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Durdiaková J, Warrier V, Baron-Cohen S, Chakrabarti B. Single nucleotide polymorphism rs6716901 in SLC25A12 gene is associated with Asperger syndrome. Mol Autism 2014; 5:25. [PMID: 24679184 PMCID: PMC3973607 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are a group of developmental conditions which affect communication, social interactions and behaviour. Mitochondrial oxidative dysfunction has been suggested as a mechanism of autism based on the results of multiple genetic association and expression studies. SLC25A12 is a gene encoding a calcium-binding carrier protein that localizes to the mitochondria and is involved in the exchange of aspartate for glutamate in the inner membrane of the mitochondria regulating the cytosolic redox state. rs2056202 SNP in this gene has previously been associated with ASC. SNPs rs6716901 and rs3765166 analysed in this study have not been previously explored in association with AS. METHODS We genotyped three SNPs (rs2056202, rs3765166, and rs6716901) in SLC25A12 in n?=?117 individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) and n?=?426 controls, all of Caucasian ancestry. RESULTS rs6716901 showed significant association with AS (P?=?0.008) after correcting for multiple testing. We did not replicate the previously identified association between rs2056202 and AS in our sample. Similarly, rs3765166 (P?=?0.11) showed no significant association with AS. CONCLUSION The present study, in combination with previous studies, provides evidence for SLC25A12 as involved in the etiology of AS. Further cellular and molecular studies are required to elucidate the role of this gene in ASC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AH, UK.
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152
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Hovey D, Zettergren A, Jonsson L, Melke J, Anckarsäter H, Lichtenstein P, Westberg L. Associations between oxytocin-related genes and autistic-like traits. Soc Neurosci 2014; 9:378-86. [PMID: 24635660 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2014.897995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin has repeatedly been shown to influence human behavior in social contexts; also, a relationship between oxytocin and the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been suggested. In the present study, we investigated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the oxytocin gene (OXT) and the genes for single-minded 1 (SIM1), aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 2 (ARNT2) and cluster of differentiation 38 (CD38) in a population of 1771 children from the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden (CATSS). Statistical analyses were performed to investigate any association between SNPs and autistic-like traits (ALTs), measured through ASD scores in the Autism-Tics, ADHD and other Co-morbidities inventory. Firstly, we found a statistically significant association between the SIM1 SNP rs3734354 (Pro352Thr) and scores for language impairment (p = .0004), but due to low statistical power this should be interpreted cautiously. Furthermore, nominal associations were found between ASD scores and SNPs in OXT, ARNT2 and CD38. In summary, the present study lends support to the hypothesis that oxytocin and oxytocin neuron development may have an influence on the development of ALTs and suggests a new candidate gene in the search for the pathophysiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hovey
- a Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy , University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
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Abstract
Autism is a set of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions, characterised by early-onset difficulties in social communication and unusually restricted, repetitive behaviour and interests. The worldwide population prevalence is about 1%. Autism affects more male than female individuals, and comorbidity is common (>70% have concurrent conditions). Individuals with autism have atypical cognitive profiles, such as impaired social cognition and social perception, executive dysfunction, and atypical perceptual and information processing. These profiles are underpinned by atypical neural development at the systems level. Genetics has a key role in the aetiology of autism, in conjunction with developmentally early environmental factors. Large-effect rare mutations and small-effect common variants contribute to risk. Assessment needs to be multidisciplinary and developmental, and early detection is essential for early intervention. Early comprehensive and targeted behavioural interventions can improve social communication and reduce anxiety and aggression. Drugs can reduce comorbid symptoms, but do not directly improve social communication. Creation of a supportive environment that accepts and respects that the individual is different is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Chuan Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Michael V Lombardo
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
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154
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Parameterising ecological validity and integrating individual differences within second-person neuroscience. Behav Brain Sci 2014; 36:414-5. [PMID: 23883743 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x12002099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
This commentary situates the second person account within a broader framework of ecological validity for experimental paradigms in social cognitive neuroscience. It then considers how individual differences at psychological and genetic levels can be integrated within the proposed framework.
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155
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Gámez-Del-Estal MM, Contreras I, Prieto-Pérez R, Ruiz-Rubio M. Epigenetic effect of testosterone in the behavior of C. elegans. A clue to explain androgen-dependent autistic traits? Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:69. [PMID: 24624060 PMCID: PMC3940884 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Current research indicates that the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are multifactorial and include both genetic and environmental factors. To date, several works have associated ASDs with mutations in genes that encode proteins involved in neuronal synapses; however other factors and the way they can interact with the development of the nervous system remain largely unknown. Some studies have established a direct relationship between risk for ASDs and the exposure of the fetus to high testosterone levels during the prenatal stage. In this work, in order to explain possible mechanisms by which this androgenic hormone may interact with the nervous system, C. elegans was used as an experimental model. We observed that testosterone was able to alter the behavioral pattern of the worm, including the gentle touch response and the pharyngeal pumping rate. This impairment of the behavior was abolished using specific RNAi against genes orthologous to the human androgen receptor gene. The effect of testosterone was eliminated in the nhr-69 (ok1926) deficient mutant, a putative ortholog of human AR gene, suggesting that this gene encodes a receptor able to interact with the hormone. On the other hand the testosterone effect remained in the gentle touch response during four generations in the absence of the hormone, indicating that some epigenetic mechanisms could be involved. Sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, was able to abolish the effect of testosterone. In addition, the lasting effect of testosterone was eliminated after the dauer stage. These results suggest that testosterone may impair the nervous system function generating transgenerational epigenetic marks in the genome. This work may provide new paradigms for understanding biological mechanisms involved in ASDs traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mar Gámez-Del-Estal
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
| | - Israel Contreras
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
| | - Rocío Prieto-Pérez
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
| | - Manuel Ruiz-Rubio
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
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156
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St Pourcain B, Skuse DH, Mandy WP, Wang K, Hakonarson H, Timpson NJ, Evans DM, Kemp JP, Ring SM, McArdle WL, Golding J, Smith GD. Variability in the common genetic architecture of social-communication spectrum phenotypes during childhood and adolescence. Mol Autism 2014; 5:18. [PMID: 24564958 PMCID: PMC3940728 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social-communication abilities are heritable traits, and their impairments overlap with the autism continuum. To characterise the genetic architecture of social-communication difficulties developmentally and identify genetic links with the autistic dimension, we conducted a genome-wide screen of social-communication problems at multiple time-points during childhood and adolescence. METHODS Social-communication difficulties were ascertained at ages 8, 11, 14 and 17 years in a UK population-based birth cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; N ≤ 5,628) using mother-reported Social Communication Disorder Checklist scores. Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) was conducted for all phenotypes. The time-points with the highest GCTA heritability were subsequently analysed for single SNP association genome-wide. Type I error in the presence of measurement relatedness and the likelihood of observing SNP signals near known autism susceptibility loci (co-location) were assessed via large-scale, genome-wide permutations. Association signals (P ≤ 10-5) were also followed up in Autism Genetic Resource Exchange pedigrees (N = 793) and the Autism Case Control cohort (Ncases/Ncontrols = 1,204/6,491). RESULTS GCTA heritability was strongest in childhood (h2(8 years) = 0.24) and especially in later adolescence (h2(17 years) = 0.45), with a marked drop during early to middle adolescence (h2(11 years) = 0.16 and h2(14 years) = 0.08). Genome-wide screens at ages 8 and 17 years identified for the latter time-point evidence for association at 3p22.2 near SCN11A (rs4453791, P = 9.3 × 10-9; genome-wide empirical P = 0.011) and suggestive evidence at 20p12.3 at PLCB1 (rs3761168, P = 7.9 × 10-8; genome-wide empirical P = 0.085). None of these signals contributed to risk for autism. However, the co-location of population-based signals and autism susceptibility loci harbouring rare mutations, such as PLCB1, is unlikely to be due to chance (genome-wide empirical Pco-location = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that measurable common genetic effects for social-communication difficulties vary developmentally and that these changes may affect detectable overlaps with the autism spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate St Pourcain
- The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Oral and Dental Sciences, University of Bristol, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol BS1 2LY, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - David H Skuse
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - William P Mandy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kai Wang
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, 1501 San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Hakon Hakonarson
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicholas J Timpson
- The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - David M Evans
- The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Level 7, 37 Kent St, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, Australia
| | - John P Kemp
- The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Level 7, 37 Kent St, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Susan M Ring
- The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Wendy L McArdle
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jean Golding
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - George Davey Smith
- The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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157
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Abstract
Background Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are a group of conditions characterized by difficulties in communication and social interaction, alongside unusually narrow interests and repetitive, stereotyped behaviour. Genetic association and expression studies have suggested an important role for the GABAergic circuits in ASC. Syntaxin 1A (STX1A) encodes a protein involved in regulation of serotonergic and GABAergic systems and its expression is altered in autism. Methods In this study, the association between three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs4717806, rs941298 and rs6951030) in STX1A gene and Asperger syndrome (AS) were tested in 650 controls and 479 individuals with AS, all of Caucasian ancestry. Results rs4717806 (P = 0.00334) and rs941298 (P = 0.01741) showed a significant association with AS, replicating previous results. Both SNPs putatively alter transcription factor binding sites both directly and through other variants in high linkage disequilibrium. Conclusions The current study confirms the role of STX1A as an important candidate gene in ASC. The exact molecular mechanisms through which STX1A contributes to the etiology remain to be elucidated.
