Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Neuroimaging”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 703 records · Page 39Linked to original sources

What can neuroimaging findings tell us about sleep disorders?

Models of the pathophysiology of human sleep disorders have only recently been tested using nuclear medicine assessments, which have greatly increased our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in the human sleep-wake cycle. Dramatic changes in function have been observed in large-scale neuronal networks during sleep. Broad declines in heteromodal-association-cortical function, and relative increases in limbic and paralimbic function have been observed. These cortical areas are responsible for essential aspects of human behavior, allowing us to interact with the world around us and to evaluate the significance of important events in our lives. Preliminary findings suggest that fundamental alterations in the function of these neural systems occur in sleep disorders. In depression, alterations in rapid-eye-movement and slow-wave sleep appear linked to a sleep-related dysfunctional arousal in primary limbic and paralimbic structures (amygdala), and hypofunction in frontal cortical areas. Pharmacologic interventions partially reverse these alterations. Preliminary studies in insomia indicate a subcortical hyperarousal and a failure of sleep to provide normal restoration of function in the prefrontal cortex, leading to chronic sleep deprivation. This review discusses functional neuroimaging data on normal sleep, and on the pathophysiology of insomnia related to depression and primary insomnia.

Brain↗

Neuroimaging, the ischaemic penumbra, and selection of patients for acute stroke therapy.

Advances in neuroimaging have been central to the expansion of knowledge in the neurosciences over the past 20 years. One of the most important roles of brain imaging is in the selection of patients for acute stroke therapy. Currently, computed tomography (CT) is commonly used to select patients who have had strokes for thrombolytic therapy on the basis of the absence of haemorrhage and, more controversially, the presence of early CT changes of ischaemia. Since patients with ischaemic penumbra are more likely than those without to respond to therapy, identification of patients with this feature will become increasingly important. Although several imaging modalities can identify the penumbra, the most practical is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing perfusion-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging mismatch. Although uncertainties in image interpretation remain, surrogate MRI outcome measures are becoming an important component of translational research. Future developments in imaging technologies may provide other opportunities for surrogate outcome studies.

Acute Disease↗

Neuroimaging study of sex differences in the neuropathology of cocaine abuse.

BACKGROUND: Female and male substance abusers differ in their disease patterns and clinical outcomes. An important question in addiction neuroscience thus concerns the neural substrates underlying these sex differences. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to examine what is known of the neural mechanisms involved in the sex differences between substance abusers. METHODS: We reviewed neuroimaging studies that addressed sex differences in cerebral perfusion deficits after chronic cocaine use and in regional brain activation during pharmacologic challenge and cue-induced craving. We also present results from a preliminary study in which cocaine-dependent men and women participated in script-guided imagery of stress- and drug cue-related situations while blood oxygenation level-dependent signals of their brain were acquired in a 1.5T scanner. Spatial pre-processing and statistical analysis of brain images were performed. Regional brain activation was compared between stress and drug cue trials in men versus women. RESULTS: The results of our study showed greater activation in the left uncus and right claustrum (both, statistical threshold of P = 0.01, uncorrected; extent = 10 voxels) in men (n = 5) during drug cue trials compared with stress trials. No brain regions showed greater activation during stress trials compared with drug cue trials. In contrast, women (n = 6) showed greater activation in the right medial and superior frontal gyri during stress trials compared with drug cue trials at the same statistical threshold. No brain regions showed more activation during drug cue trials than during stress trials. CONCLUSIONS: The studies reviewed underscore the need to consider sex-related factors in examining the neuropathology of cocaine addiction. Our preliminary results also suggest important sex differences in the effect of stress- and drug cue-associated brain activation in individuals with cocaine use disorder.

Adult↗

Cystic vestibular schwannomas: neuroimaging and growth rate.

