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De novo Blood Biomarkers in Autism: Autoantibodies against Neuronal and Glial Proteins. Behav Sci (Basel) 2019; 9:bs9050047. [PMID: 31035713 PMCID: PMC6563083 DOI: 10.3390/bs9050047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with unidentified etiology. The behavioral manifestations of ASD may be a consequence of genetic and/or environmental pathology in neurodevelopmental processes. In this limited study, we assayed autoantibodies to a panel of vital neuronal and glial proteins in the sera of 40 subjects (10 children with ASD and their mothers along with 10 healthy controls, age-matched children and their mothers). Serum samples were screened using Western Blot analysis to measure immunoglobulin (IgG) reactivity against a panel of 9 neuronal proteins commonly associated with neuronal degeneration: neurofilament triplet proteins (NFP), tubulin, microtubule-associated proteins (tau), microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), α-synuclein (SNCA) and astrocytes proteins such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B protein. Our data show that the levels of circulating IgG class autoantibodies against the nine proteins were significantly elevated in ASD children. Mothers of ASD children exhibited increased levels of autoantibodies against all panel of tested proteins except for S100B and tubulin compared to age-matched healthy control children and their mothers. Control children and their mothers showed low and insignificant levels of autoantibodies to neuronal and glial proteins. These results strongly support the importance of anti-neuronal and glial protein autoantibodies biomarker in screening for ASD children and further confirm the importance of the involvement of the maternal immune system as an index that should be considered in fetal in utero environmental exposures. More studies are needed using larger cohort to verify these results and understand the importance of the presence of such autoantibodies in children with autism and their mothers, both as biomarkers and their role in the mechanism of action of autism and perhaps in its treatment.
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Petanjek Z, Sedmak D, Džaja D, Hladnik A, Rašin MR, Jovanov-Milosevic N. The Protracted Maturation of Associative Layer IIIC Pyramidal Neurons in the Human Prefrontal Cortex During Childhood: A Major Role in Cognitive Development and Selective Alteration in Autism. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:122. [PMID: 30923504 PMCID: PMC6426783 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human specific cognitive shift starts around the age of 2 years with the onset of self-awareness, and continues with extraordinary increase in cognitive capacities during early childhood. Diffuse changes in functional connectivity in children aged 2-6 years indicate an increase in the capacity of cortical network. Interestingly, structural network complexity does not increase during this time and, thus, it is likely to be induced by selective maturation of a specific neuronal subclass. Here, we provide an overview of a subclass of cortico-cortical neurons, the associative layer IIIC pyramids of the human prefrontal cortex. Their local axonal collaterals are in control of the prefrontal cortico-cortical output, while their long projections modulate inter-areal processing. In this way, layer IIIC pyramids are the major integrative element of cortical processing, and changes in their connectivity patterns will affect global cortical functioning. Layer IIIC neurons have a unique pattern of dendritic maturation. In contrast to other classes of principal neurons, they undergo an additional phase of extensive dendritic growth during early childhood, and show characteristic molecular changes. Taken together, circuits associated with layer IIIC neurons have the most protracted period of developmental plasticity. This unique feature is advanced but also provides a window of opportunity for pathological events to disrupt normal formation of cognitive circuits involving layer IIIC neurons. In this manuscript, we discuss how disrupted dendritic and axonal maturation of layer IIIC neurons may lead into global cortical disconnectivity, affecting development of complex communication and social abilities. We also propose a model that developmentally dictated incorporation of layer IIIC neurons into maturing cortico-cortical circuits between 2 to 6 years will reveal a previous (perinatal) lesion affecting other classes of principal neurons. This "disclosure" of pre-existing functionally silent lesions of other neuronal classes induced by development of layer IIIC associative neurons, or their direct alteration, could be found in different forms of autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the gene-environment interaction in shaping cognitive microcircuitries may be fundamental for developing rehabilitation and prevention strategies in autism spectrum and other cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dora Sedmak
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Domagoj Džaja
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Hladnik
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mladen Roko Rašin
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Nataša Jovanov-Milosevic
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Nomi JS, Molnar-Szakacs I, Uddin LQ. Insular function in autism: Update and future directions in neuroimaging and interventions. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:412-426. [PMID: 30381235 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The insular cortex, hidden within the lateral sulcus of the human brain, participates in a range of cognitive, affective, and sensory functions. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition affecting all of these functional domains, has increasingly been linked with atypical activation and connectivity of the insular cortices. Here we review the latest research linking atypical insular function to a range of behaviors characteristic of ASD, with an emphasis on neuroimaging findings in the domains of social cognition and executive function. We summarize some of the recent work linking the insula to interventions in autism, including oxytocin-based pharmacological treatments and music therapy. We suggest that future directions likely to yield significant insights into insular pathology in ASD include the analysis of the dynamics of this brain region. We also conclude that more basic research is necessary on the use of oxytocin pharmacotherapy, and larger studies addressing participant heterogeneity are needed on the use of music therapy in ASD. Long-term studies are needed to ascertain sustained effects of these interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Nomi
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | | | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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54
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Resting-state abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3892. [PMID: 30846796 PMCID: PMC6405852 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The gold standard for clinical assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) relies on assessing behavior via semi-structured play-based interviews and parent interviews. Although these methods show good sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing ASD cases, behavioral assessments alone may hinder the identification of asymptomatic at-risk group. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) could be an appropriate approach to produce objective neural markers to supplement behavioral assessments due to its non-invasive and task-free nature. Previous neuroimaging studies reported inconsistent resting-state abnormalities in ASD, which may be explained by small sample sizes and phenotypic heterogeneity in ASD subjects, and/or the use of different analytical methods across studies. The current study aims to investigate the local resting-state abnormalities of ASD regardless of subject age, IQ, gender, disease severity and methodological differences, using activation likelihood estimation (ALE). MEDLINE/PubMed databases were searched for whole-brain rs-fMRI studies on ASD published until Feb 2018. Eight experiments involving 424 subjects were included in the ALE meta-analysis. We demonstrate two ASD-related resting-state findings: local underconnectivity in the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and in the right medial paracentral lobule. This study contributes to uncovering a consistent pattern of resting-state local abnormalities that may serve as potential neurobiological markers for ASD.
