Brain Perfusion Mediates the Relationship between miRNA Levels and Postural Control

Yufen Chen, Amy A Herrold, Zoran Martinovich, Sumra Bari, Nicole Vike, Anne J Blood, Alexa E Walter, Jaroslaw Harezlak, Peter H Seidenberg, Manish Bhomia, Barbara Knollmann-Ritschel, Khrystyna Stetsev (+7 others)
2020 Cerebral Cortex Communications  
Transcriptomics, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and a virtual reality (VR) based spatial motor 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
more » ... levels. rCBF acted as a consistent mediator variable (Sobel's test p < 0.05) 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 in these athletes with 11 years of average football exposure. rCBF, a systems biology measure, was necessary for miRNA to affect behavior.
doi:10.1093/texcom/tgaa078 pmid:34296137 pmcid:PMC8153038 fatcat:hlk2woqkfvbybbkk3vpj4wgpom