151
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Walsh EC, Lee JM, Terzakis K, Zhou DW, Burns S, Buie TM, Firth PG, Shank ES, Houle TT, Brown EN, Purdon PL. Age-Dependent Changes in the Propofol-Induced Electroencephalogram in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:23. [PMID: 29988455 PMCID: PMC6024139 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often require sedation or general anesthesia. ASD is thought to arise from deficits in GABAergic signaling leading to abnormal neurodevelopment. We sought to investigate differences in how ASD patients respond to the GABAergic drug propofol by comparing the propofol-induced electroencephalogram (EEG) of ASD and neurotypical (NT) patients. This investigation was a prospective observational study. Continuous 4-channel frontal EEG was recorded during routine anesthetic care of patients undergoing endoscopic procedures between July 1, 2014 and May 1, 2016. Study patients were defined as those with previously diagnosed ASD by DSM-V criteria, aged 2-30 years old. NT patients were defined as those lacking neurological or psychiatric abnormalities, aged 2-30 years old. The primary outcome was changes in propofol-induced alpha (8-13 Hz) and slow (0.1-1 Hz) oscillation power by age. A post hoc analysis was performed to characterize incidence of burst suppression during propofol anesthesia. The primary risk factor of interest was a prior diagnosis of ASD. Outcomes were compared between ASD and NT patients using Bayesian methods. Compared to NT patients, slow oscillation power was initially higher in ASD patients (17.05 vs. 14.20 dB at 2.33 years), but progressively declined with age (11.56 vs. 13.95 dB at 22.5 years). Frontal alpha power was initially lower in ASD patients (17.65 vs. 18.86 dB at 5.42 years) and continued to decline with age (6.37 vs. 11.89 dB at 22.5 years). The incidence of burst suppression was significantly higher in ASD vs. NT patients (23.0% vs. 12.2%, p < 0.01) despite reduced total propofol dosing in ASD patients. Ultimately, we found that ASD patients respond differently to propofol compared to NT patients. A similar pattern of decreased alpha power and increased sensitivity to burst suppression develops in older NT adults; one interpretation of our data could be that ASD patients undergo a form of accelerated neuronal aging in adolescence. Our results suggest that investigations of the propofol-induced EEG in ASD patients may enable insights into the underlying differences in neural circuitry of ASD and yield safer practices for managing patients with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa C Walsh
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Johanna M Lee
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Kristina Terzakis
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, United States
| | - David W Zhou
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Lurie Center for Autism, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sara Burns
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Timothy M Buie
- Lurie Center for Autism, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Gastroenterology, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paul G Firth
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erik S Shank
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Timothy T Houle
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Emery N Brown
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Patrick L Purdon
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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152
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Memantine rescues prenatal citalopram exposure-induced striatal and social abnormalities in mice. Exp Neurol 2018; 307:145-154. [PMID: 29913137 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to citalopram (CTM), an antidepressant drug, has been associated with altered behavior, including autism-like symptoms in both human and rodent offspring. However, the neurological basis underlying these abnormal behaviors is not well understood. Here, we examined behavioral, morphological, and biochemical alterations in the male and female offspring of C57BL/6 mouse mothers that had been exposed to CTM during the last trimester of gestation. We observed abnormal behavior such as anxiety, altered locomotion and disordered social interactions in 2-5 months old offspring with prenatal CTM exposure. Using Golgi-Cox staining, we found that CTM caused significantly reduced dendritic length and number of dendritic branches in striatal neurons, as well as altered subunit levels of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Memantine, a selective NMDAR antagonist, improved prenatal CTM-induced abnormal protein levels and social interaction deficits. These results highlight potential mechanisms underlying the abnormal behavior observed in children who are prenatally exposed to CTM.
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153
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Wang X, Kery R, Xiong Q. Synaptopathology in autism spectrum disorders: Complex effects of synaptic genes on neural circuits. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:398-415. [PMID: 28986278 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinxing Wang
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Rachel Kery
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Qiaojie Xiong
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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154
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McLaughlin K, Travers BG, Dadalko OI, Dean DC, Tromp D, Adluru N, Destiche D, Freeman A, Prigge MD, Froehlich A, Duffield T, Zielinski BA, Bigler ED, Lange N, Anderson JS, Alexander AL, Lainhart JE. Longitudinal development of thalamic and internal capsule microstructure in autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2018; 11:450-462. [PMID: 29251836 PMCID: PMC5867209 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The thalamus is a key sensorimotor relay area that is implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it is unknown how the thalamus and white-matter structures that contain thalamo-cortical fiber connections (e.g., the internal capsule) develop from childhood into adulthood and whether this microstructure relates to basic motor challenges in ASD. We used diffusion weighted imaging in a cohort-sequential design to assess longitudinal development of the thalamus, and posterior- and anterior-limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC and ALIC, respectively) in 89 males with ASD and 56 males with typical development (3-41 years; all verbal). Our results showed that the group with ASD exhibited different developmental trajectories of microstructure in all regions, demonstrating childhood group differences that appeared to approach and, in some cases, surpass the typically developing group in adolescence and adulthood. The PLIC (but not ALIC nor thalamus) mediated the relation between age and finger-tapping speed in both groups. Yet, the gap in finger-tapping speed appeared to widen at the same time that the between-group gap in the PLIC appeared to narrow. Overall, these results suggest that childhood group differences in microstructure of the thalamus and PLIC become less robust in adolescence and adulthood. Further, finger-tapping speed appears to be mediated by the PLIC in both groups, but group differences in motor speed that widen during adolescence and adulthood suggest that factors beyond the microstructure of the thalamus and internal capsule may contribute to atypical motor profiles in ASD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 450-462. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Microstructure of the thalamus, a key sensory and motor brain area, appears to develop differently in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Microstructure is important because it informs us of the density and organization of different brain tissues. During childhood, thalamic microstructure was distinct in the ASD group compared to the typically developing group. However, these group differences appeared to narrow with age, suggesting that the thalamus continues to dynamically change in ASD into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brittany G. Travers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Occupational Therapy Program in Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | | | | | - Do Tromp
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | | | | | | | - Molly D. Prigge
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Pediatrics, University of Utah
| | | | - Tyler Duffield
- Psychology/Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University
| | | | - Erin D. Bigler
- Psychology/Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University
| | | | | | - Andrew L. Alexander
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Janet E. Lainhart
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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155
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Hornix BE, Havekes R, Kas MJH. Multisensory cortical processing and dysfunction across the neuropsychiatric spectrum. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 97:138-151. [PMID: 29496479 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Sensory processing is affected in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Genetic and environmental factors guide the formation and fine-tuning of brain circuitry necessary to receive, organize, and respond to sensory input in order to behave in a meaningful and consistent manner. During certain developmental stages the brain is sensitive to intrinsic and external factors. For example, disturbed expression levels of certain risk genes during critical neurodevelopmental periods may lead to exaggerated brain plasticity processes within the sensory circuits, and sensory stimulation immediately after birth contributes to fine-tuning of these circuits. Here, the neurodevelopmental trajectory of sensory circuit development will be described and related to some example risk gene mutations that are found in neuropsychiatric disorders. Subsequently, the flow of sensory information through these circuits and the relationship to synaptic plasticity will be described. Research focusing on the combined analyses of neural circuit development and functioning are necessary to expand our understanding of sensory processing and behavioral deficits that are relevant across the neuropsychiatric spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty E Hornix
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Robbert Havekes
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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156
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Patterns of brain oscillations across different electrode montages in transcranial pulsed current stimulation. Neuroreport 2018; 28:421-425. [PMID: 28394781 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000000772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) is a neuromodulatory technique that has been studied in the last decade. Several parameters have been assessed independently to optimize the effects. Our aim was to explore the effects of tPCS using different montages on cortical brain oscillations indexed by power spectrum and interhemispheric coherence in different electroencephalography frequency bands. Twenty healthy individuals were randomized to receive either active tPCS or sham intervention using the following bilateral montages: ear clip (conventional), ear hook, or mastoid placement. Electroencephalography was recorded before and after the electroencephalography intervention to assess tPCS-induced after effects. Our results showed that active tPCS with bimastoid montage increased significantly alpha absolute power (P=0.0166) and low alpha (P=0.0014) in the frontal region, as well as in the low alpha power spectrum in the central (P=0.0001) and parieto-occipital regions (P=0.0068) compared with the other montages. For interhemispheric coherence analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test showed a significant main effect of group for theta (P=0.0012) in the frontal region, mainly for ear-clip montage. Our findings evidenced that tPCS delivered through different electrode montages exert different effects on cortical brain oscillations and thus have a different neural signature. We discuss the implications of these findings as well as potential clinical explorations of this technique.
