The relationship between measurement of in vivo brain glutamate and markers of iron metabolism: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study in healthy adults.

Fundamental human studies which address associations between glutamate and iron metabolism are needed. Basic research reports associations between glutamate and iron metabolism. Human studies report sex differences in iron metabolism and glutamate concentrations, which suggest that these relationships may differ by sex. We hypothesised associations would be apparent between in vivo glutamate and peripheral markers of iron metabolism, and these associations would differ by sex. To test this, we recruited 40 healthy adults (20 men, 20 women) and measured (a) standard clinical biomarker concentrations for iron metabolism and (b) an in vivo proxy for glutamate concentration, glutamate with glutamine in relation to total creatine containing metabolites using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies with a two-dimensional chemical shift imaging slice, with voxels located in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, anterior cingulate cortices and frontal white matter. Only the female group reported significant associations between peripheral markers of iron metabolism and Glx:tCr concentration: (a) right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex Glx:tCr associated positively with serum transferrin (r = .60, p = .006) and negatively with transferrin saturation (r = -.62, p = .004) and (b) right frontal white matter Glx:tCr associated negatively with iron concentration (r = -.59, p = .008) and transferrin saturation (r = -.65, p = .002). Our results support associations between iron metabolism and our proxy for in vivo glutamate concentration (Glx:tCr). These associations were limited to women, suggesting a stronger regulatory control between iron and glutamate metabolism. These associations support additional fundamental research into the molecular mechanisms of this regulatory control.

Electroencephalographic delta/alpha frequency activity differentiates psychotic disorders: a study of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder.

Electroencephalography (EEG) has been proposed as a neurophysiological biomarker to delineate psychotic disorders. It is known that increased delta and decreased alpha, which are apparent in psychosis, are indicative of inappropriate arousal state, which leads to reduced ability to attend to relevant information. On this premise, we investigated delta/alpha frequency activity, as this ratio of frequency activity may serve as an effective neurophysiological biomarker. The current study investigated differences in delta/alpha frequency activity, in schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar I disorder with psychotic features and methamphetamine-induced psychosis. One hundred and nine participants, including individuals with SCZ (n = 28), bipolar I disorder with psychotic features (n = 28), methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder (MPD) (n = 24) and healthy controls (CON, n = 29). Diagnosis was ascertained with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition disorders and current medication was recorded. EEG was undertaken in three testing conditions: resting eyes open, resting eyes closed and during completion of a simple cognitive task (visual continuous performance task). EEG delta/alpha frequency activity was investigated across these conditions. First, delta/alpha frequency activity during resting eyes closed was higher in SCZ and MPD globally, when compared to CON, then lower for bipolar disorder (BPD) than MPD for right hemisphere. Second, delta/alpha frequency activity during resting eyes open was higher in SCZ, BPD and MPD for all electrodes, except left frontal, when compared to CON. Third, delta/alpha frequency activity during the cognitive task was higher in BPD and MPD for all electrodes, except left frontal, when compared to CON. Assessment of EEG delta/alpha frequency activity supports the delineation of underlying neurophysiological mechanisms present in psychotic disorders, which are likely related to dysfunctional thalamo-cortical connectivity. Delta/alpha frequency activity may provide a useful neurophysiological biomarker to delineate psychotic disorders.

Alcohol exposure in utero is associated with decreased gray matter volume in neonates.

Neuroimaging studies have indicated that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with alterations in the structure of specific brain regions. However, the temporal specificity of such changes and their behavioral consequences are less known. Here we explore the brain structure of infants with in utero exposure to alcohol shortly after birth. T2 structural MRI images were acquired from 28 alcohol-exposed infants and 45 demographically matched healthy controls at 2-4 weeks of age on a 3T Siemens Allegra system as part of large birth cohort study, the Drakenstein Child Health Study (DCHS). Neonatal neurobehavior was assessed at this visit; early developmental outcome assessed on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III at 6 months of age. Volumes of gray matter regions were estimated based on the segmentations of the University of North Carolina neonatal atlas. Significantly decreased total gray matter volume was demonstrated for the alcohol-exposed cohort compared to healthy control infants (p < 0.001). Subcortical gray matter regions that were significantly different between groups after correcting for overall gray matter volume included left hippocampus, bilateral amygdala and left thalamus (p < 0.01). These findings persisted even when correcting for infant age, gender, ethnicity and maternal smoking status. Both early neurobehavioral and developmental adverse outcomes at 6 months across multiple domains were significantly associated with regional volumes primarily in the temporal and frontal lobes in infants with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol exposure during the prenatal period has potentially enduring neurobiological consequences for exposed children. These findings suggest the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on brain growth is present very early in the first year of life, a period during which the most rapid growth and maturation occurs.

Nicotine-stimulated release of [3H]norepinephrine is reduced in the hippocampus of an animal model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous, developmental disorder, and is one of the most common child-psychiatric disorders. It is also a risk factor for early smoking and adult nicotine dependence. Nicotine has been shown to improve symptoms associated with ADHD, including problems with attention, working memory and response inhibition. Norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter involved in attention, is highly implicated in ADHD, and often targeted in the treatment thereof. In the present study we investigated nicotine׳s effect on release of norepinephrine in the hippocampus of a validated rat model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), as well as in two control strains: Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley rats (SD). Hippocampal slices obtained from male SHR, WKY and SD (postnatal day 31-33) were pre-incubated with radioactively labelled norepinephrine ([3H]NE) and perfused with buffer. The slices were stimulated by exposure to different concentrations of nicotine (1, 10, 100 or 1000 µM) for 1 min at 2 intervals (S1 and S2, separated by 20 min). Following a 10 min wash, slices were stimulated with 25 mM potassium. Since glutamate and GABA receptor function differ in SHR and WKY, we investigated the possible involvement of AMPA and GABA(A) receptors in nicotine (100 µM)-stimulated release of hippocampal [3H]NE in each of the strains by blocking these receptors with CNQX (AMPA receptor antagonist, 10 µM) or bicuculline (GABAA receptor antagonist, 30 µM) respectively. Nicotine-stimulated release (S1) of [3H]NE from SHR hippocampal slices was less than that of WKY and SD, at 100 µM and 1000 µM nicotine, suggesting reduced density and/or function of nicotinic receptors in SHR hippocampus. Nicotine-stimulated release of [3H]NE in response to S2 was reduced compared to S1 in all strains, indicating desensitization of receptors involved in stimulation of [3H]NE by nicotine. Potassium-stimulated release of [3H]NE following the nicotine stimulations (S1 and S2) was elevated in SHR hippocampal slices compared to that of WKY and SD, agreeing with the hypothesis that SHR have reduced negative feedback inhibition by α2-adrenoceptors on varicosities of locus coeruleus-norepinephrine neurons. Blocking AMPA receptors with CNQX had no effect on nicotine-stimulated release of [3H]NE in any of the strains. In WKY, nicotine-stimulated release of [3H]NE was reduced by the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline. We conclude that reduced nicotinic receptor activity, and reduced involvement of GABA(A) receptors in nicotine receptor activity, may be part of ADHD neuropathology.