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Eyring KW, Geschwind DH. Three decades of ASD genetics: Building a foundation for neurobiological understanding and treatment. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:R236-R244. [PMID: 34313757 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Methodological advances over the last three decades have led to a profound transformation in our understanding of the genetic origins of neuropsychiatric disorders. This is exemplified by the study of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for which microarrays, whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) have yielded over a hundred causal loci. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in ASD have also been fruitful, identifying 5 genome-wide significant loci thus far and demonstrating a substantial role for polygenic inherited risk. Approaches rooted in systems biology and functional genomics have increasingly placed genes implicated by risk variants into biological context. Genetic risk affects a finite group of cell-types and biological processes, converging primarily on early stages of brain development (though, the expression of many risk genes persists through childhood). Coupled with advances in stem cell-based human in vitro model systems, these findings provide a basis for developing mechanistic models of disease pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Eyring
- Neurogenetics Program, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Neurogenetics Program, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Center For Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics and Institute for Precision Health, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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152
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Kovacevic M, Macuzic IZ, Milosavljevic J, Lukovic T, Aleksic D, Gavrilovic J, Milosavljevic M, Jankovic S, Pejcic A. Amygdala Volumes in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Meta-analysis of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-021-00281-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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153
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Liu DC, Lee KY, Lizarazo S, Cook JK, Tsai NP. ER stress-induced modulation of neural activity and seizure susceptibility is impaired in a fragile X syndrome mouse model. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 158:105450. [PMID: 34303799 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Imbalanced neuronal excitability homeostasis is commonly observed in patients with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and the animal model of FXS, the Fmr1 KO. While alterations of neuronal intrinsic excitability and synaptic activity at the steady state in FXS have been suggested to contribute to such a deficit and ultimately the increased susceptibility to seizures in FXS, it remains largely unclear whether and how the homeostatic response of neuronal excitability following extrinsic challenges is disrupted in FXS. Our previous work has shown that the acute response following induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress can reduce neural activity and seizure susceptibility. Because many signaling pathways associated with ER stress response are mediated by Fmr1, we asked whether acute ER stress-induced reduction of neural activity and seizure susceptibility are altered in FXS. Our results first revealed that acute ER stress can trigger a protein synthesis-dependent prevention of neural network synchronization in vitro and a reduction of susceptibility to kainic acid-induced seizures in vivo in wild-type but not in Fmr1 KO mice. Mechanistically, we found that acute ER stress-induced activation of murine double minute-2 (Mdm2), ubiquitination of p53, and the subsequent transient protein synthesis are all impaired in Fmr1 KO neurons. Employing a p53 inhibitor, Pifithrin-α, to mimic p53 inactivation, we were able to blunt the increase in neural network synchronization and reduce the seizure susceptibility in Fmr1 KO mice following ER stress induction. In summary, our data revealed a novel cellular defect in Fmr1 KO mice and suggest that an impaired response to common extrinsic challenges may contribute to imbalanced neuronal excitability homeostasis in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai-Chi Liu
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Kwan Young Lee
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Simon Lizarazo
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jessie K Cook
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Nien-Pei Tsai
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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154
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Biological implications of genetic variations in autism spectrum disorders from genomics studies. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:229227. [PMID: 34240107 PMCID: PMC8298259 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition characterized by atypical social interaction and communication together with repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. The prevalence of ASD has been increased these years. Compelling evidence has shown that genetic factors contribute largely to the development of ASD. However, knowledge about its genetic etiology and pathogenesis is limited. Broad applications of genomics studies have revealed the importance of gene mutations at protein-coding regions as well as the interrupted non-coding regions in the development of ASD. In this review, we summarize the current evidence for the known molecular genetic basis and possible pathological mechanisms as well as the risk genes and loci of ASD. Functional studies for the underlying mechanisms are also implicated. The understanding of the genetics and genomics of ASD is important for the genetic diagnosis and intervention for this condition.
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155
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Grabenhorst F, Schultz W. Functions of primate amygdala neurons in economic decisions and social decision simulation. Behav Brain Res 2021; 409:113318. [PMID: 33901436 PMCID: PMC8164162 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Long implicated in aversive processing, the amygdala is now recognized as a key component of the brain systems that process rewards. Beyond reward valuation, recent findings from single-neuron recordings in monkeys indicate that primate amygdala neurons also play an important role in decision-making. The reward value signals encoded by amygdala neurons constitute suitable inputs to economic decision processes by being sensitive to reward contingency, relative reward quantity and temporal reward structure. During reward-based decisions, individual amygdala neurons encode both the value inputs and corresponding choice outputs of economic decision processes. The presence of such value-to-choice transitions in single amygdala neurons, together with other well-defined signatures of decision computation, indicate that a decision mechanism may be implemented locally within the primate amygdala. During social observation, specific amygdala neurons spontaneously encode these decision signatures to predict the choices of social partners, suggesting neural simulation of the partner's decision-making. The activity of these 'simulation neurons' could arise naturally from convergence between value neurons and social, self-other discriminating neurons. These findings identify single-neuron building blocks and computational architectures for decision-making and social behavior in the primate amygdala. An emerging understanding of the decision function of primate amygdala neurons can help identify potential vulnerabilities for amygdala dysfunction in human conditions afflicting social cognition and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Grabenhorst
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK.
| | - Wolfram Schultz
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK.
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156
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Swiegers J, Bhagwandin A, Williams VM, Maseko BC, Sherwood CC, Hård T, Bertelsen MF, Rockland KS, Molnár Z, Manger PR. The distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) brain. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3429-3452. [PMID: 34180538 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
We examined the number, distribution, and immunoreactivity of the infracortical white matter neuronal population, also termed white matter interstitial cells (WMICs), throughout the telencephalic white matter of an adult female chimpanzee. Staining for neuronal nuclear marker (NeuN) revealed WMICs throughout the infracortical white matter, these cells being most numerous and dense close to the inner border of cortical layer VI, decreasing significantly in density with depth in the white matter. Stereological analysis of NeuN-immunopositive cells revealed an estimate of approximately 137.2 million WMICs within the infracortical white matter of the chimpanzee brain studied. Immunostaining revealed subpopulations of WMICs containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS, approximately 14.4 million in number), calretinin (CR, approximately 16.7 million), very few WMICs containing parvalbumin (PV), and no calbindin-immunopositive neurons. The nNOS, CR, and PV immunopositive WMICs, possibly all inhibitory neurons, represent approximately 22.6% of the total WMIC population. As the white matter is affected in many cognitive conditions, such as schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and also in neurodegenerative diseases, understanding these neurons across species is important for the translation of findings of neural dysfunction in animal models to humans. Furthermore, studies of WMICs in species such as apes provide a crucial phylogenetic context for understanding the evolution of these cell types in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Swiegers
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Victoria M Williams
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Busisiwe C Maseko
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kathleen S Rockland
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
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157
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Godel M, Andrews DS, Amaral DG, Ozonoff S, Young GS, Lee JK, Wu Nordahl C, Schaer M. Altered Gray-White Matter Boundary Contrast in Toddlers at Risk for Autism Relates to Later Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:669194. [PMID: 34220428 PMCID: PMC8248433 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.669194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent neuroimaging studies have highlighted differences in cerebral maturation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to typical development. For instance, the contrast of the gray-white matter boundary is decreased in adults with ASD. To determine how gray-white matter boundary integrity relates to early ASD phenotypes, we used a regional structural MRI index of gray-white matter contrast (GWC) on a sample of toddlers with a hereditary high risk for ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used a surface-based approach to compute vertex-wise GWC in a longitudinal cohort of toddlers at high-risk for ASD imaged twice between 12 and 24 months (n = 20). A full clinical assessment of ASD-related symptoms was performed in conjunction with imaging and again at 3 years of age for diagnostic outcome. Three outcome groups were defined (ASD, n = 9; typical development, n = 8; non-typical development, n = 3). RESULTS ASD diagnostic outcome at age 3 was associated with widespread increases in GWC between age 12 and 24 months. Many cortical regions were affected, including regions implicated in social processing and language acquisition. In parallel, we found that early onset of ASD symptoms (i.e., prior to 18-months) was specifically associated with slower GWC rates of change during the second year of life. These alterations were found in areas mainly belonging to the central executive network. LIMITATIONS Our study is the first to measure maturational changes in GWC in toddlers who developed autism, but given the limited size of our sample results should be considered exploratory and warrant further replication in independent and larger samples. CONCLUSION These preliminary results suggest that ASD is linked to early alterations of the gray-white matter boundary in widespread brain regions. Early onset of ASD diagnosis constitutes an independent clinical parameter associated with a specific corresponding neurobiological developmental trajectory. Altered neural migration and/or altered myelination processes potentially explain these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Godel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Derek S. Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - David G. Amaral