In a series of 571 vestibular schwannomas (VS) operated on in the period 1976-1992, via the translabyrinthine approach, 23 tumours (4 per cent) from 23 patients were radiologically, peroperatively and histologically identified as cystic VS. Neuroimaging examinations (CT and MRI) revealed 15 tumours (2.6 per cent) with extracystic formations and in eight cases (1.4 per cent) intratumoural cysts. In 15 cases (65 per cent), tumours were located extracanalicularly with no involvement of the internal auditory canal (IAC). The extracanalicular tumour extension including the cystic elements ranged between 10 and 60 mm with a mean of 45 mm. In eight cases out of 23 (35 per cent) other diagnostic possibilities such as trigeminal schwannoma, epidermoid cyst and meningioma were proposed at the primary evaluation. Deformation, displacement and/or impression of the fourth ventricle was demonstrated in 17 cases (74 per cent). Three patients (13 per cent) had obstructive hydrocephalus which demanded shunt insertion. Residual tumour was detected in two patients (9 per cent). Growth rate in four cases was more than 10 times higher when compared to the annual growth rate of noncystic VS. The results of this study provide data on cystic VS attenuation demonstrated by CT or MRI which may be valuable in neuroradiological diagnosis of these cystic lesions and emphasizes that the wait-and-see policy should not be applied to the cystic variant of VS.

Adult↗

Neuroimaging of typical and atypical development: a perspective from multiple levels of analysis.

To date, research involving functional neuroimaging of typical and atypical development has depended on several assumptions about the postnatal maturation of the brain. We consider evidence from multiple levels of analysis that brings into question these underlying assumptions and advance an alternative view. This alternative view, based on an "interactive specialization" approach to postnatal brain development, indicates that there is a need to: obtain data from early in development; focus more on differences in interregional interactions rather than searching for localized, discrete lesions; examine the temporal dynamics of neural processing; and move away from deficits to image tasks in which atypical participants perform as well as typically developing participants.

Brain↗

Functional neuroimaging studies of human emotions.

Neuroimaging studies with positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging have begun to describe the functional neuroanatomy of human emotion. Taken separately, specific studies vary in task dimensions and in type(s) of emotion studied, and are limited by statistical power and sensitivity. By examining findings across studies in a meta-analysis, we sought to determine if common or segregated patterns of activations exist in different emotions and across various emotional tasks. We surveyed over 55 positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging activation studies, which investigated emotion in healthy subjects. This paper will review observations in several regions of interest in limbic (eg, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex) and paralimbic (eg, medial prefrontal cortex, insula) brain regions in emotional responding.

Affect↗

Temperament and its implications for neuroimaging of anxiety disorders.

We review the attributes of inhibited and uninhibited infant temperaments, and their developmental trajectories into early adulthood. Inborn individual differences in infants' propensity to respond to novel people and objects are associated with persistent differences in the responsivity of the amygdala to novelty, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, after more than 20 years of development. Because an inhibited temperament is a risk factor for developing later psychiatric disorders, particularly generalized social anxiety disorder, temperamental differences are confounds in neuroimaging and genetic studies. Longitudinal studies are a unique tool for understanding the developmental and temperamental risk factors for psychiatric disorder.

Anxiety Disorders↗

A review of adult ADHD: a neuropsychological and neuroimaging perspective.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder which effects an estimated 3% to 5% of children. Despite estimates that ADHD persists in 30% to 70% of adults having had the disorder in childhood, ADHD in adulthood remains controversial. This report summarizes current thinking in the diagnosis and etiology of adult ADHD. Most theories posit that ADHD is related to anomalies in frontal lobe function and dopaminergic transmission. However, there is debate as to whether ADHD is a unitary disorder with different manifestations, a syndrome, or multiple disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, classifies ADHD into inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and combined subtypes. Although problems with cognition are core ADHD symptoms, self-reporting has not been a reliable predictor of neuropsychological test performance. Nevertheless, we suggest that a performance-based diagnosis, including empirically derived, age-sensitive neuropsychological tests, provides the best hope of dissociating ADHD from psychiatric disorders with similar symptoms. We also describe the promise of new neuroimaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, in elucidating the pathophysiology of ADHD and similar psychiatric disorders.

Journal Article↗

Effects of hypoxia on the brain: neuroimaging and neuropsychological findings following carbon monoxide poisoning and obstructive sleep apnea.