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55
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Holiga Š, Hipp JF, Chatham CH, Garces P, Spooren W, D’Ardhuy XL, Bertolino A, Bouquet C, Buitelaar JK, Bours C, Rausch A, Oldehinkel M, Bouvard M, Amestoy A, Caralp M, Gueguen S, Ly-Le Moal M, Houenou J, Beckmann CF, Loth E, Murphy D, Charman T, Tillmann J, Laidi C, Delorme R, Beggiato A, Gaman A, Scheid I, Leboyer M, d’Albis MA, Sevigny J, Czech C, Bolognani F, Honey GD, Dukart J. Patients with autism spectrum disorders display reproducible functional connectivity alterations. Sci Transl Med 2019. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat9223 order by 39635--] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Štefan Holiga
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joerg F. Hipp
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christopher H. Chatham
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pilar Garces
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Will Spooren
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xavier Liogier D’Ardhuy
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy
| | - Céline Bouquet
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan K. Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical center, Nijmegen 6525 EN, Netherlands
| | - Carsten Bours
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical center, Nijmegen 6525 EN, Netherlands
| | - Annika Rausch
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical center, Nijmegen 6525 EN, Netherlands
| | - Marianne Oldehinkel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical center, Nijmegen 6525 EN, Netherlands
- Brain & Mental Health Laboratory, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Manuel Bouvard
- Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Charles Perrens Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Anouck Amestoy
- Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Charles Perrens Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Mireille Caralp
- INSERM, National Biobank Infrastructure, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Sonia Gueguen
- INSERM, Clinical Research Department, 75014 Paris, France
| | | | - Josselin Houenou
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Mondor, DHU PePSY, Pôle de psychiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, INSERM U955, IMRB, Equipe 15, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
- NeuroSpin, UNIACT Lab, Psychiatry Team, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Christian F. Beckmann
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical center, Nijmegen 6525 EN, Netherlands
| | - Eva Loth
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Declan Murphy
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Tony Charman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Julian Tillmann
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of Applied Psychology: Health, Development, Enhancement, and Intervention, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Charles Laidi
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Mondor, DHU PePSY, Pôle de psychiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, INSERM U955, IMRB, Equipe 15, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Paris, France
- Pasteur Institute, 75019 Paris, France
| | - Anita Beggiato
- APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Paris, France
- Pasteur Institute, 75019 Paris, France
| | - Alexandru Gaman
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Mondor, DHU PePSY, Pôle de psychiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, INSERM U955, IMRB, Equipe 15, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Isabelle Scheid
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Mondor, DHU PePSY, Pôle de psychiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, INSERM U955, IMRB, Equipe 15, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Marion Leboyer
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Mondor, DHU PePSY, Pôle de psychiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, INSERM U955, IMRB, Equipe 15, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Marc-Antoine d’Albis
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Mondor, DHU PePSY, Pôle de psychiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, INSERM U955, IMRB, Equipe 15, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
- NeuroSpin, UNIACT Lab, Psychiatry Team, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jeff Sevigny
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Czech
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Federico Bolognani
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
- Therachon AG, Aeschenvorstadt 36, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Garry D. Honey
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Juergen Dukart
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
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56
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Holiga Š, Hipp JF, Chatham CH, Garces P, Spooren W, D’Ardhuy XL, Bertolino A, Bouquet C, Buitelaar JK, Bours C, Rausch A, Oldehinkel M, Bouvard M, Amestoy A, Caralp M, Gueguen S, Ly-Le Moal M, Houenou J, Beckmann CF, Loth E, Murphy D, Charman T, Tillmann J, Laidi C, Delorme R, Beggiato A, Gaman A, Scheid I, Leboyer M, d’Albis MA, Sevigny J, Czech C, Bolognani F, Honey GD, Dukart J. Patients with autism spectrum disorders display reproducible functional connectivity alterations. Sci Transl Med 2019; 11:11/481/eaat9223. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat9223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high clinical burden, little is known about pathophysiology underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) studies have found atypical synchronization of brain activity in ASD. However, no consensus has been reached on the nature and clinical relevance of these alterations. Here, we addressed these questions in four large ASD cohorts. Using rs-fMRI, we identified functional connectivity alterations associated with ASD. We tested for associations of these imaging phenotypes with clinical and demographic factors such as age, sex, medication status, and clinical symptom severity. Our results showed reproducible patterns of ASD-associated functional hyper- and hypoconnectivity. Hypoconnectivity was primarily restricted to sensory-motor regions, whereas hyperconnectivity hubs were predominately located in prefrontal and parietal cortices. Shifts in cortico-cortical between-network connectivity from outside to within the identified regions were shown to be a key driver of these abnormalities. This reproducible pathophysiological phenotype was partially associated with core ASD symptoms related to communication and daily living skills and was not affected by age, sex, or medication status. Although the large effect sizes in standardized cohorts are encouraging with respect to potential application as a treatment and for patient stratification, the moderate link to clinical symptoms and the large overlap with healthy controls currently limit the usability of identified alterations as diagnostic or efficacy readout.
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57
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Kozhemiako N, Vakorin V, Nunes AS, Iarocci G, Ribary U, Doesburg SM. Extreme male developmental trajectories of homotopic brain connectivity in autism. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:987-1000. [PMID: 30311349 PMCID: PMC6865573 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be characterized by an extreme male brain (EMB) pattern of brain development. Here, we performed the first investigation of how age-related changes in functional brain connectivity may be expressed differently in females and males with ASD. We analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 107 typically developing (TD) females, 114 TD males, 104 females, and 115 males with ASD (6-26 years) from the autism brain imaging data exchange repository. We explored how interhemispheric homotopic connectivity and its maturational curvatures change across groups. Differences between ASD and TD and between females and males with ASD were observed for the rate of changes in connectivity in the absence of overall differences in connectivity. The largest portion of variance in age-related changes in connectivity was described through similarities between TD males, ASD males, and ASD females, in contrast to TD females. We found that shape of developmental curvature is associated with symptomatology in both males and females with ASD. We demonstrated that females and males with ASD tended to follow the male pattern of developmental changes in interhemispheric connectivity, supporting the EMB theory of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliia Kozhemiako
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and KinesiologySimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Vasily Vakorin
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and KinesiologySimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience InstituteSimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Adonay S. Nunes
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and KinesiologySimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Grace Iarocci
- Department of PsychologySimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Urs Ribary
- Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience InstituteSimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of PsychologySimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Pediatrics and PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sam M. Doesburg
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and KinesiologySimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience InstituteSimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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58
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Tomasi D, Volkow ND. Reduced Local and Increased Long-Range Functional Connectivity of the Thalamus in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:573-585. [PMID: 29300843 PMCID: PMC6319176 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is hypothesized that brain network abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reflect local overconnectivity and long-range underconnectivity. However, this is not a consistent finding in recent studies, which could reflect the developmental nature and the heterogeneity of ASD. Here, we tested 565 ASD and 602 neurotypical (NT) males, and 91 ASD and 233 NT females using local functional connectivity density (lFCD) mapping and seed-voxel correlation analyses to assess how local and long-range connectivities differ in ASD. Compared with NT males, ASD males had lower and weaker age-related increases in thalamic lFCD, which were associated with symptoms of autism. Post-hoc seed-voxel correlation analyses for the thalamus cluster revealed stronger connectivity with auditory, somatosensory, motoric, and interoceptive cortices for ASD than for NT, both in males and in females, which decreased with age in both ASD and NT. These results document the disruption of local thalamic connectivity and dysregulation of thalamo-cortical networks, which might contribute to perceptual, motoric, and interoceptive impairments, and are also consistent with a developmental delay in functional connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dardo Tomasi
