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Feinberg JI, Bakulski KM, Jaffe AE, Tryggvadottir R, Brown SC, Goldman LR, Croen LA, Hertz-Picciotto I, Newschaffer CJ, Fallin MD, Feinberg AP. Paternal sperm DNA methylation associated with early signs of autism risk in an autism-enriched cohort. Int J Epidemiol 2015; 44:1199-210. [PMID: 25878217 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyv028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic mechanisms such as altered DNA methylation have been suggested to play a role in autism, beginning with the classical association of Prader-Willi syndrome, an imprinting disorder, with autistic features. OBJECTIVES Here we tested for the relationship of paternal sperm DNA methylation with autism risk in offspring, examining an enriched-risk cohort of fathers of autistic children. METHODS We examined genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) in paternal semen biosamples obtained from an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) enriched-risk pregnancy cohort, the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) cohort, to estimate associations between sperm DNAm and prospective ASD development, using a 12-month ASD symptoms assessment, the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). We analysed methylation data from 44 sperm samples run on the CHARM 3.0 array, which contains over 4 million probes (over 7 million CpG sites), including 30 samples also run on the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (450K) BeadChip platform (∼485 000 CpG sites). We also examined associated regions in an independent sample of post-mortem human brain ASD and control samples for which Illumina 450K DNA methylation data were available. RESULTS Using region-based statistical approaches, we identified 193 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in paternal sperm with a family-wise empirical P-value [family-wise error rate (FWER)] <0.05 associated with performance on the Autism Observational Scale for Infants (AOSI) at 12 months of age in offspring. The DMRs clustered near genes involved in developmental processes, including many genes in the SNORD family, within the Prader-Willi syndrome gene cluster. These results were consistent among the 75 probes on the Illumina 450K array that cover AOSI-associated DMRs from CHARM. Further, 18 of 75 (24%) 450K array probes showed consistent differences in the cerebellums of autistic individuals compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that epigenetic differences in paternal sperm may contribute to autism risk in offspring, and provide evidence that directionally consistent, potentially related epigenetic mechanisms may be operating in the cerebellum of individuals with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason I Feinberg
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins University, Center for Epigenetics
| | - Kelly M Bakulski
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins University, Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Epidemiology
| | - Andrew E Jaffe
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Mental Health and
| | | | - Shannon C Brown
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Epidemiology
| | - Lynn R Goldman
- George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Kaiser Permanente, Division of Research, Autism Research Program
| | | | - Craig J Newschaffer
- Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
| | - M Daniele Fallin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Mental Health and
| | - Andrew P Feinberg
- Johns Hopkins University, Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Medicine
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202
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Gait deviations in children with autism spectrum disorders: a review. AUTISM RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2015; 2015:741480. [PMID: 25922766 PMCID: PMC4398922 DOI: 10.1155/2015/741480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, it has become clear that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have difficulty with gross motor function and coordination, factors which influence gait. Knowledge of gait abnormalities may be useful for assessment and treatment planning. This paper reviews the literature assessing gait deviations in children with ASD. Five online databases were searched using keywords “gait” and “autism,” and 11 studies were found which examined gait in childhood ASD. Children with ASD tend to augment their walking stability with a reduced stride length, increased step width and therefore wider base of support, and increased time in the stance phase. Children with ASD have reduced range of motion at the ankle and knee during gait, with increased hip flexion. Decreased peak hip flexor and ankle plantar flexor moments in children with ASD may imply weakness around these joints, which is further exhibited by a reduction in ground reaction forces at toe-off in children with ASD. Children with ASD have altered gait patterns to healthy controls, widened base of support, and reduced range of motion. Several studies refer to cerebellar and basal ganglia involvement as the patterns described suggest alterations in those areas of the brain. Further research should compare children with ASD to other clinical groups to improve assessment and treatment planning.
