1. Brain perfusion mediates the relationship between miRNA levels and postural control
- Author
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Chen, Yufen, Herrold, Amy A, Martinovich, Zoran, Blood, Anne J, Vike, Nicole, Walter, Alexa E, Harezlak, Jaroslaw, Seidenberg, Peter H, Bhomia, Manish, Knollmann-Ritschel, Barbara, Reilly, James L, Nauman, Eric A, Talavage, Thomas M, Papa, Linda, Slobounov, Semyon, and Breiter, Hans C
- Subjects
Quantitative Biology - Neurons and Cognition - Abstract
Transcriptomics, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and a spatial motor virtual reality task were integrated using mediation analysis in a novel demonstration of "imaging omics". Data collected in NCAA Division I football athletes cleared for play before in-season training showed significant relationships in a) elevated levels of miR-30d and miR-92a to elevated putamen rCBF, (b) elevated putamen rCBF to compromised balance scores, and (c) compromised balance scores to elevated miRNA levels. rCBF acted as a mediator variable (minimum 70% mediation, significant Sobel's test) between abnormal miRNA levels and compromised balance scores. Given the involvement of these miRNAs in inflammation and immune function, and that vascular perfusion is a component of the inflammatory response, these findings support a chronic inflammatory model of repetitive head acceleration events (HAEs). rCBF, a systems biology measure, was necessary for miRNA to affect behavior. These results suggest miRNA as a potential diagnostic biomarker for repetitive HAEs., Comment: 32 pages, 2 figures, 5 tables
- Published
- 2019