally normalized brain stacks. Bipolar offspring had similar amygdalar volumes compared to the control group. Exploratory analyses yielded no differences in hippocampal or thalamic volumes. Bipolar offspring do not show decreased amygdalar volume, possibly because these abnormalities occur after more prolonged illness rather than as a preexisting risk factor. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether amygdalar volumes change during and after the development of BD.Amygdalar, hippocampal, and thalamic volumes in youth at high risk for development of bipolar disorderAsya Karchemskiy, Amy Garrett, Meghan Howe, Nancy Adleman, Diana I. Simeonova, Dylan Alegria, Allan Reiss, Kiki Chang10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.03.006Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Structural magnetic resonance imaging319325http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS092549271100206X/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Low participation is a potential source of bias in population-based studies. This article presents use of inverse probability weighting (IPW) in adjusting for non-participation in estimation of brain volumes among subjects with schizophrenia. Altogether 101 schizophrenia subjects and 187 non-psychotic comparison subjects belonging to the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort were invited to participate in a field study during 1999–2001. Volumes of grey matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were compared between the 54 participating schizophrenia subjects and 100 comparison subjects. IPW by illness-related auxiliary variables did not affect the estimated GM and WM mean volumes, but increased the estimated CSF mean volume in schizophrenia subjects. When adjusted for intracranial volume and family history of psychosis, IPW led to smaller estimated GM and WM mean volumes. Especially IPW by a disability pension and a higher amount of hospitalisation due to psychosis had effect on estimated mean brain volumes. The IPW method can be used to improve estimates affected by non-participation by reflecting the true differences in the target population.Use of inverse probability weighting to adjust for non-participation in estimating brain volumes in schizophrenia patientsMarianne Haapea, Juha Veijola, Päivikki Tanskanen, Erika Jääskeläinen, Matti Isohanni, Jouko Miettunen10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.06.002Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Structural magnetic resonance imaging326332http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001181/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: The corpus callosum (CC) has emerged as one of the primary targets of autism research. To detect aberrant CC interhemispheric connectivity in autism, we performed T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based tractography in 18 children with high functioning autism (HFA) and 16 well-matched typically developing (TD) children. We compared global and regional T1 measures (CC volume, and CC density), and the DTI measures [fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), average fiber length (AFL), and fiber number (FN)] of transcallosal fibers, between the two groups. We also evaluated the relationships between scores on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and CC T1 or DTI measurements. Significantly less white matter density in the anterior third of the CC, and higher ADC and lower FN values of the anterior third transcallosal fiber tracts were found in HFA patients compared to TD children. These results suggested that the anterior third CC density and transcallosal fiber connectivity were affected in HFA children.Detecting abnormalities of corpus callosum connectivity in autism using magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor tractographyShanshan Hong, Xiaoyan Ke, Tianyu Tang, Yueyue Hang, Kangkang Chu, Haiqing Huang, Zongcai Ruan, Zuhong Lu, Guotai Tao, Yijun Liu10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.03.009Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Diffusion tensor imaging333339http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002757/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in substance use disorders have shown brain white matter integrity abnormalities, but there are no studies in pathological gambling, a form of behavioral addiction. Our objective was to investigate possible changes in regional brain gray and white matter volumes, and axonal white matter integrity in pathological gamblers compared to healthy controls. Twenty-four subjects (12 clinically diagnosed male pathological gamblers and 12 age-matched healthy male volunteers) underwent structural and diffusion weighted brain MRI scans, which were analyzed with voxel-based morphometry and tract based spatial statistics. In pathological gamblers, widespread lower white matter integrity (lower fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity) was seen in multiple brain regions including the corpus callosum, the cingulum, the superior longitudinal fascicle, the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle, the anterior limb of internal capsule, the anterior thalamic radiation, the inferior longitudinal fascicle and the uncinate/inferior fronto-occipital fascicle. There were no volumetric differences in gray or white matter between pathological gamblers and controls. The results suggest that pathological gambling is associated with extensive lower integrity of several brain white matter tracts. The diffusion abnormality closely resembles previous findings in individuals with substance addictions.Extensive abnormality