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Gregory S. Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Joshua K. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Marie Schaer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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158
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Giovanniello J, Ahrens S, Yu K, Li B. Sex-Specific Stress-Related Behavioral Phenotypes and Central Amygdala Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of 16p11.2 Microdeletion. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 1:59-69. [PMID: 36324434 PMCID: PMC9616311 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Substantial evidence indicates that a microdeletion on human chromosome 16p11.2 is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Carriers of this deletion show divergent symptoms besides the core features of autism spectrum disorder, such as anxiety and emotional symptoms. The neural mechanisms underlying these symptoms are poorly understood. Methods We used mice heterozygous for a deletion allele of the genomic region corresponding to the human 16p11.2 microdeletion locus (i.e., 16p11.2 del/+ mice) and their sex-matched wild-type littermates for the study and examined their anxiety-related behaviors, auditory perception, and central amygdala circuit function using behavioral, circuit tracing, and electrophysiological techniques. Results Mice heterozygous for a deletion allele of the genomic region corresponding to the human 16p11.2 microdeletion locus (i.e., 16p11.2 del/+ mice) had sex-specific anxiety-related behavioral and neural circuit changes. Specifically, we found that female, but not male, 16p11.2 del/+ mice showed enhanced fear generalization-a hallmark of anxiety disorders-after auditory fear conditioning and displayed increased anxiety-like behaviors after physical restraint stress. Notably, such sex-specific behavioral changes were paralleled by an increase in activity in central amygdala neurons projecting to the globus pallidus in female, but not male, 16p11.2 del/+ mice. Conclusions Together, these results reveal female-specific anxiety phenotypes related to 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome and a potential underlying neural circuit mechanism. Our study therefore identifies previously underappreciated sex-specific behavioral and neural changes in a genetic model of 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome and highlights the importance of investigating female-specific aspects of this syndrome for targeted treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Giovanniello
- School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
| | - Sandra Ahrens
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
| | - Kai Yu
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
| | - Bo Li
- School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
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159
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Anderson MP, Quinton R, Kelly K, Falzon A, Halladay A, Schumann CM, Hof PR, Tamminga CA, Hare CK, Amaral DG. Autism BrainNet: A Collaboration Between Medical Examiners, Pathologists, Researchers, and Families to Advance the Understanding and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2021; 145:494-501. [PMID: 32960953 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0164-ra] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT.— Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects over 1% of the population worldwide. Developing effective preventions and treatments for autism will depend on understanding the neuropathology of the disorder. While evidence from magnetic resonance imaging indicates altered development of the autistic brain, it lacks the resolution needed to identify the cellular and molecular underpinnings of the disorder. Postmortem studies of human brain tissue currently represent the only viable option to pursuing these critical studies. Historically, the availability of autism brain tissue has been extremely limited. OBJECTIVE.— To overcome this limitation, Autism BrainNet, funded by the Simons Foundation, was formed as a network of brain collection sites that work in a coordinated fashion to develop a library of human postmortem brain tissues for distribution to researchers worldwide. Autism BrainNet has collection sites (or Nodes) in California, Texas, and Massachusetts; affiliated, international Nodes are located in Oxford, England and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. DATA SOURCES.— Pubmed, Autism BrainNet. CONCLUSIONS.— Because the death of autistic individuals is often because of an accident, drowning, suicide, or sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, they often are seen in a medical examiner's or coroner's office. Yet, autism is rarely considered when evaluating the cause of death. Advances in our understanding of chronic traumatic encephalopathy have occurred because medical examiners and neuropathologists questioned whether a pathologic change might exist in individuals who played contact sports and later developed severe behavioral problems. This article highlights the potential for equally significant breakthroughs in autism arising from the proactive efforts of medical examiners, pathologists, and coroners in partnership with Autism BrainNet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Anderson
- From the Departments of Neurology and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (Anderson)
| | - Reade Quinton
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (Quinton)
| | - Karen Kelly
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina (Kelly)
| | - Andrew Falzon
- Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner, Trenton, New Jersey (Falzon)
| | - Alycia Halladay
- Autism Science Foundation, New York, New York (Halladay).,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey (Halladay)
| | - Cynthia M Schumann
- The MIND Institute, University of California at Davis, Sacramento (Schumann and Amaral)
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (Hof)
| | - Carol A Tamminga
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas (Tamminga)
| | | | - David G Amaral
- The MIND Institute, University of California at Davis, Sacramento (Schumann and Amaral)
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160
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Folgerø PO, Johansson C, Stokkedal LH. The Superior Visual Perception Hypothesis: Neuroaesthetics of Cave Art. Behav Sci (Basel) 2021; 11:81. [PMID: 34073168 PMCID: PMC8226463 DOI: 10.3390/bs11060081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cave Art in the Upper Paleolithic presents a boost of creativity and visual thinking. What can explain these savant-like paintings? The normal brain function in modern man rarely supports the creation of highly detailed paintings, particularly the convincing representation of animal movement, without extensive training and access to modern technology. Differences in neuro-signaling and brain anatomy between modern and archaic Homo sapiens could also cause differences in perception. The brain of archaic Homo sapiens could perceive raw detailed information without using pre-established top-down concepts, as opposed to the common understanding of the normal modern non-savant brain driven by top-down control. Some ancient genes preserved in modern humans may be expressed in rare disorders. Researchers have compared Cave Art with art made by people with autism spectrum disorder. We propose that archaic primary consciousness, as opposed to modern secondary consciousness, included a savant-like perception with a superior richness of details compared to modern man. Modern people with high frequencies of Neanderthal genes, have notable anatomical features such as increased skull width in the occipital and parietal visual areas. We hypothesize that the anatomical differences are functional and may allow a different path to visual perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per Olav Folgerø
- Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway;
| | - Christer Johansson
- Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway;
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161
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Systems Biology Reveals S-Nitrosylation-Dependent Regulation of Mitochondrial Functions in Mice with Shank3 Mutation Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060677. [PMID: 34064215 PMCID: PMC8224296 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder manifested in repetitive behavior, abnormalities in social interactions, and communication. The pathogenesis of this disorder is not clear, and no effective treatment is currently available. Protein S-nitrosylation (SNO), the nitric oxide (NO)-mediated posttranslational modification, targets key proteins implicated in synaptic and neuronal functions. Previously, we have shown that NO and SNO are involved in the ASD mouse model based on the Shank3 mutation. The energy supply to the brain mostly relies on oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. Recent studies show that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are involved in ASD pathology. In this work, we performed SNO proteomics analysis of cortical tissues of the Shank3 mouse model of ASD with the focus on mitochondrial proteins and processes. The study was based on the SNOTRAP technology followed by systems biology analysis. This work revealed that 63 mitochondrial proteins were S-nitrosylated and that several mitochondria-related processes, including those associated with oxidative phosphorylation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, were enriched. This study implies that aberrant SNO signaling induced by the Shank3 mutation can target a wide range of mitochondria-related proteins and processes that may contribute to the ASD pathology. It is the first study to investigate the role of NO-dependent mitochondrial functions in ASD.
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162
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Shi C, Xin X, Zhang J. Domain Adaptation Using a Three-Way Decision Improves the Identification of Autism Patients from Multisite fMRI Data. Brain Sci 2021; 11:603. [PMID: 34066816 PMCID: PMC8150603 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Machine learning methods are widely used in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Due to the lack of labelled ASD data, multisite data are often pooled together to expand the sample size. However, the heterogeneity that exists among different sites leads to the degeneration of machine learning models. Herein, the three-way decision theory was introduced into unsupervised domain adaptation in the first time, and applied to optimize the pseudolabel of the target domain/site from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) features related to ASD patients. The experimental results using multisite fMRI data show that our method not only narrows the gap of the sample distribution among domains but is also superior to the state-of-the-art domain adaptation methods in ASD recognition. Specifically, the ASD recognition accuracy of the proposed method is improved on all the six tasks, by 70.80%, 75.41%, 69.91%, 72.13%, 71.01% and 68.85%, respectively, compared with the existing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlei Shi
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (C.S.); (X.X.)
| | - Xianwei Xin
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (C.S.); (X.X.)
| | - Jiacai Zhang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (C.S.); (X.X.)
- Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Technology and Educational Application, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China
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163
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Rahi S, Gupta R, Sharma A, Mehan S. Smo-Shh signaling activator purmorphamine ameliorates neurobehavioral, molecular, and morphological alterations in an intracerebroventricular propionic acid-induced experimental model of autism. Hum Exp Toxicol 2021; 40:1880-1898. [PMID: 33906504 DOI: 10.1177/09603271211013456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disease characterized by cognitive and sensorimotor impairment. Numerous research findings have consistently shown that alteration of Smo-Shh (smoothened-sonic hedgehog) signaling during the developmental process plays a significant role in ASD and triggers neuronal changes by promoting neuroinflammation and apoptotic markers. Purmorphamine (PUR), a small purine-derived agonist of the Smo-Shh pathway, shows resistance to hippocampal neuronal cell oxidation and decreases neuronal cell death. The goal of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective potential of PUR in brain intoxication induced by intracerebroventricular-propionic acid (ICV-PPA) in rats, with a focus on its effect on Smo-Shh regulation in the brain of rats. In addition, we analyze the impact of PUR on myelin basic protein (MBP) and apoptotic markers such as Caspase-3, Bax (pro-apoptotic), and Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic) in rat brain homogenates. Chronic ICV-PPA infusion was administered consecutively for 11 days to induce autism in rats. In order to investigate behavioral alterations, rats were tested for spatial learning in the Morris Water Maze (MWM), locomotive alterations using actophotometer, and beam crossing task, while Forced Swimming Test (FST) for depressive behavior. PUR treatment with 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg (i.p.) was administered from day 12 to 44. Besides cellular, molecular and neuroinflammatory analyses, neurotransmitter levels and oxidative markers have also been studied in brain homogenates. The results of this study have shown that PUR increases the level of Smo-Shh and restores the neurochemical levels, and potentially prevents morphological changes, including demyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rahi
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, 75126ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - R Gupta
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, 75126ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - A Sharma
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, 75126ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - S Mehan
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, 75126ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
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Zbtb16 regulates social cognitive behaviors and neocortical development. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:242. [PMID: 33895774 PMCID: PMC8068730 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01358-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Zinc finger and BTB domain containing 16 (ZBTB16) play the roles in the neural progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation during development, however, how the function of ZBTB16 is involved in brain function and behaviors unknown. Here we show the deletion of Zbtb16 in mice leads to social impairment, repetitive behaviors, risk-taking behaviors, and cognitive impairment. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the behavioral phenotypes, we conducted histological analyses and observed impairments in thinning of neocortical layer 6 (L6) and a reduction of TBR1+ neurons in Zbtb16 KO mice. Furthermore, we found increased dendritic spines and microglia, as well as developmental defects in oligodendrocytes and neocortical myelination in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of Zbtb16 KO mice. Using genomics approaches, we identified the Zbtb16 transcriptome that includes genes involved in neocortical maturation such as neurogenesis and myelination, and both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) pathobiology. Co-expression networks further identified Zbtb16-correlated modules that are unique to ASD or SCZ, respectively. Our study provides insight into the novel roles of ZBTB16 in behaviors and neocortical development related to the disorders.
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165
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Canu D, Van der Paelt S, Canal-Bedia R, Posada M, Vanvuchelen M, Roeyers H. Early non-social behavioural indicators of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD: a systematic review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:497-538. [PMID: 32088859 PMCID: PMC8041710 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01487-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We aimed at identifying early non-social behavioural indicators that predict later ASD. Likewise, we were interested in the moment in which non-social signs discriminate between children at elevated likelihood for ASD with a later diagnosis of ASD, and children at elevated likelihood for ASD with a typical developmental outcome. In addition, we intended to explore the developmental evolution of children's symptomatology over time. A systematic literature search was conducted for longitudinal studies on early non-social behavioural indicators among siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD. The following databases were searched: PUBMED, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL and EMBASE. The study identification process was conducted by two reviewers independently. Compared to siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD with a typical developmental outcome, siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD with later ASD show impairments in attention disengagement, in gross and fine motor development and characteristic restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours, starting at 12 months of age. Moreover, early attention disengagement exerts a predictive role towards a later ASD diagnosis, given that from 12 months siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD who will receive an independent ASD diagnosis towards 24-36 months present marked difficulties in disengaging in comparison with siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD that will not satisfy the criteria for an ASD diagnosis. The findings call for a more comprehensive vision on early indicators of ASD. Further research is needed to extend results to other behavioural domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Canu
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rehabilitation Research Center (REVAL), Hasselt Unversity, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590 Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium.
- Research in Developmental Disorders Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Sara Van der Paelt
- Research in Developmental Disorders Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ricardo Canal-Bedia
- Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad (INICO), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Posada
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research & CIBERER, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marleen Vanvuchelen
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rehabilitation Research Center (REVAL), Hasselt Unversity, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590 Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Herbert Roeyers
- Research in Developmental Disorders Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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166
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Vojtechova I, Maleninska K, Kutna V, Klovrza O, Tuckova K, Petrasek T, Stuchlik A. Behavioral Alterations and Decreased Number of Parvalbumin-Positive Interneurons in Wistar Rats after Maternal Immune Activation by Lipopolysaccharide: Sex Matters. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063274. [PMID: 33806936 PMCID: PMC8004756 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy represents an important environmental factor in the etiology of schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Our goal was to investigate the impacts of MIA on the brain and behavior of adolescent and adult offspring, as a rat model of these neurodevelopmental disorders. We injected bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg/kg) to pregnant Wistar dams from gestational day 7, every other day, up to delivery. Behavior of the offspring was examined in a comprehensive battery of tasks at postnatal days P45 and P90. Several brain parameters were analyzed at P28. The results showed that prenatal immune activation caused social and communication impairments in the adult offspring of both sexes; males were affected already in adolescence. MIA also caused prepulse inhibition deficit in females and increased the startle reaction in males. Anxiety and hypolocomotion were apparent in LPS-affected males and females. In the 28-day-old LPS offspring, we found enlargement of the brain and decreased numbers of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the frontal cortex in both sexes. To conclude, our data indicate that sex of the offspring plays a crucial role in the development of the MIA-induced behavioral alterations, whereas changes in the brain apparent in young animals are sex-independent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iveta Vojtechova
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (V.K.); (O.K.); (K.T.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of the Neurophysiology of the Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
- First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Katerinska 32, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (I.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Kristyna Maleninska
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (V.K.); (O.K.); (K.T.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of the Neurophysiology of the Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 12800 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Viera Kutna
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (V.K.); (O.K.); (K.T.); (T.P.)
| | - Ondrej Klovrza
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (V.K.); (O.K.); (K.T.); (T.P.)
| | - Klara Tuckova
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (V.K.); (O.K.); (K.T.); (T.P.)
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 12800 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Petrasek
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (V.K.); (O.K.); (K.T.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of the Neurophysiology of the Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Stuchlik
- Laboratory of the Neurophysiology of the Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (I.V.); (A.S.)
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167
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Alterations in Tau Protein Level and Phosphorylation State in the Brain of the Autistic-Like Rats Induced by Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063209. [PMID: 33809910 PMCID: PMC8004207 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficient social interaction and communication besides repetitive, stereotyped behaviours. A characteristic feature of ASD is altered dendritic spine density and morphology associated with synaptic plasticity disturbances. Since microtubules (MTs) regulate dendritic spine morphology and play an important role in spine development and plasticity the aim of the present study was to investigate the alterations in the content of neuronal α/β-tubulin and Tau protein level as well as phosphorylation state in the valproic acid (VPA)-induced rat model of autism. Our results indicated that maternal exposure to VPA induces: (1) decrease the level of α/β-tubulin along with Tau accumulation in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex; (2) excessive Tau phosphorylation and activation of Tau-kinases: CDK5, ERK1/2, and p70S6K in the cerebral cortex; (3) up-regulation of mTOR kinase-dependent signalling in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of adolescent rat offspring. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining showed histopathological changes in neurons (chromatolysis) in both analysed brain structures of rats prenatally exposed to VPA. The observed changes in Tau protein together with an excessive decrease in α/β-tubulin level may suggest destabilization and thus dysfunction of the MT cytoskeleton network, which in consequence may lead to the disturbance in synaptic plasticity and the development of autistic-like behaviours.
