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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2025

Brain dynamics reflecting an intra-network brain state is associated with increased posttraumatic stress symptoms in the early aftermath of trauma.

Post-traumatic stress (PTS) encompasses a range of psychological responses following trauma, which may lead to more severe outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Identifying early neuroimaging biomarkers that link brain function to PTS outcomes is critical for understanding PTSD risk. This longitudinal study examines the association between brain dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) and current/future PTS symptom severity, and the impact of sex on this relationship. By analyzing 275 participants' dFNC data obtained ~2 weeks after trauma exposure, we noted that brain dynamics of an inter-network brain state link negatively with current (r=-0.197, p corrected = 0.0079) and future (r=-0.176, p corrected = 0.0176) PTS symptom severity. Also, dynamics of an intra-network brain state correlated with future symptom intensity (r = 0.205, p corrected = 0.0079). We additionally observed that the association between the network dynamics of the inter-network and intra-network brain state with symptom severity is more pronounced in female group. Our findings highlight a potential link between brain network dynamics in the aftermath of trauma with current and future PTSD outcomes, with a stronger effect in female group, underscoring the importance of sex differences.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2026

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a comparative analysis of genetic and brain network connectivity.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are severe psychiatric conditions with overlapping clinical presentations, genetic risk factors, and brain network dysfunction. Whether alterations in large-scale intrinsic brain networks reflect shared or disorder-specific genetic influences remains poorly understood. Clarifying this distinction is essential for refining etiological models and improving diagnostic precision. METHODS: Genome-wide inferred statistics (GWIS) were applied to decompose the genetic architecture of SCZ and BD into shared and unique components. Using resting-state network (RSN) data from the UK Biobank, functional connectivity (FC) and structural connectivity (SC) were extracted as neuroimaging phenotypes. Causal inference approaches were subsequently employed to infer potential directional relationships between brain network connectivity and each disorder. RESULTS: Analyses revealed both common and distinct patterns of brain network connectivity associated with SCZ and BD. Notably, SC within the default mode network (DMN) exhibited opposing effects across the two disorders, suggesting divergent structural underpinnings despite clinical overlap. Additionally, SC within the limbic network (LN) and frontotemporal control network demonstrated potential causal relationships with both conditions, implicating these circuits astransdiagnostic neural substrates. CONCLUSION: These findings illuminate the shared and disorder-specific genetic and neural architecture underlying SCZ and BD. Integrating genome-wide genetic methods with large-scale neuroimaging data offers a powerful framework for disentangling psychiatric comorbidity and may inform more targeted diagnostic criteria and individualized treatment strategies.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Brain network alterations underlying cue reactivity and craving in abstinent methamphetamine users: a systematic review of functional MRI findings.

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) is marked by intense craving and high relapse risk, often triggered by drug-related cues. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides key insight into the neural basis of this cue reactivity, implicating large-scale brain networks for reward, motivation, and control. Yet, findings remain inconsistent across studies due to differences in task design, abstinence duration, and participant characteristics. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review synthesises evidence on how abstinence influences brain network alterations underlying cue reactivity and craving in methamphetamine users, integrating task-based and resting-state fMRI findings within leading neurobiological models of addiction. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Ovid was conducted up to August 10, 2025, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible fMRI studies examined cue reactivity or craving in abstinent methamphetamine users. Data were extracted on activation, connectivity, and brain-behaviour associations, and synthesised narratively. RESULTS: Task-based studies revealed heightened activation across reward, salience, and control networks during cue exposure, which diminished as parietal and executive control systems re-engaged with longer abstinence. Resting-state findings showed disrupted intrinsic connectivity among default mode, salience, and frontoparietal networks, reflecting persistent imbalances linked to craving and use severity. CONCLUSION: fMRI evidence shows that MUD is marked by network-level disruption linking reward, salience, and control systems. Task-based findings reveal strong cue reactivity in reward circuits, while resting-state data show persistent imbalance among default mode and control networks. With abstinence, partial restoration of network integrity emerges, highlighting both vulnerability and opportunities for targeted, recovery-based interventions.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