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157
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Traynor JM, Doyle-Thomas KAR, Hanford LC, Foster NE, Tryfon A, Hyde KL, Anagnostou E, Evans AC, Zwaigenbaum L, Hall GBC. Indices of repetitive behaviour are correlated with patterns of intrinsic functional connectivity in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Brain Res 2018; 1685:79-90. [PMID: 29453959 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to examine how repetitive behaviour in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is related to intrinsic functional connectivity patterns in a number of large-scale, neural networks. Resting-state fMRI scans from thirty subjects with ASD and thirty-two age-matched, typically developing control subjects were analysed. Seed-to-voxel and ROI-to-ROI functional connectivity analyses were used to examine resting-state connectivity in a number of cortical and subcortical neural networks. Bivariate correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between repetitive behaviour scores from the Repetitive Behaviour Scale - Revised and intrinsic functional connectivity in ASD subjects. Compared to control subjects, ASD subjects displayed marked over-connectivity of the thalamus with several cortical sensory processing areas, as well as over-connectivity of the basal ganglia with somatosensory and motor cortices. Within the ASD group, significant correlations were found between functional connectivity patterns and total RBS-R scores as well as one principal component analysis-derived score from the RBS-R. These results suggest that thalamocortical resting-state connectivity is altered in individuals with ASD, and that resting-state functional connectivity is associated with ASD symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Traynor
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - K A R Doyle-Thomas
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - L C Hanford
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - N E Foster
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS), University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - A Tryfon
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS), University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - K L Hyde
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS), University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - E Anagnostou
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - L Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - G B C Hall
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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158
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Picci G, Gotts SJ, Scherf KS. A theoretical rut: revisiting and critically evaluating the generalized under/over-connectivity hypothesis of autism. Dev Sci 2018; 19:524-49. [PMID: 27412228 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In 2004, two papers proposed that pervasive functional under-connectivity (Just et al., ) or a trade-off between excessive local connectivity at the cost of distal under-connectivity (Belmonte et al., ) characterizes atypical brain organization in autism. Here, we take stock of the most recent and rigorous functional and structural connectivity findings with a careful eye toward evaluating the extent to which they support these original hypotheses. Indeed, the empirical data do not support them. From rsfMRI studies in adolescents and adults, there is an emerging consensus regarding long-range functional connections indicating cortico-cortical under-connectivity, specifically involving the temporal lobes, combined with subcortical-cortical over-connectivity. In contrast, there is little to no consensus regarding local functional connectivity or findings from task-based functional connectivity studies. The structural connectivity data suggest that white matter tracts are pervasively weak, particularly in the temporal lobe. Together, these findings are revealing how deeply complex the story is regarding atypical neural network organization in autism. In other words, distance and strength of connectivity as individual factors or as interacting factors do not consistently explain the patterns of atypical neural connectivity in autism. Therefore, we make several methodological recommendations and highlight developmental considerations that will help researchers in the field cultivate new hypotheses about the nature and mechanisms of potentially aberrant functional and structural connectivity in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Picci
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Stephen J Gotts
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
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159
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Hegarty JP, Gu M, Spielman DM, Cleveland SC, Hallmayer JF, Lazzeroni LC, Raman MM, Frazier TW, Phillips JM, Reiss AL, Hardan AY. A proton MR spectroscopy study of the thalamus in twins with autism spectrum disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 81:153-160. [PMID: 28941767 PMCID: PMC5731458 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Multiple lines of research have reported thalamic abnormalities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that are associated with social communication impairments (SCI), restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB), or sensory processing abnormalities (SPA). Thus, the thalamus may represent a common neurobiological structure that is shared across symptom domains in ASD. Same-sex monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs with and without ASD underwent cognitive/behavioral evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging to assess the thalamus. Neurometabolites were measured with 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) utilizing a multi-voxel PRESS sequence and were referenced to creatine+phosphocreatine (tCr). N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal integrity, was reduced in twins with ASD (n=47) compared to typically-developing (TD) controls (n=33), and this finding was confirmed in a sub-sample of co-twins discordant for ASD (n=11). NAA in the thalamus was correlated to a similar extent with SCI, RRB, and SPA, such that reduced neuronal integrity was associated with greater symptom severity. Glutamate+glutamine (Glx) was also reduced in affected versus unaffected co-twins. Additionally, NAA and Glx appeared to be primarily genetically-mediated, based on comparisons between MZ and DZ twin pairs. Thus, thalamic abnormalities may be influenced by genetic susceptibility for ASD but are likely not domain-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Hegarty
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Meng Gu
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel M Spielman
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sue C Cleveland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joachim F Hallmayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Laura C Lazzeroni
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mira M Raman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Thomas W Frazier
- Autism Speaks, 29600 Fairmount Blvd, Pepper Pike, OH 44124, USA; Cleveland Clinic Children's, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Jennifer M Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Allan L Reiss
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Antonio Y Hardan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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160
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Chan JSY, Wang Y, Yan JH, Chen H. Developmental implications of children's brain networks and learning. Rev Neurosci 2018; 27:713-727. [PMID: 27362958 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2016-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The human brain works as a synergistic system where information exchanges between functional neuronal networks. Rudimentary networks are observed in the brain during infancy. In recent years, the question of how functional networks develop and mature in children has been a hotly discussed topic. In this review, we examined the developmental characteristics of functional networks and the impacts of skill training on children's brains. We first focused on the general rules of brain network development and on the typical and atypical development of children's brain networks. After that, we highlighted the essentials of neural plasticity and the effects of learning on brain network development. We also discussed two important theoretical and practical concerns in brain network training. Finally, we concluded by presenting the significance of network training in typically and atypically developed brains.
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161
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Castonguay A, Lefebvre J, Lesage F, Pouliot P. Comparing three-dimensional serial optical coherence tomography histology to MRI imaging in the entire mouse brain. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2018; 23:1-9. [PMID: 29313322 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.23.1.016008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
An automated serial histology setup combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with vibratome sectioning was used to image eight wild type mouse brains. The datasets resulted in thousands of volumetric tiles resolved at a voxel size of (4.9×4.9×6.5) μm3 stitched back together to give a three-dimensional map of the brain from which a template OCT brain was obtained. To assess deformation caused by tissue sectioning, reconstruction algorithms, and fixation, OCT datasets were compared to both in vivo and ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging. The OCT brain template yielded a highly detailed map of the brain structure, with a high contrast in white matter fiber bundles and was highly resemblant to the in vivo MRI template. Brain labeling using the Allen brain framework showed little variation in regional brain volume among imaging modalities with no statistical differences. The high correspondence between the OCT template brain and its in vivo counterpart demonstrates the potential of whole brain histology to validate in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joël Lefebvre
- École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Frédéric Lesage
- École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Philippe Pouliot
- École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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162
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Wei L, Zhong S, Nie S, Gong G. Aberrant development of the asymmetry between hemispheric brain white matter networks in autism spectrum disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:48-62. [PMID: 29224969 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Atypical brain asymmetry/lateralization has long been hypothesized for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and this model has been repeatedly supported by various neuroimaging studies. Recently, hemispheric network topologies have been found to be asymmetric, thereby providing a new avenue for investigating brain asymmetries under various conditions. To date, however, how network topological asymmetries are altered in ASD remains largely unexplored. To clarify this, the present study included ASD individuals from the newly released Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II database (58 right-handed male ASD individuals aged 5 to 26 years and 70 age- and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) individuals). Diffusion and structural magnetic resonance imaging were used to construct hemispheric white matter networks, and graph-theory approaches were applied to quantify topological efficiencies for hemispheric networks. Statistical analyses revealed a decreased rightward asymmetry of network efficiencies with increasing age in the TD group, but not in the ASD group. More specifically, the TD group did not exhibit an age-related increase in network efficiency in the right hemisphere, but the ASD group did. For the left hemisphere, no difference between the groups was observed for the developmental trajectory of network efficiencies. Intriguingly, within the ASD group, more severe restricted and repetitive behavior in ASD was found to be correlated with less rightward asymmetry of network local efficiency. These findings provide suggestive evidence of atypical network topological asymmetries and offer important insights into the abnormal development of ASD brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Wei
- Institute of Medical Imaging Engineering, School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; Laiwu Vocational and Technical College, Laiwu, Shandong, China
| | - Suyu Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning &IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengdong Nie
- Institute of Medical Imaging Engineering, School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
| | - Gaolang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning &IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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163
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Thye MD, Bednarz HM, Herringshaw AJ, Sartin EB, Kana RK. The impact of atypical sensory processing on social impairments in autism spectrum disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 29:151-167. [PMID: 28545994 PMCID: PMC6987885 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered sensory processing has been an important feature of the clinical descriptions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is evidence that sensory dysregulation arises early in the progression of ASD and impacts social functioning. This paper reviews behavioral and neurobiological evidence that describes how sensory deficits across multiple modalities (vision, hearing, touch, olfaction, gustation, and multisensory integration) could impact social functions in ASD. Theoretical models of ASD and their implications for the relationship between sensory and social functioning are discussed. Furthermore, neural differences in anatomy, function, and connectivity of different regions underlying sensory and social processing are also discussed. We conclude that there are multiple mechanisms through which early sensory dysregulation in ASD could cascade into social deficits across development. Future research is needed to clarify these mechanisms, and specific focus should be given to distinguish between deficits in primary sensory processing and altered top-down attentional and cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa D Thye
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Haley M Bednarz
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Abbey J Herringshaw
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Emma B Sartin
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States.