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203
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Casanova MF, Sokhadze E, Opris I, Wang Y, Li X. Autism spectrum disorders: linking neuropathological findings to treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Acta Paediatr 2015; 104:346-55. [PMID: 25626149 DOI: 10.1111/apa.12943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Postmortem studies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) individuals indicate the presence of abnormalities within the peripheral neuropil space (PNS) of cortical minicolumns. The geometrical orientation of inhibitory elements within the PNS suggests using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to up-regulate their activity. Several rTMS trials in ASD have shown marked improvements in motor symptomatology, attention and perceptual binding. CONCLUSION rTMS is the first therapeutic attempt at ASD aimed at correcting some of its core pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Estate Sokhadze
- Department of Psychiatry; University of Louisville; Louisville KA USA
| | - Ioan Opris
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology; Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Winston-Salem NA USA
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Psychiatry; University of Louisville; Louisville KA USA
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing China
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204
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Wang Z, Magnon GC, White SP, Greene RK, Vaillancourt DE, Mosconi MW. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder show abnormalities during initial and subsequent phases of precision gripping. J Neurophysiol 2015; 113:1989-2001. [PMID: 25552638 PMCID: PMC4416549 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00661.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor impairments are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but they are not well understood. Here we examined force control during initial pulses and the subsequent rise, sustained, and relaxation phases of precision gripping in 34 individuals with ASD and 25 healthy control subjects. Participants pressed on opposing load cells with their thumb and index finger while receiving visual feedback regarding their performance. They completed 2- and 8-s trials during which they pressed at 15%, 45%, or 85% of their maximum force. Initial pulses guided by feedforward control mechanisms, sustained force output controlled by visual feedback processes, and force relaxation rates all were examined. Control subjects favored an initial pulse strategy characterized by a rapid increase in and then relaxation of force when the target force was low (Type 1). When the target force level or duration of trials was increased, control subjects transitioned to a strategy in which they more gradually increased their force, paused, and then increased their force again. Individuals with ASD showed a more persistent bias toward the Type 1 strategy at higher force levels and during longer trials, and their initial force output was less accurate than that of control subjects. Patients showed increased force variability compared with control subjects when attempting to sustain a constant force level. During the relaxation phase, they showed reduced rates of force decrease. These findings suggest that both feedforward and feedback motor control mechanisms are compromised in ASD and these deficits may contribute to the dyspraxia and sensorimotor abnormalities often seen in this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Grant C Magnon
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Stormi P White
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Rachel K Greene
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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205
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Ogletree BT, Morrow-Odom KL, Westling D. Understanding the brain-behaviour relationship in persons with ASD: implications for PECS as a treatment choice. Dev Neurorehabil 2015; 18:88-96. [PMID: 24063565 DOI: 10.3109/17518423.2013.833995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This article presents emerging neurological findings in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with particular attention to how this information might inform treatment practices addressing communication impairments. METHODS The article begins with a general discussion of the brain-behaviour relationship and moves to the presentation of recent research findings related to ASD. There is particular attention to individuals with autism who are either non-verbal or present emergent verbal abilities. RESULTS/DISCUSSION A specific communication treatment, the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), is presented as an example of an intervention that addresses the learner needs of many individuals with ASD. The success of PECS is discussed within the context of its fit with brain-based learner characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Billy T Ogletree
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Western Carolina University , Cullowhee, NC , USA and
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206
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Kazim SF, Cardenas-Aguayo MDC, Arif M, Blanchard J, Fayyaz F, Grundke-Iqbal I, Iqbal K. Sera from children with autism induce autistic features which can be rescued with a CNTF small peptide mimetic in rats. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118627. [PMID: 25769033 PMCID: PMC4359103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized clinically by impairments in social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication skills as well as restricted interests and repetitive behavior. It has been hypothesized that altered brain environment including an imbalance in neurotrophic support during early development contributes to the pathophysiology of autism. Here we report that sera from children with autism which exhibited abnormal levels of various neurotrophic factors induced cell death and oxidative stress in mouse primary cultured cortical neurons. The effects of sera from autistic children were rescued by pre-treatment with a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) small peptide mimetic, Peptide 6 (P6), which was previously shown to exert its neuroprotective effect by modulating CNTF/JAK/STAT pathway and LIF signaling and by enhancing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Similar neurotoxic effects and neuroinflammation were observed in young Wistar rats injected intracerebroventricularly with autism sera within hours after birth. The autism sera injected rats demonstrated developmental delay and deficits in social communication, interaction, and novelty. Both the neurobiological changes and the behavioral autistic phenotype were ameliorated by P6 treatment. These findings implicate the involvement of neurotrophic imbalance during early brain development in the pathophysiology of autism and a proof of principle of P6 as a potential therapeutic strategy for autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Faraz Kazim