Hypoxia damages multiple organ systems especially those with high oxygen utilization such as the central nervous system. The purpose of this study was to compare the neuropathological and neuropsychological effects of hypoxia in patients with either carbon monoxide poisoning or obstructive sleep apnea. Neuroimaging revealed evidence of hippocampal atrophy in both groups although a linear relationship between hippocampal volume and memory performance was found only for selected tests and only in the sleep apnea group. There were significant correlations between hippocampal volume and performance on measures related to nonverbal/information processing. Generalized brain atrophy, as measured by the ventricle-to-brain ratio, was more common in the carbon monoxide poisoning group compared to the obstructive sleep apnea group. Performance on tests of executive function improved following treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment in the obstructive sleep apnea group but there was no associated improvement in general intellectual function. We found that hypoxia due to obstructive sleep apnea and CO poisoning resulted in neuropathological changes and neuropsychological impairments. The observed group differences provide insight into the relationship between etiology of injury, neuropathological changes, and clinical presentation.

Adult↗

[Neuroimaging data of ADHD, tic-disorder and obsessive-compulsive-disorder in children and adolescents].

ADHD, Tic Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are all characterised by an impairment of executive functioning and often occur together. There are thus indications of a similar neurobiological basis. This review presents an overview of neuroimaging studies of these disorders in childhood and adolescence, focusing thereby on magnet resonance imaging data. Studies provide concurring data about structural changes in the basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortex, and abnormal activation in the fronto-striatal circuitry in patients as compared to healthy controls. ADHD and Tourette's Syndrome are both associated with prefrontal aberrations. However, variances in Tourette's Syndrome are less pronounced, which might be due to compensation mechanisms. ADHD children show small, but more global, morphological alterations in the cortex and cerebellum, while Tourette's Syndrome seems to be linked additionally to differences in the occipital cortex. Furthermore, structural and functional data for obsessive-compulsive disorder indicate aberrations in the amygdala and thalamus, and functional changes in the orbito-frontal cortex. By comparison, findings in children with ADHD point towards abnormal activity in the ventral prefrontal cortex. To summarise, the data display an impairment of cortico-striato-thalamic circuits which appears to be associated with dysfunctioning motor inhibition, and impulsive behaviour and objectionable thoughts. Since the majority of the studies reviewed are characterised by small and heterogeneous samples, and since the studies differ in their methods, comparability is limited and general conclusions can not be drawn.

Adolescent↗

Introduction to the special section on aging, cognition, and neuroimaging.

In response to the recent increase in the number of laboratories engaged in the use of functional and structural neuroimaging to study cognitive aging, this special section has been compiled to serve as an entry into this area for the readers of Psychology and Aging. These articles are representative of the field and cover many of the issues faced by researchers in this area. This introduction presents some background into the techniques that are used and provides an overview of the articles.

Adult↗

Functional neuroimaging of working memory in schizophrenia: task performance as a moderating variable.

Functional neuroimaging studies in schizophrenia have demonstrated abnormal activation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during working memory (WM) performance. However, findings of increased and decreased activity have been reported. The authors used meta-analysis to investigate whether diverging results arise as a function of differential WM task performance between patients and control participants. Results indicate that the magnitude of the group difference in WM performance is a moderator of DLPFC activation differences, and concepts such as hypo- or hyperfrontality do not universally characterize WM findings in schizophrenia. Thus, the variability in the WM activation findings between participants with schizophrenia and control participants reflects the specific conditions under which WM functions are evaluated, not just the WM construct per se.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗

Statistical issues in the analysis of neuroimages.

Statistical issues in the analysis of neuroimages are reviewed. These include biological questions of interest, basic problems of measurement and experimental design, normalisation, standardisation and transformation, and statistical methodology. Finally, three data sets are reviewed to illustrate some of the issues raised in the report.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Advancements in the neuroimaging of the spinal cord.

A review is presented concerning the recent developments in neuroimaging techniques of the spinal cord. The present role of computed tomography with Metrizamide myelography, digital subtraction angiography, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging is specifically analysed.

Angiography↗

Neuroimaging and the timing of fetal and neonatal brain injury.

Current and advanced structural and functional neuroimaging techniques are presented along with guidelines for utilization and principles of imaging diagnosis in fetal and neonatal central nervous system abnormalities. Pattern of injury, timing issues, and differential diagnosis are addressed with emphasis on neurovascular disease. Ultrasonography and computed tomography provide relatively rapid and important screening information regarding gross macrostructural abnormalities. However, current and advanced MRI techniques often provide more definitive macrostructural, microstructural, and functional imaging information.