of brain white matter integrity in pathological gamblingJuho Joutsa, Jani Saunavaara, Riitta Parkkola, Solja Niemelä, Valtteri Kaasinen10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.08.001Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Diffusion tensor imaging340346http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001193/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: White matter abnormalities have been repeatedly reported in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD) in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, but the empirical evidence about the diagnostic specificity of white matter abnormalities in these disorders is still limited. This study sought to investigate the alterations in fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter throughout the entire brain of patients from Chengdu, China with paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar mania. For this purpose, DTI was used to assess white matter integrity in patients with paranoid schizophrenia (n=25) and psychotic bipolar mania (n=18) who had been treated with standard pharmacotherapy for fewer than 5 days at the time of study, as well as in normal controls (n=30). The differences in FA were measured by use of voxel-based analysis. The results show that reduced FA was found in the left posterior corona radiata (PCR) in patients with psychotic bipolar mania and paranoid schizophrenia compared to the controls. Patients with psychotic bipolar mania also showed a significant reduction in FA in right posterior corona radiata and in right anterior thalamic radiation (ATR). A direct comparison between the two patient groups found no significant differences in any regions, and none of the findings were associated with illness duration. Correlation analysis indicated that FA values showed a significant negative correlation with positive symptom scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale in the left frontal-parietal lobe in the paranoid schizophrenia. It was concluded that common abnormalities in the left PCR might imply an overlap in white matter pathology in the two disorders and might be related to shared risk factors for the two disorders.Assessment of white matter abnormalities in paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar mania patientsLiqian Cui, Zhuangfei Chen, Wei Deng, Xiaoqi Huang, Mingli Li, Xiaohong Ma, Chaohua Huang, Lijun Jiang, Yingcheng Wang, Qiang Wang, David A. Collier, Qiyong Gong, Tao Li10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.03.010Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Diffusion tensor imaging347353http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS092549271100196X/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is known to cause significant cognitive and attentional dysfunction. Given the relationship between default mode network (DMN) activity and task-related attentional modulation, it is possible that PAE affects activity of this network. In the present study, task-related deactivation as well as structural and resting state functional connectivity of the DMN were examined using diffusional tensor imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging in non-dysmorphic and dysmorphic PAE populations and compared to healthy controls. The dysmorphic PAE group was found to have reduced DMN deactivation as compared to controls, indicating poorer attentional modulation during the cognitive task. Additionally, structural connectivity and baseline functional connectivity were lower in both PAE groups as compared to controls. Primarily the findings suggest that learning problems seen with PAE may be a combination of general attentional and specific cognitive deficits. A secondary implication is that DMN activity is affected to varying extents depending on the degree of PAE.Default mode network dysfunction in adults with prenatal alcohol exposurePriya Santhanam, Claire D. Coles, Zhihao Li, Longchuan Li, Mary Ellen Lynch, Xiaoping Hu10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.004Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Diffusion tensor imaging354362http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002046/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) detects white matter damage in neuro-psychiatric disorders, but data on reliability of DTI measures across more than two scanners are still missing. In this study we assessed multicenter reproducibility of DTI acquisitions based on a physical phantom as well as brain scans across 16 scanners. In addition, we performed DTI scans in a group of 26 patients with clinically probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 12 healthy elderly controls at one single center. We determined the variability of fractional anisotropy (FA) measures using manually placed regions of interest as well as automated tract based spatial statistics and deformation based analysis. The coefficient of variation (CV) of FA was 6.9% for the physical phantom data. The mean CV across the multicenter brain scans was 14% for tract based statistics, and 29% for deformation based analysis. The degree of variation was higher in less organized fiber tracts. Our findings suggest that a clinical and physical phantom study involving more than two scanners is indispensable to detect potential sources of bias and to reliably estimate effect size in multicenter diagnostic trials using DTI.Multicenter stability of diffusion tensor imaging measures: A European clinical and physical phantom studyStefan J. Teipel, Sigrid Reuter, Bram Stieltjes, Julio Acosta-Cabronero, Ulrike Ernemann, Andreas Fellgiebel, Massimo Filippi, Giovanni Frisoni, Frank