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
- Neural and Behavioral Science Graduate Program, State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Downstate/NYSIBR Center for Developmental Neuroscience (CDN), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Maria del Carmen Cardenas-Aguayo
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Mohammad Arif
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Julie Blanchard
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Fatima Fayyaz
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Inge Grundke-Iqbal
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Downstate/NYSIBR Center for Developmental Neuroscience (CDN), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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207
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D'Mello AM, Crocetti D, Mostofsky SH, Stoodley CJ. Cerebellar gray matter and lobular volumes correlate with core autism symptoms. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2015; 7:631-9. [PMID: 25844317 PMCID: PMC4375648 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2015.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuroanatomical differences in the cerebellum are among the most consistent findings in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but little is known about the relationship between cerebellar dysfunction and core ASD symptoms. The newly-emerging existence of cerebellar sensorimotor and cognitive subregions provides a new framework for interpreting the functional significance of cerebellar findings in ASD. Here we use two complementary analyses — whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and the SUIT cerebellar atlas — to investigate cerebellar regional gray matter (GM) and volumetric lobular measurements in 35 children with ASD and 35 typically-developing (TD) children (mean age 10.4 ± 1.6 years; range 8–13 years). To examine the relationships between cerebellar structure and core ASD symptoms, correlations were calculated between scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI) and the VBM and volumetric data. Both VBM and the SUIT analyses revealed reduced GM in ASD children in cerebellar lobule VII (Crus I/II). The degree of regional and lobular gray matter reductions in different cerebellar subregions correlated with the severity of symptoms in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Structural differences and behavioral correlations converged on right cerebellar Crus I/II, a region which shows structural and functional connectivity with fronto-parietal and default mode networks. These results emphasize the importance of the location within the cerebellum to the potential functional impact of structural differences in ASD, and suggest that GM differences in cerebellar right Crus I/II are associated with the core ASD profile. The cerebellum is one of the most consistent sites of abnormality in autism. We investigated cerebellar structure in autism using two independent methods. Cerebellar gray matter was reduced in several regions in children with autism. The degree of cerebellar gray matter reduction predicted core autism symptom severity. Structural differences and behavioral correlations converged on cerebellar Crus I/II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anila M D'Mello
- Developmental Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Deana Crocetti
- Center for Neurodevelopment and Imaging Research (CNIR), Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stewart H Mostofsky
- Center for Neurodevelopment and Imaging Research (CNIR), Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA ; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA ; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Catherine J Stoodley
- Developmental Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
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208
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Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Molnár Z. Development, evolution and pathology of neocortical subplate neurons. Nat Rev Neurosci 2015; 16:133-46. [DOI: 10.1038/nrn3915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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209
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Marko MK, Crocetti D, Hulst T, Donchin O, Shadmehr R, Mostofsky SH. Behavioural and neural basis of anomalous motor learning in children with autism. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 138:784-97. [PMID: 25609685 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awu394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social and communication skills and repetitive and stereotyped interests and behaviours. Although not part of the diagnostic criteria, individuals with autism experience a host of motor impairments, potentially due to abnormalities in how they learn motor control throughout development. Here, we used behavioural techniques to quantify motor learning in autism spectrum disorder, and structural brain imaging to investigate the neural basis of that learning in the cerebellum. Twenty children with autism spectrum disorder and 20 typically developing control subjects, aged 8-12, made reaching movements while holding the handle of a robotic manipulandum. In random trials the reach was perturbed, resulting in errors that were sensed through vision and proprioception. The brain learned from these errors and altered the motor commands on the subsequent reach. We measured learning from error as a function of the sensory modality of that error, and found that children with autism spectrum disorder outperformed typically developing children when learning from errors that were sensed through proprioception, but underperformed typically developing children when learning from errors that were sensed through vision. Previous work had shown that this learning depends on the integrity of a region in the anterior cerebellum. Here we found that the anterior cerebellum, extending into lobule VI, and parts of lobule VIII were smaller than normal in children with autism spectrum disorder, with a volume that was predicted by the pattern of learning from visual and proprioceptive errors. We suggest that the abnormal patterns of motor learning in children with autism spectrum disorder, showing an increased sensitivity to proprioceptive error and a decreased sensitivity to visual error, may be associated with abnormalities in the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie K Marko
- 1 Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Deana Crocetti
- 2 Centre for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas Hulst
- 3 Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Opher Donchin
- 4 The Motor Learning Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Reza Shadmehr
