title: Influence of pediatric vaccines on amygdala growth and opioid ligand binding in rhesus macaque infants: A pilot study.
abstract: This longitudinal, case-control pilot study examined amygdala growth in rhesus macaque infants receiving the complete US childhood vaccine schedule (1994-1999). Longitudinal structural and functional neuroimaging was undertaken to examine central effects of the vaccine regimen on the developing brain. Vaccine-exposed and saline-injected control infants underwent MRI and PET imaging at approximately 4 and 6 months of age, representing two specific timeframes within the vaccination schedule. Volumetric analyses showed that exposed animals did not undergo the maturational changes over time in amygdala volume that was observed in unexposed animals. After controlling for left amygdala volume, the binding of the opioid antagonist [(11)C]diprenorphine (DPN) in exposed animals remained relatively constant over time, compared with unexposed animals, in which a significant decrease in [(11)C]DPN binding occurred. These results suggest that maturational changes in amygdala volume and the binding capacity of [(11)C]DPN in the amygdala was significantly altered in infant macaques receiving the vaccine schedule. The macaque infant is a relevant animal model in which to investigate specific environmental exposures and structural/functional neuroimaging during neurodevelopment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. lch1@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hewitson
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lopresti
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stott
authors.forename: N Scott
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomko
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004174:Diprenorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008024:Ligands; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D010865:Pilot Projects; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D013849:Thimerosal / Q000633:toxicity*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008024:Ligands; D004174:Diprenorphine; D013849:Thimerosal