Hentschel, Frank Jessen, Stefan Klöppel, Thomas Meindl, Petra J.W. Pouwels, Karl-Heinz Hauenstein, Harald Hampel10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.05.012Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Diffusion tensor imaging363371http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711000758/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Predicting treatment response in major depressive disorder (MDD) has been an important clinical issue given that the initial intent-to-treat response rate is only 50 to 60%. This study was designed to examine whether functional connectivity strengths of resting EEG could be potential biomarkers in predicting treatment response at 8weeks of treatment. Resting state 3-min eyes-closed EEG activity was recorded at baseline and compared in 108 depressed patients. All patients were being treated with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. Baseline coherence and power series correlation were compared between responders and non-responders evaluated at the 8th week by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Pearson correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were applied to evaluate the performance of connectivity strengths in predicting/classifying treatment responses. The connectivity strengths of right fronto-temporal network at delta/theta frequencies differentiated responders and non-responders at the 8th week of treatment, such that the stronger the connectivity strengths, the poorer the treatment response. ROC analyses supported the value of these measures in classifying responders/non-responders. Our results suggest that fronto-temporal connectivity strengths could be potential biomarkers to differentiate responders and slow responders or non-responders in MDD.The implication of functional connectivity strength in predicting treatment response of major depressive disorder: A resting EEG studyTien-Wen Lee, Yu-Te Wu, Younger W.-Y. Yu, Ming-Chao Chen, Tai-Jui Chen10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.02.009Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Electroencephalography372377http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711000448/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Altered prefrontal brain activity (e.g. hypofrontality) during cognitive tasks such as working memory is a core neuroimaging marker in unipolar (UNI) and bipolar (BI) depression. The present study investigated for the first time UNI (n=16) and BI patients (n=14) in a working memory task including different processes (storage and matching) and components (object and spatial visual) with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) over the prefrontal cortex. In healthy controls (n=15) comparable to both patient groups, changes of oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin indicated increased ventro-lateral, dorso-lateral prefrontal and superior frontal cortex activity for object and spatial visual working memory storage as compared to the control condition. In contrast, both patient groups showed diminished brain activity in all working memory conditions. Results revealed unspecific deficits that did not allow the differentiation between unipolar and bipolar depression in dependence of working memory processes or components. However, fNIRS can be considered as a valid, easy manageable, low cost and rapid tool for measuring (diminished) prefrontal cortex functions.Reduced prefrontal oxygenation during object and spatial visual working memory in unpolar and bipolar depressionMartin Schecklmann, Thomas Dresler, Stefanie Beck, Johanna T. Jay, Richard Febres, Julia Haeusler, Tomasz A. Jarczok, Andreas Reif, Michael M. Plichta, Ann-Christine Ehlis, Andreas J. Fallgatter10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.01.016Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Functional near-infrared spectroscopy378384http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711000734/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Stress-induced hippocampal volume loss and decrease in N-acetylaspartate (NAA) level have been reported to be associated with impaired neural plasticity and neuronal damage in adults. Accordingly, reversing structural and metabolite damage in the hippocampus may be a desirable goal for antidepressant therapy. The present study investigated the effects of tianeptine on chronic stress-induced hippocampal volume loss and metabolite alterations in vivo in 24 Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were subjected to a consecutive 28-day forced swimming test stress. Tianeptine (50mg/kg) or saline was administered intragastrically 4h after swimming each day. Spontaneous behaviors, serum corticosterone concentration, hippocampal volume and NAA level were evaluated after stress. Chronic tianeptine treatment counteracted the chronic stress-induced suppression of spontaneous behaviors, elevated serum corticosterone concentration, reduced hippocampal volume and decreased NAA level. Moreover, we found asymmetrical right–left hippocampal volume loss in stressed rats, with the left hippocampus more sensitive to chronic stress than the right hippocampus. In addition, stressed rats showed a decreased level of hippocampal metabolites, without significant loss of hippocampal volume. These findings provide experimental evidence for impaired structural plasticity of the brain being an important feature of depressive illness and suggest that prophylactic tianeptine treatments could reverse structural changes in brain. The structural and neurochemical alterations in the hippocampus may be valuable indexes for evaluating the prophylactic and curative