Morphometric similarity network alterations in COVID-19 survivors correlate with behavioral features and transcriptional signatures

Jia Long; Jiao Li; Bing Xie; Zhuomin Jiao; Guoqiang Shen; Wei Liao; Xiaomin Song; Hongbo Le; Jun Xia; Song Wu

doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103498

Morphometric similarity network alterations in COVID-19 survivors correlate with behavioral features and transcriptional signatures

Neuroimage Clin. 2023:39:103498. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103498. Epub 2023 Aug 23.

Authors

Jia Long¹, Jiao Li², Bing Xie¹, Zhuomin Jiao³, Guoqiang Shen¹, Wei Liao², Xiaomin Song¹, Hongbo Le⁴, Jun Xia⁵, Song Wu⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, South China Hospital, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518116, PR China.
² School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, 610054, PR China.
³ Department of Neurology, South China Hospital, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518116, PR China.
⁴ Department of Radiology, South China Hospital, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518116, PR China. Electronic address: yuehb@mail2.sysu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, PR China. Electronic address: xiajun@email.szu.edu.cn.
⁶ South China Hospital, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518116, PR China. Electronic address: wusong@szu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the differences in the cortical morphometric similarity network (MSN) between COVID-19 survivors and healthy controls, and the correlation between these differences and behavioralfeatures and transcriptional signatures.

Materials & methods: 39 COVID-19 survivors and 39 age-, sex- and education years-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. All participants underwent MRI and behavioral assessments (PCL-17, GAD-7, PHQ-9). MSN analysis was used to compute COVID-19 survivors vs. HCs differences across brain regions. Correlation analysis was used to determine the associations between regional MSN differences and behavioral assessments, and determine the spatial similarities between regional MSN differences and risk genes transcriptional activity.

Results: COVID-19 survivors exhibited decreased regional MSN in insula, precuneus, transverse temporal, entorhinal, para-hippocampal, rostral middle frontal and supramarginal cortices, and increased regional MSN in pars triangularis, lateral orbitofrontal, superior frontal, superior parietal, postcentral, and inferior temporal cortices. Regional MSN value of lateral orbitofrontal cortex was positively associated with GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores, and rostral middle frontal was negatively related to PHQ-9 scores. The analysis of spatial similarities showed that seven risk genes (MFGE8, MOB2, NUP62, PMPCA, SDSL, TMEM178B, and ZBTB11) were related to regional MSN values.

Conclusion: The MSN differences were associated with behavioral and transcriptional signatures, early psychological counseling or intervention may be required to COVID-19 survivors. Our study provided a new insight into understanding the altered coordination of structure in COVID-19 and may offer a new endophenotype to further investigate the brain substrate.

Keywords: Allen Human Brain Atlas; Behavioral assessment; COVID-19; Gene transcription; Morphometric similarity network.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain / diagnostic imaging
COVID-19*
Educational Status
Endophenotypes
Hippocampus
Humans