Publications by authors named "Gowland Penny"

Background: Despite the availability of various pharmacological and behavioural interventions, alcohol-related mortality is rising. This systematic review aimed to critically evaluate the existing literature on the association between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists use (GLP-1 RAs) and alcohol consumption.

Methods: Electronic searches were conducted on Ovid Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, clintrials.

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Bisacodyl is a widely used laxative that stimulates both motility and secretion. Our aim was to exploit the unique capabilities of MRI to define bisacodyl's mode of action. Two placebo-controlled cross-over trials were performed, one using a single dose of Bisacodyl 5 mg while the second dosed daily for 3 consecutive days.

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Background & Aims: Currently, the main treatment for celiac disease (CD) is gluten free diet (GFD). This observational cohort study investigated the impact of CD and 1 year of GFD on gut function and microbiome.

Methods: 36 newly diagnosed patients and 36 healthy volunteers (HVs) were studied at baseline and at 12 months follow up.

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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of dry or solid materials in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract requires the use of contrast agents to enhance visualization of the dosage forms. In this study, we explore the novel use of manganese gluconate added to tablets. Manganese was released during tablet dissolution, generating a bright "halo" effect around the tablets, consistent with shortening of the longitudinal relaxation time of the bulk water surrounding the tablet.

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White rice has a high glycemic index and its consumption has been linked to an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes mellitus, increased diabetes associated complications and obesity. In recent in vitro studies we have shown that addition of food hydrocolloids, such as low acyl gellan gum (LAGG), when cooking white rice potentially modifies starch digestion kinetics. The impact in vivo remains to be investigated.

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Purpose: To investigate and explain observed features of the placental DWI signal in healthy and compromised pregnancies using a mathematical model of maternal blood flow.

Methods: Thirteen healthy and nine compromised third trimester pregnancies underwent pulse gradient spin echo DWI MRI, with the results compared to MRI data simulated from a 2D mathematical model of maternal blood flow through the placenta. Both sets of data were fitted to an intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model, and a rebound model (defined within text), which described voxels that did not decay monotonically.

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Introduction: A growing literature has shown that exposure to adverse life events during childhood or adolescence is associated with the presence of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), which is in turn associated with the risk of psychotic outcomes. Ruminative thinking, i.e.

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  • This study uses multi-modal MRI to investigate neurobiological differences between anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), revealing structural and functional brain changes linked to these eating disorders.
  • Key findings include reduced gray matter volume in specific brain regions (like the orbitofrontal cortex) and decreased cortical thickness, particularly in anorexia patients, which are associated with impulsivity and cognitive restraint regarding eating behaviors.
  • The results suggest that these brain changes affect reward processing and contribute to the persistence of eating disorder symptoms, highlighting potential targets for future treatment interventions.
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  • * A study utilizing the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort revealed seven genomic regions where gene-environment interactions affect gray matter volume, tied to metabolic and inflammatory processes, as well as synaptic plasticity.
  • * The analysis highlighted that socioeconomic status, rather than family environment, plays a crucial role in how maternal education influences genetic effects on neurodevelopment, offering insights into the biological and social mechanisms involved.
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Objective: To optimize high-resolution 7 T MRI of the cochlea and measure normal cochlea and the cochlear nerve morphometry in vivo.

Materials And Methods: Eight volunteers with normal hearing were scanned at 7 T using an optimized protocol. Two neuroradiologists independently scored image quality.

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Background: Colonic motility in constipation can be assessed non-invasively using MRI.

Objective: To compare MRI with high-resolution colonic manometry (HRCM) for predicting treatment response.

Design: Part 1: 44 healthy volunteers (HVs), 43 patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and 37 with functional constipation (FC) completed stool diaries and questionnaires and underwent oral macrogol (500-1000 mL) challenge.

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  • This study investigates structural brain aging by analyzing both cross-sectional and longitudinal data from over 37,000 healthy individuals in the UK Biobank, identifying two distinct patterns of brain aging.
  • Participants showing signs of accelerated brain aging also experienced faster biological aging, cognitive decline, and higher genetic risks for neuropsychiatric disorders.
  • The research supports the 'last in, first out' hypothesis linking brain aging to brain development, and includes genomic analysis to uncover genetic factors influencing both accelerated brain aging and delayed development.
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Neural variability, or variation in brain signals, facilitates dynamic brain responses to ongoing demands. This flexibility is important during development from childhood to young adulthood, a period characterized by rapid changes in experience. However, little is known about how variability in the engagement of recurring brain states changes during development.