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, USA
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59
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Mash LE, Linke AC, Olson LA, Fishman I, Liu TT, Müller RA. Transient states of network connectivity are atypical in autism: A dynamic functional connectivity study. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:2377-2389. [PMID: 30681228 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
There is ample evidence of atypical functional connectivity (FC) in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, transient relationships between neural networks cannot be captured by conventional static FC analyses. Dynamic FC (dFC) approaches have been used to identify repeating, transient connectivity patterns ("states"), revealing spatiotemporal network properties not observable in static FC. Recent studies have found atypical dFC in ASDs, but questions remain about the nature of group differences in transient connectivity, and the degree to which states persist or change over time. This study aimed to: (a) describe and relate static and dynamic FC in typical development and ASDs, (b) describe group differences in transient states and compare them with static FC patterns, and (c) examine temporal stability and flexibility between identified states. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 62 ASD and 57 typically developing (TD) children and adolescents. Whole-brain, data-driven regions of interest were derived from group independent component analysis. Sliding window analysis and k-means clustering were used to explore dFC and identify transient states. Across all regions, static overconnnectivity and increased variability over time in ASDs predominated. Furthermore, significant patterns of group differences emerged in two transient states that were not observed in the static FC matrix, with group differences in one state primarily involving sensory and motor networks, and in the other involving higher-order cognition networks. Default mode network segregation was significantly reduced in ASDs in both states. Results highlight that dynamic approaches may reveal more nuanced transient patterns of atypical FC in ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E Mash
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Annika C Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Lindsay A Olson
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Inna Fishman
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Thomas T Liu
- Center for Functional MRI, Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
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60
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Odriozola P, Dajani DR, Burrows CA, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Goodman E, Baez AC, Tottenham N, Uddin LQ, Gee DG. Atypical frontoamygdala functional connectivity in youth with autism. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 37:100603. [PMID: 30581125 PMCID: PMC6570504 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex underlies socioemotional functioning, a core domain of impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although frontoamygdala circuitry undergoes dynamic changes throughout development, little is known about age-related changes in frontoamygdala networks in ASD. Here we characterize frontoamygdala resting-state FC in a cross-sectional sample (ages 7–25) of 58 typically developing (TD) individuals and 53 individuals with ASD. Contrary to hypotheses, individuals with ASD did not show different age-related patterns of frontoamygdala FC compared with TD individuals. However, overall group differences in frontoamygdala FC were observed. Specifically, relative to TD individuals, individuals with ASD showed weaker frontoamygdala FC between the right basolateral (BL) amygdala and the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). These findings extend prior work to a broader developmental range in ASD, and indicate ASD-related differences in frontoamygdala FC that may underlie core socioemotional impairments in children and adolescents with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Odriozola
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
| | - Dina R Dajani
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | | | | | - Emma Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Adriana C Baez
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami FL, 33136, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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61
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Chen H, Wang J, Uddin LQ, Wang X, Guo X, Lu F, Duan X, Wu L, Chen H. Aberrant functional connectivity of neural circuits associated with social and sensorimotor deficits in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2018; 11:1643-1652. [PMID: 30475453 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical functional integration of brain regions. The vast majority of neuroimaging studies of ASD have focused on older children, adolescents, and adults with the disorder. Very little work has explored whole-brain functional connectivity of young children with ASD. Here, we collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 58 young children (mean age 4.98 years; 29 with ASD; 29 matched healthy controls [HC]). All children were under sedation during scanning. A functional "connectedness" method was first used to seek for brain regions showing atypical functional connectivity (FC) in children with ASD. Then, a recurrent-seek strategy was applied to reveal atypical FC circuits in ASD children. FC matrices between regions-of-interest (ROIs) were compared between ASD and HC. Finally, a support vector regression (SVR) method was used to assess the relationship between the FC circuits and ASD symptom severity. Two atypical FC circuits comprising 23 ROIs in ASD were revealed: one predominantly comprised brain regions involved with social cognition showing under-connectivity in ASD; the other predominantly comprised sensory-motor and visual brain regions showing over-connectivity in ASD. The SVR analysis showed that the two FC circuits were separately related to social deficits and restricted behavior scores. These findings indicate disrupted FC of neural circuits involved in the social and sensorimotor processes in young children with ASD. The finding of the atypical FC patterns in young children with ASD underscores the utility of studying younger children with the disorder, and highlights nuanced patterns of brain connectivity underlying behavior closer to disorder onset. Autism Research 2018, 11: 1643-1652. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder. Understanding brain functional alterations at early ages is important for understanding biological mechanisms of ASD. Here, we found two atypical brain functional circuits in young children with ASD that were related to social and sensorimotor function. These results show how atypical patterns of brain functional connectivity in young children with of ASD may underlie core symptoms of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, From University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,School of life Science and technology, center for information in medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Xiaomin Wang
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiaonan Guo
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, From University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,School of life Science and technology, center for information in medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Fengmei Lu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, From University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Chengdu Mental Health Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Xujun Duan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, From University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,School of life Science and technology, center for information in medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Huafu Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, From University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,School of life Science and technology, center for information in medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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62
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Lawrence KE, Hernandez LM, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Atypical longitudinal development of functional connectivity in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2018; 12:53-65. [PMID: 30375176 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is consistently associated with alterations in brain connectivity, but there are conflicting results as to where and when individuals with ASD display increased or reduced functional connectivity. Such inconsistent findings may be driven by atypical neurodevelopmental trajectories in ASD during adolescence, but no longitudinal studies to date have investigated this hypothesis. We thus examined the functional connectivity of three neurocognitive resting-state networks-the default mode network (DMN), salience network, and central executive network (CEN)-in a longitudinal sample of youth with ASD (n = 16) and without ASD (n = 22) studied during early/mid- and late adolescence. Functional connectivity between the CEN and the DMN displayed significantly altered developmental trajectories in ASD: typically developing (TD) controls-but not youth with ASD-exhibited an increase in negative functional connectivity between these two networks with age. This significant interaction was due to the ASD group displaying less negative functional connectivity than the TD group during late adolescence only, with no significant group differences in early/mid-adolescence. These preliminary findings suggest a localized age-dependency of functional connectivity alterations in ASD and underscore the importance of considering age when examining brain connectivity. Autism Research 2019, 12: 53-65. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Brain connectivity may develop differently during adolescence in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We looked at changes in brain connectivity over time within individuals and found that, for some brain regions, adolescents with ASD did not show the same changes in brain connectivity that typically developing adolescents did. This suggests it is important to consider age when studying brain connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Lawrence
