Hydroxyurea maintains working memory function in pediatric sickle cell disease

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296196
• Publication Date: 2024-06-27T20:59:45Z
• Authors: Jesyin Lai; Ping Zou; Josue L. Dalboni ...; Andrew M. Heitzer; Tushar Patni; Yimei Li; Matthew A. Scoggins; Akshay Sharma; Winfred C. Wang; Kathleen J. Helton; Ranganatha Sitaram
• Keywords: Neurocognitive; Parahippocampal gyrus

Sickle cell disease (SCD) decreases the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells. Children with SCD have reduced/restricted cerebral flow, resulting in neurocognitive deficits. Hydroxyurea is standard treatment for SCD; however, whether hydroxyurea influences such effects unclear. A key area SCD-associated impairment working memory, which implicated other cognitive and academic skills. The neural correlates memory can be tested using n-back tasks. We analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data patients (20 hydroxyurea-treated 11 controls, aged 7-18 years) while they performed Blood-oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals were assessed during processing at 2 time points: before ~1 year after was initiated. Neurocognitive measures also both points. Our results suggested that stable treated group. observed a treatment-by-time interaction right cuneus angular gyrus 2- >0-back contrast. Searchlight-pattern classification points 2-back tasks identified greater changes pattern magnitude BOLD signals, especially posterior regions brain, control group than In 1-year follow-up, increased across several clusters (e.g., inferior temporal lobe, gyrus). hypothesize these resulted from effort absence hydroxyurea. group, 0- to left continuously increasing load, potentially related broader dynamic range response task difficulty effort. These findings suggest helps maintain function SCD.