effect of antidepressant treatments in depressive and stress-related disorders.Tianeptine reverses stress-induced asymmetrical hippocampal volume and N-acetylaspartate loss in rats: An in vivo studyWei Liu, Xi-Ji Shu, Fu-Yin Chen, Cheng Zhu, Xiao-Hai Sun, Li-Jiang Liu, Yong-Xun Ai, Yu-Guang Li, Hu Zhao10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.02.007Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Magnetic resonance spectroscopy385392http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711001521/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adolescents is characterized by alterations in positive emotions and reward processing. Recent investigations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) find depression-related differences in reward anticipation. However, it is unknown whether feedback influences subsequent reward anticipation, which may highlight the context of reward processing. Ten youth with MDD and 16 youth with no history of MDD completed an fMRI assessment using a reward task. Reward anticipation was indexed by blood oxygen level dependent signal change in the striatum following winning, losing, non-winning, and non-losing outcomes. A significant interaction between diagnostic status and outcome condition predicted reward anticipation in the caudate. Decomposition of the interaction indicated that following winning outcomes, depressed youth demonstrated reduced reward anticipation relative to healthy youth. However, no significant differences between depressed and healthy youth were found after other outcomes. Reward anticipation is altered following winning outcomes. This finding has implications for understanding the developmental pathophysiology of MDD and suggests specific contexts where altered motivational system functioning may play a role in maintaining depression.“I won, but I'm not getting my hopes up”: Depression moderates the relationship of outcomes and reward anticipationThomas M. Olino, Dana L. McMakin, Ronald E. Dahl, Neal D. Ryan, Jennifer S. Silk, Boris Birmaher, David A. Axelson, Erika E. Forbes10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.009Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Brief Reports393395http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS092549271100148X/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Sunlight exposure is considered responsible for seasonal serotonin changes. Sixty-six healthy participants were recruited, and single photon emission computed tomography ([123I]-ADAM SPECT) was used to investigate the association between serotonin transporter (SERT) availability and duration of sunlight exposure in Taiwan, a subtropical country. No significant correlation between SERT availability and the duration of sunlight exposure was found.No seasonal variation in human midbrain serotonin transporter availability in TaiwanYu Shian Cheng, Kao Chin Chen, Yen Kuang Yang, Po See Chen, Tzung Lieh Yeh, I Hui Lee, Yun-Hsuan Chang, Mei-Hsiu Liao10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.005Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Brief Reports396399http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711002459/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: This magnetic resonance imaging study demonstrates increased lateral ventricle volume (LVV) in adolescents and adults with bipolar disorder (BD) with psychotic symptoms, but not without psychosis, compared to healthy adolescents and adults. This suggests LVV is a morphologic feature associated with psychosis in BD, present by adolescence.Lateral ventricle volume and psychotic features in adolescents and adults with bipolar disorderErin E. Edmiston, Fei Wang, Jessica H. Kalmar, Fay Y. Womer, Lara G. Chepenik, Brian Pittman, Ralitza Gueorguieva, Esther Hur, Linda Spencer, Lawrence H. Staib, R. Todd Constable, Robert K. Fulbright, Xenophon Papademetris, Hilary P. Blumberg10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.07.005Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Brief Reports400402http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/PIIS0925492711003428/abstract?rss=yesThe authors regret that the above mentioned paper contained a serious error relating to of the original article. The authors apologize for using the figure without permission and not acknowledging the source of the figure, which was taken from the article by . The figure was not linked to its proper source due to an unfortunate chain of events. It was originally included as an exemplar as part of the training given on the procedure for extracting the CSI data. Dr Virginia Ng, who had finalised the region-of-interest positioning for this study and conducted the training program, unfortunately passed away suddenly towards the end of the study in January 2008. Later, it was erroneously taken as implicit that the training image used to delineate the region of interest was derived from a participant in our own study, as opposed to having been taken from an earlier publication.Erratum to “N-acetyl aspartate concentration in the anterior cingulate cortex in patients with schizophrenia: A study of clinical and neuropsychological correlates and preliminary exploration of cognitive behaviour therapy effects” [Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 182(3) (2010) 251–260]Preethi Premkumar, Vivek A. Parbhakar, Dominic Fannon, David Lythgoe, Steven C. Williams, Elizabeth Kuipers, Veena Kumari10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.09.015Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 194, 3 (2011)2011-12-30Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging2011-12-301943S0925-4927(11)X0012-4Erratum403404