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Leanna M Hernandez
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Los Angeles, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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63
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Issa HA, Staes N, Diggs-Galligan S, Stimpson CD, Gendron-Fitzpatrick A, Taglialatela JP, Hof PR, Hopkins WD, Sherwood CC. Comparison of bonobo and chimpanzee brain microstructure reveals differences in socio-emotional circuits. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 224:239-251. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1751-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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64
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Nair S, Jao Keehn RJ, Berkebile MM, Maximo JO, Witkowska N, Müller RA. Local resting state functional connectivity in autism: site and cohort variability and the effect of eye status. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 12:168-179. [PMID: 28197860 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-017-9678-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with prominent impairments in sociocommunicative abilities, which have been linked to anomalous brain network organization. Despite ample evidence of atypical long-distance connectivity, the literature on local connectivity remains small and divergent. We used resting-state functional MRI regional homogeneity (ReHo) as a local connectivity measure in comparative analyses across several well-matched low-motion subsamples from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange and in-house data, with a grand total of 147 ASD and 184 typically developing (TD) participants, ages 7-18 years. We tested for group differences in each subsample, with additional focus on the difference between eyes-open and eyes-closed resting states. Despite selection of highest quality data and tight demographic and motion matching between groups and across samples, few effects in exactly identical loci (voxels) were found across samples. However, there was gross consistency across all eyes-open samples of local overconnectivity (ASD > TD) in posterior, visual regions. There was also gross consistency of local underconnectivity (ASD < TD) in cingulate gyrus, although exact loci varied between mid/posterior and anterior sections. While all eyes-open datasets showed the described gross similarities, the pattern of group differences for participants scanned with eyes closed was different, with local overconnectivity in ASD in posterior cingulate gyrus, but underconnectivity in some visual regions. Our findings suggest that fMRI local connectivity measures may be relatively susceptible to site and cohort variability and that some previous inconsistencies in the ASD ReHo literature may be reconciled by more careful consideration of eye status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeeta Nair
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - R Joanne Jao Keehn
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Michael M Berkebile
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - José Omar Maximo
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Natalia Witkowska
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA. .,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
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65
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Hogeveen J, Krug MK, Elliott MV, Solomon M. Insula-Retrosplenial Cortex Overconnectivity Increases Internalizing via Reduced Insight in Autism. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84. [PMID: 29523413 PMCID: PMC6067993 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression are common and impairing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we test the hypothesis that aberrant functional connectivity among three brain networks (salience network [SN], default mode network [DMN], and frontoparietal network [FPN]) plays a role in the pathophysiology of internalizing in ASD. METHODS We examined the association between resting-state functional connectivity and internalizing in 102 adolescents and young adults with ASD (n = 49) or typical development (n = 53). Seed-to-target functional connectivity was contrasted between adolescents and young adults with ASD and typically developing subjects using a recent parcellation of the human cerebral cortex, and connections that were aberrant in ASD were analyzed dimensionally as a function of parent-reported internalizing symptoms. RESULTS Three connections demonstrated robust overconnectivity in ASD: 1) the anterior insula to the retrosplenial cortex (i.e., SN-DMN), 2) the anterior insula to the frontal pole (i.e., SN-FPN), and 3) the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to the retrosplenial cortex (i.e., FPN-DMN). These differences remained significant after controlling for age, and no age-related effects survived correction. The SN-DMN connection was associated with greater internalizing in ASD, mediated by a bigger difference between self- and parent-reported internalizing. Control analyses found that the other two connections were not associated with internalizing, and SN-DMN connectivity was not associated with a well-matched control measure (externalizing symptoms). CONCLUSIONS The present findings provide novel evidence for a specific link between SN-DMN overconnectivity and internalizing in ASD. Further, the mediation results suggest that intact anterior insula-retrosplenial connectivity may play a role in an individual's generating insight into his or her own psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Hogeveen
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California.
| | - Marie K. Krug
- UC Davis MIND Institute,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis
| | - Matthew V. Elliott
- UC Davis MIND Institute,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- UC Davis MIND Institute,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis,Imaging Research Center, UC Davis
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66
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Wang W, Liu J, Shi S, Liu T, Ma L, Ma X, Tian J, Gong Q, Wang M. Altered Resting-State Functional Activity in Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis. Front Neurol 2018; 9:556. [PMID: 30087648 PMCID: PMC6066523 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: There is accumulating evidence showing that patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have obvious changes in resting-state functional brain activity. So far, there have been no meta-analyses of the resting-state brain activity alterations in patients with ASD. We attempted to explore the resting-state functional activity changes in patients with ASD, possibly providing a new perspective for investigating the pathophysiology of patients with ASD. Methods: We screened relevant studies published before August 2017 in PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wan-fang database. Fifteen resting-state functional neural activity datasets (including 382 patients and 348 healthy controls) were included. Through the use of the effect-size signed differential mapping (ES-SDM) method, we carried out a meta-analysis of resting-state functional activity studies of patients with ASD. Results: Compared with healthy controls, patients with ASD showed hyperactivity in the right supplementary motor area, middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, the left precentral gyrus, and the bilateral cerebellum hemispheric lobule (VIII/IX), and hypoactivity in the right middle temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and the left precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, median cingulate cortex, and bilateral cerebellum (crus I). Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicates that patients with ASD have significant and robust resting-state brain activity alterations in the language comprehension network, inferior-posterior cerebellum, default mode network (DMN), and cerebellar crus I. These brain regions may serve as specific regions of interest for further studies of ASD, which will allow us to further clarify the neurobiological mechanisms in patients with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Wang
- Department of Radiology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaojie Shi
- Department of Radiology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Taiyuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lun Ma
- Department of Radiology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyue Ma
- Department of Radiology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jie Tian
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.,Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meiyun Wang
- Department of Radiology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
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Pereira AM, Campos BM, Coan AC, Pegoraro LF, de Rezende TJR, Obeso I, Dalgalarrondo P, da Costa JC, Dreher JC, Cendes F. Differences in Cortical Structure and Functional MRI Connectivity in High Functioning Autism. Front Neurol 2018; 9:539. [PMID: 30042724 PMCID: PMC6048242 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent a complex group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by deficits in communication and social behaviors. We examined the functional connectivity (FC) of the default mode network (DMN) and its relation to multimodal morphometry to investigate superregional, system-level alterations in a group of 22 adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism compared to age-, and intelligence quotient-matched 29 healthy controls. The main findings were that ASD patients had gray matter (GM) reduction, decreased cortical thickness and larger cortical surface areas in several brain regions, including the cingulate, temporal lobes, and amygdala, as well as increased gyrification in regions associated with encoding visual memories and areas of the sensorimotor component of the DMN, more pronounced in the left hemisphere. Moreover, patients with ASD had decreased connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex, and areas of the executive control component of the DMN and increased FC between the anteromedial prefrontal cortex and areas of the sensorimotor component of the DMN. Reduced cortical thickness in the right inferior frontal lobe correlated with higher social impairment according to the scores of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). Reduced cortical thickness in left frontal regions, as well as an increased cortical thickness in the right temporal pole and posterior cingulate, were associated with worse scores on the communication domain of the ADI-R. We found no association between scores on the restrictive and repetitive behaviors domain of ADI-R with structural measures or FC. The combination of these structural and connectivity abnormalities may help to explain some of the core behaviors in high-functioning ASD and need to be investigated further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra M. Pereira