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158
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Mick E, McGough J, Deutsch CK, Frazier JA, Kennedy D, Goldberg RJ. Genome-wide association study of proneness to anger. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87257. [PMID: 24489884 PMCID: PMC3905014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Community samples suggest that approximately 1 in 20 children and adults exhibit clinically significant anger, hostility, and aggression. Individuals with dysregulated emotional control have a greater lifetime burden of psychiatric morbidity, severe impairment in role functioning, and premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Methods With publically available data secured from dbGaP, we conducted a genome-wide association study of proneness to anger using the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Scale in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study (n = 8,747). Results Subjects were, on average, 54 (range 45–64) years old at baseline enrollment, 47% (n = 4,117) were male, and all were of European descent by self-report. The mean Angry Temperament and Angry Reaction scores were 5.8±1.8 and 7.6±2.2. We observed a nominally significant finding (p = 2.9E-08, λ = 1.027 - corrected pgc = 2.2E-07, λ = 1.0015) on chromosome 6q21 in the gene coding for the non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, Fyn. Conclusions Fyn interacts with NDMA receptors and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-gated channels to regulate calcium influx and intracellular release in the post-synaptic density. These results suggest that signaling pathways regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis, which are relevant to memory, learning, and neuronal survival, may in part underlie the expression of Angry Temperament.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Mick
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - James McGough
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles California, United States of America
| | - Curtis K. Deutsch
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jean A. Frazier
- Psychiatry Department, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David Kennedy
- Psychiatry Department, Division of Neuroinformatics and the Child and Adolescent NeuroDevelopment Initiative, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Goldberg
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
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159
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Nyffeler J, Walitza S, Bobrowski E, Gundelfinger R, Grünblatt E. Association study in siblings and case-controls of serotonin- and oxytocin-related genes with high functioning autism. J Mol Psychiatry 2014; 2:1. [PMID: 25408912 PMCID: PMC4223888 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-2-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is heritable and neurodevelopmental with unknown causes. The serotonergic and oxytocinergic systems are of interest in autism for several reasons: (i) Both systems are implicated in social behavior, and abnormal levels of serotonin and oxytocin have been found in people with ASD; (ii) treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and oxytocin can yield improvements; and (iii) previous association studies have linked the serotonin transporter (SERT; SLC6A4), serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A), and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genes with ASD. We examined their association with high functioning autism (HFA) including siblings and their interaction. Methods In this association study with HFA children (IQ > 80), siblings, and controls, participants were genotyped for four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in OXTR (rs2301261, rs53576, rs2254298, rs2268494) and one in HTR2A (rs6311) as well as the triallelic HTTLPR (SERT polymorphism). Results We identified a nominal significant association with HFA for the HTTLPR s allele (consisting of S and LG alleles) (p = .040; odds ratio (OR) = 1.697, 95% CI 1.191–2.204)). Four polymorphisms (HTTLPR, HTR2A rs6311, OXTR rs2254298 and rs53576) in combination conferred nominal significant risk for HFA with a genetic score of ≥4 (OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.05–4.18, p = .037). The resulting area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.595 (p = .033). Conclusions Our findings, combined with those of previous reports, indicate that ASD, in particular HFA, is polygenetic rather than monogenetic and involves the serotonergic and oxytocin pathways, probably in combination with other factors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2049-9256-2-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Nyffeler
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Walitza
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elise Bobrowski
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ronnie Gundelfinger
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Edna Grünblatt
- University Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCCAP), University of Zurich, Thurgauerstr. 39, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Mezzelani A, Landini M, Facchiano F, Raggi ME, Villa L, Molteni M, De Santis B, Brera C, Caroli AM, Milanesi L, Marabotti A. Environment, dysbiosis, immunity and sex-specific susceptibility: a translational hypothesis for regressive autism pathogenesis. Nutr Neurosci 2014; 18:145-61. [PMID: 24621061 PMCID: PMC4485698 DOI: 10.1179/1476830513y.0000000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Background Autism is an increasing neurodevelopmental disease that appears by 3 years of age, has genetic and/or environmental etiology, and often shows comorbid situations, such as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Autism has also a striking sex-bias, not fully genetically explainable. Objective Our goal was to explain how and in which predisposing conditions some compounds can impair neurodevelopment, why this occurs in the first years of age, and, primarily, why more in males than females. Methods We reviewed articles regarding the genetic and environmental etiology of autism and toxins effects on animal models selected from PubMed and databases about autism and toxicology. Discussion Our hypothesis proposes that in the first year of life, the decreasing of maternal immune protection and child immune-system immaturity create an immune vulnerability to infection diseases that, especially if treated with antibiotics, could facilitate dysbiosis and GI disorders. This condition triggers a vicious circle between immune system impairment and increasing dysbiosis that leads to leaky gut and neurochemical compounds and/or neurotoxic xenobiotics production and absorption. This alteration affects the ‘gut-brain axis’ communication that connects gut with central nervous system via immune system. Thus, metabolic pathways impaired in autistic children can be affected by genetic alterations or by environment–xenobiotics interference. In addition, in animal models many xenobiotics exert their neurotoxicity in a sex-dependent manner. Conclusions We integrate fragmented and multi-disciplinary information in a unique hypothesis and first disclose a possible environmental origin for the imbalance of male:female distribution of autism, reinforcing the idea that exogenous factors are related to the recent rise of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Mezzelani
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate (MI), Italy
- Correspondence to: Alessandra Mezzelani, Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Milan, Segrate, Italy.
| | - Martina Landini
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - Francesco Facchiano
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Elisabetta Raggi
- IRCCS “E. Medea” – Ass. “La Nostra Famiglia”, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy
| | - Laura Villa
- IRCCS “E. Medea” – Ass. “La Nostra Famiglia”, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- IRCCS “E. Medea” – Ass. “La Nostra Famiglia”, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy
| | - Barbara De Santis
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Carlo Brera
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Caroli
- Dip. Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia (BS), Italy
| | - Luciano Milanesi
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - Anna Marabotti
- IRCCS “E. Medea” – Ass. “La Nostra Famiglia”, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy
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Marked elevation of adrenal steroids, especially androgens, in saliva of prepubertal autistic children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2014; 23:485-98. [PMID: 24043498 PMCID: PMC4042015 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-013-0472-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autism is diagnosed on the basis of behavioral manifestations, but its biomarkers are not well defined. A strong gender bias typifying autism (it is 4-5 times more prevalent in males) suggests involvement of steroid hormones in autism pathobiology. In order to evaluate the potential roles of such hormones in autism, we compared the salivary levels of 22 steroids in prepubertal autistic male and female children from two age groups (3-4 and 7-9 years old) with those in healthy controls. The steroids were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and radioimmunoassay. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) revealed that autistic children had significantly higher salivary concentrations of many steroid hormones (both C21 and C19) than control children. These anomalies were more prominent in older autistic children and in boys. The levels of androgens (androstenediol, dehydroepiandrosterone, androsterone and their polar conjugates) were especially increased, indicative of precocious adrenarche and predictive of early puberty. The concentrations of the steroid precursor, pregnenolone, and of several pregnanolones were also higher in autistic than in healthy children, but cortisol levels were not different. Some steroids, whose levels are raised in autism (allopregnanolone, androsterone, pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone and their sulfate conjugates) are neuroactive and modulate GABA, glutamate, and opioid neurotransmission, affecting brain development and functioning. These steroids may contribute to autism pathobiology and symptoms such as elevated anxiety, sleep disturbances, sensory deficits, and stereotypies among others. We suggest that salivary levels of selected steroids may serve as biomarkers of autism pathology useful for monitoring the progress of therapy.