- 1 Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Stewart H Mostofsky
- 2 Centre for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA 5 Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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210
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Flevaris AV, Murray SO. Orientation-specific surround suppression in the primary visual cortex varies as a function of autistic tendency. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 8:1017. [PMID: 25610385 PMCID: PMC4285125 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.01017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit superior performance on tasks that rely on local details in an image, and they exhibit deficits in tasks that require integration of local elements into a unified whole. These perceptual abnormalities have been proposed to underlie many of the characteristic features of ASD, but the underlying neural mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the degree to which orientation-specific surround suppression, a well-known form of contextual modulation in visual cortex, is associated with autistic tendency in neurotypical (NT) individuals. Surround suppression refers to the phenomenon that the response to a stimulus in the receptive field of a neuron is suppressed when it is surrounded by stimuli just outside the receptive field. The suppression is greatest when the center and surrounding stimuli share perceptual features such as orientation. Surround suppression underlies a number of fundamental perceptual processes that are known to be atypical in individuals with ASD, including perceptual grouping and perceptual pop-out. However, whether surround suppression in the primary visual cortex (V1) is related to autistic traits has not been directly tested before. We used fMRI to measure the neural response to a center Gabor when it was surrounded by Gabors having the same or orthogonal orientation, and calculated a suppression index (SI) for each participant that denoted the magnitude of suppression in the same vs. orthogonal conditions. SI was positively correlated with degree of autistic tendency in each individual, as measured by the Autism Quotient (AQ) scale, a questionnaire designed to assess autistic traits in the general population. Age also correlated with SI and with autistic tendency in our sample, but did not account for the correlation between SI and autistic tendency. These results suggest a reduction in orientation-specific surround suppression in V1 with increasing autistic tendency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott O Murray
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
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211
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Oberman LM, Enticott PG, Casanova MF, Rotenberg A, Pascual-Leone A, McCracken JT. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy for autism: an international consensus conference held in conjunction with the international meeting for autism research on May 13th and 14th, 2014. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 8:1034. [PMID: 25642178 PMCID: PMC4295436 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.01034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M Oberman
- Neuroplasticity and Autism Spectrum Disorder Program, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, E.P. Bradley Hospital and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University Providence, RI, USA
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University Burwood, VIC, Australia
| | - Manuel F Casanova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Louisville Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Neuromodulation Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA ; Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| | - James T McCracken
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA
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212
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TIMONEN-SOIVIO LAURA, VANHALA RAIJA, MALM HELI, LEIVONEN SUSANNA, JOKIRANTA ELINA, HINKKA-YLI-SALOMÄKI SUSANNA, GISSLER MIKA, BROWN ALANS, SOURANDER ANDRE. The association between congenital anomalies and autism spectrum disorders in a Finnish national birth cohort. Dev Med Child Neurol 2015; 57:75-80. [PMID: 25200584 PMCID: PMC4267988 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.12581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AIM The first aim of this study was to evaluate the association between different subgroups of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) (childhood autism, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder/pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified [PDD/PDD-NOS]) and congenital anomalies. Second, we assessed the association among intellectually disabled children with ASDs in the subgroups of childhood autism and PDD/PDD-NOS. METHOD Nationwide population-based register data for children with a diagnosis of ASD (n=4449; 3548 males, 901 females) were collected during years 1987-2000 from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register. Data on congenital anomalies were derived from the National Register of Congenital Malformations. Conditional logistic regression models were used as a statistical method. The association between ASD subgroups and congenital anomalies was stratified by the presence or absence of intellectual disability. RESULTS Congenital anomalies occurred more frequently in all subgroups of ASD than in comparison participants (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for major congenital anomalies 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-2.2, p<0.001). The association between congenital anomalies and childhood autism (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.6-3.6, p<0.001) and between congenital anomalies and PDD/PDD-NOS (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.4-5.7, p<0.001) among children with an intellectual disability was strong but remained significant also without intellectual disability (childhood autism: OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.3, p<0.001; PDD/PDD-NOS: OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.9-2.8, p<0.001). INTERPRETATION The results suggest a significant association between ASDs and congenital anomalies regardless of the ASD subgroup. The association between childhood autism and PDD/PDD-NOS and congenital anomalies is stronger among children with intellectual disability is stronger than among those without intellectual disability. These results may have relevance in examining early risk factors in autism during fetal neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- LAURA TIMONEN-SOIVIO
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University and Turku University Central Hospital, Turku
| | - RAIJA VANHALA
- Department of Child Neurology, Helsinki University and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki
| | - HELI MALM
- Teratology Information Service, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki
