Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Brain Imaging

Brain Imaging

Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same journal

Is inadequate immune activation in late pregnancy a sign of mental health vulnerability?

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same journal

NRF2 ameliorates TBI-triggered Parkinsonism: synchronized antioxidant defense and neuroinflammation suppression.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same journal

Neurovascular barrier dysfunction as a mechanistic link between systemic inflammation and brain dysfunction.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same journal

Brain-derived extracellular vesicle (BDEV) abundance and BDEV protein associations with clinical phenotypes and treatment response in untreated first-episode psychosis.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same journal

A longitudinal examination of gut microbiota dysbiosis and neuro-behavioral phenotypes of poly(I:C)-maternal immune activation in a preclinical model of autism and schizophrenia.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same journal

Peripheral nerve injury-induced upregulation of acyl-CoA synthetase 2 contributes to neuropathic pain via mediating microglial autophagy disruption in the spinal dorsal horn.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

Complement component C4 and neuroimaging in psychiatry: A systematic review.

Chabert Jonathan¹, Laidi Charles², Caseras Xavier³

¹Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor (AP-HP), Département Médico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie (DMU IMPACT), Université Paris Est Créteil (UPEC), INSERM U955, IMRB, Laboratoire de Neuro-Psychiatrie Translationnelle, F-94010 Créteil, France.

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

|June 18, 2026

Summary

This review found that higher complement C4A protein levels are linked to smaller entorhinal cortex size in general populations. Associations with other brain regions and psychiatric disorders were inconsistent, suggesting complex neurodevelopmental impacts.

Keywords:

C4 Complement components Mental illness Neuroimaging Schizophrenia Synaptic pruning

More Related Videos

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

Manual Segmentation of the Human Choroid Plexus Using Brain MRI

Manual Segmentation of the Human Choroid Plexus Using Brain MRI

Published on: December 15, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

Manual Segmentation of the Human Choroid Plexus Using Brain MRI

Manual Segmentation of the Human Choroid Plexus Using Brain MRI

Published on: December 15, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Genetics

Background:

The complement system, particularly C4A protein levels, is implicated in psychiatric disorders via neurodevelopmental pathways.
Variations in C4A protein are suggested to influence brain structure and connectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically review how brain micro- and macrostructure, and connectivity, are associated with in vivo brain C4A protein levels.
To examine these associations in both psychiatric and general-population cohorts.

Main Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted across Medline, Web of Science, and Embase.
Studies included individuals with psychiatric disorders or healthy controls, utilized MRI neuroimaging, and employed genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic C4A proxies.
Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria for analysis.

Main Results:

Associations between C4A levels and brain structure were heterogeneous across regions.
Higher C4A levels were consistently linked to smaller entorhinal cortex surface area and cortical thickness in general populations.
Findings for medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) varied by metrics and clinical status.

Conclusions:

The limited number of studies and methodological heterogeneity complicate definitive conclusions.
Hypotheses include excessive synaptic pruning or inflammatory effects on the brain to explain observed associations.
Further research is needed to clarify the role of C4A in brain development and psychiatric disorders.