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168
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Rahmani Z, Fayyazi Bordbar MR, Dibaj M, Alimardani M, Moghbeli M. Genetic and molecular biology of autism spectrum disorder among Middle East population: a review. Hum Genomics 2021; 15:17. [PMID: 33712060 PMCID: PMC7953769 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-021-00319-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease, characterized by impaired social communication, executive dysfunction, and abnormal perceptual processing. It is more frequent among males. All of these clinical manifestations are associated with atypical neural development. Various genetic and environmental risk factors are involved in the etiology of autism. Genetic assessment is essential for the early detection and intervention which can improve social communications and reduce abnormal behaviors. Although, there is a noticeable ASD incidence in Middle East countries, there is still a lack of knowledge about the genetic and molecular biology of ASD among this population to introduce efficient diagnostic and prognostic methods. MAIN BODY In the present review, we have summarized all of the genes which have been associated with ASD progression among Middle East population. We have also categorized the reported genes based on their cell and molecular functions. CONCLUSIONS This review clarifies the genetic and molecular biology of ASD among Middle East population and paves the way of introducing an efficient population based panel of genetic markers for the early detection and management of ASD in Middle East countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Rahmani
- Department of Medical Genetics, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | | | - Mohsen Dibaj
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maliheh Alimardani
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Meysam Moghbeli
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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169
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Sato T, Ito T, Handa H. Cereblon-Based Small-Molecule Compounds to Control Neural Stem Cell Proliferation in Regenerative Medicine. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:629326. [PMID: 33777938 PMCID: PMC7990905 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.629326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide, a sedative drug that was once excluded from the market owing to its teratogenic properties, was later found to be effective in treating multiple myeloma. We had previously demonstrated that cereblon (CRBN) is the target of thalidomide embryopathy and acts as a substrate receptor for the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, Cullin-Ring ligase 4 (CRL4CRBN) in zebrafish and chicks. CRBN was originally identified as a gene responsible for mild intellectual disability in humans. Fetuses exposed to thalidomide in early pregnancy were at risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, suggesting that CRBN is involved in prenatal brain development. Recently, we found that CRBN controls the proliferation of neural stem cells in the developing zebrafish brain, leading to changes in brain size. Our findings imply that CRBN is involved in neural stem cell growth in humans. Accumulating evidence shows that CRBN is essential not only for the teratogenic effects but also for the therapeutic effects of thalidomide. This review summarizes recent progress in thalidomide and CRBN research, focusing on the teratogenic and therapeutic effects. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of thalidomide and its derivatives, CRBN E3 ligase modulators (CELMoDs), reveals that these modulators provide CRBN the ability to recognize neosubstrates depending on their structure. Understanding the therapeutic effects leads to the development of a novel technology called CRBN-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for target protein knockdown. These studies raise the possibility that CRBN-based small-molecule compounds regulating the proliferation of neural stem cells may be developed for application in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Sato
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takumi Ito
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Handa
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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170
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Chakraborty R, Vijay Kumar MJ, Clement JP. Critical aspects of neurodevelopment. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 180:107415. [PMID: 33647449 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Organisms have the unique ability to adapt to their environment by making use of external inputs. In the process, the brain is shaped by experiences that go hand-in-hand with optimisation of neural circuits. As such, there exists a time window for the development of different brain regions, each unique for a particular sensory modality, wherein the propensity of forming strong, irreversible connections are high, referred to as a critical period of development. Over the years, this domain of neurodevelopmental research has garnered considerable attention from many scientists, primarily because of the intensive activity-dependent nature of development. This review discusses the cellular, molecular, and neurophysiological bases of critical periods of different sensory modalities, and the disorders associated in cases the regulators of development are dysfunctional. Eventually, the neurobiological bases of the behavioural abnormalities related to developmental pathologies are discussed. A more in-depth insight into the development of the brain during the critical period of plasticity will eventually aid in developing potential therapeutics for several neurodevelopmental disorders that are categorised under critical period disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranabir Chakraborty
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India
| | - M J Vijay Kumar
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India
| | - James P Clement
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India.
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171
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Koç B, Fucile G, Schmucki R, Giroud N, Bergauer T, Hall BJ. Identification of Natural Antisense Transcripts in Mouse Brain and Their Association With Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk Genes. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:624881. [PMID: 33716665 PMCID: PMC7947803 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.624881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide sequencing technologies have greatly contributed to our understanding of the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Interestingly, a number of ASD-related genes express natural antisense transcripts (NATs). In some cases, these NATs have been shown to play a regulatory role in sense strand gene expression and thus contribute to brain function. However, a detailed study examining the transcriptional relationship between ASD-related genes and their NAT partners is lacking. We performed strand-specific, deep RNA sequencing to profile expression of sense and antisense reads with a focus on 100 ASD-related genes in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and striatum across mouse post-natal development (P7, P14, and P56). Using de novo transcriptome assembly, we generated a comprehensive long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcriptome. We conducted BLAST analyses to compare the resultant transcripts with the human genome and identified transcripts with high sequence similarity and coverage. We assembled 32861 de novo antisense transcripts mapped to 12182 genes, of which 1018 are annotated by Ensembl as lncRNA. We validated the expression of a subset of selected ASD-related transcripts by PCR, including Syngap1 and Cntnap2. Our analyses revealed that more than 70% (72/100) of the examined ASD-related genes have one or more expressed antisense transcripts, suggesting more ASD-related genes than previously thought could be subject to NAT-mediated regulation in mice. We found that expression levels of antisense contigs were mostly positively correlated with their cognate coding sense strand RNA transcripts across developmental age. A small fraction of the examined transcripts showed brain region specific enrichment, indicating possible circuit-specific roles. Our BLAST analyses identified 110 of 271 ASD-related de novo transcripts with >90% identity to the human genome at >90% coverage. These findings, which include an assembled de novo antisense transcriptome, contribute to the understanding of NAT regulation of ASD-related genes in mice and can guide NAT-mediated gene regulation strategies in preclinical investigations toward the ultimate goal of developing novel therapeutic targets for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baran Koç
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Geoffrey Fucile
- sciCORE Computing Center, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roland Schmucki
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Giroud
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Bergauer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin J Hall
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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172
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Exploring Social Biomarkers in High-Functioning Adults with Autism and Asperger's Versus Healthy Controls: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 50:4412-4430. [PMID: 32279223 PMCID: PMC7677266 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04493-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Biomarkers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are lacking but would facilitate drug development for the core deficits of the disorder. We evaluated markers proposed for characterization of differences in social communication and interaction in adults with ASD versus healthy controls (HC) for utility as biomarkers. Data pooled from an observational study and baseline data from a placebo-controlled study were analyzed. Between-group differences were observed in eye-tracking tasks for activity monitoring, biomotion, human activity preference, composite score (p = 0.0001-0.037) and pupillometry (various tasks, p = 0.017-0.05). Impaired olfaction was more common in the ASD sample versus HC (p = 0.018). Our preliminary results suggest the potential use for stratification and response sub-analyses outcome-prediction of specific eye-tracking tasks, pupillometry and olfaction tests in ASD trials.
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173
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Early pediatric chronic kidney disease is associated with brain volumetric gray matter abnormalities. Pediatr Res 2021; 89:526-532. [PMID: 33069166 PMCID: PMC7981243 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01203-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of pediatric chronic kidney disease (pCKD) on the brain remains poorly defined. The objective of this study was to compare brain morphometry between children with early-stage pCKD and typically developing peers using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS The sample age range was 6-16 years. A total of 18 children with a diagnosis of pCKD (CKD stages 1-3) due to congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract and 24 typically developing peers were included. Volumetric data from MRI and neurocognitive testing were compared using linear models including pCKD status, age, maternal education level, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS Cerebellar gray matter volume was significantly smaller in pCKD, t(38) = -2.71, p = 0.01. In contrast, cerebral gray matter volume was increased in pCKD, t(38) = 2.08, p = 0.04. Reduced cerebellum gray matter volume was associated with disease severity, operationalized as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), t(14) = 2.21, p = 0.04 and predicted lower verbal fluency scores in the pCKD sample. Enlarged cerebral gray matter in the pCKD sample predicted lower scores on mathematics assessment. CONCLUSIONS This study provides preliminary evidence for a morphometric underpinning to the cognitive deficits observed in pCKD. IMPACT The impact of pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the brain remains poorly defined, with no data linking brain morphometry and observed cognitive deficits noted in this population. We explored the relationship between brain morphometry (using structural magnetic resonance imaging), cognition, and markers of CKD. Cerebellar and cerebral gray matter volumes are different in early CKD. Volumetric decreases in cerebellar gray matter are predicted by lower eGFR, suggesting a link between disease and brain morphometry. Reduced cerebellar gray matter predicted lower verbal fluency for those with pCKD. Enlarged cerebral gray matter in the pCKD sample predicted lower mathematics performance.
