Brain perfusion mediates the relationship between miRNA levels and postural control

Yufen Chen; Amy A Herrold; Zoran Martinovich; Anne J Blood; Nicole Vike; Alexa E Walter; Jaroslaw Harezlak; Peter H Seidenberg; Manish Bhomia; Barbara Knollmann-Ritschel; James L Reilly; Eric A Nauman; Thomas M Talavage; Linda Papa; Semyon Slobounov; Hans C Breiter

arXiv · 1912.02901

Brain perfusion mediates the relationship between miRNA levels and postural control

Yufen Chen·Amy A Herrold·Zoran Martinovich·Anne J Blood·Nicole Vike·Alexa E Walter·Jaroslaw Harezlak·Peter H Seidenberg·Manish Bhomia·Barbara Knollmann-Ritschel·James L Reilly·Eric A Nauman·Thomas M Talavage·Linda Papa·Semyon Slobounov·Hans C Breiter

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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.

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Yufen Chen, Amy A Herrold, Zoran Martinovich, Anne J Blood, Nicole Vike, Alexa E Walter, Jaroslaw Harezlak, Peter H Seidenberg, Manish Bhomia, Barbara Knollmann-Ritschel, James L Reilly, Eric A Nauman, Thomas M Talavage, Linda Papa, Semyon Slobounov, Hans C Breiter. 2019-12-05. Brain perfusion mediates the relationship between miRNA levels and postural control. https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.02901

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