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164
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Linke AC, Jao Keehn RJ, Pueschel EB, Fishman I, Müller RA. Children with ASD show links between aberrant sound processing, social symptoms, and atypical auditory interhemispheric and thalamocortical functional connectivity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 29:117-126. [PMID: 28223033 PMCID: PMC5664206 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex and prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communicative deficits, as well as repetitive behaviors and atypical sensitivity to sensory stimulation. Alterations in network connectivity are widely recognized, but their interplay with social and sensory symptoms remains largely unclear. Here, functional magnetic resonance imaging and diagnostic and behavioral assessments were used in a cohort of children and adolescents with ASD (n=40) and matched typically developing (TD, n=38) controls to examine the relation between auditory processing, interhemispheric and thalamocortical network connectivity, and social-behavioral symptom severity. We found that atypical processing of sounds was related to social, cognitive, and communicative impairments. Additionally, severity of sensory processing deficits and lower verbal IQ were related to reduced interhemispheric connectivity of auditory cortices in ASD. Increased connectivity between the thalamus and auditory cortex in ASD, however, was associated with reduced cognitive and behavioral symptomatology, suggesting that thalamocortical overconnectivity might reflect a compensatory mechanism in ASD. These findings provide novel evidence for links between auditory sensory deficits and impairments in social interaction and communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika C Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado CT, Suite #200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
| | - R Joanne Jao Keehn
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado CT, Suite #200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
| | - Ellyn B Pueschel
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado CT, Suite #200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Inna Fishman
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado CT, Suite #200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado CT, Suite #200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
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165
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Wilkinson M, Kane T, Wang R, Takahashi E. Migration Pathways of Thalamic Neurons and Development of Thalamocortical Connections in Humans Revealed by Diffusion MR Tractography. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:5683-5695. [PMID: 27913428 PMCID: PMC6075593 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamus plays an important role in signal relays in the brain, with thalamocortical (TC) neuronal pathways linked to various sensory/cognitive functions. In this study, we aimed to see fetal and postnatal development of the thalamus including neuronal migration to the thalamus and the emergence/maturation of the TC pathways. Pathways from/to the thalami of human postmortem fetuses and in vivo subjects ranging from newborns to adults with no neurological histories were studied using high angular resolution diffusion MR imaging (HARDI) tractography. Pathways likely linked to neuronal migration from the ventricular zone and ganglionic eminence (GE) to the thalami were both successfully detected. Between the ventricular zone and thalami, more tractography pathways were found in anterior compared with posterior regions, which was well in agreement with postnatal observations that the anterior TC segment had more tract count and volume than the posterior segment. Three different pathways likely linked to neuronal migration from the GE to the thalami were detected. No hemispheric asymmetry of the TC pathways was quantitatively observed during development. These results suggest that HARDI tractography is useful to identify multiple differential neuronal migration pathways in human brains, and regional differences in brain development in fetal ages persisted in postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Wilkinson
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tara Kane
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rongpin Wang
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Radiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, 83 Zhong Shan Dong Lu, Guiyang, Guizhou Province550002, P.R. China
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02219, USA
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166
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Henry TR, Dichter GS, Gates K. Age and Gender Effects on Intrinsic Connectivity in Autism Using Functional Integration and Segregation. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 3:414-422. [PMID: 29735152 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to examine intrinsic whole-brain functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the framework of functional segregation and integration. Emphasis was given to potential gender and developmental effects as well as identification of specific networks that may contribute to the global results. METHODS We leveraged an open data resource (N = 1587) of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) initiative, combining data from more than 2100 unique cross-sectional datasets in ABIDE I and ABIDE II collected at different sites. Modularity and global efficiency were utilized to assess functional segregation and integration, respectively. A meta-analytic approach for handling site differences was used. The effects of age, gender, and diagnostic category on segregation and integration were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS Modularity decreased nonlinearly in the ASD group with age, as evidenced by an increase and then decrease over development. Global efficiency had an opposite relationship with age by first decreasing and then increasing in the ASD group. Both modularity and global efficiency remained largely stable in the typically developing control group during development, representing a significantly different effect than seen in the ASD group. Age effects on modularity were localized to the somatosensory network. Finally, a marginally significant interaction between age, gender, and diagnostic category was found for modularity. CONCLUSIONS Our results support prior work that suggested a quadratic effect of age on brain development in ASD, while providing new insights about the specific characteristics of developmental and gender effects on intrinsic connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teague Rhine Henry
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Gabriel S Dichter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kathleen Gates
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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167
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Martínez K, Merchán-Naranjo J, Pina-Camacho L, Alemán-Gómez Y, Boada L, Fraguas D, Moreno C, Arango C, Janssen J, Parellada M. Atypical age-dependency of executive function and white matter microstructure in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 26:1361-1376. [PMID: 28447268 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-017-0990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Executive function (EF) performance is associated with measurements of white matter microstructure (WMS) in typical individuals. Impaired EF is a hallmark symptom of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) but it is unclear how impaired EF relates to variability in WMS. Twenty-one male youth (8-18 years) with ASD and without intellectual disability and twenty-one typical male participants (TP) matched for age, intelligence quotient, handedness, race and parental socioeconomic status were recruited. Five EF domains were assessed and several DTI-based measurements of WMS [fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD)] were estimated for eighteen white matter tracts. The ASD group had lower scores for attention (F = 8.37, p = 0.006) and response inhibition (F = 13.09, p = 0.001). Age-dependent changes of EF performance and WMS measurements were present in TP but attenuated in the ASD group. The strongest diagnosis-by-age effect was found for forceps minor, left anterior thalamic radiation and left cingulum angular bundle (all p's ≤ 0.002). In these tracts subjects with ASD tended to have equal or increased FA and/or reduced MD and/or RD at younger ages while controls had increased FA and/or reduced MD and/or RD thereafter. Only for TP individuals, increased FA in the left anterior thalamic radiation was associated with better response inhibition, while reduced RD in forceps minor and left cingulum angular bundle was related to better problem solving and working memory performance respectively. These findings provide novel insight into the age-dependency of EF performance and WMS in ASD, which can be instructive to cognitive training programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenia Martínez
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain. .,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain. .,Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. .,Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Edificio prefabricado, entrada por Máiquez 9, 28009, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jessica Merchán-Naranjo
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Pina-Camacho
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yasser Alemán-Gómez
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Leticia Boada
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Fraguas
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Moreno
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joost Janssen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mara Parellada
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.,Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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168
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Wang R, Wilkinson M, Kane T, Takahashi E. Convergence of Cortical, Thalamocortical, and Callosal Pathways during Human Fetal Development Revealed by Diffusion MRI Tractography. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:576. [PMID: 29163000 PMCID: PMC5671991 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been evidence that during brain development, emerging thalamocortical (TC) and corticothalamic (CT) pathways converge in some brain regions and follow each other's trajectories to their final destinations. Corpus callosal (CC) pathways also emerge at a similar developmental stage, and are known to converge with TC pathways in specific cortical regions in mature brains. Given the functional relationships between TC and CC pathways, anatomical convergence of the two pathways are likely important for their functional integration. However, it is unknown (1) where TC and CT subcortically converge in the human brain, and (2) where TC and CC converge in the cortex of the human brain, due to the limitations of non-invasive methods. The goals of this study were to describe the spatio-temporal relationships in the development of the TC/CT and CC pathways in the human brain, using high-angular resolution diffusion MR imaging (HARDI) tractography. Emerging cortical, TC and CC pathways were identified in postmortem fetal brains ranging from 17 gestational weeks (GW) to 30 GW, as well as in vivo 34-40 GW newborns. Some pathways from the thalami were found to be converged with pathways from the cerebral cortex as early as 17 GW. Such convergence was observed mainly in anterior and middle regions of the brain until 21 GW. At 22 GW and onwards, posterior pathways from the thalami also converged with cortical pathways. Many CC pathways reached the full length up to the cortical surface as early as 17 GW, while pathways linked to thalami (not only TC axons but also including pathways linked to thalamic neuronal migration) reached the cortical surface at and after 20 GW. These results suggest that CC pathways developed earlier than the TC pathways. The two pathways were widespread at early stages, but by 40 GW they condensed and formed groups of pathways that projected to specific regions of the cortex and overlapped in some brain regions. These results suggest that HARDI tractography has the potential to identify developing TC/CT and CC pathways with the timing and location of their convergence in fetal stages persisting in postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongpin Wang
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Molly Wilkinson
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tara Kane
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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169
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Duan X, Chen H, He C, Long Z, Guo X, Zhou Y, Uddin LQ, Chen H. Resting-state functional under-connectivity within and between large-scale cortical networks across three low-frequency bands in adolescents with autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 79:434-441. [PMID: 28779909 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although evidence is accumulating that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with disruption of functional connections between and within brain networks, it remains largely unknown whether these abnormalities are related to specific frequency bands. To address this question, network contingency analysis was performed on brain functional connectomes obtained from 213 adolescent participants across nine sites in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) multisite sample, to determine the disrupted connections between and within seven major cortical networks in adolescents with ASD at Slow-5, Slow-4 and Slow-3 frequency bands and further assess whether the aberrant intra- and inter-network connectivity varied as a function of ASD symptoms. Overall under-connectivity within and between large-scale intrinsic networks in ASD was revealed across the three frequency bands. Specifically, decreased connectivity strength within the default mode network (DMN), between DMN and visual network (VN), ventral attention network (VAN), and between dorsal attention network (DAN) and VAN was observed in the lower frequency band (slow-5, slow-4), while decreased connectivity between limbic network (LN) and frontal-parietal network (FPN) was observed in the higher frequency band (slow-3). Furthermore, weaker connectivity within and between specific networks correlated with poorer communication and social interaction skills in the slow-5 band, uniquely. These results demonstrate intrinsic under-connectivity within and between multiple brain networks within predefined frequency bands in ASD, suggesting that frequency-related properties underlie abnormal brain network organization in the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujun Duan
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China.