| | - SUSANNA LEIVONEN
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University and Turku University Central Hospital, Turku
| | - ELINA JOKIRANTA
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University and Turku University Central Hospital, Turku
| | | | - MIKA GISSLER
- National Institute of Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - ALAN S BROWN
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - ANDRE SOURANDER
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University and Turku University Central Hospital, Turku
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213
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Chmielewski WX, Beste C. Action control processes in autism spectrum disorder – Insights from a neurobiological and neuroanatomical perspective. Prog Neurobiol 2015; 124:49-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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214
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Hernandez LM, Rudie JD, Green SA, Bookheimer S, Dapretto M. Neural signatures of autism spectrum disorders: insights into brain network dynamics. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:171-89. [PMID: 25011468 PMCID: PMC4262896 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Revised: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging investigations of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have advanced our understanding of atypical brain function and structure, and have recently converged on a model of altered network-level connectivity. Traditional task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and volume-based structural MRI studies have identified widespread atypicalities in brain regions involved in social behavior and other core ASD-related behavioral deficits. More recent advances in MR-neuroimaging methods allow for quantification of brain connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging, functional connectivity, and graph theoretic methods. These newer techniques have moved the field toward a systems-level understanding of ASD etiology, integrating functional and structural measures across distal brain regions. Neuroimaging findings in ASD as a whole have been mixed and at times contradictory, likely due to the vast genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity characteristic of the disorder. Future longitudinal studies of brain development will be crucial to yield insights into mechanisms of disease etiology in ASD sub-populations. Advances in neuroimaging methods and large-scale collaborations will also allow for an integrated approach linking neuroimaging, genetics, and phenotypic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanna M Hernandez
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rudie
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shulamite A Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Susan Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Kim E, Wang Y, Kim SJ, Bornhorst M, Jecrois ES, Anthony TE, Wang C, Li YE, Guan JL, Murphy GG, Zhu Y. Transient inhibition of the ERK pathway prevents cerebellar developmental defects and improves long-term motor functions in murine models of neurofibromatosis type 1. eLife 2014; 3. [PMID: 25535838 PMCID: PMC4297949 DOI: 10.7554/elife.05151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) frequently exhibit cognitive and motor impairments and characteristics of autism. The cerebellum plays a critical role in motor control, cognition, and social interaction, suggesting that cerebellar defects likely contribute to NF1-associated neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that Nf1 inactivation during early, but not late stages of cerebellar development, disrupts neuronal lamination, which is partially caused by overproduction of glia and subsequent disruption of the Bergmann glia (BG) scaffold. Specific Nf1 inactivation in glutamatergic neuronal precursors causes premature differentiation of granule cell (GC) precursors and ectopic production of unipolar brush cells (UBCs), indirectly disrupting neuronal migration. Transient MEK inhibition during a neonatal window prevents cerebellar developmental defects and improves long-term motor performance of Nf1-deficient mice. This study reveals essential roles of Nf1 in GC/UBC migration by generating correct numbers of glia and controlling GC/UBC fate-specification/differentiation, identifying a therapeutic prevention strategy for multiple NF1-associcated developmental abnormalities. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05151.001 Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a condition characterized by the growth of tumors along the nerves of the body. It is caused by mutations in a gene called NF1, which codes for a protein that normally works to inhibit the activity of another protein called Ras. In healthy cells, Ras is needed to stimulate the cells to grow and divide. However, if the Ras protein is not turned off at the right time or if it is activated at the wrong time, it can force cells to keep growing and dividing; this leads to the growth of tumors. Along with being prone to developing cancer, individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 also develop a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that alter their learning, motor skills and social interactions. Some also exhibit behaviors that are associated with autism. This led Kim, Wang et al. to investigate whether a region of the brain—called the cerebellum—that has recently been associated with autism is also affected in a mouse model of neurofibromatosis type 1. The cerebellum is best known for its role in coordinating movement, although it also has functions in cognition, behavior and other processes. Ras is involved in the development of the cerebellum; and so Kim, Wang et al. asked whether the loss of the Nf1 gene from cells in the mouse cerebellum might cause the neurodevelopmental defects associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. Loss of Nf1 during early (but not in late) development of the cerebellum disrupted the normal organization of the nerve cells (or neurons) into specific cell layers. These defects were caused, in part, by the over-growth of a type of supporting cell—called glia cells—at a specific developmental stage—that would normally form a scaffold to help neurons migrate to their correct position. Nf1 also controls the generation of the correct types of neurons in the right time and at right location during the early development of the cerebellum. Next, Kim, Wang et al. treated newborn mice with a compound that inhibits Ras signaling via their mother's milk for 3 weeks. In mice with an inactive Nf1 gene, the treatment helped to prevent some defects in the cerebellum and the mice had improved motor coordination several months later. Whether this could form the basis of a preventative treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 in humans remains a question for future work. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05151.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Kim