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El-Baz F, Hamza RT, Ayad MSE, Mahmoud NH. Hyperandrogenemia in male autistic children and adolescents: relation to disease severity. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2014; 26:79-84. [PMID: 23612632 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2012-0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been suggested that autistic patients have elevated blood androgens, and although signs of precocious puberty have been reported in autistic patients, such a relation has not yet been clarified. OBJECTIVES To assess serum androgen levels in a group of Egyptian male autistic children and adolescents and their relation to disease severity. In addition, the risk for association of androgens with autism was estimated. METHODS In comparison to 20 controls, 30 male autistic children were studied. All subjects were subjected to clinical evaluation, intelligence quotient (IQ) assessment and measurement of serum free testosterone (FT), dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) and Δ4-androstenedione (Δ4-A). RESULTS Androgens were higher in autistic patients than in controls and increased with increased autistic severity. Of the patients, 11 (36.66%) had high FT, 9 (30%) had high DHEA, 12 (40%) had high Δ4-A and 8 (26.66%) showed elevation of all androgen levels. FT (OR 38.45, 95% CI: 2.14-688.93, p=0.013) and Δ4-A (OR: 13.6, 95%CI: 2.25-22.89, p=0.04) had a significant risk for association with autism. CONCLUSIONS Hyperandrogenemia is prevalent in autistic patients and increases with autistic severity. Thus, androgen levels should be assessed in autistic patients with signs of early puberty. Further studies are warranted regarding trials of anti-androgen therapy in such patients.
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Warrier V, Baron-Cohen S, Chakrabarti B. Genetic variation in GABRB3 is associated with Asperger syndrome and multiple endophenotypes relevant to autism. Mol Autism 2013; 4:48. [PMID: 24321478 PMCID: PMC3903107 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-4-48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are associated with deficits in social interaction and communication, alongside repetitive, restricted, and stereotyped behavior. ASC is highly heritable. The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic system has been associated consistently with atypicalities in autism, in both genetic association and expression studies. A key component of the GABA-ergic system is encoded by the GABRB3 gene, which has been previously implicated both in ASC and in individual differences in empathy. METHODS In this study, 45 genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within GABRB3 were tested for association with Asperger syndrome (AS), and related quantitative traits measured through the following tests: the Empathy Quotient (EQ), the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Systemizing Quotient-Revised (SQ-R), the Embedded Figures Test (EFT), the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), and the Mental Rotation Test (MRT). Two-loci, three-loci, four-loci haplotype analyses, and one seven-loci haplotype analysis were also performed in the AS case-control sample. RESULTS Three SNPs (rs7180158, rs7165604, rs12593579) were significantly associated with AS, and two SNPs (rs9806546, rs11636966) were significantly associated with EQ. Two SNP-SNP pairs, rs12438141-rs1035751 and rs12438141-rs7179514, showed significant association with variation in the EFT scores. One SNP-SNP pair, rs7174437-rs1863455, was significantly associated with variation in the MRT scores. Additionally, a few haplotypes, including a 19 kb genomic region that formed a linkage disequilibrium (LD) block in our sample and contained several nominally significant SNPs, were found to be significantly associated with AS. CONCLUSION The current study confirms the role of GABRB3 as an important candidate gene in both ASC and normative variation in related endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Warrier
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.
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164
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Bilder DA, Bakian AV, Viskochil J, Clark EA, Botts EL, Smith KR, Pimentel R, McMahon WM, Coon H. Maternal prenatal weight gain and autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics 2013; 132:e1276-83. [PMID: 24167172 PMCID: PMC3813395 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-1188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rising population of individuals identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) calls for further investigation of its underlying etiology. A disturbance in the fetal steroid hormone environment may be a mechanism in which environmental and genetic risk factors interact. The mother, fetus, and placenta collectively create the fetal steroid environment. Prepregnancy BMI and pregnancy weight gain have served as markers for fetal steroid hormone exposure in other disease states. This study's objective is to determine whether prepregnancy BMI and pregnancy weight gain are associated with increased ASD risk across study designs and cohorts while controlling for important confounding variables. METHODS A population-based Utah ASD cohort (n = 128) was ascertained in a 3-county surveillance area and gender- and age-matched to 10,920 control subjects. A second, research-based ASD cohort of Utah children (n = 288) and their unaffected siblings (n = 493) were ascertained through participation in an ASD genetics study. Prenatal variables were obtained from birth certificate records. RESULTS ASD risk was significantly associated with pregnancy weight gain (adjusted odds ratio = 1.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 1.17; adjusted odds ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.01 to 1.35 for each 5 pounds of weight gained), but not prepregnancy BMI, in population and research-based cohorts, respectively. When analyses were restricted to ASD cases with normal IQ, these associations remained significant. CONCLUSIONS ASD risk associated with a modest yet consistent increase in pregnancy weight gain suggests that pregnancy weight gain may serve as an important marker for autism's underlying gestational etiology. This justifies an investigation into phenomena that link pregnancy weight gain and ASD independent of prepregnancy BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ken R. Smith
- Population Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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165
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Zettergren A, Jonsson L, Johansson D, Melke J, Lundström S, Anckarsäter H, Lichtenstein P, Westberg L. Associations between polymorphisms in sex steroid related genes and autistic-like traits. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:2575-84. [PMID: 23867117 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in psychiatric disorders are common, which is particularly striking in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) that are four times more prevalent in boys. High levels of testosterone during early development have been hypothesized to be a risk factor for ASDs, supported by several studies showing fetal testosterone levels, as well as indirect measures of prenatal androgenization, to be associated with ASDs and autistic-like traits (ALTs). Further, the importance of sex steroid related genes in ASDs is supported by studies reporting associations between polymorphisms in genes involved in sex steroid synthesis/metabolism and ASDs and ALTs. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible associations between 29 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in eight genes related to sex steroids and autistic features. Individuals included in the study belong to a subset (n=1771) from The Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden (CATSS), which are all assessed for ALTs. For two SNPs, rs2747648 located in the 3'-UTR of ESR1 encoding the estrogen receptor alpha and rs523349 (Leu89Val) located in SRD5A2 encoding 5-alpha-reductase, type 2, highly significant associations with ALTs were found in boys and girls, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that SNPs in sex steroid related genes, known to affect gene expression (rs2747648 in ESR1) and enzymatic activity (Leu89Val in SRD5A2), seem to be associated with ALTs in a general population. In conclusion, the current findings provide further support for a role of sex steroids in the pathophysiology of ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zettergren
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
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166
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Jones RM, Cadby G, Melton PE, Abraham LJ, Whitehouse AJ, Moses EK. Genome-wide association study of autistic-like traits in a general population study of young adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:658. [PMID: 24133439 PMCID: PMC3795398 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lay abstract: It has been proposed that autistic-like traits in the general population lie on a continuum, with clinical Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), representing the extreme end of this distribution. The current study undertook a genome-wide association (GWA) scan of 965 young Western Australian adults to identify novel risk variants associated with autistic-like traits. No associations reached genome-wide significance; however, a review of nominally associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) indicated two positional candidate loci that have been previously implicated in autistic-like trait etiology. Scientific abstract: Research has proposed that autistic-like traits in the general population lie on a continuum, with clinical ASD representing the extreme end of this distribution. Inherent in this proposal is that biological mechanisms associated with clinical ASD may also underpin variation in autistic-like traits within the general population. A GWA study using 2,462,046 SNPs was undertaken for ASD in 965 individuals from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. No SNP associations reached genome-wide significance (p < 5.0 × 10−8). However, investigations into nominal observed SNP associations (p < 1.0 × 10−5) add support to two positional candidate genes previously implicated in ASD etiology, PRKCB1, and CBLN1. The rs198198 SNP (p = 9.587 × 10−6), is located within an intron of the protein kinase C, beta 1 (PRKCB1) gene on chromosome 16p11. The PRKCB1 gene has been previously reported in linkage and association studies for ASD, and its mRNA expression has been shown to be significantly down regulated in ASD cases compared with controls. The rs16946931 SNP (p = 1.78 × 10−6) is located in a region flanking the Cerebellin 1 (CBLN1) gene on chromosome 16q12.1. The CBLN1 gene is involved with synaptogenesis and is part of a gene family previously implicated in ASD. This GWA study is only the second to examine SNPs associated with autistic-like traits in the general population, and provides evidence to support roles for the PRKCB1 and CBLN1 genes in risk of clinical ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Maree Jones
- Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease, University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia
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167
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St Pourcain B, Whitehouse AJO, Ang WQ, Warrington NM, Glessner JT, Wang K, Timpson NJ, Evans DM, Kemp JP, Ring SM, McArdle WL, Golding J, Hakonarson H, Pennell CE, Smith GD. Common variation contributes to the genetic architecture of social communication traits. Mol Autism 2013; 4:34. [PMID: 24047820 PMCID: PMC3853437 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-4-34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social communication difficulties represent an autistic trait that is highly heritable and persistent during the course of development. However, little is known about the underlying genetic architecture of this phenotype. METHODS We performed a genome-wide association study on parent-reported social communication problems using items of the children's communication checklist (age 10 to 11 years) studying single and/or joint marker effects. Analyses were conducted in a large UK population-based birth cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and their Children, ALSPAC, N = 5,584) and followed-up within a sample of children with comparable measures from Western Australia (RAINE, N = 1364). RESULTS Two of our seven independent top signals (P-discovery <1.0E-05) were replicated (0.009 CONCLUSION Overall, our study provides both joint and single-SNP-based evidence for the contribution of common polymorphisms to variation in social communication phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate St Pourcain