| | - Heng Chen
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Changchun He
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Zhiliang Long
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Xiaonan Guo
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Yuanyue Zhou
- Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, United States
| | - Huafu Chen
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China.
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170
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Rendall AR, Ford AL, Perrino PA, Holly Fitch R. Auditory processing enhancements in the TS2-neo mouse model of Timothy Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder associated with autism spectrum disorders. ADVANCES IN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2017; 1:176-189. [PMID: 29159279 PMCID: PMC5693350 DOI: 10.1007/s41252-017-0029-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R. Rendall
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience and Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 06269
| | - Aiden L. Ford
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience and Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 06269
| | - Peter A. Perrino
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience and Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 06269
| | - R. Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience and Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 06269
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171
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Wallingford J, Scott AL, Rodrigues K, Doering LC. Altered Developmental Expression of the Astrocyte-Secreted Factors Hevin and SPARC in the Fragile X Mouse Model. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:268. [PMID: 28900386 PMCID: PMC5581809 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte dysfunction has been indicated in many neurodevelopmental disorders, including Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). FXS is caused by a deficiency in fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). FMRP regulates the translation of numerous mRNAs and its loss disturbs the composition of proteins important for dendritic spine and synapse development. Here, we investigated whether the astrocyte-derived factors hevin and SPARC, known to regulate excitatory synapse development, have altered expression in FXS. Specifically, we analyzed the expression of these factors in wild-type (WT) mice and in fragile X mental retardation 1 (Fmr1) knock-out (KO) mice that lack FMRP expression. Samples were collected from the developing cortex and hippocampus (regions of dendritic spine abnormalities in FXS) of Fmr1 KO and WT pups. Hevin and SPARC showed altered expression patterns in Fmr1 KO mice compared to WT, in a brain-region specific manner. In cortical tissue, we found a transient increase in the level of hevin in postnatal day (P)14 Fmr1 KO mice, compared to WT. Additionally, there were modest decreases in Fmr1 KO cortical levels of SPARC at P7 and P14. In the hippocampus, hevin expression was much lower in P7 Fmr1 KO mice than in WT. At P14, hippocampal hevin levels were similar between genotypes, and by P21 Fmr1 KO hevin expression surpassed WT levels. These findings imply aberrant astrocyte signaling in FXS and suggest that the altered expression of hevin and SPARC contributes to abnormal synaptic development in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Wallingford
- McMaster Integrative Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Angela L Scott
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Kelly Rodrigues
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Laurie C Doering
- McMaster Integrative Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON, Canada
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172
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Lee Y, Park BY, James O, Kim SG, Park H. Autism Spectrum Disorder Related Functional Connectivity Changes in the Language Network in Children, Adolescents and Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:418. [PMID: 28867997 PMCID: PMC5563353 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability with global implication. Altered brain connectivity in the language network has frequently been reported in ASD patients using task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) compared to typically developing (TD) participants. Most of these studies have focused on a specific age group or mixed age groups with ASD. In the current study, we investigated age-related changes in functional connectivity related measure, degree centrality (DC), in the language network across three age groups with ASD (113 children, 113 adolescents and 103 adults) using resting-state fMRI data collected from the autism brain imaging data exchange repository. We identified regions with significant group-wise differences between ASD and TD groups for three age cohorts using DC based on graph theory. We found that both children and adolescents with ASD showed decreased DC in Broca's area compared to age-matched TD groups. Adults with ASD showed decreased DC in Wernicke's area compared to TD adults. We also observed increased DC in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) for children with ASD compared to TD children and for adults with ASD compared to TD adults, respectively. Overall, functional differences occurred in key language processing regions such as the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and superior temporal gyrus (STG) related to language production and comprehension across three age cohorts. We explored correlations between DC values of our findings with autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) scores related to severity of ASD symptoms in the ASD group. We found that DC values of the left IFG demonstrated negative correlations with ADOS scores in children and adolescents with ASD. The left STG showed significant negative correlations with ADOS scores in adults with ASD. These results might shed light on the language network regions that should be further explored for prognosis, diagnosis, and monitoring of ASD in three age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubu Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea
| | - Bo-Yong Park
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea.,Department of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon, South Korea
| | - Oliver James
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon, South Korea
| | - Hyunjin Park
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea.,School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon, South Korea
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173
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Subcortical Brain and Behavior Phenotypes Differentiate Infants With Autism Versus Language Delay. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 2:664-672. [PMID: 29560900 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are themselves at increased risk for ASD and other developmental concerns. It is unclear if infants who display developmental concerns, but are unaffected by ASD, share similar or dissimilar behavioral and brain phenotypes to infants with ASD. Most individuals with ASD exhibit heterogeneous difficulties with language, and their receptive-expressive language profiles are often atypical. Yet, little is known about the neurobiology that contributes to these language difficulties. METHODS In this study, we used behavioral assessments and structural magnetic resonance imaging to investigate early brain structures and associations with later language skills. High-risk infants who were later diagnosed with ASD (n = 86) were compared with high-risk infants who showed signs of early language delay (n = 41) as well as with high- and low-risk infants who did not have ASD or language delay (n = 255 and 143, respectively). RESULTS Results indicated that diminished language skills were evident at 12 months in infants with ASD and infants with early language delay. At 24 months of age, only the infants with ASD displayed atypical receptive-expressive language profiles. Associations between 12-month subcortical volumes and 24-month language skills were moderated by group status, indicating disordinal brain-behavior associations among infants with ASD and infants with language delay. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that there are different brain mechanisms influencing language development in infants with ASD and infants with language delay, and that the two groups likely experience unique sets of genetic and environmental risk factors.