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Pediatrics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Brunno M. Campos
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Ana C. Coan
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Luiz F. Pegoraro
- Department of Psychiatry, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Thiago J. R. de Rezende
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Ignacio Obeso
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Reward and Decision Making Group, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 5229, Lyon, France
- Centro Integral en Neurociencias A.C., Hospital HM Puerta del Sur en Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jaderson C. da Costa
- Department of Pediatrics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jean-Claude Dreher
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Reward and Decision Making Group, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 5229, Lyon, France
| | - Fernando Cendes
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
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Mamashli F, Khan S, Bharadwaj H, Losh A, Pawlyszyn SM, Hämäläinen MS, Kenet T. Maturational trajectories of local and long-range functional connectivity in autism during face processing. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:4094-4104. [PMID: 29947148 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized neurophysiologically by, among other things, functional connectivity abnormalities in the brain. Recent evidence suggests that the nature of these functional connectivity abnormalities might not be uniform throughout maturation. Comparing between adolescents and young adults (ages 14-21) with ASD and age- and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) individuals, we previously documented, using magnetoencephalography (MEG) data, that local functional connectivity in the fusiform face areas (FFA) and long-range functional connectivity between FFA and three higher order cortical areas were all reduced in ASD. Given the findings on abnormal maturation trajectories in ASD, we tested whether these results extend to preadolescent children (ages 7-13). We found that both local and long-range functional connectivity were in fact normal in this younger age group in ASD. Combining the two age groups, we found that local and long-range functional connectivity measures were positively correlated with age in TD, but negatively correlated with age in ASD. Last, we showed that local functional connectivity was the primary feature in predicting age in ASD group, but not in the TD group. Furthermore, local functional connectivity was only correlated with ASD severity in the older group. These results suggest that the direction of maturation of functional connectivity for processing of faces from childhood to young adulthood is itself abnormal in ASD, and that during the processing of faces, these trajectory abnormalities are more pronounced for local functional connectivity measures than they are for long-range functional connectivity measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Mamashli
- Department of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH/HST, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Sheraz Khan
- Department of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH/HST, Charlestown, Massachusetts.,Department of Radiology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hari Bharadwaj
- Department of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH/HST, Charlestown, Massachusetts.,Department of Radiology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ainsley Losh
- Department of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Matti S Hämäläinen
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH/HST, Charlestown, Massachusetts.,Department of Radiology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland
| | - Tal Kenet
- Department of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH/HST, Charlestown, Massachusetts
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69
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Mash LE, Reiter MA, Linke AC, Townsend J, Müller RA. Multimodal approaches to functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders: An integrative perspective. Dev Neurobiol 2018; 78:456-473. [PMID: 29266810 PMCID: PMC5897150 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Atypical functional connectivity has been implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the literature to date has been largely inconsistent, with mixed and conflicting reports of hypo- and hyper-connectivity. These discrepancies are partly due to differences between various neuroimaging modalities. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetoencephalography (MEG) measure distinct indices of functional connectivity (e.g., blood-oxygenation level-dependent [BOLD] signal vs. electrical activity). Furthermore, each method has unique benefits and disadvantages with respect to spatial and temporal resolution, vulnerability to specific artifacts, and practical implementation. Thus far, functional connectivity research on ASDs has remained almost exclusively unimodal; therefore, interpreting findings across modalities remains a challenge. Multimodal integration of fMRI, EEG, and MEG data is critical in resolving discrepancies in the literature, and working toward a unifying framework for interpreting past and future findings. This review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for future multimodal research on ASDs. First, we will discuss the merits and shortcomings of several popular theories in ASD functional connectivity research, using examples from the literature to date. Next, the neurophysiological relationships between imaging modalities, including their relationship with invasive neural recordings, will be reviewed. Finally, methodological approaches to multimodal data integration will be presented, and their future application to ASDs will be discussed. Analyses relating transient patterns of neural activity ("states") are particularly promising. This strategy provides a comparable measure across modalities, captures complex spatiotemporal patterns, and is a natural extension of recent dynamic fMRI research in ASDs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 78: 456-473, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E. Mash
- SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
| | - Maya A. Reiter
- SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
| | - Annika C. Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
| | - Jeanne Townsend
- University of California, San Diego, Department of Neurosciences
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
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70
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Greene RK, Spanos M, Alderman C, Walsh E, Bizzell J, Mosner MG, Kinard JL, Stuber GD, Chandrasekhar T, Politte LC, Sikich L, Dichter GS. The effects of intranasal oxytocin on reward circuitry responses in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2018; 10:12. [PMID: 29587625 PMCID: PMC5870086 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-018-9228-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has been shown to improve social communication functioning of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, thus, has received considerable interest as a potential ASD therapeutic agent. Although preclinical research indicates that OT modulates the functional output of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system that processes rewards, no clinical brain imaging study to date has examined the effects of OT on this system using a reward processing paradigm. To address this, we used an incentive delay task to examine the effects of a single dose of intranasal OT, versus placebo (PLC), on neural responses to social and nonsocial rewards in children with ASD. METHODS In this placebo-controlled double-blind study, 28 children and adolescents with ASD (age: M = 13.43 years, SD = 2.36) completed two fMRI scans, one after intranasal OT administration and one after PLC administration. During both scanning sessions, participants completed social and nonsocial incentive delay tasks. Task-based neural activation and connectivity were examined to assess the impact of OT relative to PLC on mesocorticolimbic brain responses to social and nonsocial reward anticipation and outcomes. RESULTS Central analyses compared the OT and PLC conditions. During nonsocial reward anticipation, there was greater activation in the right nucleus accumbens (NAcc), left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), bilateral orbital frontal cortex (OFC), left superior frontal cortex, and right frontal pole (FP) during the OT condition relative to PLC. Alternatively, during social reward anticipation and outcomes, there were no significant increases in brain activation during the OT condition relative to PLC. A Treatment Group × Reward Condition interaction revealed relatively greater activation in the right NAcc, right caudate nucleus, left ACC, and right OFC during nonsocial relative to social reward anticipation during the OT condition relative to PLC. Additionally, these analyses revealed greater activation during nonsocial reward outcomes during the OT condition relative to PLC in the right OFC and left FP. Finally, functional connectivity analyses generally revealed changes in frontostriatal connections during the OT condition relative to PLC in response to nonsocial, but not social, rewards. CONCLUSIONS The effects of intranasal OT administration on mesocorticolimbic brain systems that process rewards in ASD were observable primarily during the processing of nonsocial incentive salience stimuli. These findings have implications for understanding the effects of OT on neural systems that process rewards, as well as for experimental trials of novel ASD treatments developed to ameliorate social communication impairments in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- R K Greene
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - M Spanos
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - C Alderman
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - E Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - J Bizzell
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - M G Mosner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - J L Kinard
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - G D Stuber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - T Chandrasekhar
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - L C Politte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - L Sikich
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - G S Dichter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA. .,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, CB 7155, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7155, USA.