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Oral and Dental Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew J O Whitehouse
- Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Wei Q Ang
- School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Nicole M Warrington
- School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Kai Wang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute & Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Timpson
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - David M Evans
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - John P Kemp
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Susan M Ring
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Wendy L McArdle
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jean Golding
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | | | - Craig E Pennell
- School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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168
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Toma C, Hervás A, Balmaña N, Salgado M, Maristany M, Vilella E, Aguilera F, Orejuela C, Cuscó I, Gallastegui F, Pérez-Jurado LA, Caballero-Andaluz R, Diego-Otero YD, Guzmán-Alvarez G, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Ribasés M, Bayés M, Cormand B. Neurotransmitter systems and neurotrophic factors in autism: association study of 37 genes suggests involvement of DDC. World J Biol Psychiatry 2013; 14:516-27. [PMID: 22397633 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2011.602719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Neurotransmitter systems and neurotrophic factors can be considered strong candidates for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems are involved in neurotransmission, brain maturation and cortical organization, while neurotrophic factors (NTFs) participate in neurodevelopment, neuronal survival and synapses formation. We aimed to test the contribution of these candidate pathways to autism through a case-control association study of genes selected both for their role in central nervous system functions and for pathophysiological evidences. METHODS The study sample consisted of 326 unrelated autistic patients and 350 gender-matched controls from Spain. We genotyped 369 tagSNPs to perform a case-control association study of 37 candidate genes. RESULTS A significant association was obtained between the DDC gene and autism in the single-marker analysis (rs6592961, P = 0.00047). Haplotype-based analysis pinpointed a four-marker combination in this gene associated with the disorder (rs2329340C-rs2044859T-rs6592961A-rs11761683T, P = 4.988e-05). No significant results were obtained for the remaining genes after applying multiple testing corrections. However, the rs167771 marker in DRD3, associated with ASD in a previous study, displayed a nominal association in our analysis (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that common allelic variants in the DDC gene may be involved in autism susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Toma
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona , Spain
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169
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Montag C, Brockmann EM, Bayerl M, Rujescu D, Müller DJ, Gallinat J. Oxytocin and oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms and risk for schizophrenia: a case-control study. World J Biol Psychiatry 2013; 14:500-8. [PMID: 22651577 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2012.677547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dysfunctions of the "social brain" belong to the core features of schizophrenia. The neurohormone oxytocin (OXT), mediated through its specific receptor (OXTR), is involved in the regulation of social behaviour and social cognition. Previous research has suggested a role of OXT system genes in disorders of social reciprocity. Preliminary evidence points to an association of peripheral OXT levels as well as OXT and OXTR gene polymorphisms with psychotic symptoms and treatment response in schizophrenia. This study aims to determine a possible contribution of OXT and OXTR genetic variations to schizophrenia susceptibility. METHODS Using n = 406 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and n = 406 healthy controls matched for age and gender in a case-control design, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the OXT gene (rs2740204, rs2740210) and four SNPs within the OXTR gene (rs53576, rs237880, rs237885, rs237902) that were previously investigated in other studies were genotyped. RESULTS Chi(2)-testing suggested significant associations of OXTR SNPs rs53576(A > G) (P = 0.008) and rs237885(T > G) (P = 0.025) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Post-hoc ANCOVA revealed significant associations of OXTR SNPs rs53576 with general psychopathology and rs237902 with negative symptom scores in schizophrenic patients. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support hypotheses about an involvement of oxytocinergic gene variants in schizophrenia vulnerability and warrant independent replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Montag
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte , Berlin , Germany
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170
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Saito Y, Suga M, Tochigi M, Abe O, Yahata N, Kawakubo Y, Liu X, Kawamura Y, Sasaki T, Kasai K, Yamasue H. Neural correlate of autistic-like traits and a common allele in the oxytocin receptor gene. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2013; 9:1443-50. [PMID: 23946005 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nst136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sub-clinical autistic-like traits (ALTs) are continuously distributed in the general population and genetically linked to autism. Although identifying the neurogenetic backgrounds of ALTs might enhance our ability to identify those of autism, they are largely unstudied. Here, we have examined the neuroanatomical basis of ALTs and their association with the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) rs2254298A, a known risk allele for autism in Asian populations which has also been implicated in limbic-paralimbic brain structures. First, we extracted a four-factor structure of ALTs, as measured using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, including 'prosociality', 'communication', 'details/patterns' and 'imagination' in 135 neurotypical adults (79 men, 56 women) to reduce the genetic heterogeneity of ALTs. Then, in the same population, voxel-based morphometry revealed that lower 'prosociality', which indicates strong ALTs, was significantly correlated to smaller regional grey matter volume in the right insula in males. Males with lower 'prosociality' also had less interregional structural coupling between the right insula and the ventral anterior cingulate cortex. Furthermore, males with OXTR rs2254298A had significantly smaller grey matter volume in the right insula. These results show that decreased volume of the insula is a neuroanatomical correlate of ALTs and a potential intermediate phenotype linking ALTs with OXTR in male subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Saito
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Motomu Suga
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Mamoru Tochigi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Osamu Abe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Noriaki Yahata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Yuki Kawakubo
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Xiaoxi Liu
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Yoshiya Kawamura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Sasaki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan, Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, and Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
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171
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Yildirim BO, Derksen JJ. Systematic review, structural analysis, and new theoretical perspectives on the role of serotonin and associated genes in the etiology of psychopathy and sociopathy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:1254-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Revised: 04/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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172
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Argyropoulos A, Gilby KL, Hill-Yardin EL. Studying autism in rodent models: reconciling endophenotypes with comorbidities. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:417. [PMID: 23898259 PMCID: PMC3722572 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients commonly exhibit a variety of comorbid traits including seizures, anxiety, aggressive behavior, gastrointestinal problems, motor deficits, abnormal sensory processing, and sleep disturbances for which the cause is unknown. These features impact negatively on daily life and can exaggerate the effects of the core diagnostic traits (social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors). Studying endophenotypes relevant to both core and comorbid features of ASD in rodent models can provide insight into biological mechanisms underlying these disorders. Here we review the characterization of endophenotypes in a selection of environmental, genetic, and behavioral rodent models of ASD. In addition to exhibiting core ASD-like behaviors, each of these animal models display one or more endophenotypes relevant to comorbid features including altered sensory processing, seizure susceptibility, anxiety-like behavior, and disturbed motor functions, suggesting that these traits are indicators of altered biological pathways in ASD. However, the study of behaviors paralleling comorbid traits in animal models of ASD is an emerging field and further research is needed to assess altered gastrointestinal function, aggression, and disorders of sleep onset across models. Future studies should include investigation of these endophenotypes in order to advance our understanding of the etiology of this complex disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Argyropoulos
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne , Parkville, VIC , Australia
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173
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are highly heritable, and six genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of ASDs have been published to date. In this study, we have integrated the findings from these GWASs with other genetic data to identify enriched genetic networks that are associated with ASDs. We conducted bioinformatics and systematic literature analyses of 200 top-ranked ASD candidate genes from five published GWASs. The sixth GWAS was used for replication and validation of our findings. Further corroborating evidence was obtained through rare genetic variant studies, that is, exome sequencing and copy number variation (CNV) studies, and/or other genetic evidence, including candidate gene association, microRNA and gene expression, gene function and genetic animal studies. We found three signaling networks regulating steroidogenesis, neurite outgrowth and (glutamatergic) synaptic function to be enriched in the data. Most genes from the five GWASs were also implicated--independent of gene size--in ASDs by at least one other line of genomic evidence. Importantly, A-kinase anchor proteins (AKAPs) functionally integrate signaling cascades within and between these networks. The three identified protein networks provide an important contribution to increasing our understanding of the molecular basis of ASDs. In addition, our results point towards the AKAPs as promising targets for developing novel ASD treatments.