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174
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Brown EC, Clark DL, Hassel S, MacQueen G, Ramasubbu R. Thalamocortical connectivity in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2017; 217:125-131. [PMID: 28407555 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent and potentially devastating, with widespread aberrations in brain activity. Thalamocortical networks are a potential candidate marker for psychopathology in MDD, but have not yet been thoroughly investigated. Here we examined functional connectivity between major cortical areas and thalamus. METHOD Resting-state fMRI from 54 MDD patients and 40 healthy controls were collected. The cortex was segmented into six regions of interest (ROIs) consisting of frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes and pre-central and post-central gyri. BOLD signal time courses were extracted from each ROI and correlated with voxels in thalamus, while removing signals from every other ROI. RESULTS Our main findings showed that MDD patients had predominantly increased connectivity between medial thalamus and temporal areas, and between medial thalamus and somatosensory areas. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between thalamo-temporal connectivity and severity of symptoms. LIMITATIONS Most of the patients in this study were not medication naïve and therefore we cannot rule out possible long-term effects of antidepressant use on the findings. CONCLUSION The abnormal connectivity between thalamus and temporal, and thalamus and somatosensory regions may represent impaired cortico-thalamo-cortical modulation underlying emotional, and sensory disturbances in MDD. In the context of similar abnormalities in thalamocortical systems across major psychiatric disorders, thalamocortical dysconnectivity could be a reliable transdiagnostic marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot C Brown
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Darren L Clark
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stefanie Hassel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Glenda MacQueen
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rajamannar Ramasubbu
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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175
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Yerys BE, Herrington JD, Satterthwaite TD, Guy L, Schultz RT, Bassett DS. Globally weaker and topologically different: resting-state connectivity in youth with autism. Mol Autism 2017; 8:39. [PMID: 28770039 PMCID: PMC5530457 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0156-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There is a lack of agreement about functional connectivity differences in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies using absolute strength have found reduced connectivity, while those using relative strength––a measure of system topology––reveal mostly enhanced connectivity. We hypothesized that mixed findings may be driven by the metric of functional connectivity. Methods Resting-state echo planar 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired on a Siemens Verio Scanner from 6 to 17-year-old youth with ASD (n = 81) and a matched typically developing control group (n = 82). All functional time series data were preprocessed using a confound regression procedure that has been previously validated in large-scale developmental datasets. It has also been shown to be highly effective at reducing the influence of motion artifact on connectivity data. We extracted time series data from a 333-node parcellation scheme, which was previously mapped to 13 functional systems. A Pearson’s correlation was calculated and transformed to Fisher’s z between every pair of nodes to create a weighted 333 × 333 adjacency matrix. Mean absolute functional connectivity strength was the mean Fisher’s z of the matrix. Relative functional connectivity was corrected for individual differences in mean absolute functional connectivity (i.e., each connection in the matrix was divided by their mean z), and functional connectivity was evaluated within and across each of the functional networks in the parcellation scheme. Results Absolute functional connectivity strength was lower in ASD, and lower functional connectivity was correlated with greater ASD symptom severity. Relative functional connectivity was higher for the ASD group in the ventral attention and retrosplenial-temporal systems, with lower cross-system functional connectivity between the ventral attention and somatomotor-mouth systems. Functional connectivity within the ventral attention and retro-splenial systems correlated significantly with ASD symptom severity. Conclusions Within a context of globally weaker functional connectivity, youth with ASD have an atypical topology of brain systems that support social perception and communication. This study clarifies the mixed results reported previously and demonstrates that the functional connectivity metric influences the observed direction of functional connectivity differences for individuals with ASD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13229-017-0156-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin E Yerys
- Center for Autism Research and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Ste 860, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - John D Herrington
- Center for Autism Research and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Ste 860, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Theodore D Satterthwaite
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Lisa Guy
- Center for Autism Research and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Ste 860, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Ste 860, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Danielle S Bassett
- Departments of Bioengineering and Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
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176
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Loohuis NFMO, Martens GJM, van Bokhoven H, Kaplan BB, Homberg JR, Aschrafi A. Altered expression of circadian rhythm and extracellular matrix genes in the medial prefrontal cortex of a valproic acid rat model of autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 77:128-132. [PMID: 28408291 PMCID: PMC5502527 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a highly heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by complex interplay between various genes and environmental factors during embryonic development. Changes at the molecular, cellular and neuroanatomical levels are especially evident in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of ASD patients and are particularly contributing to social impairments. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that altered neuronal development and plasticity, as seen in the mPFC of ASD individuals, may result from aberrant expression of functionally connected genes. Towards this end, we combined transcriptome sequencing and computational gene ontology analysis to identify the molecular networks impaired in the mPFC of a valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism. This investigation identified two subsets of genes differentially expressed in the mPFC of VPA rats: one group of genes being functionally involved in the regulation of the circadian rhythm, while the second group encompasses a set of differentially expressed collagen genes acting within the extracellular matrix. Ultimately, our integrated transcriptome analysis identified a distinct subset of altered gene networks in the mPFC of VPA rats, contributing to our understanding of autism at the molecular level, thus providing novel insight into the genetic alterations associated with this neurodevelopmental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikkie FM Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard JM Martens
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barry B Kaplan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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177
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Blanken LME, Muetzel RL, Jaddoe VWV, Verhulst FC, van der Lugt A, Tiemeier H, White T. White matter microstructure in children with autistic traits. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2017; 263:127-134. [PMID: 28384486 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is thought to arise from aberrant development of connections in the brain. Previous studies have identified differences in white matter microstructure in children with ASD, offering support to such hypotheses. While ASD is thought to represent the severe end of a spectrum of traits, there are no studies evaluating white matter microstructure in relation to autistic traits in children from the general population. In a population-based sample of 604 6-to-10 year-old children, we assessed the relation between a continuous measure of autistic traits and white matter microstructure, using both probabilistic tractography and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). Using the TBSS approach, a cluster in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) was identified where autistic traits negatively associated with fractional anisotropy (FA). In addition, two clusters of lower axial diffusion were identified; one in the corpus callosum and another in the corticospinal tract. Part of the findings remained when excluding children with ASD and were paralleled with similar, trend-level differences in 19 children with ASD, compared to matched controls. This study showed localized associations between autistic traits on a continuum and white matter microstructure, which could indicate a continuum of the neurobiology along the spectrum of autistic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M E Blanken
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank C Verhulst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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178
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Functional thalamocortical connectivity development and alterations in preterm infants during the neonatal period. Neuroscience 2017; 356:22-34. [PMID: 28526574 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The thalamus is one of the most commonly affected brain regions in preterm infants, particularly in infants with white matter lesions (WML). The aim of this paper is to explore the development and alterations of the functional thalamocortical connectivity in preterm infants with and without punctate white matter lesions (PWMLs) during the period before term equivalent age (TEA). In this study, twenty-two normal preterm infants (NP), twenty-two preterm infants with PWMLs and thirty-one full-term control infants (FT) were enrolled. Thalamus parcellation was performed based on partial correlation between the thalamus and seven well-recognized infant networks obtained from independent component analysis (ICA), and thalamocortical connectivity was further reconstructed between the defined thalamus clusters and the whole brain. Thalamo-salience (SA) and thalamo-sensorimotor (SM) connectivity were predominantly identified, while other types of thalamocortical connectivity remained largely limited during the neonatal period. Both preterm groups exhibited prominent development in thalamo-SA and thalamo-SM connectivity during this period. Compared with NP infants, PWML infants demonstrated increased connectivity in the parietal area in thalamo-SA connectivity but no significant differences in thalamo-SM connectivity. Our results reveal that compared with NP infants, PWML infants exhibit slightly altered thalamo-SA connectivity, and this alteration is deduced to be functional compensations for inefficient thalamocortical processing due to PWMLs.
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179
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Krsnik Ž, Majić V, Vasung L, Huang H, Kostović I. Growth of Thalamocortical Fibers to the Somatosensory Cortex in the Human Fetal Brain. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:233. [PMID: 28496398 PMCID: PMC5406414 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalamocortical (TH-C) fiber growth begins during the embryonic period and is completed by the third trimester of gestation in humans. Here we determined the timing and trajectories of somatosensory TH-C fibers in the developing human brain. We analyzed the periods of TH-C fiber outgrowth, path-finding, "waiting" in the subplate (SP), target selection, and ingrowth in the cortical plate (CP) using histological sections from post-mortem fetal brain [from 7 to 34 postconceptional weeks (PCW)] that were processed with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry and immunohistochemical methods. Images were compared with post mortem diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based fiber tractography (code No NO1-HD-4-3368). The results showed TH-C axon outgrowth occurs as early as 7.5 PCW in the ventrolateral part of the thalamic anlage. Between 8 and 9.5 PCW, TH-C axons form massive bundles that traverse the diencephalic-telencephalic boundary. From 9.5 to 11 PCW, thalamocortical axons pass the periventricular area at the pallial-subpallial boundary and enter intermediate zone in radiating fashion. Between 12 and 14 PCW, the TH-C axons, aligned along the fibers from the basal forebrain, continue to grow for a short distance within the deep intermediate zone and enter the deep CP, parallel with SP expansion. Between 14 and 18 PCW, the TH-C interdigitate with callosal fibers, running shortly in the sagittal stratum and spreading through the deep SP ("waiting" phase). From 19 to 22 PCW, TH-C axons accumulate in the superficial SP below the somatosensory cortical area; this occurs 2 weeks earlier than in the frontal and occipital cortices. Between 23 and 24 PCW, AChE-reactive TH-C axons penetrate the CP concomitantly with its initial lamination. Between 25 and 34 PCW, AChE reactivity of the CP exhibits an uneven pattern suggestive of vertical banding, showing a basic 6-layer pattern. In conclusion, human thalamocortical axons show prolonged growth (4 months), and somatosensory fibers precede the ingrowth of fibers destined for frontal and occipital areas. The major features of growing TH-C somatosensory fiber trajectories are fan-like radiation, short runs in the sagittal strata, and interdigitation with the callosal system. These results support our hypothesis that TH-C axons are early factors in SP and CP morphogenesis and synaptogenesis and may regulate cortical somatosensory system maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Željka Krsnik