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Yuan Wang
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Sun-Jung Kim
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Miriam Bornhorst
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Emmanuelle S Jecrois
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Todd E Anthony
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, United States
| | - Chenran Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States
| | - Yi E Li
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Jun-Lin Guan
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Geoffrey G Murphy
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
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Martínez-Sanchis S. Neurobiological foundations of multisensory integration in people with autism spectrum disorders: the role of the medial prefrontal cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:970. [PMID: 25538597 PMCID: PMC4255523 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This review aims to relate the sensory processing problems in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), especially multisensory integration (MSI), to the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) by exploring neuroanatomical findings; brain connectivity and Default Network (DN); global or locally directed attention; and temporal multisensory binding. The mPFC is part of the brain's DN, which is deactivated when attention is focused on a particular task and activated on rest when spontaneous cognition emerges. In those with ASD, it is hypoactive and the higher the social impairment the greater the atypical activity. With an immature DN, cross-modal integration is impaired, resulting in a collection of disconnected fragments instead of a coherent global perception. The deficit in MSI may lie in the temporal synchronization of neural networks. The time interval in which the stimulation of one sensory channel could influence another would be higher, preventing integration in the typical shorter time range. Thus, the underconnectivity between distant brain areas would be involved in top-down information processes (relying on global integration of data from different sources) and would enhance low level perception processes such as over focused attention to sensory details.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Martínez-Sanchis
- Department of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia Valencia, Spain
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217
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Casanova EL, Casanova MF. Genetics studies indicate that neural induction and early neuronal maturation are disturbed in autism. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:397. [PMID: 25477785 PMCID: PMC4237056 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Postmortem neuropathological studies of autism consistently reveal distinctive types of malformations, including cortical dysplasias, heterotopias, and various neuronomorphometric abnormalities. In keeping with these observations, we review here that 88% of high-risk genes for autism influence neural induction and early maturation of the neuroblast. In addition, 80% of these same genes influence later stages of differentiation, including neurite and synapse development, suggesting that these gene products exhibit long-lasting developmental effects on cell development as well as elements of redundancy in processes of neural proliferation, growth, and maturation. We also address the putative genetic overlap of autism with conditions like epilepsy and schizophrenia, with implications to shared and divergent etiologies. This review imports the necessity of a frameshift in our understanding of the neurodevelopmental basis of autism to include all stages of neuronal maturation, ranging from neural induction to synaptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Casanova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Louisville Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Manuel F Casanova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Louisville Louisville, KY, USA
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218
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Ameis SH, Catani M. Altered white matter connectivity as a neural substrate for social impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cortex 2014; 62:158-81. [PMID: 25433958 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptoms have been hypothesized to result from altered brain connectivity. The 'disconnectivity' hypothesis has been used to explain characteristic impairments in socio-emotional function, observed clinically in ASD. Here, we review the evidence for impaired white matter connectivity as a neural substrate for socio-emotional dysfunction in ASD. A review of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, and focused discussion of relevant post-mortem, structural, and functional neuroimaging studies, is provided. METHODS Studies were identified using a sensitive search strategy in MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO article databases using the OvidSP database interface. Search terms included database subject headings for the concepts of pervasive developmental disorders, and DTI. Seventy-two published DTI studies examining white matter microstructure in ASD were reviewed. A comprehensive discussion of DTI studies that examined white matter tracts linking socio-emotional structures is presented. RESULTS Several DTI studies reported microstructural differences indicative of developmental alterations in white matter organization, and potentially myelination, in ASD. Altered structure within long-range white matter tracts linking socio-emotional processing regions was implicated. While alterations of the uncinate fasciculus and frontal and temporal thalamic projections have been associated with social symptoms in ASD, few studies examined association of tract microstructure with core impairment in this disorder. CONCLUSIONS The uncinate fasciculus and frontal and temporal thalamic projections mediate limbic connectivity and integrate structures responsible for complex socio-emotional functioning. Impaired development of limbic connectivity may represent one neural substrate contributing to ASD social impairments. Future efforts to further elucidate the nature of atypical white matter development, and its relationship to core symptoms, may offer new insights into etiological mechanisms contributing to ASD impairments and uncover novel opportunities for targeted intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie H Ameis
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Child, Youth and Family Program, Research Imaging Centre, The Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Marco Catani
- NATBRAINLAB, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry PO50, King's College London, London, UK.