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174
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Sarachana T, Hu VW. Genome-wide identification of transcriptional targets of RORA reveals direct regulation of multiple genes associated with autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2013; 4:14. [PMID: 23697635 PMCID: PMC3665583 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-4-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have recently identified the nuclear hormone receptor RORA (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha) as a novel candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our independent cohort studies have consistently demonstrated the reduction of RORA transcript and/or protein levels in blood-derived lymphoblasts as well as in the postmortem prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of individuals with ASD. Moreover, we have also shown that RORA has the potential to be under negative and positive regulation by androgen and estrogen, respectively, suggesting the possibility that RORA may contribute to the male bias of ASD. However, little is known about transcriptional targets of this nuclear receptor, particularly in humans. METHODS Here we identify transcriptional targets of RORA in human neuronal cells on a genome-wide level using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) with an anti-RORA antibody followed by whole-genome promoter array (chip) analysis. Selected potential targets of RORA were then validated by an independent ChIP followed by quantitative PCR analysis. To further demonstrate that reduced RORA expression results in reduced transcription of RORA targets, we determined the expression levels of the selected transcriptional targets in RORA-deficient human neuronal cells, as well as in postmortem brain tissues from individuals with ASD who exhibit reduced RORA expression. RESULTS The ChIP-on-chip analysis reveals that RORA1, a major isoform of RORA protein in human brain, can be recruited to as many as 2,764 genomic locations corresponding to promoter regions of 2,544 genes across the human genome. Gene ontology analysis of this dataset of genes that are potentially directly regulated by RORA1 reveals statistically significant enrichment in biological functions negatively impacted in individuals with ASD, including neuronal differentiation, adhesion and survival, synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission and plasticity, and axonogenesis, as well as higher level functions such as development of the cortex and cerebellum, cognition, memory, and spatial learning. Independent ChIP-quantitative PCR analyses confirm binding of RORA1 to promoter regions of selected ASD-associated genes, including A2BP1, CYP19A1, ITPR1, NLGN1, and NTRK2, whose expression levels (in addition to HSD17B10) are also decreased in RORA1-repressed human neuronal cells and in prefrontal cortex tissues from individuals with ASD. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study indicate that RORA transcriptionally regulates A2BP1, CYP19A1, HSD17B10, ITPR1, NLGN1, and NTRK2, and strongly suggest that reduction of this sex hormone-sensitive nuclear receptor in the brain causes dysregulated expression of these ASD-relevant genes as well as their associated pathways and functions which, in turn, may contribute to the underlying pathobiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tewarit Sarachana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 I Street NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.
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175
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Abstract
DSM-5 has moved autism from the level of subgroups ("apples and oranges") to the prototypical level ("fruit"). But making progress in research, and ultimately improving clinical practice, will require identifying subgroups within the autism spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Chuan Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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176
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177
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Lucht MJ, Barnow S, Sonnenfeld C, Ulrich I, Grabe HJ, Schroeder W, Völzke H, Freyberger HJ, John U, Herrmann FH, Kroemer H, Rosskopf D. Associations between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and "mind-reading" in humans--an exploratory study. Nord J Psychiatry 2013; 67:15-21. [PMID: 22809402 DOI: 10.3109/08039488.2012.700731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS The application of intranasal oxytocin enhances facial emotion recognition in normal subjects and in subjects with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In addition, various features of social cognition have been associated with variants of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Therefore, we tested for associations between mind-reading, a measure for social recognition and OXTR polymorphisms. METHODS 76 healthy adolescents and young adults were tested for associations between OXTR rs53576, rs2254298, rs2228485 and mind-reading using the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test" (RMET). RESULTS After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, rs2228485 was associated with the number of incorrect answers when subjects evaluated male faces (P =0.000639). There were also associations between OXTR rs53576, rs2254298 and rs2228485 and other RMET dimensions according to P <0.05 (uncorrected). CONCLUSION This study adds further evidence to the hypothesis that genetic variations in the OXTR modulate mind-reading and social behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Lucht
- Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Greifswald at HELIOS-Hanseklinikum Stralsund, Rostocker Chaussee 70, Stralsund, Germany.
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178
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Lu ATH, Yoon J, Geschwind DH, Cantor RM. QTL replication and targeted association highlight the nerve growth factor gene for nonverbal communication deficits in autism spectrum disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2013; 18:226-35. [PMID: 22105621 PMCID: PMC3586745 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2011.155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has a heterogeneous etiology that is genetically complex. It is defined by deficits in communication and social skills and the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Genetic analyses of heritable quantitative traits that correlate with ASD may reduce heterogeneity. With this in mind, deficits in nonverbal communication (NVC) were quantified based on items from the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised. Our previous analysis of 228 families from the Autism Genetics Research Exchange (AGRE) repository reported 5 potential quantitative trait loci (QTL). Here we report an NVC QTL replication study in an independent sample of 213 AGRE families. One QTL was replicated (P<0.0004). It was investigated using a targeted-association analysis of 476 haplotype blocks with 708 AGRE families using the Family Based Association Test (FBAT). Blocks in two QTL genes were associated with NVC with a P-value of 0.001. Three associated haplotype blocks were intronic to the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) gene (P=0.001, 0.001, 0.002), and one was intronic to KCND3 (P=0.001). Individual haplotypes within the associated blocks drove the associations (0.003, 0.0004 and 0.0002) for NGF and 0.0001 for KCND3. Using the same methods, these genes were tested for association with NVC in an independent sample of 1517 families from an Autism Genome Project (AGP). NVC was associated with a haplotype in an adjacent NGF block (P=0.0005) and one 46 kb away from the associated block in KCND3 (0.008). These analyses illustrate the value of QTL and targeted association studies for genetically complex disorders such as ASD. NGF is a promising risk gene for NVC deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- AT-H Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - J Yoon
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - DH Geschwind
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - RM Cantor
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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179
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Celec P, Tretinárová D, Minárik G, Ficek A, Szemes T, Lakatošová S, Schmidtová E, Turňa J, Kádaši Ľ, Ostatníková D. Genetic polymorphisms related to testosterone metabolism in intellectually gifted boys. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54751. [PMID: 23382957 PMCID: PMC3559825 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Prepubertal testosterone levels are lower in intellectually gifted boys. The aim of this pilot study was to analyze potential genetic factors related to testosterone metabolism in control and gifted boys. Intellectually gifted (IQ>130; n = 95) and control (n = 67) boys were genotyped. Polymorphisms of interests were chosen in genes including androgen and estrogen receptors, 5-alpha reductase, aromatase and sex hormone binding globulin. Significant differences between control and gifted boys in genotype distributions were found for ESR2 (rs928554) and SHBG (rs1799941). A significantly lower number of CAG repeats in the AR gene were found in gifted boys. Our results support the role of genetic factors related to testosterone metabolism in intellectual giftedness. Increased androgen signaling might explain previous results of lower testosterone levels in intellectually gifted boys and add to the understanding of variability in cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Celec
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
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180
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Sucksmith E, Allison C, Baron-Cohen S, Chakrabarti B, Hoekstra RA. Empathy and emotion recognition in people with autism, first-degree relatives, and controls. Neuropsychologia 2013; 51:98-105. [PMID: 23174401 PMCID: PMC6345368 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2012] [Revised: 10/19/2012] [Accepted: 11/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is the lens through which we view others' emotion expressions, and respond to them. In this study, empathy and facial emotion recognition were investigated in adults with autism spectrum conditions (ASC; N=314), parents of a child with ASC (N=297) and IQ-matched controls (N=184). Participants completed a self-report measure of empathy (the Empathy Quotient [EQ]) and a modified version of the Karolinska Directed Emotional Faces Task (KDEF) using an online test interface. Results showed that mean scores on the EQ were significantly lower in fathers (p<0.05) but not mothers (p>0.05) of children with ASC compared to controls, whilst both males and females with ASC obtained significantly lower EQ scores (p<0.001) than controls. On the KDEF, statistical analyses revealed poorer overall performance by adults with ASC (p<0.001) compared to the control group. When the 6 distinct basic emotions were analysed separately, the ASC group showed impaired performance across five out of six expressions (happy, sad, angry, afraid and disgusted). Parents of a child with ASC were not significantly worse than controls at recognising any of the basic emotions, after controlling for age and non-verbal IQ (all p>0.05). Finally, results indicated significant differences between males and females with ASC for emotion recognition performance (p<0.05) but not for self-reported empathy (p>0.05). These findings suggest that self-reported empathy deficits in fathers of autistic probands are part of the 'broader autism phenotype'. This study also reports new findings of sex differences amongst people with ASC in emotion recognition, as well as replicating previous work demonstrating empathy difficulties in adults with ASC. The use of empathy measures as quantitative endophenotypes for ASC is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Sucksmith
- Department of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK.