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia
| | - Visnja Majić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia
| | - Lana Vasung
- Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's HospitalBoston, MA, USA
| | - Hao Huang
- Laboratory of Neural MRI and Brain Connectivity, School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania PerelmanPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ivica Kostović
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia
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180
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Richard AE, Scheffer IE, Wilson SJ. Features of the broader autism phenotype in people with epilepsy support shared mechanisms between epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 75:203-233. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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181
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Froeliger B, McConnell PA, Bell S, Sweitzer M, Kozink RV, Eichberg C, Hallyburton M, Kaiser N, Gray KM, McClernon FJ. Association Between Baseline Corticothalamic-Mediated Inhibitory Control and Smoking Relapse Vulnerability. JAMA Psychiatry 2017; 74:379-386. [PMID: 28249070 PMCID: PMC5562280 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Tobacco use disorder is associated with dysregulated neurocognitive function in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)-one node in a corticothalamic inhibitory control (IC) network. OBJECTIVE To examine associations between IC neural circuitry structure and function and lapse/relapse vulnerability in 2 independent studies of adult smokers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In study 1, treatment-seeking smokers (n = 81) completed an IC task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before making a quit attempt and then were followed up for 10 weeks after their quit date. In study 2, a separate group of smokers (n = 26) performed the same IC task during fMRI, followed by completing a laboratory-based smoking relapse analog task. Study 1 was performed at Duke University Medical Center between 2008 and 2012; study 2 was conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina between 2013 and 2016. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Associations between corticothalamic-mediated IC, gray-matter volume, and smoking lapse/relapse. RESULTS Of the 81 study participants in study 1 (cessation study), 45 were women (56%), with mean (SD) age, 38.4 (10.2) years. In study 1, smoking relapse was associated with less gray-matter volume (F1,74 = 28.32; familywise error P threshold = 0.03), greater IC task-related blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) response in the right IFG (F1,78 = 14.87) and thalamus (F1,78 = 14.97) (P < .05), and weaker corticothalamic task-based functional connectivity (tbFC) (F1,77 = 5.87; P = .02). Of the 26 participants in study 2 (laboratory study), 15 were women (58%), with mean (SD) age, 34.9 (10.3). Similar to study 1, in study 2, greater IC-BOLD response in the right IFG (t23 = -2.49; β = -0.47; P = .02), and weaker corticothalamic tbFC (t22 = 5.62; β = 0.79; P < .001) were associated with smoking sooner during the smoking relapse-analog task. In both studies, corticothalamic tbFC mediated the association between IC performance and smoking outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In these 2 studies, baseline differences in corticothalamic circuitry function were associated with mediated IC and smoking relapse vulnerability. These findings warrant further examination of interventions for augmenting corticothalamic neurotransmission and enhancing IC during the course of tobacco use disorder treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Froeliger
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston2Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston3Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston4Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | | | - Spencer Bell
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | - Maggie Sweitzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Rachel V. Kozink
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Christie Eichberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | - Matt Hallyburton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Nicole Kaiser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Kevin M. Gray
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | - F. Joseph McClernon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina6Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
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182
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Candidate Biomarkers in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of MRI Studies. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:219-237. [PMID: 28283808 PMCID: PMC5360855 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0118-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Searching for effective biomarkers is one of the most challenging tasks in the research field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a non-invasive and powerful tool for investigating changes in the structure, function, maturation, connectivity, and metabolism of the brain of children with ASD. Here, we review the more recent MRI studies in young children with ASD, aiming to provide candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of childhood ASD. The review covers structural imaging methods, diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state functional MRI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Future advances in neuroimaging techniques, as well as cross-disciplinary studies and large-scale collaborations will be needed for an integrated approach linking neuroimaging, genetics, and phenotypic data to allow the discovery of new, effective biomarkers.
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183
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A Volumetric and Functional Connectivity MRI Study of Brain Arginine-Vasopressin Pathways in Autistic Children. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:130-142. [PMID: 28258508 PMCID: PMC5360858 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0109-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of brain-derived arginine-vasopressin (AVP) systems may be involved in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Certain regions such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus are known to contain either AVP neurons or terminals and may play an important role in regulating complex social behaviors. The present study was designed to investigate the concomitant changes in autistic behaviors, circulating AVP levels, and the structure and functional connectivity (FC) of specific brain regions in autistic children compared with typically developing children (TDC) aged from 3 to 5 years. The results showed: (1) children with ASD had a significantly increased volume in the left amygdala and left hippocampus, and a significantly decreased volume in the bilateral hypothalamus compared to TDC, and these were positively correlated with plasma AVP level. (2) Autistic children had a negative FC between the left amygdala and the bilateral supramarginal gyri compared to TDC. The degree of the negative FC between amygdala and supramarginal gyrus was associated with a higher score on the clinical autism behavior checklist. (3) The degree of negative FC between left amygdala and left supramarginal gyrus was associated with a lowering of the circulating AVP concentration in boys with ASD. (4) Autistic children showed a higher FC between left hippocampus and right subcortical area compared to TDC. (5) The circulating AVP was negatively correlated with the visual and listening response score of the childhood autism rating scale. These results strongly suggest that changes in structure and FC in brain regions containing AVP may be involved in the etiology of autism.
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184
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Long Z, Xu Q, Miao HH, Yu Y, Ding MP, Chen H, Liu ZR, Liao W. Thalamocortical dysconnectivity in paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia: Combining functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Mov Disord 2017; 32:592-600. [PMID: 28186667 DOI: 10.1002/mds.26905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiliang Long
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, School of Life Science and Technology; University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Chengdu P.R. China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital; Nanjing University School of Medicine; Nanjing P.R. China
| | - Huan-Huan Miao
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders and the Affiliated Hospital; Hangzhou Normal University; Hangzhou P.R. China
| | - Yang Yu
- Mental Health Education and Counseling Center; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou China
| | - Mei-Ping Ding
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Medial College; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou P.R. China
| | - Huafu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, School of Life Science and Technology; University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Chengdu P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Rong Liu
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Medial College; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou P.R. China
| | - Wei Liao
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, School of Life Science and Technology; University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Chengdu P.R. China
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital; Nanjing University School of Medicine; Nanjing P.R. China
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders and the Affiliated Hospital; Hangzhou Normal University; Hangzhou P.R. China
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185
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Anticevic A. Understanding the role of thalamic circuits in schizophrenia neuropathology. Schizophr Res 2017; 180:1-3. [PMID: 27939828 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Anticevic
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, United States; Department of Psychology, Yale University, United States.
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186
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Schmitt LI, Halassa MM. Interrogating the mouse thalamus to correct human neurodevelopmental disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:183-191. [PMID: 27725660 PMCID: PMC5258688 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
While localizing sensory and motor deficits is one of the cornerstones of clinical neurology, behavioral and cognitive deficits in psychiatry remain impervious to this approach. In psychiatry, major challenges include the relative subtlety by which neural circuits are perturbed, and the limited understanding of how basic circuit functions relate to thought and behavior. Neurodevelopmental disorders offer a window to addressing the first challenge given their strong genetic underpinnings, which can be linked to biological mechanisms. Such links have benefited from genetic modeling in the mouse, and in this review we highlight how this small mammal is now allowing us to crack neural circuits as well. We review recent studies of mouse thalamus, discussing how they revealed general principles that may underlie human perception and attention. Controlling the magnitude (gain) of thalamic sensory responses is a mechanism of attention, and the mouse has enabled its functional dissection at an unprecedented resolution. Further, modeling human genetic neurodevelopmental disease in the mouse has shown how diminished thalamic gain control can lead to attention deficits. This breaks new ground in how we untangle the complexity of psychiatric diseases; by making thalamic circuits accessible to mechanistic dissection; the mouse has not only taught us how they fundamentally work, but also how their dysfunction can be precisely mapped onto behavioral and cognitive deficits. Future studies promise even more progress, with the hope that principled targeting of identified thalamic circuits can be uniquely therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Ian Schmitt
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Michael M. Halassa
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY,Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY,Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY
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187
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Nagode DA, Meng X, Winkowski DE, Smith E, Khan-Tareen H, Kareddy V, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Abnormal Development of the Earliest Cortical Circuits in a Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cell Rep 2017; 18:1100-1108. [PMID: 28147267 PMCID: PMC5488290 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves deficits in speech and sound processing. Cortical circuit changes during early development likely contribute to such deficits. Subplate neurons (SPNs) form the earliest cortical microcircuits and are required for normal development of thalamocortical and intracortical circuits. Prenatal valproic acid (VPA) increases ASD risk, especially when present during a critical time window coinciding with SPN genesis. Using optical circuit mapping in mouse auditory cortex, we find that VPA exposure on E12 altered the functional excitatory and inhibitory connectivity of SPNs. Circuit changes manifested as "patches" of mostly increased connection probability or strength in the first postnatal week and as general hyper-connectivity after P10, shortly after ear opening. These results suggest that prenatal VPA exposure severely affects the developmental trajectory of cortical circuits and that sensory-driven activity may exacerbate earlier, subtle connectivity deficits. Our findings identify the subplate as a possible common pathophysiological substrate of deficits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Nagode
