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Peripheral inflammation is associated with altered substantia nigra activity and psychomotor slowing in humans

Bryclon, L; Harrison, NA; Walker, C; Steptoe, A; Critchley, HD; (2008) Peripheral inflammation is associated with altered substantia nigra activity and psychomotor slowing in humans. Biological Psychiatry , 63 (11) 1022 - 1029. 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.12.007. Green open access

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Abstract

Background: Systemic infections commonly cause sickness symptoms including psychomotor retardation. Inflammatory cytokines released during the innate immune response are implicated in the communication of peripheral inflammatory signals to the brain.Methods: We used functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural effects of peripheral inflammation following typhoid vaccination in 16 healthy men, using a double-blind, randomized, crossover-controlled design.Results: Vaccination had no global effect on neurovascular coupling but markedly perturbed neural reactivity within substantia nigra during low-level visual stimulation. During a cognitive task, individuals in whom typhoid vaccination engendered higher levels of circulating interleukin-6 had significantly slower reaction time responses. Prolonged reaction times and larger interleukin-6 responses were associated with evoked neural activity within substantia nigra.Conclusions: Our findings provide mechanistic insights into the interaction between inflammation and neurocognitive performance, specifically implicating circulating cytokines and midbrain dopaminergic nuclei in mediating the psychomotor consequences of systemic infection.

Type: Article
Title: Peripheral inflammation is associated with altered substantia nigra activity and psychomotor slowing in humans
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.12.007
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.12.007
Language: English
Additional information: An open access Elsevier publication
Keywords: Cytokines, fMRI, peripheral inflammation, psychomotor slowing, substantia nigra, sickness behavior, interferon-alpha, parkinsons-disease, rat-brain, dopamine, activation, interleukin-6, cytokines, system, fever
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/177164
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