The Thyroid-Brain Network: Exploring Inflammation, Immune Mechanisms and Common Triggers in Thyroid-Related Neurological Dysfunction.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), including Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease, represent the most prevalent endocrine disorders worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions with profound but often under recognized neurological consequences. There are emerging lines of evidence establishing inflammation and immunity as the critical missing link connecting peripheral thyroid dysfunction to central nervous system manifestations. Thyroid hormones function as essential neuromodulators governing neurodevelopment, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive processing through integrated genomic and non-genomic mechanisms, with region-specific cerebral metabolic disturbances correlating with distinct neuropsychiatric symptoms. The immunological perspective reveals that AITD propagates neuroinflammation through convergent pathways: molecular mimicry enabling cross-reactivity between thyroid and neural antigens, cytokine-mediated disruption of neurotransmitter metabolism, HMGB1-driven glial activation, and blood-brain barrier compromise facilitating immune cell infiltration. The thyroid-gut-microbiota axis emerges as a critical mediator wherein dysbiosis perpetuates both thyroid autoimmunity and neuroinflammation through impaired serotonin precursor availability and increased intestinal permeability. Mitochondrial dysfunction represents an energetic common denominator, as thyroid hormone dysregulation directly impairs oxidative phosphorylation, producing region-specific cerebral metabolic disturbances. Simultaneous compromise of monoamine systems, cholinergic signaling abnormalities, and glutamate excitotoxicity creates a particularly toxic neurochemical state in untreated thyroid dysfunction. Common triggers such as psychological stress, gut dysbiosis, and mitochondrial impairment may activate interconnected pathways that simultaneously compromise thyroid and brain function, revealing that these disorders share fundamental mechanistic origins. These insights have been discussed in the current review to enhance the understanding of thyroid-brain function, the core mechanisms and consequences of functional deficits.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2025

Glaucoma and brain functional networks: a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation study.

OBJECTIVE: Glaucoma is a complex neurodegenerative ocular disorder accompanied by brain functional abnormalities that extend beyond the visual system. However, the causal association between the two remains unclear at present. This study aimed to investigate the potential causal relationships between glaucoma and brain functional networks in order to provide novel insights into the neuropathic mechanism of glaucoma. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Based on the genome-wide association studies data of glaucoma and resting-state functional MRI (Rs-fMRI), a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis was conducted between glaucoma and brain functional networks. Inverse variance weighting was applied as the primary method to estimate causality with false discovery rate correction. Additional sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Forward MR analysis suggested that glaucoma was causally associated with two brain networks between the subcortical cerebellum and the attention or visual network (p=0.022), as well as the default mode and central executive network (p=0.008), but without significance after false discovery rate correction (q>0.1). Reverse MR analysis revealed 19 Rs-fMRI traits related to glaucoma risk, including the salience or central executive network in the frontal region (p=0.0005, q=0.08) and the motor network (p=0.0009, q=0.08) with significant causality. CONCLUSIONS: This MR study revealed potentially causal relationships between glaucoma and brain functional networks. Especially, the functional connectivity of the motor network between the postcentral or precentral areas may potentially lead to increased risk of glaucoma.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Causal effect of three autoimmune diseases on brain functional networks and cerebrospinal fluid metabolites to underlie the pathogenesis of autoimmune psychosis: a two-sample mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Sj&#xf6;gren's Syndrome (SS), and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT) frequently exhibit neuropsychiatric manifestations, including cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, and so on, yet the exact pathogenesis underlying this association remain incompletely understood. Dysfunction of brain resting-state functional networks and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolite disturbances have been widely reported in psychiatric disorders. However, the application of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) and CSF metabolomics in the diagnosis and monitoring of autoimmune psychosis is still limited. METHODS: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to investigate the causal relationships between three autoimmune diseases (SLE, SS, and HT, n&#x2009;=&#x2009;14,267 to 402,090 individuals) and 191 rsfMRI phenotypes (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;47,276 individuals), as well as 338 CSF metabolites. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) of three autoimmune diseases was used as the exposure, whereas rsfMRI phenotypes and 338 CSF metabolites were treated as the outcome. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) with P value&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05 was regarded as the primary approach for calculating causal estimates. Additionally, the false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted P value (PFDR)&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05 was utilized to account for multiple testing. MR Egger method, weighted median method, simple mode method and weighted mode method were used for sensitive analysis. RESULTS: Our analyses identified 5 causal relationships between SLE and the 191 rsfMRI phenotypes, 48 between SS and the 191 rsfMRI phenotypes, and 4 between HT and the 191 rsfMRI phenotypes. Additionally, we found 8 causal relationships between HT and CSF metabolites. Furthermore, all three diseases were significantly associated with the temporal lobe and triple networks (default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN)), which are the core brain regions and functional networks for cognition. Following FDR correction, 6 causal relationships between SS and the 191 rsfMRI phenotypes were further validated. CONCLUSIONS: Our study pinpoints important brain functional networks and CSF metabolites potentially implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders associated with autoimmune diseases and highlights critical brain regions for the development of novel therapeutics.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Exploring the transmission of cognitive task information through optimal brain pathways.