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel E Winkowski
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ed Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Hamza Khan-Tareen
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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188
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Mulligan KA, Cheyette BNR. Neurodevelopmental Perspectives on Wnt Signaling in Psychiatry. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2017; 2:219-246. [PMID: 28277568 DOI: 10.1159/000453266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that Wnt signaling is relevant to pathophysiology of diverse mental illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. In the 35 years since Wnt ligands were first described, animal studies have richly explored how downstream Wnt signaling pathways affect an array of neurodevelopmental processes and how their disruption can lead to both neurological and behavioral phenotypes. Recently, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models have begun to contribute to this literature while pushing it in increasingly translational directions. Simultaneously, large-scale human genomic studies are providing evidence that sequence variation in Wnt signal pathway genes contributes to pathogenesis in several psychiatric disorders. This article reviews neurodevelopmental and postneurodevelopmental functions of Wnt signaling, highlighting mechanisms, whereby its disruption might contribute to psychiatric illness, and then reviews the most reliable recent genetic evidence supporting that mutations in Wnt pathway genes contribute to psychiatric illness. We are proponents of the notion that studies in animal and hiPSC models informed by the human genetic data combined with the deep knowledge base and tool kits generated over the last several decades of basic neurodevelopmental research will yield near-term tangible advances in neuropsychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Mulligan
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin N R Cheyette
- Department of Psychiatry, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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189
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Woodward ND, Giraldo-Chica M, Rogers B, Cascio CJ. Thalamocortical dysconnectivity in autism spectrum disorder: An analysis of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 2:76-84. [PMID: 28584881 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit differences in basic sensorimotor processing as well as general cortical excitability. These observations converge to implicate thalamocortical connectivity as a potential unifying neural mechanism. The goal of this study was to clarify mixed findings on thalamocortical functional connectivity in a large sample of individuals with ASD. METHODS Using the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE), we examined thalamocortical functional connectivity in 228 individuals with ASD and a matched comparison group of 228 typically developing individuals. In order to fully characterize thalamocortical functional networks, we employed complementary seed-based approaches that examined connectivity of major cortical divisions (e.g. prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe) with the thalamus and whole-brain connectivity of specific thalamic sub-regions. RESULTS Prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe, and sensorimotor cortex exhibited hyper-connectivity with the thalamus in ASD. In the whole-brain analysis, hyper-connectivity of several thalamic seeds included multiple cortical areas, but tended to converge in temporal cortical areas, including the temporoparietal junction. Follow-up analyses of age effects revealed that the connectivity abnormalities in ASD were more pronounced in adolescents compared to children and adults. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm previous findings of temporal and motor thalamocortical hyper-connectivity in ASD, and extend them to include somatosensory and prefrontal cortex. While not directly addressable with the data available in ABIDE, this widespread hyper-connectivity could theoretically account for sensorimotor symptoms and general cortical excitability in ASD. Future studies should target comprehensive clinical and behavioral characterization in combination with functional connectivity in order to explore this possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil D Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Monica Giraldo-Chica
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Baxter Rogers
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN
| | - Carissa J Cascio
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
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190
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Abstract
We examined the factors that influence ocular fixation control in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including sensory information, individuals' motor characteristics, and inhibitory control. The ASD group showed difficulty in maintaining fixation especially when there was no fixation target. The fixational eye movement characteristics of individuals were consistent regardless of the presence or absence of a fixation target in the controls, but not in the ASD group. Additionally, fixation stability did not correlate with an ability to suppress reflexive saccades measured by an antisaccade task. These findings suggest that ASD adults have deficits in converting alternative sensory information, such as retinal signals in the peripheral visual field or extraretinal signals, to motor commands when the foveal information is unavailable.
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191
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Kraushar ML, Popovitchenko T, Volk NL, Rasin MR. The frontier of RNA metamorphosis and ribosome signature in neocortical development. Int J Dev Neurosci 2016; 55:131-139. [PMID: 27241046 PMCID: PMC5124555 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
More than a passive effector of gene expression, mRNA translation (protein synthesis) by the ribosome is a rapidly tunable and dynamic molecular mechanism. Neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with abnormalities in mRNA translation, protein synthesis, and neocortical development; yet, we know little about the molecular mechanisms underlying these abnormalities. Furthermore, our understanding of regulation of the ribosome and mRNA translation during normal brain development is only in its early stages. mRNA translation is emerging as a key driver of the rapid and timed regulation of spatiotemporal gene expression in the developing nervous system, including the neocortex. In this review, we focus on the regulatory role of the ribosome in neocortical development, and construct a current understanding of how ribosomal complex specificity may contribute to the development of the neocortex. We also present a microarray analysis of ribosomal protein-coding mRNAs across the neurogenic phase of neocortical development, in addition to the dynamic enrichment of these mRNAs in actively translating neocortical polysomal ribosomes. Understanding the multivariate control of mRNA translation by ribosomal complex specificity will be critical to reveal the intricate mechanisms of normal brain development and pathologies of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L Kraushar
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Tatiana Popovitchenko
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Nicole L Volk
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Mladen-Roko Rasin
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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192
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Green SA, Hernandez L, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Reduced modulation of thalamocortical connectivity during exposure to sensory stimuli in ASD. Autism Res 2016; 10:801-809. [PMID: 27896947 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence for abnormal thalamic connectivity in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and sensory processing disorders suggests the thalamus may play a role in sensory over-responsivity (SOR), an extreme negative response to sensory stimuli, which is common in ASD. However, there is yet little understanding of changes in thalamic connectivity during exposure to aversive sensory inputs in individuals with ASD. In particular, the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus is implicated in atypical sensory processing given its role in selective attention, regulation, and sensory integration. This study aimed to examine the role of pulvinar connectivity in ASD during mildly aversive sensory input. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine connectivity with the pulvinar during exposure to mildly aversive auditory and tactile stimuli in 38 youth (age 9-17; 19 ASD, 19 IQ-matched typically developing (TD)). Parents rated children's SOR severity on two standard scales. Compared to TD, ASD participants displayed aberrant modulation of connectivity between pulvinar and cortex (including sensory-motor and prefrontal regions) during sensory stimulation. In ASD participants, pulvinar-amygdala connectivity was correlated with severity of SOR symptoms. Deficits in modulation of thalamocortical connectivity in youth with ASD may reflect reduced thalamo-cortical inhibition in response to sensory stimulation, which could lead to difficulty filtering out and/or integrating sensory information. An increase in amygdala connectivity with the pulvinar might be partially responsible for deficits in selective attention as the amygdala signals the brain to attend to distracting sensory stimuli. Autism Res 2017, 10: 801-809. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulamite A Green
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Leanna Hernandez
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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193
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Zhang JQ, Ji B, Zhou CY, Li LC, Li ZH, Hu XP, Hu J. Differential Impairment of Thalamocortical Structural Connectivity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. CNS Neurosci Ther 2016; 23:155-161. [PMID: 27860375 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Revised: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The thalamus is a major relay station that modulates input from many cortical areas and a filter for sensory input and is involved in the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, it still remains unclear whether all thalamocortical networks are affected or whether there is selective vulnerability. In this study, we aimed to study the selective vulnerability of different thalamocortical structural connections in ALS and to test the hypothesis of a specific impairment in motor-related thalamocortical connectivity. METHODS Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography was used to identify thalamocortical structural pathways in 38 individuals with ALS and 35 gender/age-matched control subjects. Thalami of both groups were parcellated into subregions based on local patterns of thalamocortical connectivity. DTI measures of these distinct thalamocortical connections were derived and compared between groups. RESULTS The analysis of probabilistic tractography showed that the structural connectivity between bilateral pre/primary motor cortices and associated thalamic subregions was specifically impaired in patients with ALS, while the other thalamocortical connections remained relatively intact. In addition, fractional anisotropy values of the impaired thalamocortical motor pathway were inversely correlated with the disease duration. CONCLUSION Our findings provide direct evidence for selective impairment of the thalamocortical structural connectivity in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiu-Quan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Biomedical Imaging Technology Center, Emory University/Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bing Ji
- Biomedical Imaging Technology Center, Emory University/Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chao-Yang Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Long-Chuan Li
- Biomedical Imaging Technology Center, Emory University/Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zhi-Hao Li
- Biomedical Imaging Technology Center, Emory University/Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Institute of affective and Social Neuroscience, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Hu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jun Hu
- Department of Neurology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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194