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174
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Executive Function in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis of fMRI Studies. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 50:4022-4038. [PMID: 32200468 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04461-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities in executive function (EF) are clinical markers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the neural mechanisms underlying abnormal EF in ASD remain unclear. This meta-analysis investigated the construct, abnormalities, and age-related changes of EF in ASD. Thirty-three fMRI studies of inhibition, updating, and switching in individuals with high-functioning ASD were included (n = 1114; age range 7-57 years). The results revealed that the EF construct in ASD could be unitary (i.e., common EF) in children/adolescents, but unitary and diverse (i.e., common EF and inhibition) in adults. Abnormalities in this EF construct were found across development in individuals with ASD in comparison with typically developing individuals. Implications and recommendations are discussed for EF theory and for practice in ASD.
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175
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Hlisníková H, Petrovičová I, Kolena B, Šidlovská M, Sirotkin A. Effects and mechanisms of phthalates’ action on neurological processes and neural health: a literature review. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:386-404. [DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00215-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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176
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Gandhi T, Lee CC. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Repetitive Behaviors in Rodent Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:592710. [PMID: 33519379 PMCID: PMC7840495 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is comprised of several conditions characterized by alterations in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the heterogeneous development of ASD behaviors. Several rodent models display ASD-like phenotypes, including repetitive behaviors. In this review article, we discuss the potential neural mechanisms involved in repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We review signaling pathways, neural circuits, and anatomical alterations in rodent models that display robust stereotypic behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms and circuit alterations underlying repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD will inform translational research and provide useful insight into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of repetitive behaviors in ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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177
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Simon J, Rudebeck PH, Rich EL. From affective to cognitive processing: Functional organization of the medial frontal cortex. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 158:1-28. [PMID: 33785142 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The medial wall of the primate frontal lobe encompasses multiple anatomical subregions. Based on distinct neurophysiological correlates and effects of lesions, individual areas are thought to play unique roles in behavior. Further, evidence suggests that dysfunction localized to specific subregions is commonly found in different neuropsychiatric disorders. The neurobiological underpinnings of these disorders, however, remain far from clear. Here, to better understand the functions of medial frontal cortex (MFC) and its role in psychiatric disease, we focus on its functional organization. We describe the emerging pattern in which more dorsal regions subserve temporally extended cognitive functions and more ventral regions predominantly subserve affective functions. We focus on two specific domains, decision-making and social cognition, that require integration across emotion and cognition. In each case, we discuss the current understanding of the functions believed to depend on subregions of MFC as a stepping-stone to speculate on how they might work in unison. We conclude with an overview of how symptoms of certain psychiatric disorders relate to our understanding of MFC functional organization and how further discovery could fuel advances in circuit-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Simon
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Peter H Rudebeck
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Erin L Rich
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
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178
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Application of Varma Kalai (art of vital points) in autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Integr Med 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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179
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Xu L, Zheng Y, Li X, Wang A, Huo D, Li Q, Wang S, Luo Z, Liu Y, Xu F, Wu X, Wu M, Zhou Y. Abnormal neocortex arealization and Sotos-like syndrome-associated behavior in Setd2 mutant mice. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/1/eaba1180. [PMID: 33523829 PMCID: PMC7775761 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba1180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Proper formation of area identities of the cerebral cortex is crucial for cognitive functions and social behaviors of the brain. It remains largely unknown whether epigenetic mechanisms, including histone methylation, regulate cortical arealization. Here, we removed SETD2, the methyltransferase for histone 3 lysine-36 trimethylation (H3K36me3), in the developing dorsal forebrain in mice and showed that Setd2 is required for proper cortical arealization and the formation of cortico-thalamo-cortical circuits. Moreover, Setd2 conditional knockout mice exhibit defects in social interaction, motor learning, and spatial memory, reminiscent of patients with the Sotos-like syndrome bearing SETD2 mutations. SETD2 maintains the expression of clustered protocadherin (cPcdh) genes in an H3K36me3 methyltransferase-dependent manner. Aberrant cortical arealization was recapitulated in cPcdh heterozygous mice. Together, our study emphasizes epigenetic mechanisms underlying cortical arealization and pathogenesis of the Sotos-like syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lichao Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yue Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xuejing Li
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Andi Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Dawei Huo
- Department of Cell Biology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Qixiangtai Road 22, Tianjin 300070, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Qinglan Li
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Shikang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhiyuan Luo
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ying Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xudong Wu
- Department of Cell Biology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Qixiangtai Road 22, Tianjin 300070, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Min Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Yan Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, and Medical Research Institute at School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
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180
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Zhang Z, Liu J, Li B, Gao Y. Diagnosis of Childhood Autism Using Multi-modal Functional Connectivity via Dynamic Hypergraph Learning. ARTIF INTELL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-93046-2_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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181
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Schäfer T, Mann C, Bletsch A, Zimmermann J, Seelemeyer H, Herøy N, Ecker C. Die Kortexdicke bei Autismus-Spektrum-Störung wird moduliert durch eine komorbide Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung. KINDHEIT UND ENTWICKLUNG 2021. [DOI: 10.1026/0942-5403/a000329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Autismus-Spektrum-Störung (ASS) ist eine neuronale Entwicklungsstörung und tritt häufig gemeinsam mit der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) auf. Bisher wurde jedoch nur selten untersucht, wie sich Personen mit ASS von Personen mit ASS und komorbider ADHS, sowie von einer gesunden Kontrollgruppe (KG) auf neuroanatomischer Ebene unterscheiden. Fragestellung: In der vorliegenden Studie wurde an 101 Jugendlichen untersucht, ob die Kortexdicke bei ASS von komorbid auftretenden ADHS-Symptomen moduliert wird. Methode: Für jeden Proband_innen berechneten wir auf Basis struktureller T1-gewichteter Magnetresonanztomographie Scans die Kortexdicke an jedem Punkt der Gehirnoberfläche. Ergebnisse: Es zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede zwischen autistischen Proband_innen mit und ohne ADHS im posterioren Cingulum, der Lingualwindung sowie dem Precuneus der linken Hemisphäre. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse implizieren, dass die kortikale Dicke bei ASS durch das gleichzeitige Vorliegen einer ADHS moduliert wird. Diese Erkenntnisse könnten in zukünftigen Studien zur Untersuchung neuroanatomischer Ursachen von ASS und der Unterteilung von Proband_innen in homogenere Subgruppen von Nutzen sein und so der zukünftigen Entwicklung individualisierter Therapien dienen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Schäfer
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
| | - Caroline Mann
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
| | - Anke Bletsch
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
| | - Jennifer Zimmermann
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
| | - Hanna Seelemeyer
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
| | - Njål Herøy
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
| | - Christine Ecker
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum,Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,King’s College, London
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182
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Nilchian F, Tahririan D, Shariati S. Autistic children's parents and hospital dentistry. Dent Res J (Isfahan) 2021. [DOI: 10.4103/1735-3327.332099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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183
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Zhan Y, Wei J, Liang J, Xu X, He R, Robbins TW, Wang Z. Diagnostic Classification for Human Autism and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Based on Machine Learning From a Primate Genetic Model. Am J Psychiatry 2021; 178:65-76. [PMID: 32539526 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.19101091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Psychiatric disorders commonly comprise comorbid symptoms, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), raising controversies over accurate diagnosis and overlap of their neural underpinnings. The authors used noninvasive neuroimaging in humans and nonhuman primates to identify neural markers associated with DSM-5 diagnoses and quantitative measures of symptom severity. METHODS Resting-state functional connectivity data obtained from both wild-type and methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) transgenic monkeys were used to construct monkey-derived classifiers for diagnostic classification in four human data sets (ASD: Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange [ABIDE-I], N=1,112; ABIDE-II, N=1,114; ADHD-200 sample: N=776; OCD local institutional database: N=186). Stepwise linear regression models were applied to examine associations between functional connections of monkey-derived classifiers and dimensional symptom severity of psychiatric disorders. RESULTS Nine core regions prominently distributed in frontal and temporal cortices were identified in monkeys and used as seeds to construct the monkey-derived classifier that informed diagnostic classification in human autism. This same set of core regions was useful for diagnostic classification in the OCD cohort but not the ADHD cohort. Models based on functional connections of the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex with the left thalamus and right prefrontal polar cortex predicted communication scores of ASD patients and compulsivity scores of OCD patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The identified core regions may serve as a basis for building markers for ASD and OCD diagnoses, as well as measures of symptom severity. These findings may inform future development of machine-learning models for psychiatric disorders and may improve the accuracy and speed of clinical assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Zhan