Understanding the large-scale information processing that underlies complex human cognition is the central goal of cognitive neuroscience. While emerging activity flow models demonstrate that cognitive task information is transferred by interregional functional or structural connectivity, graph-theory-based models typically assume that neural communication occurs via the shortest path of brain networks. However, whether the shortest path is the optimal route for empirical cognitive information transmission remains unclear. Based on a large-scale activity flow mapping framework, we found that the performance of activity flow prediction with the shortest path was significantly lower than that with the direct path. The shortest path routing was superior to other network communication strategies, including search information, path ensembles, and navigation. Intriguingly, the shortest path outperformed the direct path in activity flow prediction when the physical distance constraint and asymmetric routing contribution were simultaneously considered. This study not only challenges the shortest path assumption through empirical network models but also suggests that cognitive task information routing is constrained by the spatial and functional embedding of the brain network.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Personalized functional topography-based multisite brain age prediction modeling reveals divergent neurodevelopment in major depression.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with widespread alterations in functional brain networks across the lifespan. However, heterogeneity in atypical brain development among patients with MDD remains largely uncharacterized. Using a multisite resting-state functional MRI dataset consisting of 1,105 MDD patients and 1,065 healthy controls, we constructed a harmonized multicenter brain age prediction model based on individualized functional topography and identified two patient subgroups with positive or negative brain age gaps (BAGs). In patients with a positive BAG (BAG+), expansion of the salience network (SAL) into the dorsolateral prefrontal and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices, in addition to contraction of the sensorimotor and dorsal attention networks (DAN), contributes to accelerated brain aging. Conversely, in the negative BAG (BAG-) group, SAL expansion into the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and contraction of the visual and sensorimotor networks (SMN) were linked to delayed brain development. These subgroups also exhibited distinct neurodevelopmental trajectories. Clinically, BAG+ patients showed stronger associations between higher-order network topography and mood symptoms, whereas BAG- patients exhibited links between visual/default mode network topography and insomnia. At the molecular level, both groups showed enrichment of genes related to synaptic signaling but displayed distinct expression patterns and divergent expression trajectories in key neurodevelopmental gene sets. Notably, antidepressant treatment modulated the brain in ways that were specific to each subgroup. These findings reveal heterogeneous neurodevelopmental profiles in MDD with distinct biological and clinical signatures, offering insights into personalized precision medicine for this disorder.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Mapping Focal and Generalized Effects of Common Genetic Variants on Human Brain Structure.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have advanced the quest to understand how specific genetic variants influence human brain structure and function. Recent work has identified hundreds of common variants associated with subcortical brain volumes, sparking interest in how these genetic markers overlap across brain networks. While this can be estimated by hierarchical clustering of the genetic correlation matrix to identify modular patterns of shared architecture, no brain-wide maps of these effects are available. To address this, we computed polygenic scores (PGS) from loci associated with ten brain volume regions of interest (ROIs): nine major subcortical structures and intracranial volume, with each locus weighted by its association with regional volume. In an independent sample from the discovery GWAS, we performed large-scale segmentation of 3D volumetric T1-weighted MRI scans using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to map 3D profile of regions where gray matter volume (GMV) was associated with each PGS. We found statistically significant, localized effects for PGS defined for the amygdala, thalamus, and basal ganglia, but PGS for brainstem volume was associated with widespread differences throughout the brain. These brain-wide maps reveal patterns consistent with both localized and distributed genetic influences, offering a novel approach to interpret the genomic architecture of brain structure.