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Human brain morphology undergoes complex changes over the lifespan. Despite recent progress in tracking brain development via normative models, current knowledge of underlying biological mechanisms is highly limited. We demonstrate that human cortical thickness development and aging trajectories unfold along patterns of molecular and cellular brain organization, traceable from population-level to individual developmental trajectories.

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Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in cystic fibrosis (CF) are common and disruptive. The effect of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators on the GI tract is not fully understood. The aim was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine if elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) changed GI function and transit.

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  • * It analyzed over 1000 participants from ages 14 to 23 to determine if issues with sustained attention predict future substance use rather than being just a side effect.
  • * The results showed that strong brain connections related to sustained attention at age 14 can predict an increase in cannabis and cigarette use later, highlighting sustained attention as a key indicator of vulnerability to substance use.
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Importance: The development of an alcohol use disorder in adolescence is associated with increased risk of future alcohol dependence. The differential associations of risk factors with alcohol use over the course of 8 years are important for preventive measures.

Objective: To determine the differential associations of risk-taking aspects of personality, social factors, brain functioning, and familial risk with hazardous alcohol use in adolescents over the course of 8 years.

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Incomplete Hippocampal Inversion (IHI), sometimes called hippocampal malrotation, is an atypical anatomical pattern of the hippocampus found in about 20% of the general population. IHI can be visually assessed on coronal slices of T1 weighted MR images, using a composite score that combines four anatomical criteria. IHI has been associated with several brain disorders (epilepsy, schizophrenia).

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Background: People with cystic fibrosis (CF) can experience recurrent chest infections, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and gastrointestinal symptoms. New cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator drugs improve lung function but gastrointestinal effects are unclear. We aimed to see if a CFTR modulator (tezacaftor-ivacaftor,TEZ/IVA) improves gastrointestinal outcomes in CF.

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Adolescents exhibit remarkable heterogeneity in the structural architecture of brain development. However, due to limited large-scale longitudinal neuroimaging studies, existing research has largely focused on population averages, and the neurobiological basis underlying individual heterogeneity remains poorly understood. Here we identify, using the IMAGEN adolescent cohort followed up over 9 years (14-23 y), three groups of adolescents characterized by distinct developmental patterns of whole-brain gray matter volume (GMV).

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Aims: To examine the impact of impaired glycaemic regulation (IGR) and exercise training on hepatic lipid composition in men with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Materials And Methods: In Part A (cross-sectional design), 40 men with MASLD (liver proton density fat fraction [PDFF] ≥5.56%) were recruited to one of two groups: (1) normal glycaemic regulation (NGR) group (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c] < 42 mmol∙mol [<6.

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Perseverative negative thoughts, known as rumination, might arise from emotional challenges and preclude mental health when transitioning into adulthood. Due to its multifaceted nature, rumination can take several ruminative response styles, that diverge in manifestations, severity, and mental health outcomes. Still, prospective ruminative phenotypes remain elusive insofar.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates how the balance between excitation and inhibition in brain cortex microcircuits changes during adolescence, a critical period for brain maturation.
  • - Using advanced simulations and resting-state fMRI data from two large groups, researchers found an increase in inhibition in certain brain regions (association cortices) as adolescents age, while sensorimotor areas showed more stable excitation levels.
  • - The findings suggest that there’s a consistent developmental pattern in the excitation-inhibition balance that can vary among individuals, providing a new computational method to study brain maturation at a personal level.
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Background: In respiratory medicine, there is a need for sensitive measures of regional lung function that can be performed using standard imaging technology, without the need for inhaled or intravenous contrast agents.

Purpose: To describe VOxel-wise Lung VEntilation (VOLVE), a new method for quantifying regional lung ventilation (V) and perfusion (Q) using free-breathing proton MRI, and to evaluate VOLVE in healthy never-smokers, healthy people with smoking history, and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Study Type: Prospective pilot.

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Background: Personality traits have been associated with eating disorders (EDs) and comorbidities. However, it is unclear which personality profiles are premorbid risk rather than diagnostic markers.

Methods: We explored associations between personality and ED-related mental health symptoms using canonical correlation analyses.

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