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
| | - Jianze Wei
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
| | - Jian Liang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
| | - Xiu Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
| | - Ran He
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
| | - Zheng Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (Zhan, Wang); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Zhan, Wang); School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei); Institute of Automation, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Wei, Liang, He); Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Xu); Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Robbins); Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai (Robbins); Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai (Wang); and Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China (Wang)
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184
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Jia H, Gao F, Yu D. Altered Temporal Structure of Neural Phase Synchrony in Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:618573. [PMID: 34899403 PMCID: PMC8660096 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.618573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional connectivity, quantified by phase synchrony, between brain regions is known to be aberrant in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we evaluated the long-range temporal correlations of time-varying phase synchrony (TV-PS) of electrocortical oscillations in patients with ASD as well as typically developing people using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) after validating the scale-invariance of the TV-PS time series. By comparing the DFA exponents between the two groups, we found that those of the TV-PS time series of high-gamma oscillations were significantly attenuated in patients with ASD. Furthermore, the regions involved in aberrant TV-PS time series were mainly within the social ability and cognition-related cortical networks. These results support the notion that abnormal social functions observed in patients with ASD may be caused by the highly volatile phase synchrony states of electrocortical oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Jia
- Institute of Cognition, Brain and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Research Center for Learning Science, School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Pain Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dongchuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Research Center for Learning Science, School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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185
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Šimić G, Vukić V, Kopić J, Krsnik Ž, Hof PR. Molecules, Mechanisms, and Disorders of Self-Domestication: Keys for Understanding Emotional and Social Communication from an Evolutionary Perspective. Biomolecules 2020; 11:E2. [PMID: 33375093 PMCID: PMC7822183 DOI: 10.3390/biom11010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest hypothesis states that the phenotypic features of the domestication syndrome are due to a reduced number or disruption of neural crest cells (NCCs) migration, as these cells differentiate at their final destinations and proliferate into different tissues whose activity is reduced by domestication. Comparing the phenotypic characteristics of modern and prehistoric man, it is clear that during their recent evolutionary past, humans also went through a process of self-domestication with a simultaneous prolongation of the period of socialization. This has led to the development of social abilities and skills, especially language, as well as neoteny. Disorders of neural crest cell development and migration lead to many different conditions such as Waardenburg syndrome, Hirschsprung disease, fetal alcohol syndrome, DiGeorge and Treacher-Collins syndrome, for which the mechanisms are already relatively well-known. However, for others, such as Williams-Beuren syndrome and schizophrenia that have the characteristics of hyperdomestication, and autism spectrum disorders, and 7dupASD syndrome that have the characteristics of hypodomestication, much less is known. Thus, deciphering the biological determinants of disordered self-domestication has great potential for elucidating the normal and disturbed ontogenesis of humans, as well as for the understanding of evolution of mammals in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Šimić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Vana Vukić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Janja Kopić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Željka Krsnik
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA;
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186
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Mann C, Schäfer T, Bletsch A, Gudbrandsen M, Daly E, Suckling J, Bullmore ET, Lombardo MV, Lai MC, Craig MC, Baron-Cohen S, Murphy DGM, Ecker C. Examining volumetric gradients based on the frustum surface ratio in the brain in autism spectrum disorder. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 42:953-966. [PMID: 33295656 PMCID: PMC7856638 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is accompanied by neurodevelopmental differences in regional cortical volume (CV), and a potential layer‐specific pathology. Conventional measures of CV, however, do not indicate how volume is distributed across cortical layers. In a sample of 92 typically developing (TD) controls and 92 adult individuals with ASD (aged 18–52 years), we examined volumetric gradients by quantifying the degree to which CV is weighted from the pial to the white surface of the brain. Overall, the spatial distribution of Frustum Surface Ratio (FSR) followed the gyral and sulcal pattern of the cortex and approximated a bimodal Gaussian distribution caused by a linear mixture of vertices on gyri and sulci. Measures of FSR were highly correlated with vertex‐wise estimates of mean curvature, sulcal depth, and pial surface area, although none of these features explained more than 76% variability in FSR on their own. Moreover, in ASD, we observed a pattern of predominant increases in the degree of FSR relative to TD controls, with an atypical neurodevelopmental trajectory. Our findings suggest a more outward‐weighted gradient of CV in ASD, which may indicate a larger contribution of supragranular layers to regional differences in CV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Mann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tim Schäfer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anke Bletsch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maria Gudbrandsen
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - John Suckling
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Edward T Bullmore
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michael V Lombardo
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Laboratory for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Michael C Craig
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom.,National Autism Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Declan G M Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Ecker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
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187
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McKenna F, Miles L, Donaldson J, Castellanos FX, Lazar M. Diffusion kurtosis imaging of gray matter in young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21465. [PMID: 33293640 PMCID: PMC7722927 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78486-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior ex vivo histological postmortem studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown gray matter microstructural abnormalities, however, in vivo examination of gray matter microstructure in ASD has remained scarce due to the relative lack of non-invasive methods to assess it. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of employing diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) to describe gray matter abnormalities in ASD in vivo. DKI data were examined for 16 male participants with a diagnosis of ASD and IQ>80 and 17 age- and IQ-matched male typically developing (TD) young adults 18-25 years old. Mean (MK), axial (AK), radial (RK) kurtosis and mean diffusivity (MD) metrics were calculated for lobar and sub-lobar regions of interest. Significantly decreased MK, RK, and MD were found in ASD compared to TD participants in the frontal and temporal lobes and several sub-lobar regions previously associated with ASD pathology. In ASD participants, decreased kurtosis in gray matter ROIs correlated with increased repetitive and restricted behaviors and poor social interaction symptoms. Decreased kurtosis in ASD may reflect a pathology associated with a less restrictive microstructural environment such as decreased neuronal density and size, atypically sized cortical columns, or limited dendritic arborizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye McKenna
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA.
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Laura Miles
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Donaldson
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA
| | - F Xavier Castellanos
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Mariana Lazar
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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188
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An fMRI Feature Selection Method Based on a Minimum Spanning Tree for Identifying Patients with Autism. Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12121995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder originating in infancy and childhood that may cause language barriers and social difficulties. However, in the diagnosis of ASD, the current machine learning methods still face many challenges in determining the location of biomarkers. Here, we proposed a novel feature selection method based on the minimum spanning tree (MST) to seek neuromarkers for ASD. First, we constructed an undirected graph with nodes of candidate features. At the same time, a weight calculation method considering both feature redundancy and discriminant ability was introduced. Second, we utilized the Prim algorithm to construct the MST from the initial graph structure. Third, the sum of the edge weights of all connected nodes was sorted for each node in the MST. Then, N features corresponding to the nodes with the first N smallest sum were selected as classification features. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was used to evaluate the discriminant performance of the aforementioned feature selection method. Comparative experiments results show that our proposed method has improved the ASD classification performance, i.e., the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 86.7%, 87.5%, and 85.7%, respectively.