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Schuetze M, Park MTM, Cho IYK, MacMaster FP, Chakravarty MM, Bray SL. Morphological Alterations in the Thalamus, Striatum, and Pallidum in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2627-37. [PMID: 27125303 PMCID: PMC5026732 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with cognitive, motor, and emotional symptoms. The thalamus and basal ganglia form circuits with the cortex supporting all three of these behavioral domains. Abnormalities in the structure of subcortical regions may suggest atypical development of these networks, with implications for understanding the neural basis of ASD symptoms. Findings from previous volumetric studies have been inconsistent. Here, using advanced surface-based methodology, we investigated localized differences in shape and surface area in the basal ganglia and thalamus in ASD, using T1-weighted anatomical images from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (373 male participants aged 7-35 years with ASD and 384 typically developing). We modeled effects of diagnosis, age, and their interaction on volume, shape, and surface area. In participants with ASD, we found expanded surface area in the right posterior thalamus corresponding to the pulvinar nucleus, and a more concave shape in the left mediodorsal nucleus. The shape of both caudal putamen and pallidum showed a relatively steeper increase in concavity with age in ASD. Within ASD participants, restricted, repetitive behaviors were positively associated with surface area in bilateral globus pallidus. We found no differences in overall volume, suggesting that surface-based approaches have greater sensitivity to detect localized differences in subcortical structure. This work adds to a growing body of literature implicating corticobasal ganglia-thalamic circuits in the pathophysiology of ASD. These circuits subserve a range of cognitive, emotional, and motor functions, and may have a broad role in the complex symptom profile in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Schuetze
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, c/o Glenda Maru, 4th Floor, C4-100-07, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, Canada T3B 6A8, Tel: +1 403 955 2966, Fax: +1 403 955 2772, E-mail:
| | - Min Tae M Park
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada,Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ivy YK Cho
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Frank P MacMaster
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada,Strategic Clinical Network for Addictions and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada,Departments of Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Signe L Bray
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Departments of Pediatrics and Radiology, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
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195
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Browne HA, Modabbernia A, Buxbaum JD, Hansen SN, Schendel DE, Parner ET, Reichenberg A, Grice DE. Prenatal Maternal Smoking and Increased Risk for Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016; 55:784-91. [PMID: 27566119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We assessed the role of prenatal maternal smoking in risk for Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder (TS/CT) and pediatric-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHOD In an analysis of 73,073 singleton pregnancies from the Danish National Birth Cohort, we calculated incidence rates (IR) per 1,000 person-year for TS/CT and OCD. We then determined crude and adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs associated with prenatal maternal smoking, considering smoking as a dichotomous (yes/no) variable or a stratified variable (no smoking, light smoking, and heavy smoking [≥10 cigarettes/day]). Additional analyses examined the effect of maternal smoking on risk for TS/CT with other comorbid psychiatric conditions. RESULTS In final adjusted analyses, heavy smoking was associated with a 66% increased risk for TS/CT (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.17-2.35). In addition, heavy smoking was associated with a 2-fold increased risk for TS/CT with comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and both light and heavy smoking were associated with a more than 2-fold increased risk for TS/CT with any non-ADHD psychiatric comorbidity. Our parallel analyses of pediatric-onset OCD were likely underpowered but showed similar relationships. CONCLUSION Prenatal maternal smoking was associated with increased risk for TS/CT as well as TS/CT with comorbid psychiatric conditions, even after adjustment for several important variables, including maternal psychiatric history, socioeconomic status, and partner smoking. Our findings point to a pathway linking prenatal tobacco exposure and altered brain development to TS/CT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi A Browne
- Division of Tics, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Related Disorders, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
| | | | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | | | - Diana E Schendel
- Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University
| | | | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | - Dorothy E Grice
- Division of Tics, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Related Disorders, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
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196
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Crocker-Buque A, Currie SP, Luz LL, Grant SG, Duffy KR, Kind PC, Daw MI. Altered thalamocortical development in the SAP102 knockout model of intellectual disability. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:4052-4061. [PMID: 27466188 PMCID: PMC5291236 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic mutations known to cause intellectual disabilities (IDs) are concentrated in specific sets of genes including both those encoding synaptic proteins and those expressed during early development. We have characterized the effect of genetic deletion of Dlg3, an ID-related gene encoding the synaptic NMDA-receptor interacting protein synapse-associated protein 102 (SAP102), on development of the mouse somatosensory cortex. SAP102 is the main representative of the PSD-95 family of postsynaptic MAGUK proteins during early development and is proposed to play a role in stabilizing receptors at immature synapses. Genetic deletion of SAP102 caused a reduction in the total number of thalamocortical (TC) axons innervating the somatosensory cortex, but did not affect the segregation of barrels. On a synaptic level SAP102 knockout mice display a transient speeding of NMDA receptor kinetics during the critical period for TC plasticity, despite no reduction in GluN2B-mediated component of synaptic transmission. These data indicated an interesting dissociation between receptor kinetics and NMDA subunit expression. Following the critical period NMDA receptor function was unaffected by loss of SAP102 but there was a reduction in the divergence of TC connectivity. These data suggest that changes in synaptic function early in development caused by mutations in SAP102 result in changes in network connectivity later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Crocker-Buque
- Centre for Integrative Physiology and Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Stephen P Currie
- Centre for Integrative Physiology and Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Liliana L Luz
- Centre for Integrative Physiology and Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Seth G Grant
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Kevin R Duffy
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Peter C Kind
- Centre for Integrative Physiology and Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK .,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Michael I Daw
- Centre for Integrative Physiology and Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
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197
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Dysfunction of sensory oscillations in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:848-861. [PMID: 27451342 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent developmental disability characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Recently, anomalous sensory and perceptual function has gained an increased level of recognition as an important feature of ASD. A specific impairment in the ability to integrate information across brain networks has been proposed to contribute to these disruptions. A crucial mechanism for these integrative processes is the rhythmic synchronization of neuronal excitability across neural populations; collectively known as oscillations. In ASD there is believed to be a deficit in the ability to efficiently couple functional neural networks using these oscillations. This review discusses evidence for disruptions in oscillatory synchronization in ASD, and how disturbance of this neural mechanism contributes to alterations in sensory and perceptual function. The review also frames oscillatory data from the perspective of prevailing neurobiologically-inspired theories of ASD.
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198
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Nakagawa Y, Chiba K. Involvement of Neuroinflammation during Brain Development in Social Cognitive Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 358:504-15. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.116.234476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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199
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Diffusion tensor imaging in children with tuberous sclerosis complex: tract-based spatial statistics assessment of brain microstructural changes. Pediatr Radiol 2016; 46:1158-64. [PMID: 27085522 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-016-3582-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence of microstructural changes in normal-appearing white matter of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. OBJECTIVE To evaluate major white matter tracts in children with tuberous sclerosis complex using tract-based spatial statistics diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eight children (mean age ± standard deviation: 8.5 ± 5.5 years) with an established diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex and 8 age-matched controls were studied. The imaging protocol consisted of T1-weighted high-resolution 3-D spoiled gradient-echo sequence and a spin-echo, echo-planar diffusion-weighted sequence. Differences in the diffusion indices were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics. RESULTS Tract-based spatial statistics showed increased axial diffusivity in the children with tuberous sclerosis complex in the superior and anterior corona radiata, the superior longitudinal fascicle, the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle, the uncinate fascicle and the anterior thalamic radiation. No significant differences were observed in fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity between patients and control subjects. No difference was found in the diffusion indices between the baseline and follow-up examination in the patient group. CONCLUSION Patients with tuberous sclerosis complex have increased axial diffusivity in major white matter tracts, probably related to reduced axonal integrity.
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Ghaffarian N, Mesgari M, Cerina M, Göbel K, Budde T, Speckmann EJ, Meuth SG, Gorji A. Thalamocortical-auditory network alterations following cuprizone-induced demyelination. J Neuroinflammation 2016; 13:160. [PMID: 27334140 PMCID: PMC4918138 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-016-0629-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Demyelination and remyelination are common pathological processes in many neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Clinical evidence suggests extensive involvement of the thalamocortical (TC) system in patients suffering from MS. Methods Using murine brain slices of the primary auditory cortex, we investigated the functional consequences of cuprizone-induced de- and remyelination on neuronal activity and auditory TC synaptic transmission in vitro. Results Our results revealed an impact of myelin loss and restoration on intrinsic cellular firing patterns, synaptic transmission, and neuronal plasticity in layer 3 and 4 neurons of the auditory TC network. While there was a complex hyper- and depolarizing shift of the resting membrane potential, spontaneous and induced action potential firing was reduced during demyelination and early remyelination. In addition, excitatory postsynaptic potential amplitudes were decreased and induction of LTP was reduced during demyelination. Conclusions These data indicate that demyelination-induced impairment of neurons and network activity within the TC system may underlie clinical symptoms observed in demyelinating diseases, corroborating human findings that disease progression is significantly correlated with microstructural tissue damage of the TC system. Further investigation into focal inflammation-induced demyelination models ex vivo and in vivo are needed to understand the functional implication of local and remote lesion formation on TC network activity in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoo Ghaffarian
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Straße 27a, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Masoud Mesgari
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Straße 27a, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Manuela Cerina
- Department of Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göbel
- Department of Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Budde
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
| | - Erwin-Josef Speckmann
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Straße 27a, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Sven G Meuth
- Department of Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149, Münster, Germany.
| | - Ali Gorji
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Straße 27a, 48149, Münster, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149, Münster, Germany. .,Department of Neurosurgery, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany. .,Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam-Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
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