A tensor-based morphometry analysis of regional differences in brain volume in relation to prenatal alcohol exposure.

Journal: NeuroImage. Clinical

Volume: 5

Issue: 

Year of Publication: 2015

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town , South Africa ; MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town , South Africa. Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA , USA. Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Room , Building , th Street, Charlestown, MA , USA ; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Shattuck Street, Boston, MA , USA. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory , Cape Town, South Africa. Imaging Genetics Center, University of Southern California, Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA , USA. Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town , South Africa ; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory , Cape Town, South Africa ; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Chrysler Drive, Suite -C, Detroit, MI , USA.

Abstract summary 

Reductions in brain volumes represent a neurobiological signature of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Less clear is how regional brain tissue reductions differ after normalizing for brain size differences linked with FASD and whether these profiles can predict the degree of prenatal exposure to alcohol. To examine associations of regional brain tissue excesses/deficits with degree of prenatal alcohol exposure and diagnosis with and without correction for overall brain volume, tensor-based morphometry (TBM) methods were applied to structural imaging data from a well-characterized, demographically homogeneous sample of children diagnosed with FASD (n = 39, 9.6-11.0 years) and controls (n = 16, 9.5-11.0 years). Degree of prenatal alcohol exposure was significantly associated with regionally pervasive brain tissue reductions in: (1) the thalamus, midbrain, and ventromedial frontal lobe, (2) the superior cerebellum and inferior occipital lobe, (3) the dorsolateral frontal cortex, and (4) the precuneus and superior parietal lobule. When overall brain size was factored out of the analysis on a subject-by-subject basis, no regions showed significant associations with alcohol exposure. FASD diagnosis was associated with a similar deformation pattern, but few of the regions survived FDR correction. In data-driven independent component analyses (ICA) regional brain tissue deformations successfully distinguished individuals based on extent of prenatal alcohol exposure and to a lesser degree, diagnosis. The greater sensitivity of the continuous measure of alcohol exposure compared with the categorical diagnosis across diverse brain regions underscores the dose dependence of these effects. The ICA results illustrate that profiles of brain tissue alterations may be a useful indicator of prenatal alcohol exposure when reliable historical data are not available and facial features are not apparent.

Authors & Co-authors:  Meintjes E M EM Narr K L KL van der Kouwe A J W AJ Molteno C D CD Pirnia T T Gutman B B Woods R P RP Thompson P M PM Jacobson J L JL Jacobson S W SW

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Archibald S.L., Fennema-Notestine C., Gamst A., Riley E.P., Mattson S.N., Jernigan T.L. Brain dysmorphology in individuals with severe prenatal alcohol exposure. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 2001;43:148–154. 11263683
Authors :  10
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.04.001
SSN : 2213-1582
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Brain
Other Terms
AA, absolute alcohol;Brain structure;CSF, cerebrospinal fluid;FAS, fetal alcohol syndrome;FASD, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders;Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders;ICA, independent component analyses;MDT, minimal deformation target;MEMPRAGE, multiecho magnetization prepared rapid gradient echo;Morphology;Neurodevelopment;Prenatal alcohol exposure;Structural MRI;TBM, tensor-based morphometry;Tensor-based morphometry;WISC-IV, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Mali
Publication Country
Netherlands