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189
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Nordahl CW, Iosif AM, Young GS, Hechtman A, Heath B, Lee JK, Libero L, Reinhardt VP, Winder-Patel B, Amaral DG, Rogers S, Solomon M, Ozonoff S. High Psychopathology Subgroup in Young Children With Autism: Associations With Biological Sex and Amygdala Volume. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:1353-1363.e2. [PMID: 31972262 PMCID: PMC7369216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to identify a subset of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and co-occurring symptoms of psychopathology, and to evaluate associations between this subgroup and biological sex and amygdala volume. METHOD Participants included 420 children (ASD: 91 girls, 209 boys; typically developing controls: 57 girls, 63 boys). Latent profile analysis was used to identify ASD subgroups based on symptoms of psychopathology, adaptive functioning, cognitive development, and autism severity. Differences in the proportions of girls and boys across subgroups were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired (346 children); amygdala volumes were evaluated in relation to subgroups and problem behavior scores. RESULTS Three ASD subgroups were identified. One group was characterized by high levels of psychopathology and moderate impairment on other measures (High Psychopathology Moderate Impairments [HPMI], comprising 27% of the sample). The other two subgroups had lower symptoms of psychopathology but were differentiated by high and low levels of impairment on other measures. A higher proportion of girls were classified into the HPMI subgroup (40% of girls versus 22% of boys). Relative to controls, amygdala volumes were enlarged only in the HPMI subgroup. There was a positive association between right amygdala volume and internalizing behaviors in girls but not in boys with ASD. CONCLUSION A higher proportion of girls with ASD faced greater challenges with psychopathology, suggesting a need for closer evaluation and potentially earlier intervention to help improve outcomes. Amygdala enlargement was associated with co-occurring symptoms of psychopathology, and sex-specific correlations with symptoms were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Wu Nordahl
- MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA, and the University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Gregory S. Young
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Alexa Hechtman
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Brianna Heath
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Joshua K. Lee
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Lauren Libero
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,California Department of Developmental Services, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA,,University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Vanessa P. Reinhardt
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Peel Children’s Center, Ontario, Canada.,MIND Institute, Sacramento CA,,University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | | | - David G. Amaral
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Sally Rogers
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
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190
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Bhagwandin A, Debipersadh U, Kaswera-Kyamakya C, Gilissen E, Rockland KS, Molnár Z, Manger PR. Distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in the brains of three megachiropteran bat species. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:3023-3038. [PMID: 32103488 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A large population of infracortical white matter neurons, or white matter interstitial cells (WMICs), are found within the subcortical white matter of the mammalian telencephalon. We examined WMICs in three species of megachiropterans, Megaloglossus woermanni, Casinycteris argynnis, and Rousettus aegyptiacus, using immunohistochemical and stereological techniques. Immunostaining for neuronal nuclear marker (NeuN) revealed substantial numbers of WMICs in each species-M. woermanni 124,496 WMICs, C. argynnis 138,458 WMICs, and the larger brained R. aegyptiacus having an estimated WMIC population of 360,503. To examine the range of inhibitory neurochemical types we used antibodies against parvalbumin, calbindin, calretinin, and neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The calbindin and nNOS immunostained neurons were the most commonly observed, while those immunoreactive for calretinin and parvalbumin were sparse. The proportion of WMICs exhibiting inhibitory neurochemical profiles was ~26%, similar to that observed in previously studied primates. While for the most part the WMIC population in the megachiropterans studied was similar to that observed in other mammals, the one feature that differed was the high proportion of WMICs immunoreactive to calbindin, whereas in primates (macaque monkey, lar gibbon and human) the highest proportion of inhibitory WMICs contain calretinin. Interestingly, there appears to be an allometric scaling of WMIC numbers with brain mass. Further quantitative comparative work across more mammalian species will reveal the developmental and evolutionary trends associated with this infrequently studied neuronal population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Division of Clinical Anatomy and Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ulsana Debipersadh
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
- Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Kathleen S Rockland
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
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191
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Convolutional Sparse Coded Dynamic Brain Functional Connectivity. Neural Process Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11063-020-10295-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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192
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Sarovic D, Hadjikhani N, Schneiderman J, Lundström S, Gillberg C. Autism classified by magnetic resonance imaging: A pilot study of a potential diagnostic tool. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res 2020; 29:1-18. [PMID: 32945591 PMCID: PMC7723195 DOI: 10.1002/mpr.1846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Individual anatomical biomarkers have limited power for the classification of autism. The present study introduces a multivariate classification approach using structural magnetic resonance imaging data from individuals with and without autism. METHODS The classifier utilizes z-normalization, parameter weighting, and interindividual comparison on brain segmentation data, for estimation of an individual summed total index (TI). The TI indicates whether the gross morphological pattern of each individual's brain is in the direction of cases or controls. RESULTS Morphometric analysis found significant differences within subcortical gray matter structures and limbic areas. There was no significant difference in total brain volume. A case-control pilot-study of TIs in normally intelligent individuals with autism (24) and without (21) yielded a maximal accuracy of 78.9% following cross-validation. It showed a high accuracy compared with machine learning methods when tested on the same dataset. The TI correlated well with the autism quotient (R = 0.51) across groups. CONCLUSION These results are on par with studies on autism using machine learning. The main contributions are its transparency and simplicity. The possibility of including additional neuroimaging data further increases the potential of the classifier as a diagnostic aid for neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as a research tool for neuroscientific investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Sarovic
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,MedTech West, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nouchine Hadjikhani
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard University, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Justin Schneiderman
- MedTech West, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Lundström
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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193
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Critical Role of the Maternal Immune System in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8120557. [PMID: 33271759 PMCID: PMC7760377 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by impairments in communication, social interaction, and the presence of restrictive and repetitive behaviours. Over the past decade, most of the research in ASD has focused on the contribution of genetics, with the identification of a variety of different genes and mutations. However, the vast heterogeneity in clinical presentations associated with this disorder suggests that environmental factors may be involved, acting as a “second hit” in already genetically susceptible individuals. To this regard, emerging evidence points towards a role for maternal immune system dysfunctions. This literature review considered evidence from epidemiological studies and aimed to discuss the pathological relevance of the maternal immune system in ASD by looking at the proposed mechanisms by which it alters the prenatal environment. In particular, this review focuses on the effects of maternal immune activation (MIA) by looking at foetal brain-reactive antibodies, cytokines and the microbiome. Despite the arguments presented here that strongly implicate MIA in the pathophysiology of ASD, further research is needed to fully understand the precise mechanisms by which they alter brain structure and behaviour. Overall, this review has not only shown the importance of the maternal immune system as a risk factor for ASD, but more importantly, has highlighted new promising pathways to target for the discovery of novel therapeutic interventions for the treatment of such a life-changing disorder.
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194
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Thapa R, Pokorski I, Ambarchi Z, Thomas E, Demayo M, Boulton K, Matthews S, Patel S, Sedeli I, Hickie IB, Guastella AJ. Heart Rate Variability in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Associations With Medication and Symptom Severity. Autism Res 2020; 14:75-85. [PMID: 33225622 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) is considered a common marker of autonomic dysfunction that contributes to poor health outcomes. While some studies have suggested that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show reduced HRV, research is yet to consider whether this may be associated with medication use and symptom severity. This study examined the relationship between resting state HRV, medication use and symptom severity in children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD (N = 86), aged between 3 and 12 years (M = 8.09), were compared to 44 neurotypical children of similar age (M = 7.15). Laboratory assessment of HRV involved 5 min of non-invasive baseline electrocardiogram assessments while participants viewed an age-appropriate non-verbal animated video. Time-domain and frequency-domain HRV measures were analyzed. ASD symptom severity was assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). Results indicated that children with ASD exhibited reduced resting HRV relative to neurotypical children. Subsequent analyses within the ASD group suggested that this group difference was greater in children who were taking psychotropic medication (N = 36). Our data also provides tentative evidence of a relationship between HRV and social impairment symptoms in children with ASD, with more severe repetitive behaviors (as measured by the ADOS-2) associated with decreased resting HRV. Overall, these findings suggest that HRV may be atypical in children with ASD and suggest the importance of exploring HRV as a risk factor for cardiovascular health in this group. LAY SUMMARY: Cardiac activity, such as heart rate variability (HRV), can provide insight into the autonomic nervous system. This study reports on the association between resting-state HRV and autonomic nervous system activity in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical children. These results may help us understand what underlies autonomic nervous system dysfunction and the potential pathophysiological mechanisms leading to increased cardiovascular risk in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinku Thapa
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Izabella Pokorski
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zahava Ambarchi
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Emma Thomas
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marilena Demayo
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kelsie Boulton
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Slade Matthews
- Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shrujna Patel
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Indra Sedeli
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ian B Hickie
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adam J Guastella
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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195
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Ma X, Wang XH, Li L. Identifying individuals with autism spectrum disorder based on the principal components of whole-brain phase synchrony. Neurosci Lett 2020; 742:135519. [PMID: 33246027 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a brain disorder that develops during an early stage of childhood. Previous neuroimaging-based diagnostic models for ASD were based on static functional connectivity (FC). The nonlinear complexity of brain connectivity remains unexplored for ASD diagnosis. This study aimed to build intelligent discriminative models for ASD based on phase synchrony (PS). To this end, data from 49 patients with ASD and 41 healthy controls were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) project. PS between brain regions was determined using Hilbert transform. Principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machines (SVMs) were used to build the discriminative models. PS-based models (AUC = 0.81) outperformed static FC-based models (AUC = 0.71). Furthermore, embedded functional biomarkers were discovered. Moreover, significant correlations were found between PCA-PS and the clinical severity of ASD. Together, intelligent discriminative models based on PS were established for ASD identification. The performance of the diagnostic models suggested the potential benefits of PS for clinical applications. The discriminative patterns indicated that PCA-PS features could be additional biomarkers for ASD research. Furthermore, the significant relationships between the PCA-PS features and clinical scores implied their potential use for personalized medication strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueke Ma