GWAS↗
PubMed2026

Dual Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Modulates Hierarchical Functional Network Organization in Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of dual transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and to explore the effects on the hierarchical organization of functional brain networks, ranging from regional synchronization to inter-regional connectivity and global network topology. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 74 PSCI patients received conventional therapy alongside either active dual-tDCS (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;38) or sham stimulation (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;36). Active tDCS targeted the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) via anodal-left/cathodal-right nodes (2.0&#x2009;mA, 20&#x2009;min/day, 20 sessions). The primary outcome was the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Secondary outcomes included the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Stroop Test (ST), Trail Making Test (TMT), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), and Barthel Index (BI). A subgroup of 36 participants (18 per group) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to analyze regional homogeneity (ReHo), functional connectivity (FC), and network topology. Partial correlations assessed the association between neuroimaging alterations and clinical improvements. RESULTS: The tDCS group showed significantly greater improvements in MoCA scores (tDCS: 5.74&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;2.76 vs. sham: 2.69&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;2.69; t&#x2009;=&#x2009;4.799, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001) as well as in attention and memory domains compared to the sham group. The rs-fMRI changes included increased ReHo in the right middle temporal gyrus (MTG) and the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and reduced FC between the right MTG-left superior frontal gyrus and left IFG-cerebellum (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05, FWE-corrected). Additionally, small-worldness and global efficiency increased (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05) with these alterations correlating with clinical recovery. Adverse events were rare and self-limiting. CONCLUSION: Dual-tDCS over bilateral DLPFC safely improves cognitive recovery in PSCI. These clinical gains are associated with rs-fMRI alterations, specifically in regional synchronization, inter-regional connectivity, and global topology, which suggest a potential biomarker for monitoring tDCS efficacy, offering a rationale for precision neuromodulation in stroke rehabilitation.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Nonspecific brain structures and specialization in the central nervous system].