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Quattrocki E, Friston K. Autism, oxytocin and interoception. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 47:410-30. [PMID: 25277283 PMCID: PMC4726659 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by profound social and verbal communication deficits, stereotypical motor behaviors, restricted interests, and cognitive abnormalities. Autism affects approximately 1% of children in developing countries. Given this prevalence, identifying risk factors and therapeutic interventions are pressing objectives—objectives that rest on neurobiologically grounded and psychologically informed theories about the underlying pathophysiology. In this article, we review the evidence that autism could result from a dysfunctional oxytocin system early in life. As a mediator of successful procreation, not only in the reproductive system, but also in the brain, oxytocin plays a crucial role in sculpting socio-sexual behavior. Formulated within a (Bayesian) predictive coding framework, we propose that oxytocin encodes the saliency or precision of interoceptive signals and enables the neuronal plasticity necessary for acquiring a generative model of the emotional and social 'self.' An aberrant oxytocin system in infancy could therefore help explain the marked deficits in language and social communication—as well as the sensory, autonomic, motor, behavioral, and cognitive abnormalities—seen in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Quattrocki
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Karl Friston
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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220
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Biamonte F, Latini L, Giorgi FS, Zingariello M, Marino R, De Luca R, D'Ilio S, Majorani C, Petrucci F, Violante N, Senofonte O, Molinari M, Keller F. Associations among exposure to methylmercury, reduced Reelin expression, and gender in the cerebellum of developing mice. Neurotoxicology 2014; 45:67-80. [PMID: 25305366 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Genetic risk factors acting during pregnancy or early after birth have been proposed to account for the exponential increase of autism diagnoses in the past 20 years. In particular, a potential link with exposure to environmental mercury has been suggested. Male sex constitutes a second risk factor for autism. A third potential genetic risk factor is decreased Reelin expression. Male heterozygous reeler (rl(+/-)) mice show an autism-like phenotype, including Purkinje cells (PCs) loss and behavioral rigidity. We evaluated the complex interactions between 3 risk factors, i.e. genetic status, sex, and exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), in rl(+/-) mice. Mice were exposed to MeHg during the prenatal and early postnatal period, either at a subtoxic dose (2 ppm in Dams' drinking water), or at a toxic dose (6 ppm Dams' drinking water), based on observations in other rodent species and mice strains. We show that: (a) 2 ppm MeHg does not cause PCs loss in the different animal groups, and does not enhance PCs loss in rl(+/-) males; consistent with a lack of overt neurotoxicity, 2 ppm MeHg per se does not cause behavioral alterations (separation-induced ultrasonic calls in newborns, or sociability and social preference in adults); (b) in stark contrast, 6 ppm MeHg causes a dramatic reduction of PCs number in all groups, irrespective of genotype and sex. Cytochrome C release from mitochondria of PCs is enhanced in 6 ppm MeHg-exposed groups, with a concomitant increase of μ-calpain active subunit. At the behavioral level, 6 ppm MeHg exposure strongly increases ultrasonic vocalizations in all animal groups. Notably, 6 ppm MeHg significantly decreases sociability in rl(+/-) male mice, while the 2 ppm group does not show such as decrease. At a subtoxic dose, MeHg does not enhance the autism-like phenotype of male rl(+/-) mice. At the higher MeHg dose, the scenario is more complex, with some "autism-like" features (loss of sociability, preference for sameness) being evidently affected only in rl(+/-) males, while other neuropathological and behavioral parameters being altered in all groups, independently from genotype and sex. Mitochondrial abnormalities appear to play a crucial role in the observed effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Biamonte
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience and Neural Plasticity, University Campus Biomedico, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00198 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Latini
- Santa Lucia Foundation, I.R.C.C.S., Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Sean Giorgi
- Section of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Ramona Marino
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience and Neural Plasticity, University Campus Biomedico, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00198 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto De Luca
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience and Neural Plasticity, University Campus Biomedico, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00198 Rome, Italy
| | - Sonia D'Ilio
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Centro Nazionale Sostanze Chimiche, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy
| | - Costanza Majorani
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Ambiente e Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Petrucci
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Ambiente e Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Violante
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Ambiente e Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy
| | - Oreste Senofonte
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Ambiente e Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Molinari
- Santa Lucia Foundation, I.R.C.C.S., Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Flavio Keller
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience and Neural Plasticity, University Campus Biomedico, Via A. del Portillo 21, 00198 Rome, Italy.