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Xun-Heng Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Lihua Li
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
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196
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Kawamura A, Abe Y, Seki F, Katayama Y, Nishiyama M, Takata N, Tanaka KF, Okano H, Nakayama KI. Chd8 mutation in oligodendrocytes alters microstructure and functional connectivity in the mouse brain. Mol Brain 2020; 13:160. [PMID: 33228730 PMCID: PMC7686671 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00699-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
CHD8 encodes a chromatin-remodeling factor and is one of the most recurrently mutated genes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although we have recently shown that mice heterozygous for Chd8 mutation manifest myelination defects and ASD-like behaviors, the detailed mechanisms underlying ASD pathogenesis have remained unclear. Here we performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) in oligodendrocyte lineage-specific Chd8 heterozygous mutant mice. DTI revealed that ablation of Chd8 specifically in oligodendrocytes of mice was associated with microstructural changes of specific brain regions including the cortex and striatum. The extent of these changes in white matter including the corpus callosum and fornix was correlated with total contact time in the reciprocal social interaction test. Analysis with rsfMRI revealed changes in functional brain connectivity in the mutant mice, and the extent of such changes in the cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala was also correlated with the change in social interaction. Our results thus suggest that changes in brain microstructure and functional connectivity induced by oligodendrocyte dysfunction might underlie altered social interaction in mice with oligodendrocyte-specific CHD8 haploinsufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuki Kawamura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Abe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Fumiko Seki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
- Live Imaging Center, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Yuta Katayama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nishiyama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Norio Takata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Kenji F Tanaka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Keiichi I Nakayama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
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197
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Chen H, Long J, Yang S, He B. Atypical Functional Covariance Connectivity Between Gray and White Matter in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 14:464-472. [PMID: 33206448 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a type of neurodevelopmental disorder with atypical gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) functional developmental course. However, the functional co-developmental pattern between GM and WM in ASD is unclear. Here, we utilized a functional covariance connectivity method to explore the concordance pattern between GM and WM function in individuals with ASD. A multi-center resting-state fMRI dataset composed of 105 male children with ASD and 102 well-matched healthy controls (HCs) from six sites of the ABIDE dataset was utilized. GM and WM ALFF maps were calculated for each subject. Voxel by voxel functional covariance connectivity of the ALFF values across subjects was calculated between GM and WM for children with ASD and HCs. A Z-test combining FDR multi-comparison correction was then employed to determine whether the functional covariance is significantly different between the two groups. A "bundling" strategy was utilized to ensure that the GM/WM clusters showing atypical functional covariance were larger than 5 voxels. Finally, canonical correlation analysis was conducted to explore whether the atypical GM/WM functional covariance is related to ASD symptoms. Results showed atypical functional covariance connections between specific GM and WM regions, whereas the ALFF values of these regions indicated no significant difference between the two groups. Canonical correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the atypical functional covariance and stereotyped behaviors of ASD. The results indicated an altered functional co-developmental pattern between WM and GM in ASD. LAY SUMMARY: White matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) are two major human brain organs supporting brain function. WM and GM functions show a specific co-developmental pattern in typical developed individuals. This study showed that this GM/WM co-developmental pattern was altered in children with ASD, while this altered GM/WM co-developmental pattern was related to stereotyped behaviors. These findings may help understand the GM/WM functional development of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Chen
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.,Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology and Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinjin Long
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Shanshan Yang
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Bifang He
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.,Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology and Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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198
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Qi S, Morris R, Turner JA, Fu Z, Jiang R, Deramus TP, Zhi D, Calhoun VD, Sui J. Common and unique multimodal covarying patterns in autism spectrum disorder subtypes. Mol Autism 2020; 11:90. [PMID: 33208189 PMCID: PMC7673101 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00397-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The heterogeneity inherent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents a substantial challenge to diagnosis and precision treatment. Heterogeneity across biological etiologies, genetics, neural systems, neurocognitive attributes and clinical subtypes or phenotypes has been observed across individuals with ASD. METHODS In this study, we aim to investigate the heterogeneity in ASD from a multimodal brain imaging perspective. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) was used as a reference to guide functional and structural MRI fusion. DSM-IV-TR diagnosed Asperger's disorder (n = 79), pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS] (n = 58) and Autistic disorder (n = 92) from ABIDE II were used as discovery cohort, and ABIDE I (n = 400) was used for replication. RESULTS Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and superior/middle temporal cortex are the primary common functional-structural covarying cortical brain areas shared among Asperger's, PDD-NOS and Autistic subgroups. Key differences among the three subtypes are negative functional features within subcortical brain areas, including negative putamen-parahippocampus fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) unique to the Asperger's subtype; negative fALFF in anterior cingulate cortex unique to PDD-NOS subtype; and negative thalamus-amygdala-caudate fALFF unique to the Autistic subtype. Furthermore, each subtype-specific brain pattern is correlated with different ADOS subdomains, with social interaction as the common subdomain. The identified subtype-specific patterns are only predictive for ASD symptoms manifested in the corresponding subtypes, but not the other subtypes. CONCLUSIONS Although ASD has a common neural basis with core deficits linked to social interaction, each ASD subtype is strongly linked to unique brain systems and subdomain symptoms, which may help to better understand the underlying mechanisms of ASD heterogeneity from a multimodal neuroimaging perspective. LIMITATIONS This study is male based, which cannot be generalized to the female or the general ASD population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shile Qi
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Robin Morris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA
| | - Jessica A Turner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA
| | - Zening Fu
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Rongtao Jiang
- Brainnetome Center and National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Thomas P Deramus
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Dongmei Zhi
- Brainnetome Center and National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Jing Sui
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
- Brainnetome Center and National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Beijing, 100190, China.
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199
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Rahi S, Mehan S. Understanding Abnormal SMO-SHH Signaling in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential Drug Target and Therapeutic Goals. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2020; 42:931-953. [PMID: 33206287 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-01010-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition; it demonstrates some main characteristics, such as impaired social relationships and increased repetitive behavior. The initiation of autism spectrum disorder is mostly triggered during brain development by the deregulation of signaling pathways. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling is one such mechanism that influences neurogenesis and neural processes during the development of the central nervous system. SMO-SHH signaling is also an important part of a broad variety of neurological processes, including neuronal cell differentiation, proliferation, and survival. Dysregulation of SMO-SHH signaling leads to many physiological changes that lead to neurological disorders such as ASD and contribute to cognitive decline. The aberrant downregulation of SMO-SHH signals contributes to the proteolytic cleavage of GLI (glioma-associated homolog) into GLI3 (repressor), which increases oxidative stress, neuronal excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis by suppressing target gene expression. We outlined in this review that SMO-SHH deregulation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of autism and addresses the current status of SMO-SHH pathway modulators. Additionally, a greater understanding of the SHH signaling pathway is an effort to improve successful treatment for autism and other neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saloni Rahi
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
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200
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Yamashiro K, Hori K, Lai ESK, Aoki R, Shimaoka K, Arimura N, Egusa SF, Sakamoto A, Abe M, Sakimura K, Watanabe T, Uesaka N, Kano M, Hoshino M. AUTS2 Governs Cerebellar Development, Purkinje Cell Maturation, Motor Function and Social Communication. iScience 2020; 23:101820. [PMID: 33305180 PMCID: PMC7708818 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2), a risk gene for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), is implicated in telencephalon development. Because AUTS2 is also expressed in the cerebellum where defects have been linked to ASDs, we investigated AUTS2 functions in the cerebellum. AUTS2 is specifically localized in Purkinje cells (PCs) and Golgi cells during postnatal development. Auts2 conditional knockout (cKO) mice exhibited smaller and deformed cerebella containing immature-shaped PCs with reduced expression of Cacna1a. Auts2 cKO and knock-down experiments implicated AUTS2 participation in elimination and translocation of climbing fiber synapses and restriction of parallel fiber synapse numbers. Auts2 cKO mice exhibited behavioral impairments in motor learning and vocal communications. Because Cacna1a is known to regulate synapse development in PCs, it suggests that AUTS2 is required for PC maturation to elicit normal development of PC synapses and thus the impairment of AUTS2 may cause cerebellar dysfunction related to psychiatric illnesses such as ASDs. Loss of Auts2 leads to the reduction of cerebellar size AUTS2 promotes the dendritic maturation of Purkinje cells AUTS2 participates in PF and CF synapse development of Purkinje cells Auts2 cKO mice exhibit the impaired motor learning and vocal communications
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunihiko Yamashiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.,Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kei Hori
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Esther S K Lai
- Brain Mechanism for Behavior Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan.,Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ryo Aoki
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.,Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kazumi Shimaoka
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Nariko Arimura
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Saki F Egusa
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Asami Sakamoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Manabu Abe
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Kenji Sakimura
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Takaki Watanabe
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naofumi Uesaka
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Department of Cognitive Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kano
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mikio Hoshino
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.,Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
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