It has been demonstrated that corticofugal influences may exert selective control of single sensory signals which converge on the neurons of the striatum and other non-specific structures of the brain. This finding suggests that complex sensory image may be formed not by assembling separate elementary signals, but rather by a selective control of these signals into a total sensory inflow within the network brain structures. This conclusion is confirmed by comparative anatomical data. In the phylogenesis of vertebrates, brain structures differentiate presumably into both the specific ones which perform the analysis of only the given kind of information, and those (conventionally described as non-specific) which are specialized on sensory integration and exhibit functional polymodality.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Comparison of the clinical efficacy, safety and EEG functional connectivity changes between 18-Hz rTMS and iTBS of accelerated dTMS treatment for major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Although the antidepressant efficacy of 18-Hz deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) has been validated, its prolonged treatment duration has considerable limitations for treatment capacity and patient adherence. Therefore, novel short-course protocols such as accelerated dTMS and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) present promising alternative options. Here we addressed the question of whether iTBS of accelerated dTMS achieves comparable therapeutic and electrophysiological effects to accelerated dTMS with the conventional 18-Hz rTMS protocol in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In a randomized controlled trial (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;73), participants received either 18-Hz rTMS of accelerated dTMS (rTMS-dTMS group), iTBS of accelerated dTMS (iTBS-dTMS group), or pharmacotherapy alone (drug group). Both dTMS protocols were administered twice daily for 10 days targeting the left lateral prefrontal cortex including the dorsolateral region. Results showed that Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score of the iTBS-dTMS group decreased significantly from 22.5&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;3.7 before treatment to 8.2&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;4.1 after treatment (t&#x2009;=&#x2009;15.900, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). HAMD score of the rTMS-dTMS group decreased significantly from 21.3&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;2.9 before treatment to 8.0&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;3.8 after treatment (t&#x2009;=&#x2009;17.232, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). The drug group also exhibited significantly improved patients' mood symptoms, and the HAMD score decreased from 24.7&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;6.8 to 14.0&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;5.0 (t&#x2009;=&#x2009;6.363, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). The treatment response rate was 85.7% in the iTBS-dTMS group and 76.9% in the rTMS-dTMS group, which was much higher than that of the drug group (42.1%). The remission rate was 50.0% in the iTBS-dTMS group and 42.3% in the rTMS-dTMS group, which was significantly higher than 10.5% of the drug group. We demonstrate here that both accelerated dTMS protocols significantly reduced HAMD scores, improved the response rates, and remission rates, outperforming pharmacotherapy alone. Resting-state EEG analysis further revealed unique frequency-specific functional connectivity (FC) modulation effects: the rTMS-dTMS group primarily exhibited weakened alpha-band functional connectivity within the fronto-occipital, fronto-temporal and fronto-central networks after treatment, whereas the iTBS-dTMS group predominantly demonstrated reduced theta-band functional connectivity within the fronto-parietal, fronto-occipital and fronto-temporal pathways after treatment. These findings indicate that iTBS of accelerated dTMS demonstrates comparable efficacy and tolerability to 18-Hz rTMS of accelerated dTMS, whilst inducing treatment-specific network-level neurophysiological alterations. In the rTMS-dTMS group, relative changes in FC between the frontal and temporal/precentral regions showed significant negative correlation with HAMD score reduction rates, while relative changes in FC between the frontal lobe and parietal lobe showed a significant positive correlation with the rate of HAMD score reduction for the iTBS-dTMS group. This study revealed novel mechanisms by which accelerated dTMS protocols modulate brain networks, providing evidence for the clinical application of accelerated iTBS-dTMS as an efficient, evidence-based treatment for MDD.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Electroencephalographic evidence of cortical network disruption preceding overt cardioinhibition during tilt-induced reflex syncope.

OBJECTIVE: Reflex syncope is a common cause of transient loss of consciousness. However, the early cerebral mechanisms underlying cardiovascular changes remain poorly understood. Our objective was to investigate early cerebral changes by quantitatively analyzing EEG activity preceding overt cardioinhibition during tilt-induced reflex syncope. METHODS: EEG recordings from patients undergoing tilt testing were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who experienced reflex syncope were compared to those who did not. Spectral and functional connectivity analyses were performed across baseline, pre-cardioinhibition, and syncopal phases. RESULTS: Prior to the onset of cardioinhibitory pathological reflex, a significant increase in theta-band spectral power was observed in the right temporal region, accompanied by a widespread increase in functional connectivity within the same frequency band. These findings suggest the involvement of brain networks before cardioinhibition. CONCLUSIONS: EEG changes in the theta band (power and functional connectivity) were observed before overt cardioinhibition during tilt-induced reflex syncope. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings support the hypothesis of cortical processing preceding cardioinhibition in reflex syncope. EEG may represent a valuable complementary tool for improving the understanding and diagnosis of these events.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Patients with Exposure Therapy Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (TETRO): Study Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling mental disorder, characterized by obsessions, compulsions, and substantial morbidity. Approximately 50% of adults with OCD fail to achieve satisfactory outcomes from first-line treatments, such as exposure therapy with response prevention (ERP), with or without medication. This leads to chronic social, educational, and occupational impairment. While invasive procedures such as deep brain stimulation are available for severe, treatment-refractory cases, a need remains for less invasive alternatives. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a noninvasive intervention, shows promise in reducing OCD symptoms. Unlike in depression, rTMS is not yet reimbursed for OCD in the Dutch healthcare system. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of low-frequency (1Hz) rTMS targeting the presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA) compared to sham rTMS as an adjuvant treatment to ERP in adults with OCD with inadequate response to first-line treatment. METHODS: A total of 250 adults with OCD will be enrolled in this multicenter randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to ERP combined with either active or sham 1Hz rTMS over the pre-SMA. Treatment is administered 4 times weekly for at least 5 weeks (20 rTMS-ERP sessions), with optional extension of 1 to 2 weeks, up to 28 rTMS-ERP sessions. Clinical assessments occur at baseline, weekly during treatment, posttreatment, and at 3, 6, and 12 months follow-up. Participants undergo pre- and posttreatment (functional) (MRI) scans, including a symptom provocation task. Blood sampling takes place pre- and posttreatment and at 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome is OCD severity at posttreatment, as measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Secondary outcomes include functional improvement, quality of life, and societal costs. Pretreatment symptom profiles, genotype, and brain network topology will be analyzed as predictors of response and relapse risk. Pre-to-post treatment change in blood-based and magnetic resonance (MR)-based neuroplasticity markers will help explore differential mechanisms between ERP alone and combined rTMS-ERP. We expect that the verum rTMS protocol will be cost-effective compared to sham-rTMS. RESULTS: Recruitment started in April 2022, and as of February 2026, 201 participants have been enrolled. Posttreatment assessments are projected to be completed in December 2026, with final one-year follow-up evaluations anticipated by the end of 2027. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study is the first adequately powered randomized controlled trial examining efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and mechanism of action of rTMS for OCD as adjuvant therapy to ERP. In case of efficacy and/or cost-effectiveness, it will pave the way for rTMS as insured health care for adults with OCD in the Netherlands, and possibly other European countries. Furthermore, this trial will provide insight into the mechanisms of treatment response to intensive ERP, with and without adjunctive rTMS, as well as potential side effects, individual variability, and long-term outcomes in adults with OCD.

