The relationship between uncinate fasciculus white matter integrity and verbal memory proficiency in children

Schaeffer, David J.; Krafft, Cynthia E.; Schwarz, Nicolette F.; Chi, Lingxi; Rodrigue, Amanda; Pierce, Jordan E.; Allison, J. B.; Yanasak, N. E.; Liu, Tianming; Davis, Catherine L.; McDowell, Jennifer E.

doi:10.1097/wnr.0000000000000204

Cited by 20 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Correlation between brain imaging findings and verbal working memory has previously been documented in children with different pathological conditions, for example, following traumatic brain injury or in temporal lobe epilepsy . In addition, two previous studies have shown correlations between WM and verbal memory proficiency in healthy children . In older children and adolescents, Mabbott et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The external capsule contains association fibers that connect distant cortical regions. For example, the uncinate fasciculus passes through the external capsule and was previously found to be associated with verbal memory . Inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus fibers also pass through the external capsule and have been reported to be associated with verbal memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8,23 In addition, two previous studies have shown correlations between WM and verbal memory proficiency in healthy children. 14,15 In older children and adolescents, Mabbott et al showed that auditory/verbal memory is related to left uncinate fasciculus, parietal, and cerebellar WM microstructural integrity, measured by different DTI parameters. 14 In another study, Schaeffer et al focused on the role of the uncinate fasciculus in verbal memory proficiency; 15 suggesting that greater myelination and cohesiveness of axonal fibers in the uncinate fasciculus corresponded with higher verbal memory proficiency in 8 to 11-year-old children.…”

Section: Reported Associations Between Wm and Verbal Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…WM integrity and proper connectivity between different memory‐related regions are crucial for efficient information transmission and processing . However, few studies have investigated the relationship between WM integrity and memory test performance in typically developing children . Memory assessment could be especially important in early school years (5‐8 years) for early detection of learning difficulties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…13 However, few studies have investigated the relationship between WM integrity and memory test performance in typically developing children. 14,15 Memory assessment could be especially important in early school years (5-8 years) for early detection of learning difficulties. As structural brain alterations may precede the functional outcome, understanding the WM and memory performance structural-functional relationship may aid in the earlier diagnosis of learning difficulties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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White Matter Microstructure Correlates with Memory Performance in Healthy Children: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Samara

Feng

Pivik

et al. 2018

Journal of Neuroimaging

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The complex function of memory has been linked to both brain gray and white matter (WM). WM abnormalities are associated with memory impairment in pathological conditions. We investigated whether variation in WM microstructure in healthy children also correlates with memory performance. METHODS Sixty‐five 7.5 to 8.5‐year‐old healthy children had a brain MRI scan using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). They were also assessed for memory performance using the Children's Memory Scale (CMS). Eight indices that evaluate verbal and visual memory (immediate and delayed) were measured. DTI parameters reflecting WM microstructure, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD), were calculated and correlated with memory indices. RESULTS Tract‐based spatial statistics analysis showed multiple WM tracts in which DTI parameters correlated with CMS indices. Specifically, FA (a reflection of WM integrity) and RD values (a reflection of myelination) in multiple projecting, association, and commissural WM tracts correlated with verbal delayed index (P < .05, corrected for voxel‐wise multiple comparisons). Also, FA values in several WM tracts, including superior longitudinal fasciculus and posterior corona radiata, positively correlated with delayed recognition index (P < .05, corrected). Region of interest analyses showed similar correlations between FA/RD and CMS scores in WM regions involving these tracts and additionally in the cingulum, and detected additional MD–CMS correlations in several regions. CONCLUSIONS Significant correlations between DTI parameter values and CMS indices in multiple WM tracts in healthy children indicate that neuroimaging can sensitively detect brain WM changes associated with variations of memory function, even for that in the normal range.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reported Associations Between Wm and Verbal Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

White Matter Microstructure Correlates with Memory Performance in Healthy Children: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Samara

Feng

Pivik

et al. 2018

Journal of Neuroimaging

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Aerobic exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and the human hippocampus

et al. 2021

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The hippocampus is particularly susceptible to neurodegeneration. Physical activity, specifically increasing cardiorespiratory fitness via aerobic exercise, shows promise as a potential method for mitigating hippocampal decline in humans. Numerous studies have now investigated associations between the structure and function of the hippocampus and engagement in physical activity. Still, there remains continued debate and confusion about the relationship between physical activity and the human hippocampus. In this review, we describe the current state of the physical activity and exercise literature as it pertains to the structure and function of the human hippocampus, focusing on four magnetic resonance imaging measures: volume, diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state functional connectivity, and perfusion.We conclude that, despite significant heterogeneity in study methods, populations of interest, and scope, there are consistent positive findings, suggesting a promising role for physical activity in promoting hippocampal structure and function throughout the lifespan.

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The right uncinate fasciculus supports verbal short-term memory in aphasia

et al. 2023

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Verbal short-term memory (STM) deficits are associated with language processing impairments in people with aphasia. Importantly, the integrity of STM can predict word learning ability and anomia therapy gains in aphasia. While the recruitment of perilesional and contralesional homologous brain regions has been proposed as a possible mechanism for aphasia recovery, little is known about the white-matter pathways that support verbal STM in post-stroke aphasia. Here, we investigated the relationships between the language-related white matter tracts and verbal STM ability in aphasia. Nineteen participants with post-stroke chronic aphasia completed a subset of verbal STM subtests of the TALSA battery including nonword repetition (phonological STM), pointing span (lexical-semantic STM without language output) and repetition span tasks (lexical-semantic STM with language output). Using a manual deterministic tractography approach, we investigated the micro- and macrostructural properties of the structural language network. Next, we assessed the relationships between individually extracted tract values and verbal STM scores. We found significant correlations between volume measures of the right Uncinate Fasciculus and all three verbal STM scores, with the association between the right UF volume and nonword repetition being the strongest one. These findings suggest that the integrity of the right UF is associated with phonological and lexical-semantic verbal STM ability in aphasia and highlight the potential compensatory role of right-sided ventral white matter language tracts in supporting verbal STM after aphasia-inducing left hemisphere insult.

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The relationship between uncinate fasciculus white matter integrity and verbal memory proficiency in children

Cited by 20 publications

References 18 publications

White Matter Microstructure Correlates with Memory Performance in Healthy Children: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

White Matter Microstructure Correlates with Memory Performance in Healthy Children: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Aerobic exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and the human hippocampus

The right uncinate fasciculus supports verbal short-term memory in aphasia

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