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181
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Lu ATH, Dai X, Martinez-Agosto JA, Cantor RM. Support for calcium channel gene defects in autism spectrum disorders. Mol Autism 2012; 3:18. [PMID: 23241247 PMCID: PMC3558437 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-3-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED BACKGROUND Alternation of synaptic homeostasis is a biological process whose disruption might predispose children to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Calcium channel genes (CCG) contribute to modulating neuronal function and evidence implicating CCG in ASD has been accumulating. We conducted a targeted association analysis of CCG using existing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data and imputation methods in a combined sample of parent/affected child trios from two ASD family collections to explore this hypothesis. METHODS A total of 2,176 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (703 genotyped and 1,473 imputed) covering the genes that encode the α1 subunit proteins of 10 calcium channels were tested for association with ASD in a combined sample of 2,781 parent/affected child trios from 543 multiplex Caucasian ASD families from the Autism Genetics Resource Exchange (AGRE) and 1,651 multiplex and simplex Caucasian ASD families from the Autism Genome Project (AGP). SNP imputation using IMPUTE2 and a combined reference panel from the HapMap3 and the 1,000 Genomes Project increased coverage density of the CCG. Family-based association was tested using the FBAT software which controls for population stratification and accounts for the non-independence of siblings within multiplex families. The level of significance for association was set at 2.3E-05, providing a Bonferroni correction for this targeted 10-gene panel. RESULTS Four SNPs in three CCGs were associated with ASD. One, rs10848653, is located in CACNA1C, a gene in which rare de novo mutations are responsible for Timothy syndrome, a Mendelian disorder that features ASD. Two others, rs198538 and rs198545, located in CACN1G, and a fourth, rs5750860, located in CACNA1I, are in CCGs that encode T-type calcium channels, genes with previous ASD associations. CONCLUSIONS These associations support a role for common CCG SNPs in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ake Tzu-Hui Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-7088, USA.
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182
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Yang Y, Shen Y, Wu B. WITHDRAWN: Are there two different neural pathways for gender differences in autism spectrum disorders? - A pilot study. Med Hypotheses 2012:S0306-9877(12)00382-9. [PMID: 22981007 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Revised: 08/04/2012] [Accepted: 08/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Yang
- Shanghai Children's Q2 Medical Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Shanghai, China
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183
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Attermann J, Obel C, Bilenberg N, Nordenbæk CM, Skytthe A, Olsen J. Traits of ADHD and autism in girls with a twin brother: a Mendelian randomization study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012; 21:503-9. [PMID: 22643885 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-012-0287-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2011] [Accepted: 05/22/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that prenatal exposure to testosterone may be associated with traits of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted a population-based study of dizygotic female twins to elucidate this hypothesis, assuming that the sex of the co-twin influences the level of prenatal exposure to testosterone. We invited parents of 24,552 3- to 15-year-old twins to answer questionnaires on traits of ADHD and ASD. We analysed the data using a proportional odds model with sex of the co-twin as an instrumental variable for prenatal exposure to testosterone of female twins. We received responses for 6,339 girls from dizygotic twin pairs. Odds ratios for male versus female co-twin were 0.71 (95 % confidence interval 0.61-0.81) for ADHD traits and 0.74 (0.66-0.83) for ASD traits, indicating that a twin brother reduces traits of ADHD and ASD in females. In conclusion, we found that female twins with a twin brother scored significantly lower in parent-reported traits of ADHD and ASD than those with a twin sister. The reason for this may be parental reporting bias, or confounding by unmeasured variables, or a causal effect of an intrauterine environment modified by the sex of the co-twin in the opposite direction of what we expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jørn Attermann
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Aarhus, Denmark.
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184
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Constable PA, Gaigg SB, Bowler DM, Thompson DA. Motion and pattern cortical potentials in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Doc Ophthalmol 2012; 125:219-27. [PMID: 22918709 DOI: 10.1007/s10633-012-9349-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Accepted: 08/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition in which visual perception to both static and moving stimuli is altered. The aim of this study was to investigate the early cortical responses of subjects with ASD to simple patterns and moving radial rings using visual evoked potentials (VEPs). METHODS Male ASD participants (n = 9) and typically developing (TD) individuals (n = 7) were matched for full, performance and verbal IQ (p > 0.263). VEPs were recorded to the pattern reversing checks of 50' side length presented with Michelson contrasts of 98 and 10 % and to the onset of motion-either expansion or contraction of low-contrast concentric rings (33.3 % duty cycle at 10 % contrast). RESULTS There were no significant differences between groups in the VEPs elicited by pattern reversal checkerboards of high (98 %) or low (10 %) contrast. The ASD group had a significantly larger N160 peak (1.85 x) amplitude to motion onset VEPs elicited by the expansion of radial rings (p = 0.001). No differences were evident in contraction VEP peak amplitudes nor in the latencies of the motion onset N160 peaks. There was no evidence of a response that could be associated with adaptation to the motion stimulus in the interstimulus interval following an expansion or contraction phase of the rings. CONCLUSION These data support a difference in processing of motion onset stimuli in this adult high-functioning ASD group compared to the TD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Constable
- Division of Optometry, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK. ,Department of Psychology, City University London, Autism Research Group, Social Sciences Building, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.
| | - Sebastian B Gaigg
- Department of Psychology, City University London, Autism Research Group, Social Sciences Building, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| | - Dermot M Bowler
- Department of Psychology, City University London, Autism Research Group, Social Sciences Building, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| | - Dorothy A Thompson
- Clinical and Academic Department of Ophthalmology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, WC1N 3JH, UK
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185
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Miu AC, Pană SE, Avram J. Emotional face processing in neurotypicals with autistic traits: implications for the broad autism phenotype. Psychiatry Res 2012; 198:489-94. [PMID: 22425467 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2011] [Revised: 11/06/2011] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated emotional face processing in neurotypicals selected for autistic traits (AT). Participants (N=81), who obtained scores one standard deviation above or below average on the Autism Spectrum Quotient, were tested using observational fear conditioning (FC), a face version of the attention probe task, and the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test. The results indicated that high AT participants displayed enhanced observational FC, no attentional bias to fearful faces, and increased latency (but normal accuracy) to recognizing the mental state of another. To a certain extent, this pattern resembles the social-emotional phenotype that was previously described in autism spectrum disorders. Therefore, these results may contribute to the broad autism phenotype perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei C Miu
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, CJ 400015, Romania.