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71
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Moseley RL, Pulvermüller F. What can autism teach us about the role of sensorimotor systems in higher cognition? New clues from studies on language, action semantics, and abstract emotional concept processing. Cortex 2018; 100:149-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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72
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Picci G, Gotts SJ, Scherf KS. A theoretical rut: revisiting and critically evaluating the generalized under/over-connectivity hypothesis of autism. Dev Sci 2018; 19:524-49. [PMID: 27412228 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In 2004, two papers proposed that pervasive functional under-connectivity (Just et al., ) or a trade-off between excessive local connectivity at the cost of distal under-connectivity (Belmonte et al., ) characterizes atypical brain organization in autism. Here, we take stock of the most recent and rigorous functional and structural connectivity findings with a careful eye toward evaluating the extent to which they support these original hypotheses. Indeed, the empirical data do not support them. From rsfMRI studies in adolescents and adults, there is an emerging consensus regarding long-range functional connections indicating cortico-cortical under-connectivity, specifically involving the temporal lobes, combined with subcortical-cortical over-connectivity. In contrast, there is little to no consensus regarding local functional connectivity or findings from task-based functional connectivity studies. The structural connectivity data suggest that white matter tracts are pervasively weak, particularly in the temporal lobe. Together, these findings are revealing how deeply complex the story is regarding atypical neural network organization in autism. In other words, distance and strength of connectivity as individual factors or as interacting factors do not consistently explain the patterns of atypical neural connectivity in autism. Therefore, we make several methodological recommendations and highlight developmental considerations that will help researchers in the field cultivate new hypotheses about the nature and mechanisms of potentially aberrant functional and structural connectivity in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Picci
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Stephen J Gotts
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
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73
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Nunes AS, Peatfield N, Vakorin V, Doesburg SM. Idiosyncratic organization of cortical networks in autism spectrum disorder. Neuroimage 2018; 190:182-190. [PMID: 29355768 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have yielded inconsistent results indicating either increases or decreases in functional connectivity, or both. Recent findings suggest that these seemingly divergent results might be underpinned by greater inter-individual variability in brain network connectivity in ASD. We tested the hypothesis that the spatial patterns of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are more idiosyncratic in ASD, and demonstrated that this increased variability is associated with symptomatology. We estimated whole brain functional connectivity based on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange I & II (ABIDE I & II) repository: 422 (69 females) participants with ASD and 424 (59 females) typically developing (TD) participants between 6 and 30 years of age. We clustered individuals' patterns of resting state functional connectivity into seven networks, each representing an ICN, and assessed the heterogeneity of each vertex on the cortical surface across individuals in terms of its incorporation into a particular ICN. We found that the incorporation of individual anatomical locations (vertices) to a common network was less consistent across individuals in ASD, indicating a more idiosyncratic organization of ICNs in the ASD brain. This spatial shifting effect was particularly pronounced in the Sensory-Motor Network (SMN) and the Default Mode Network (DMN). We also found that this idiosyncrasy in large-scale brain network organization was correlated with ASD symptomatology (ADOS). These results support the view that idiosyncratic functional connectivity is a hallmark of the ASD brain. We provide the first evidence that the anatomical organization of ICNs is idiosyncratic in ASD, as well as providing evidence that such abnormalities in brain network organization may contribute to the symptoms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adonay S Nunes
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
| | - Nicholas Peatfield
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Canada
| | - Vasily Vakorin
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Canada; Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), Simon Fraser University, Canada
| | - Sam M Doesburg
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Canada; Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), Simon Fraser University, Canada
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74
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Otto-Meyer S, Krizman J, White-Schwoch T, Kraus N. Children with autism spectrum disorder have unstable neural responses to sound. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:733-743. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-5164-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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75
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Wei L, Zhong S, Nie S, Gong G. Aberrant development of the asymmetry between hemispheric brain white matter networks in autism spectrum disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:48-62. [PMID: 29224969 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Atypical brain asymmetry/lateralization has long been hypothesized for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and this model has been repeatedly supported by various neuroimaging studies. Recently, hemispheric network topologies have been found to be asymmetric, thereby providing a new avenue for investigating brain asymmetries under various conditions. To date, however, how network topological asymmetries are altered in ASD remains largely unexplored. To clarify this, the present study included ASD individuals from the newly released Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II database (58 right-handed male ASD individuals aged 5 to 26 years and 70 age- and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) individuals). Diffusion and structural magnetic resonance imaging were used to construct hemispheric white matter networks, and graph-theory approaches were applied to quantify topological efficiencies for hemispheric networks. Statistical analyses revealed a decreased rightward asymmetry of network efficiencies with increasing age in the TD group, but not in the ASD group. More specifically, the TD group did not exhibit an age-related increase in network efficiency in the right hemisphere, but the ASD group did. For the left hemisphere, no difference between the groups was observed for the developmental trajectory of network efficiencies. Intriguingly, within the ASD group, more severe restricted and repetitive behavior in ASD was found to be correlated with less rightward asymmetry of network local efficiency. These findings provide suggestive evidence of atypical network topological asymmetries and offer important insights into the abnormal development of ASD brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Wei
- Institute of Medical Imaging Engineering, School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; Laiwu Vocational and Technical College, Laiwu, Shandong, China
| | - Suyu Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning &IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengdong Nie
- Institute of Medical Imaging Engineering, School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
| | - Gaolang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning &IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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76
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Maximo JO, Murdaugh DL, O'Kelley S, Kana RK. Changes in intrinsic local connectivity after reading intervention in children with autism. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2017; 175:11-17. [PMID: 28869842 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Most of the existing behavioral and cognitive intervention programs in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have not been tested at the neurobiological level, thus falling short of finding quantifiable neurobiological changes underlying behavioral improvement. The current study takes a translational neuroimaging approach to test the impact of a structured visual imagery-based reading intervention on improving reading comprehension and assessing its underlying local neural circuitry. Behavioral and resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data were collected from children with ASD who were randomly assigned to an Experimental group (ASD-EXP; n=14) and a Wait-list control group (ASD-WLC; n=14). Participants went through an established reading intervention training program (Visualizing and Verbalizing for language comprehension and thinking or V/V; 4-h per day, 10-weeks, 200h of face-to-face instruction). Local functional connectivity was examined using a connection density approach from graph theory focusing on brain areas considered part of the Reading Network. The main results are as follows: (I) the ASD-EXP group showed significant improvement, compared to the ASD-WLC group, in their reading comprehension ability evidenced from change in comprehension scores; (II) the ASD-EXP group showed increased local brain connectivity in Reading Network regions compared to the ASD-WLC group post-intervention; (III) intervention-related changes in local brain connectivity were observed in the ASD-EXP from pre to post-intervention; and (IV) improvement in language comprehension significantly predicted changes in local connectivity. The findings of this study provide novel insights into brain plasticity in children with developmental disorders using targeted intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose O Maximo
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Donna L Murdaugh
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah O'Kelley
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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77
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Henry TR, Dichter GS, Gates K. Age and Gender Effects on Intrinsic Connectivity in Autism Using Functional Integration and Segregation. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 3:414-422. [PMID: 29735152 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to examine intrinsic whole-brain functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the framework of functional segregation and integration. Emphasis was given to potential gender and developmental effects as well as identification of specific networks that may contribute to the global results. METHODS We leveraged an open data resource (N = 1587) of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) initiative, combining data from more than 2100 unique cross-sectional datasets in ABIDE I and ABIDE II collected at different sites. Modularity and global efficiency were utilized to assess functional segregation and integration, respectively. A meta-analytic approach for handling site differences was used. The effects of age, gender, and diagnostic category on segregation and integration were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS Modularity decreased nonlinearly in the ASD group with age, as evidenced by an increase and then decrease over development. Global efficiency had an opposite relationship with age by first decreasing and then increasing in the ASD group. Both modularity and global efficiency remained largely stable in the typically developing control group during development, representing a significantly different effect than seen in the ASD group. Age effects on modularity were localized to the somatosensory network. Finally, a marginally significant interaction between age, gender, and diagnostic category was found for modularity. CONCLUSIONS Our results support prior work that suggested a quadratic effect of age on brain development in ASD, while providing new insights about the specific characteristics of developmental and gender effects on intrinsic connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teague Rhine Henry
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Gabriel S Dichter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kathleen Gates
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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78
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Priming Facial Gender and Emotional Valence: The Influence of Spatial Frequency on Face Perception in ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:927-946. [PMID: 28070789 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-3017-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) performed two priming experiments in which they implicitly processed a prime stimulus, containing high and/or low spatial frequency information, and then explicitly categorized a target face either as male/female (gender task) or as positive/negative (Valence task). Adolescents with ASD made more categorization errors than typically developing adolescents. They also showed an age-dependent improvement in categorization speed and had more difficulties with categorizing facial expressions than gender. However, in neither of the categorization tasks, we found group differences in the processing of coarse versus fine prime information. This contradicted our expectations, and indicated that the perceptual differences between adolescents with and without ASD critically depended on the processing time available for the primes.