Humans↗
PubMed1977

The ventricular system in neuroendocrine mechanisms. III. Supraependymal neuronal networks in the primate brain.

This investigation has utilized a correlative scanning-transmission electron microscopic technique in the analysis of the primate cerebral ventricular system. This approach has demonstrated a complex network of supraependymal cellular elements upon the walls of the third cerebral ventricle in direct contact with the ventricular lumen. Type I neuronal-like cells and type II histiocytic-like cells with potential phagocytic capabilities have been observed in large numbers throughout the third ventricle. Type I neuron-like cells are discussed in the context that they may represent a population of receptor-cells which serve to assess ambient changes in the composition of bioactive peptides in the cerebrospinal fluid and may serve as a supraependymal network that integrates the endocrine hypothalamus with other circumventricular organs which may also be sites of neuroendocrine transduction.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Shared genetic architecture between major depression and intrinsic brain functional connectome organization.

BACKGROUND: Major depression (MD) is increasingly understood as a disorder characterized by widespread abnormalities in intrinsic brain functional network organization. Although both MD and brain functional connectome architecture are highly heritable, the genetic architecture underlying their relationship remains poorly characterized. METHODS: We integrated genome-wide association studies of MD with 191 ICA-based resting-state functional connectome traits to investigate their shared genetic architecture. These traits captured intrinsic connectome organization across amplitude, functional connectivity, and global connectivity domains. Cross-trait genetic analyses were used to assess pleiotropic overlap between traits. Locus-level and gene-based analyses integrating multi-omics evidence were performed to characterize the biological relevance of shared genetic signals. RESULTS: We identified significant genetic overlap between MD and 148 of 191 brain functional connectome traits. Cross-trait analyses revealed widespread shared genetic signals organized into 627 genomic loci across amplitude, functional connectivity, and global connectivity measures. Among these, 193 loci showed evidence consistent with shared causal variants based on colocalization analyses. Gene-level integration mapped these loci to 1459 protein-coding genes (390 unique genes). Multi-layer prioritization identified 17 high-confidence genes supported by convergent genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic evidence, with enrichment in neurodevelopmental and lipid-related metabolism pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a multi-scale characterization of the shared genetic architecture between MD and intrinsic brain functional connectome organization, revealing that shared genetic signals between MD and brain functional systems are distributed across multiple functional levels and converge at the molecular level.

Connectome↗