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186
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Vasa RA, Anderson C, Marvin AR, Rosenberg RE, Law JK, Thorn J, Sarphare G, Law PA. Mood disorders in mothers of children on the autism spectrum are associated with higher functioning autism. AUTISM RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2012; 2012:435646. [PMID: 22934172 PMCID: PMC3426171 DOI: 10.1155/2012/435646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Accepted: 07/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Mood disorders occur more frequently in family members of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than in the general population. There may be associations between maternal mood disorder history patterns and specific ASD phenotypes. We therefore examined the relationship between maternal mood disorders and child autism spectrum disorders in 998 mother-child dyads enrolled in a national online autism registry and database. Mothers of children with ASD completed online questionnaires addressing their child's ASD as well as their own mood disorder history. In multivariate logistic regression models of ASD diagnoses, the odds of an Asperger disorder versus autistic disorder diagnosis were higher among those children whose mothers had a lifetime history of bipolar disorder (OR 2.11, CI 1.20, 3.69) or depression (OR 1.62, CI 1.19, 2.19). Further, maternal mood disorder onset before first pregnancy was associated with higher odds (OR 2.35, CI 1.48, 3.73) of an Asperger versus autism diagnosis among this sample of children with ASD. These data suggest that differences in maternal mood disorder history may be associated with ASD phenotype in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roma A Vasa
- Department of Psychiatry, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 3901 Greenspring Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA
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187
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Tavassoli T, Auyeung B, Murphy LC, Baron-Cohen S, Chakrabarti B. Variation in the autism candidate gene GABRB3 modulates tactile sensitivity in typically developing children. Mol Autism 2012; 3:6. [PMID: 22769427 PMCID: PMC3434022 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-3-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Accepted: 06/08/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum conditions have a strong genetic component. Atypical sensory sensitivities are one of the core but neglected features of autism spectrum conditions. GABRB3 is a well-characterised candidate gene for autism spectrum conditions. In mice, heterozygous Gabrb3 deletion is associated with increased tactile sensitivity. However, no study has examined if tactile sensitivity is associated with GABRB3 genetic variation in humans. To test this, we conducted two pilot genetic association studies in the general population, analysing two phenotypic measures of tactile sensitivity (a parent-report and a behavioural measure) for association with 43 SNPs in GABRB3. Findings Across both tactile sensitivity measures, three SNPs (rs11636966, rs8023959 and rs2162241) were nominally associated with both phenotypes, providing a measure of internal validation. Parent-report scores were nominally associated with six SNPs (P <0.05). Behaviourally measured tactile sensitivity was nominally associated with 10 SNPs (three after Bonferroni correction). Conclusions This is the first human study to show an association between GABRB3 variation and tactile sensitivity. This provides support for the evidence from animal models implicating the role of GABRB3 variation in the atypical sensory sensitivity in autism spectrum conditions. Future research is underway to directly test this association in cases of autism spectrum conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Tavassoli
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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188
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Fogel BL, Wexler E, Wahnich A, Friedrich T, Vijayendran C, Gao F, Parikshak N, Konopka G, Geschwind DH. RBFOX1 regulates both splicing and transcriptional networks in human neuronal development. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 21:4171-86. [PMID: 22730494 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA splicing plays a critical role in the programming of neuronal differentiation and, consequently, normal human neurodevelopment, and its disruption may underlie neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. The RNA-binding protein, fox-1 homolog (RBFOX1; also termed A2BP1 or FOX1), is a neuron-specific splicing factor predicted to regulate neuronal splicing networks clinically implicated in neurodevelopmental disease, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but only a few targets have been experimentally identified. We used RNA sequencing to identify the RBFOX1 splicing network at a genome-wide level in primary human neural stem cells during differentiation. We observe that RBFOX1 regulates a wide range of alternative splicing events implicated in neuronal development and maturation, including transcription factors, other splicing factors and synaptic proteins. Downstream alterations in gene expression define an additional transcriptional network regulated by RBFOX1 involved in neurodevelopmental pathways remarkably parallel to those affected by splicing. Several of these differentially expressed genes are further implicated in ASD and related neurodevelopmental diseases. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis demonstrates a high degree of connectivity among these disease-related genes, highlighting RBFOX1 as a key factor coordinating the regulation of both neurodevelopmentally important alternative splicing events and clinically relevant neuronal transcriptional programs in the development of human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent L Fogel
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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189
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Thomas MA, Klaper RD. Psychoactive pharmaceuticals induce fish gene expression profiles associated with human idiopathic autism. PLoS One 2012; 7:e32917. [PMID: 22701549 PMCID: PMC3368908 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2011] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic autism, caused by genetic susceptibility interacting with unknown environmental triggers, has increased dramatically in the past 25 years. Identifying environmental triggers has been difficult due to poorly understood pathophysiology and subjective definitions of autism. The use of antidepressants by pregnant women has been associated with autism. These and other unmetabolized psychoactive pharmaceuticals (UPPs) have also been found in drinking water from surface sources, providing another possible exposure route and raising questions about human health consequences. Here, we examined gene expression patterns of fathead minnows treated with a mixture of three psychoactive pharmaceuticals (fluoxetine, venlafaxine & carbamazepine) in dosages intended to be similar to the highest observed conservative estimates of environmental concentrations. We conducted microarray experiments examining brain tissue of fish exposed to individual pharmaceuticals and a mixture of all three. We used gene-class analysis to test for enrichment of gene sets involved with ten human neurological disorders. Only sets associated with idiopathic autism were unambiguously enriched. We found that UPPs induce autism-like gene expression patterns in fish. Our findings suggest a new potential trigger for idiopathic autism in genetically susceptible individuals involving an overlooked source of environmental contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Thomas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University School, Pocatello, Idaho, United States of America.
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190
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Abstract
The 'extreme male brain' theory suggests females with Autism Spectrum Conditions are hyper-masculinized in certain aspects of behavior. We predicted that females with Gender Identity Disorder (who are masculinized) would have elevated Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) scores. AQ scores from five groups were compared: (1) n = 61 transmen (female-to-male transsexual people); (2) n = 198 transwomen (male-to-female transsexual people); (3) n = 76 typical males; (4) n = 98 typical females; and (5) n = 125 individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS). Transmen had a higher mean AQ than typical females, typical males and transwomen, but lower than individuals with AS. Transmen have more autistic traits and may have had difficulty socializing with female peers and thus found it easier to identify with male peer groups.
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191
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Auyeung B, Knickmeyer R, Ashwin E, Taylor K, Hackett G, Baron-Cohen S. Effects of fetal testosterone on visuospatial ability. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2012; 41:571-81. [PMID: 22033667 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-011-9864-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2011] [Revised: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 09/22/2011] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated whether fetal testosterone (FT) measured from second trimester amniotic fluid was related to specific aspects of visuospatial ability, in children aged 7-10 years (35 boys, 29 girls). A series of tasks were used: the children's Embedded Figures Test (EFT) (a test of attention to detail), a ball targeting task (measuring hand-eye coordination), and a computerized mental rotation task (measuring rotational ability). FT was a significant predictor for EFT scores in both boys and girls, with boys also showing a clear advantage for this task. No significant sex differences were observed in targeting. Boys scored higher than girls on mental rotation. However, no significant relationships were observed between FT and targeting or mental rotation. Girls' performance on the mental rotation and targeting tasks was significantly related to age, indicating that these tasks may have been too difficult for the younger children. These results indicate that FT has a significant role in some aspects of cognitive development but that further work is needed to understand its effect on the different aspects of visuospatial ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Auyeung
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Rd., Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.
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192
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Raznahan A, Lee Y, Vaituzis C, Tran L, Mackie S, Tiemeier H, Clasen L, Lalonde F, Greenstein D, Pierson R, Giedd JN. Allelic variation within the putative autism spectrum disorder risk gene homeobox A1 and cerebellar maturation in typically developing children and adolescents. Autism Res 2012; 5:93-100. [PMID: 22359339 DOI: 10.1002/aur.238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Homeobox A1 (HOXA1) has been proposed as a candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as it regulates embryological patterning of hind-brain structures implicated in autism neurobiology. In line with this notion, a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism within a highly conserved domain of HOXA1--A218G (rs10951154)--has been linked to both ASD risk, and cross-sectional differences in superior posterior lobar cerebellar anatomy in late adulthood. Despite evidence for early onset and developmentally dynamic cerebellar involvement in ASD, little is known of the relationship between A218G genotype and maturation of the cerebellum over early development. We addressed this issue using 296 longitudinally acquired structural magnetic resonance imaging brain scans from 116 healthy individuals between 5 and 23 years of age. Mixed models were used to compare the relationship between age and semi-automated measures of cerebellar volume in A-homozygotes (AA) and carriers of the G allele (Gcar). Total cerebellar volume increased between ages of 5 and 23 years in both groups. However, this was accelerated in the Gcar relative to the AA group (Genotype-by-age interaction term, P = 0.03), and driven by genotype-dependent differences in the rate of bilateral superior posterior lobar volume change with age (P = 0.002). Resultantly, although superior posterior lobar volume did not differ significantly between genotype groups at age 5 (P = 0.9), by age 23 it was 12% greater in Gcar than AA (P = 0.002). Our results suggest that common genetic variation within this putative ASD risk gene has the capacity to modify the development of cerebellar systems implicated in ASD neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Raznahan
- Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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193
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Allison C, Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S. Toward brief “Red Flags” for autism screening: The Short Autism Spectrum Quotient and the Short Quantitative Checklist for Autism in toddlers in 1,000 cases and 3,000 controls [corrected]. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012; 51:202-212.e7. [PMID: 22265366 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2011.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 450] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2011] [Revised: 11/07/2011] [Accepted: 11/14/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frontline health professionals need a "red flag" tool to aid their decision making about whether to make a referral for a full diagnostic assessment for an autism spectrum condition (ASC) in children and adults. The aim was to identify 10 items on the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) (Adult, Adolescent, and Child versions) and on the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) with good test accuracy. METHOD A case sample of more than 1,000 individuals with ASC (449 adults, 162 adolescents, 432 children and 126 toddlers) and a control sample of 3,000 controls (838 adults, 475 adolescents, 940 children, and 754 toddlers) with no ASC diagnosis participated. Case participants were recruited from the Autism Research Centre's database of volunteers. The control samples were recruited through a variety of sources. Participants completed full-length versions of the measures. The 10 best items were selected on each instrument to produce short versions. RESULTS At a cut-point of 6 on the AQ-10 adult, sensitivity was 0.88, specificity was 0.91, and positive predictive value (PPV) was 0.85. At a cut-point of 6 on the AQ-10 adolescent, sensitivity was 0.93, specificity was 0.95, and PPV was 0.86. At a cut-point of 6 on the AQ-10 child, sensitivity was 0.95, specificity was 0.97, and PPV was 0.94. At a cut-point of 3 on the Q-CHAT-10, sensitivity was 0.91, specificity was 0.89, and PPV was 0.58. Internal consistency was >0.85 on all measures. CONCLUSIONS The short measures have potential to aid referral decision making for specialist assessment and should be further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Allison
- Autism Research Centre, Cambridge University, Department of Psychiatry, UK.