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79
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Ouyang M, Kang H, Detre JA, Roberts TPL, Huang H. Short-range connections in the developmental connectome during typical and atypical brain maturation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:109-122. [PMID: 29024679 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The human brain is remarkably complex with connectivity constituting its basic organizing principle. Although long-range connectivity has been focused on in most research, short-range connectivity is characterized by unique and spatiotemporally heterogeneous dynamics from infancy to adulthood. Alterations in the maturational dynamics of short-range connectivity has been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques, especially diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI), resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), have made quantification of short-range connectivity possible in pediatric populations. This review summarizes findings on the development of short-range functional and structural connections at the macroscale. These findings suggest an inverted U-shaped pattern of maturation from primary to higher-order brain regions, and possible "hyper-" and "hypo-" short-range connections in autism and schizophrenia, respectively. The precisely balanced short- and long-range connections contribute to the integration and segregation of the connectome during development. The mechanistic relationship among short-range connectivity maturation, the developmental connectome and emerging brain functions needs further investigation, including the refinement of methodological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhui Ouyang
- Radiology Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Huiying Kang
- Radiology Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Radiology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - John A Detre
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States; Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States
| | - Timothy P L Roberts
- Radiology Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States
| | - Hao Huang
- Radiology Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States.
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80
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Hashemi E, Ariza J, Lechpammer M, Noctor SC, Martínez-Cerdeño V. Abnormal white matter tracts resembling pencil fibers involving prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 47) in autism: a case report. J Med Case Rep 2016; 10:237. [PMID: 27562638 PMCID: PMC5000439 DOI: 10.1186/s13256-016-1020-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism is not correlated with any neuropathological hallmark as the brain of autistic individuals lack defined lesions. However, previous investigations have reported cortical heterotopias and local distortion of the cytoarchitecture of the neocortex in some cases of autism. Case presentation Our patient was a 40-year-old white woman diagnosed at an early age with autism and mental retardation. Pencil fibers were present within the prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 47) and its composition resembled that of the underlying white matter region. Pencil fibers encompassed most of the extent of the cortical grey matter and were populated by oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglial cells, but not by neurons. Conclusions Here we report a new cytoarchitectural abnormality that has not been previously described in autism. Future pathological examinations should keep in mind the potential presence of pencil fibers within the prefrontal cortex of cases with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezzat Hashemi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine and Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California, 95817, USA
| | - Jeanelle Ariza
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine and Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California, 95817, USA
| | - Mirna Lechpammer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, USA
| | - Stephen C Noctor
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis, Davis, USA.,MIND Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, Davis, USA
| | - Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, USA. .,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine and Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California, 95817, USA. .,MIND Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, Davis, USA.
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81
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Mills BD, Pearce HL, Khan O, Jarrett BR, Fair DA, Lahvis GP. Prenatal domoic acid exposure disrupts mouse pro-social behavior and functional connectivity MRI. Behav Brain Res 2016; 308:14-23. [PMID: 27050322 PMCID: PMC4918767 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Domoic acid (DA) is a toxin produced by marine algae and known primarily for its role in isolated outbreaks of Amnestic Shellfish Poisoning and for the damage it inflicts on marine mammals, particularly California sea lions. Lethal effects of DA are often preceded by seizures and coma. Exposure to DA during development can result in subtle and highly persistent effects on brain development and include behavioral changes that resemble diagnostic features of schizophrenia and anomalies in social behavior we believe are relevant to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To more fully examine this hypothesis, we chose to examine adolescent mice exposed in utero to DA for endpoints relevant to ASD, specifically changes in social behavior and network structure, the latter measured by resting state functional connectivity (rs-fcMRI). We found that male offspring exposed in utero to DA expressed reproducible declines in social interaction and atypical patterns of functional connectivity in the anterior cingulate, a region of the default mode network that is critical for social functioning. We also found disruptions in global topology in regions involved in the processing of reward, social, and sensory experiences. Finally, we found that DA exposed males expressed a pattern of local over-connectivity. These anomalies in brain connectivity bear resemblance to connectivity patterns in ASD and help validate DA-exposed mice as a model of this mental disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Mills
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Hadley L Pearce
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Omar Khan
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Ben R Jarrett
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Damien A Fair
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States; Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Garet P Lahvis
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States.
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82
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Ypma RJ, Moseley RL, Holt RJ, Rughooputh N, Floris DL, Chura LR, Spencer MD, Baron-Cohen S, Suckling J, Bullmore ET, Rubinov M. Default Mode Hypoconnectivity Underlies a Sex-Related Autism Spectrum. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2016; 1:364-371. [PMID: 27430030 PMCID: PMC4936761 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Females and males differ significantly in the prevalence and presentation of autism spectrum conditions. One theory of this effect postulates that autistic traits lie on a sex-related continuum in the general population, and autism represents the extreme male end of this spectrum. This theory predicts that any feature of autism in males should 1) be present in autistic females, 2) differentiate between the sexes in the typical population, and 3) correlate with autistic traits. We tested these three predictions for default mode network (DMN) hypoconnectivity during the resting state, one of the most robustly found neurobiological differences in autism. Methods We analyzed a primary dataset of adolescents (N = 121, 12–18 years of age) containing a relatively large number of females and a replication multisite dataset including children, adolescents, and adults (N = 980, 6–58 years of age). We quantified the average connectivity between DMN regions and tested for group differences and correlation with behavioral performance using robust regression. Results We found significant differences in DMN intraconnectivity between female controls and females with autism (p = .001 in the primary dataset; p = .009 in the replication dataset), and between female controls and male controls (p = .036 in the primary dataset; p = .002 in the replication dataset). We also found a significant correlation between DMN intraconnectivity and performance on a mentalizing task (p = .001) in the primary dataset. Conclusions Collectively, these findings provide the first evidence for DMN hypoconnectivity as a behaviorally relevant neuroimaging phenotype of the sex-related spectrum of autistic traits, of which autism represents the extreme case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf J.F. Ypma
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry
- Hughes Hall
- Address correspondence to: Rolf J.F. Ypma, Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Sir William Hardy Building, Cambridge CB2 3EB. .Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Sir William Hardy BuildingCB2 3EBCambridge
| | - Rachel L. Moseley
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry
- Bournemouth University, Dorset
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry
- CLASS Clinic, Cambridge
| | - John Suckling
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Experimental Psychology
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust, Cambridge
| | - Edward T. Bullmore
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Experimental Psychology
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust, Cambridge
- ImmunoPsychiatry, Alternative Discovery & Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - Mikail Rubinov
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry
- ; Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia
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83
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Long Z, Duan X, Mantini D, Chen H. Alteration of functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorder: effect of age and anatomical distance. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26527. [PMID: 27194227 PMCID: PMC4872225 DOI: 10.1038/srep26527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with disruption of local- and long-range functional connectivity (FC). The direction of those changes in FC (increase or decrease), however, is inconsistent across studies. Further, age-dependent changes of distance-specific FC in ASD remain unclear. In this study, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from sixty-four typical controls (TC) and sixty-four patients with ASD, whom we further classified into child (<11 years), adolescent (11-18 years) and adult cohorts (>18 years). Functional connectivity (FC) analysis was conducted at voxel level. We employed a three-way analysis of covariance on FC to conduct statistical analyses. Results revealed that patients with ASD had lower FC than TC in cerebellum, fusiform gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus and posterior inferior temporal gyrus. Significant diagnosis-by-distance interaction was observed in ASD patients with reduced short-range and long-range FC in posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex. Importantly, we found significant diagnosis-by-age-by-distance interaction in orbitofrontal cortex with short-range FC being lower in autistic children, but -to a less extent- higher in autistic adults. Our findings suggest a major role of connection length in development changes of FC in ASD. We hope our study will facilitate deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiliang Long
