Degeneration of the Sensorimotor Tract in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Compensatory Structural Changes in the Brain

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Abstract

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, that has become increasingly prevalent in the aging population worldwide. The current study determined the factors affecting degeneration in the sensorimotor tract with degenerative cervical myelopathy and its relationship with brain structure. We divided patients into hyperintensity (HS) and non-hyperintensity (nHS) groups and measured the fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficients of the lateral corticospinal tract (CST), fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus (FGC). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) techniques were used to estimate brain structure changes. Correlation of the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score, light touch, pinprick, motor score, and fractional anisotropy (FA) ratios of the CST at different levels were analyzed. Compared to healthy controls, the FA ratios of CST in the HS and nHS groups were decreased at all levels, and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratio was increased only at C4/5 levels in the HS group. The FA ratio of FGC was decreased at the C3/4 and C4/5 levels in the HS group and only decreased at the C4/5 level in the nHS group. The ADC ratio was decreased only at the C4/5 level in the HS group. VBM analysis revealed that the volume of the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and paracentral lobule increased in patients compared to controls. TBSS analysis found no statistical significance between the sensory and motor tracts in white matter. The volume of clusters in HS and nHS groups negatively correlated with the C1/2 FA ratio of the CST. The results showed that the degeneration distance of the CST was longer than the FGC, and the degeneration distance was related to the degree of compression and spinal cord damage. Structural compensation and the neurotrophin family may lead to enlargement of the brain.

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BrainNet Viewer: A Network Visualization Tool for Human Brain Connectomics

Mingrui Xia, Jinhui Wang, Yong-yong He (2013)

The human brain is a complex system whose topological organization can be represented using connectomics. Recent studies have shown that human connectomes can be constructed using various neuroimaging technologies and further characterized using sophisticated analytic strategies, such as graph theory. These methods reveal the intriguing topological architectures of human brain networks in healthy populations and explore the changes throughout normal development and aging and under various pathological conditions. However, given the huge complexity of this methodology, toolboxes for graph-based network visualization are still lacking. Here, using MATLAB with a graphical user interface (GUI), we developed a graph-theoretical network visualization toolbox, called BrainNet Viewer, to illustrate human connectomes as ball-and-stick models. Within this toolbox, several combinations of defined files with connectome information can be loaded to display different combinations of brain surface, nodes and edges. In addition, display properties, such as the color and size of network elements or the layout of the figure, can be adjusted within a comprehensive but easy-to-use settings panel. Moreover, BrainNet Viewer draws the brain surface, nodes and edges in sequence and displays brain networks in multiple views, as required by the user. The figure can be manipulated with certain interaction functions to display more detailed information. Furthermore, the figures can be exported as commonly used image file formats or demonstration video for further use. BrainNet Viewer helps researchers to visualize brain networks in an easy, flexible and quick manner, and this software is freely available on the NITRC website (www.nitrc.org/projects/bnv/).

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Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Brain Disorders: Focus on Neuroinflammation

Bruno Lima Giacobbo, Janine Doorduin, Hans C. Klein … (2018)

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most studied neurotrophins in the healthy and diseased brain. As a result, there is a large body of evidence that associates BDNF with neuronal maintenance, neuronal survival, plasticity, and neurotransmitter regulation. Patients with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders often have reduced BDNF concentrations in their blood and brain. A current hypothesis suggests that these abnormal BDNF levels might be due to the chronic inflammatory state of the brain in certain disorders, as neuroinflammation is known to affect several BDNF-related signaling pathways. Activation of glia cells can induce an increase in the levels of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, which can lead to the modulation of neuronal function and neurotoxicity observed in several brain pathologies. Understanding how neuroinflammation is involved in disorders of the brain, especially in the disease onset and progression, can be crucial for the development of new strategies of treatment. Despite the increasing evidence for the involvement of BDNF and neuroinflammation in brain disorders, there is scarce evidence that addresses the interaction between the neurotrophin and neuroinflammation in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on the effect of acute and chronic inflammation on BDNF levels in the most common psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and aims to shed some light on the possible biological mechanisms that may influence this effect. In addition, this review will address the effect of behavior and pharmacological interventions on BDNF levels in these disorders.

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Degenerative cervical myelopathy — update and future directions

Jetan H. Badhiwala, Christopher Ahuja, Muhammad Akbar … (2020)

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the leading cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults worldwide. DCM encompasses various acquired (age-related) and congenital pathologies related to degeneration of the cervical spinal column, including hypertrophy and/or calcification of the ligaments, intervertebral discs and osseous tissues. These pathologies narrow the spinal canal, leading to chronic spinal cord compression and disability. Owing to the ageing population, rates of DCM are increasing. Expeditious diagnosis and treatment of DCM are needed to avoid permanent disability. Over the past 10 years, advances in basic science and in translational and clinical research have improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of DCM and helped delineate evidence-based practices for diagnosis and treatment. Surgical decompression is recommended for moderate and severe DCM; the best strategy for mild myelopathy remains unclear. Next-generation quantitative microstructural MRI and neurophysiological recordings promise to enable quantification of spinal cord tissue damage and help predict clinical outcomes. Here, we provide a comprehensive, evidence-based review of DCM, including its definition, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and non-operative and operative management. With this Review, we aim to equip physicians across broad disciplines with the knowledge necessary to make a timely diagnosis of DCM, recognize the clinical features that influence management and identify when urgent surgical intervention is warranted.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Senlin Chen: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1477087/overview

Jiajia Zhu: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/938148/overview

Yinfeng Qian: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1055984/overview

Yongqiang Yu: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/312340/overview

Fulong Dong: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1479834/overview

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Front Aging Neurosci

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Front Aging Neurosci

Journal ID (publisher-id): Front. Aging Neurosci.

Title: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.

ISSN (Electronic): 1663-4365

Publication date (Electronic): 04 April 2022

Publication date Collection: 2022

Volume: 14

Electronic Location Identifier: 784263

Affiliations

[1] ¹Department of Orthopedics, Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of AnHui Medical University , Hefei, China

[2] ²Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of AnHui Medical University , Hefei, China

[3] ³Department of Medical Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of AnHui Medical University , Hefei, China

Author notes

Edited by: Guang H. Yue, Kessler Foundation, United States

Reviewed by: Matthew ManHin Cheung, CUHK Medical Centre, Hong Kong SAR, China; Shaoqiang Han, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, China

*Correspondence: Fulong Dong dongfulongtg@ 123456sina.com

^†These authors have contributed equally to this work

Specialty section: This article was submitted to Neurocognitive Aging and Behavior, a section of the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Article

DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.784263

PMC ID: 9014124

PubMed ID: 35444527

SO-VID: d05ec84e-b9eb-48d2-a14b-f41275fc9358

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

History

Date received : 27 September 2021

Date accepted : 09 March 2022

Page count

Figures: 10, Tables: 2, Equations: 0, References: 63, Pages: 14, Words: 10450

Funding

Funded by: University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province, doi 10.13039/501100009558;

Award ID: KJ2019A0275

Funded by: Anhui Provincial Quality Engineering Project, doi 10.13039/100015801;

Degeneration of the Sensorimotor Tract in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Compensatory Structural Changes in the Brain

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Neuronal Signaling

Most cited references 63

BrainNet Viewer: A Network Visualization Tool for Human Brain Connectomics

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Brain Disorders: Focus on Neuroinflammation

Degenerative cervical myelopathy — update and future directions

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