Brain Diseases↗

Neuroimaging abnormalities in the subgenual prefrontal cortex: implications for the pathophysiology of familial mood disorders.

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) ventral to the genu of the corpus callosum has been implicated in the modulation of visceral responses to stressful and emotionally provocative stimuli, based upon analysis of lesion effects involving this area in humans and experimental animals. In a recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of familial mood disorders, we demonstrated that the mean grey matter volume of this cortex is abnormally reduced in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder, irrespective of their treatment status or current mood state. Moreover, in preliminary histopathological assessments of subgenual PFC tissue taken post mortem from subjects with MDD and bipolar disorder we obtained results suggesting that this decrement in grey matter volume is associated with a reduction in glia without an equivalent loss of neurons. The potential functional significance of these neuroimaging and microscopic abnormalities is discussed with respect to evidence that subgenual PFC dysfunction may disturb stress-related autonomic and neuroendocrine responses and reward-related mesolimbic dopamine function. These data may thus hold important implications for the development of neural models of mood disorders that can account for the abnormal hedonic, motivational, neuroendocrine, and autonomic manifestations evident in these idiopathic conditions.

Bipolar Disorder↗

The functional neuroanatomy of bipolar disorder: a review of neuroimaging findings.

The authors review existing structural and functional neuroimaging studies of patients with bipolar disorder and discuss how these investigations enhance our understanding of the neurophysiology of this illness. Findings from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies suggest that some abnormalities, such as those in prefrontal cortical areas (SGPFC), striatum and amygdala exist early in the course of illness and, therefore, potentially, predate illness onset. In contrast, other abnormalities, such as those found in the cerebellar vermis, lateral ventricles and other prefrontal regions (eg, left inferior), appear to develop with repeated affective episodes, and may represent the effects of illness progression and associated factors. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy investigations have revealed abnormalities of membrane and second messenger metabolism, as well as bioenergetics, in striatum and prefrontal cortex. Functional imaging studies report activation differences between bipolar and healthy controls in these same anterior limibic regions. Together, these studies support a model of bipolar disorder that involves dysfunction within subcortical (striatal-thalamic)-prefrontal networks and the associated limbic modulating regions (amygdala, midline cerebellum). These studies suggest that, in bipolar disorder, there may be diminished prefrontal modulation of subcortical and medial temporal structures within the anterior limbic network (eg, amygdala, anterior striatum and thalamus) that results in dysregulation of mood. Future prospective and longitudinal studies focusing on these specific relationships are necessary to clarify the functional neuroanatomy of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder↗

How psychotherapy changes the brain--the contribution of functional neuroimaging.

A thorough investigation of the neural effects of psychotherapy is needed in order to provide a neurobiological foundation for widely used treatment protocols. This paper reviews functional neuroimaging studies on psychotherapy effects and their methodological background, including the development of symptom provocation techniques. Studies of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) effects in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were consistent in showing decreased metabolism in the right caudate nucleus. Cognitive behavioural therapy in phobia resulted in decreased activity in limbic and paralimbic areas. Interestingly, similar effects were observed after successful intervention with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in both diseases, indicating commonalities in the biological mechanisms of psycho- and pharmacotherapy. These findings are discussed in the context of current neurobiological models of anxiety disorders. Findings in depression, where both decreases and increases in prefrontal metabolism after treatment and considerable differences between pharmacological and psychological interventions were reported, seem still too heterogeneous to allow for an integrative account, but point to important differences between the mechanisms through which these interventions attain their clinical effects. Further studies with larger patient numbers, use of standardised imaging protocols across studies, and ideally integration with molecular imaging are needed to clarify the remaining contradictions. This effort is worthwhile because functional imaging can then be potentially used to monitor treatment effects and aid in the choice of the optimal therapy. Finally, recent advances in the functional imaging of hypnosis and the application of neurofeedback are evaluated for their potential use in the development of psychotherapy protocols that use the direct modulation of brain activity as a way of improving symptoms.

Anxiety Disorders↗