- Center for Information in BioMedicine, Key laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Xujun Duan
- Center for Information in BioMedicine, Key laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Dante Mantini
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Laboratory of Movement of Control and Neuroplasticity, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Huafu Chen
- Center for Information in BioMedicine, Key laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
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84
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Vasa RA, Mostofsky SH, Ewen JB. The Disrupted Connectivity Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Time for the Next Phase in Research. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2016; 1:245-252. [PMID: 28083565 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
During the past decade, the disrupted connectivity theory has generated considerable interest as a pathophysiological model for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This theory postulates that deficiencies in the way the brain coordinates and synchronizes activity amongst different regions may account for the clinical symptoms of ASD. This review critically examines the current structural and functional connectivity data in ASD and evaluates unresolved assumptions and gaps in knowledge that limit the interpretation of these data. Collectively, studies very often show group alterations in what are thought of as measures of cerebral connectivity, though the patterns of findings vary considerably. We argue that there are three principle needs in this research agenda. First, further basic research is needed to understand the links between measures commonly used (DTI, fMRI, EEG) and other (histological, computational) levels of analysis. Second, speculated causes of inconsistencies in the literature (age, clinical heterogeneity) demand studies that directly evaluate these interpretations. Finally, the field needs well-specified mechanistic models of altered cerebral communication in ASD whose predictions can be tested on multiple levels of analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roma A Vasa
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Stewart H Mostofsky
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Joshua B Ewen
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University
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85
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Barak B, Feng G. Neurobiology of social behavior abnormalities in autism and Williams syndrome. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:647-655. [PMID: 29323671 PMCID: PMC4896837 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Social behavior is a basic behavior mediated by multiple brain regions and neural circuits, and is crucial for the survival and development of animals and humans. Two neuropsychiatric disorders that have prominent social behavior abnormalities are autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which is characterized mainly by hyposociability, and Williams syndrome (WS), whose subjects exhibit hypersociability. Here we review the unique properties of social behavior in ASD and WS, and discuss the major theories in social behavior in the context of these disorders. We conclude with a discussion of the research questions needing further exploration to enhance our understanding of social behavior abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boaz Barak
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain &Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Guoping Feng
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain &Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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86
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Burrows CA, Laird AR, Uddin LQ. Functional connectivity of brain regions for self- and other-evaluation in children, adolescents and adults with autism. Dev Sci 2016; 19:564-80. [PMID: 26750447 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Developing strong ties between oneself and others lays the foundation for developing social competence. Neuroimaging studies have consistently identified specific cortical midline regions activated during evaluative judgments about the self and others. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) process self-relevant information differently from their peers, both behaviorally and at the neural level. We compared resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of regions involved in self-referential (e.g. medial prefrontal cortex; mPFC) and other-referential (e.g. posterior cingulate cortex; PCC) processing between neurotypical individuals and individuals with ASD in three age cohorts using regions of interest (ROIs) identified through an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Typically developing children demonstrated greater connectivity within the midline self- and other-referential networks compared with age-matched children with ASD. No group differences in rsFC of mPFC or PCC emerged between typically developing adolescents and adolescents with ASD. Neurotypical adults exhibited stronger rsFC of the PCC with orbitofrontal cortex compared with adults with ASD. Developmental differences in functional connectivity between areas underlying self- and other-referential thought may explain altered developmental trajectories in the understanding of self and others in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela R Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University Miami, USA
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, USA.,Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, USA
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87
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Crippa A, Del Vecchio G, Busti Ceccarelli S, Nobile M, Arrigoni F, Brambilla P. Cortico-Cerebellar Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Do We Know So Far? Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:20. [PMID: 26941658 PMCID: PMC4763031 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is renowned to be a connectivity disorder and a condition characterized by cerebellar involvement, the connectivity between the cerebellum and other cortical brain regions is particularly underexamined. Indeed, converging evidence has recently suggested that the cerebellum could play a key role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD, since cerebellar anomalies have been consistently reported in ASD from the molecular to the behavioral level, and damage to the cerebellum early in development has been linked with signs of autistic features. In addition, current data have shown that the cerebellum is a key structure not only for sensory-motor control, but also for "higher functions," such as social cognition and emotion, through its extensive connections with cortical areas. The disruption of these circuits could be implicated in the wide range of autistic symptoms that the term "spectrum" connotes. In this review, we present and discuss the recent findings from imaging studies that investigated cortico-cerebellar connectivity in people with ASD. The literature is still too limited to allow for definitive conclusions; however, this brief review reveals substantial areas for future studies, underlining currently unmet research perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Crippa
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria Nobile
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Albese con Cassano, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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88
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Jiang X, Shen S, Cadwell CR, Berens P, Sinz F, Ecker AS, Patel S, Tolias AS. Principles of connectivity among morphologically defined cell types in adult neocortex. Science 2015; 350:aac9462. [PMID: 26612957 DOI: 10.1126/science.aac9462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 542] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Since the work of Ramón y Cajal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, neuroscientists have speculated that a complete understanding of neuronal cell types and their connections is key to explaining complex brain functions. However, a complete census of the constituent cell types and their wiring diagram in mature neocortex remains elusive. By combining octuple whole-cell recordings with an optimized avidin-biotin-peroxidase staining technique, we carried out a morphological and electrophysiological census of neuronal types in layers 1, 2/3, and 5 of mature neocortex and mapped the connectivity between more than 11,000 pairs of identified neurons. We categorized 15 types of interneurons, and each exhibited a characteristic pattern of connectivity with other interneuron types and pyramidal cells. The essential connectivity structure of the neocortical microcircuit could be captured by only a few connectivity motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Shan Shen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cathryn R Cadwell
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Philipp Berens
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany. Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fabian Sinz
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alexander S Ecker
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany. Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Saumil Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andreas S Tolias
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany.
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89
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Altered Local Spontaneous Brain Activity in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy: A Preliminary Resting-State fMRI Study. Neural Plast 2015; 2016:3547203. [PMID: 26823984 PMCID: PMC4707362 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3547203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2015] [Revised: 10/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the regional synchronization of brain in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Methods. Resting-state fMRI data were acquired from twenty-one patients with JME and twenty-two healthy subjects. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to analyze the spontaneous activity in whole brain. Two-sample t-test was performed to detect the ReHo difference between two groups. Correlations between the ReHo values and features of seizures were calculated further. Key Findings. Compared with healthy controls, patients showed significantly increased ReHo in bilateral thalami and motor-related cortex regions and a substantial reduction of ReHo in cerebellum and occipitoparietal lobe. In addition, greater ReHo value in the left paracentral lobule was linked to the older age of onset in patients. Significance. These findings implicated the abnormality of thalamomotor cortical network in JME which were associated with the genesis and propagation of epileptiform activity. Moreover, our study supported that the local brain spontaneous activity is a potential tool to investigate the epileptic activity and provided important insights into understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of JME.
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90
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Farrant K, Uddin LQ. Atypical developmental of dorsal and ventral attention networks in autism. Dev Sci 2015; 19:550-63. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucina Q. Uddin
- Department of Psychology; University of Miami; USA
- Neuroscience Program; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; USA
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