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194
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Robinson EB, Koenen KC, McCormick MC, Munir K, Hallett V, Happé F, Plomin R, Ronald A. Evidence that autistic traits show the same etiology in the general population and at the quantitative extremes (5%, 2.5%, and 1%). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 68:1113-21. [PMID: 22065527 DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Genetic factors play an important role in the etiology of both autism spectrum disorders and autistic traits. However, little is known about the etiologic consistency of autistic traits across levels of severity. OBJECTIVE To compare the etiology of typical variation in autistic traits with extreme scoring groups (including top 1%) that mimicked the prevalence of diagnosed autism spectrum disorders in the largest twin study of autistic traits to date. DESIGN Twin study using phenotypic analysis and genetic model-fitting in the total sample and extreme scoring groups (top 5%, 2.5%, and 1%). SETTING A nationally representative twin sample from the general population of England. PARTICIPANTS The families of 5968 pairs aged 12 years old in the Twins' Early Development Study. Main Outcome Measure Autistic traits as assessed by the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test. RESULTS Moderate to high heritability was found for autistic traits in the general population (53% for females and 72% for males). High heritability was found in extreme-scoring groups. There were no differences in heritability among extreme groups or between the extreme groups and the general population. A continuous liability shift toward autistic trait affectedness was seen in the cotwins of individuals scoring in the top 1%, suggesting shared etiology between extreme scores and normal variation. CONCLUSION This evidence of similar etiology across normal variation and the extremes has implications for molecular genetic models of autism spectrum disorders and for conceptualizing autism spectrum disorders as the quantitative extreme of a neurodevelopmental continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise B Robinson
- Departments of Epidemiology, and Society, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
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195
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Abstract
A literature review was conducted on the genetic and developmental bases of autism in relation to genes and pathways associated with cancer risk. Convergent lines of evidence from four types of analysis: (1) recent theoretical studies on the causes of autism, (2) epidemiological studies, (3) genetic analyses linking autism with mutations in tumor suppressor genes and other cancer-associated genes and pathways, and (4) contrasts with schizophrenia, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease indicate that autism may involve altered cancer risk. This evidence should motivate further epidemiological studies, and it provides useful insights into the nature of the genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors underlying the etiologies of autism, other neurological conditions, and carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby (B.C.), British Columbia, Canada.
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196
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Knickmeyer RC, Davenport M. Turner syndrome and sexual differentiation of the brain: implications for understanding male-biased neurodevelopmental disorders. J Neurodev Disord 2011; 3:293-306. [PMID: 21818630 PMCID: PMC3261262 DOI: 10.1007/s11689-011-9089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Accepted: 07/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Turner syndrome (TS) is one of the most common sex chromosome abnormalities. Affected individuals often show a unique pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses and are at increased risk for a number of other neurodevelopmental conditions, many of which are more common in typical males than typical females (e.g., autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). This phenotype may reflect gonadal steroid deficiency, haploinsufficiency of X chromosome genes, failure to express parentally imprinted genes, and the uncovering of X chromosome mutations. Understanding the contribution of these different mechanisms to outcome has the potential to improve clinical care for individuals with TS and to better our understanding of the differential vulnerability to and expression of neurodevelopmental disorders in males and females. In this paper, we review what is currently known about cognition and brain development in individuals with TS, discuss underlying mechanisms and their relevance to understanding male-biased neurodevelopmental conditions, and suggest directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Christine Knickmeyer
- Department of Psychiatry CB 7160, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 343 Medical Wings C, Campus Box #7160, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7160, USA,
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197
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Abstract
Autism spectrum conditions have been hypothesized to be an exaggeration of normal male low-empathizing and high-systemizing behaviors. We tested this hypothesis at the molecular level by performing comprehensive multi-analyte profiling of blood serum from adult subjects with Asperger's syndrome (AS) compared with controls. This led to identification of distinct sex-specific biomarker fingerprints for male and female subjects. Males with AS showed altered levels of 24 biomarkers including increased levels of cytokines and other inflammatory molecules. Multivariate statistical classification of males using this panel of 24 biomarkers revealed a marked separation between AS and controls with a sensitivity of 0.86 and specificity of 0.88. Testing this same panel in females did not result in a separation between the AS and control groups. In contrast, AS females showed altered levels of 17 biomarkers including growth factors and hormones such as androgens, growth hormone and insulin-related molecules. Classification of females using this biomarker panel resulted in a separation between AS and controls with sensitivities and specificities of 0.96 and 0.83, respectively, and testing this same panel in the male group did not result in a separation between the AS and control groups. The finding of elevated testosterone in AS females confirmed predictions from the 'extreme male brain' and androgen theories of autism spectrum conditions. We conclude that to understand the etiology and development of autism spectrum conditions, stratification by sex is essential.
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198
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Allison C, Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Stone M, Muncer S. Psychometric analysis of the Empathy Quotient (EQ). PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2011.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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199
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Ruta L, Ingudomnukul E, Taylor K, Chakrabarti B, Baron-Cohen S. Increased serum androstenedione in adults with autism spectrum conditions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:1154-63. [PMID: 21398041 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2010] [Revised: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 02/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Molecular and behavioural evidence points to an association between sex-steroid hormones and autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and/or autistic traits. Prenatal androgen levels are associated with autistic traits, and several genes involved in steroidogenesis are associated with autism, Asperger Syndrome and/or autistic traits. Furthermore, higher rates of androgen-related conditions (such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, hirsutism, acne and hormone-related cancers) are reported in women with autism spectrum conditions. A key question therefore is if serum levels of gonadal and adrenal sex-steroids (particularly testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and androstenedione) are elevated in individuals with ASC. This was tested in a total sample of n=166 participants. The final eligible sample for hormone analysis comprised n=128 participants, n=58 of whom had a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome or high functioning autism (33 males and 25 females) and n=70 of whom were age- and IQ-matched typical controls (39 males and 31 females). ASC diagnosis (without any interaction with sex) strongly predicted androstenedione levels (p<0.01), and serum androstenedione levels were significantly elevated in the ASC group (Mann-Whitney W=2677, p=0.002), a result confirmed by permutation testing in females (permutation-corrected p=0.02). This result is discussed in terms of androstenedione being the immediate precursor of, and being converted into, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, or estrogens in hormone-sensitive tissues and organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Ruta
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.
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200
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The construction and validation of an abridged version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ-Short). J Autism Dev Disord 2011; 41:589-96. [PMID: 20697795 PMCID: PMC3076581 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-010-1073-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This study reports on the development and validation of an abridged version of the 50-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a self-report measure of autistic traits. We aimed to reduce the number of items whilst retaining high validity and a meaningful factor structure. The item reduction procedure was performed on data from 1,263 Dutch students and general population adults. The resulting 28-item AQ-Short was subsequently validated in 3 independent samples, both clinical and controls, from the Netherlands and the UK. The AQ-Short comprises two higher-order factors assessing ‘social behavioral difficulties’ and ‘a fascination for numbers/patterns’. The clear factor structure of the AQ-Short and its high sensitivity and specificity make the AQ-Short a useful alternative to the full 50-item version.
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