Brouwer Rachel M, Koenis M M G, Schnack Hugo G, van Baal G Caroline, van Soelen Inge L C, Boomsma Dorret I, Hulshoff Pol Hilleke E
Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, House A.01.126, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands,
Behav Genet. 2015 May;45(3):313-23. doi: 10.1007/s10519-015-9708-8. Epub 2015 Feb 7.
Puberty is characterized by major changes in hormone levels and structural changes in the brain. To what extent these changes are associated and to what extent genes or environmental influences drive such an association is not clear. We acquired circulating levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol and testosterone and magnetic resonance images of the brain from 190 twins at age 9 [9.2 (0.11) years; 99 females/91 males]. This protocol was repeated at age 12 [12.1 (0.26) years] in 125 of these children (59 females/66 males). Using voxel-based morphometry, we tested whether circulating hormone levels are associated with grey matter density in boys and girls in a longitudinal, genetically informative design. In girls, changes in FSH level between the age of 9 and 12 positively associated with changes in grey matter density in areas covering the left hippocampus, left (pre)frontal areas, right cerebellum, and left anterior cingulate and precuneus. This association was mainly driven by environmental factors unique to the individual (i.e. the non-shared environment). In 12-year-old girls, a higher level of circulating estradiol levels was associated with lower grey matter density in frontal and parietal areas. This association was driven by environmental factors shared among the members of a twin pair. These findings show a pattern of physical and brain development going hand in hand.
青春期的特征是激素水平的重大变化和大脑结构的改变。这些变化在多大程度上相互关联，以及基因或环境影响在多大程度上驱动这种关联尚不清楚。我们采集了190名9岁双胞胎（9.2 [0.11]岁；99名女性/91名男性）的促黄体生成素、促卵泡激素（FSH）、雌二醇和睾酮的循环水平以及大脑的磁共振图像。其中125名儿童（59名女性/66名男性）在12岁（12.1 [0.26]岁）时重复了该方案。使用基于体素的形态测量法，我们在一项纵向的、具有遗传信息的设计中测试了循环激素水平是否与男孩和女孩的灰质密度相关。在女孩中，9岁至12岁之间FSH水平的变化与左侧海马体、左侧（前）额叶区域、右侧小脑以及左侧前扣带回和楔前叶区域的灰质密度变化呈正相关。这种关联主要由个体特有的环境因素（即非共享环境）驱动。在12岁的女孩中，循环雌二醇水平较高与额叶和顶叶区域的灰质密度较低相关。这种关联由双胞胎成员之间共享的环境因素驱动。这些发现显示了身体和大脑发育齐头并进的模式。