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Zwaigenbaum L, Young GS, Stone WL, Dobkins K, Ozonoff S, Brian J, Bryson SE, Carver LJ, Hutman T, Iverson JM, Landa RJ, Messinger D. Early head growth in infants at risk of autism: a baby siblings research consortium study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2014; 53:1053-62. [PMID: 25245349 PMCID: PMC4173119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2014.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Revised: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although early brain overgrowth is frequently reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the relationship between ASD and head circumference (HC) is less clear, with inconsistent findings from longitudinal studies that include community controls. Our aim was to examine whether head growth in the first 3 years differed between children with ASD from a high-risk (HR) sample of infant siblings of children with ASD (by definition, multiplex), HR siblings not diagnosed with ASD, and low-risk (LR) controls. METHOD Participants included 442 HR and 253 LR infants from 12 sites of the international Baby Siblings Research Consortium. Longitudinal HC data were obtained prospectively, supplemented by growth records. Random effects nonlinear growth models were used to compare HC in HR infants and LR infants. Additional comparisons were conducted with the HR group stratified by diagnostic status at age 3: ASD (n = 77), developmental delay (DD; n = 32), and typical development (TD; n = 333). Nonlinear growth models were also developed for height to assess general overgrowth associated with ASD. RESULTS There was no overall difference in head circumference growth over the first 3 years between HR and LR infants, although secondary analyses suggested possible increased total growth in HR infants, reflected by the model asymptote. Analyses stratifying the HR group by 3-year outcomes did not detect differences in head growth or height between HR infants who developed ASD and those who did not, nor between infants with ASD and LR controls. CONCLUSION Head growth was uninformative as an ASD risk marker within this HR cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rebecca J Landa
- Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore
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222
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Wegiel J, Flory M, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Ma SY, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Cohen IL, London E, Wisniewski T, Brown WT. Stereological study of the neuronal number and volume of 38 brain subdivisions of subjects diagnosed with autism reveals significant alterations restricted to the striatum, amygdala and cerebellum. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2014; 2:141. [PMID: 25231243 PMCID: PMC4177256 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-014-0141-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A total of 38 brain cytoarchitectonic subdivisions, representing subcortical and cortical structures, cerebellum, and brainstem, were examined in 4- to 60-year-old subjects diagnosed with autism and control subjects (a) to detect a global pattern of developmental abnormalities and (b) to establish whether the function of developmentally modified structures matches the behavioral alterations that are diagnostic for autism. The volume of cytoarchitectonic subdivisions, neuronal numerical density, and total number of neurons per region of interest were determined in 14 subjects with autism and 14 age-matched controls by using unbiased stereological methods. Results The study revealed that significant differences between the group of subjects with autism and control groups are limited to a few brain regions, including the cerebellum and some striatum and amygdala subdivisions. In the group of individuals with autism, the total number and numerical density of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum were reduced by 25% and 24%, respectively. In the amygdala, significant reduction of neuronal density was limited to the lateral nucleus (by 12%). Another sign of the topographic selectivity of developmental alterations in the brain of individuals with autism was an increase in the volumes of the caudate nucleus and nucleus accumbens by 22% and 34%, respectively, and the reduced numerical density of neurons in the nucleus accumbens and putamen by 15% and 13%, respectively. Conclusions The observed pattern of developmental alterations in the cerebellum, amygdala and striatum is consistent with the results of magnetic resonance imaging studies and their clinical correlations, and of some morphometric studies that indicate that detected abnormalities may contribute to the social and communication deficits, and repetitive and stereotypical behaviors observed in individuals with autism.
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223
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Berbel P, Navarro D, Román GC. An evo-devo approach to thyroid hormones in cerebral and cerebellar cortical development: etiological implications for autism. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2014; 5:146. [PMID: 25250016 PMCID: PMC4158880 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The morphological alterations of cortical lamination observed in mouse models of developmental hypothyroidism prompted the recognition that these experimental changes resembled the brain lesions of children with autism; this led to recent studies showing that maternal thyroid hormone deficiency increases fourfold the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), offering for the first time the possibility of prevention of some forms of ASD. For ethical reasons, the role of thyroid hormones on brain development is currently studied using animal models, usually mice and rats. Although mammals have in common many basic developmental principles regulating brain development, as well as fundamental basic mechanisms that are controlled by similar metabolic pathway activated genes, there are also important differences. For instance, the rodent cerebral cortex is basically a primary cortex, whereas the primary sensory areas in humans account for a very small surface in the cerebral cortex when compared to the associative and frontal areas that are more extensive. Associative and frontal areas in humans are involved in many neurological disorders, including ASD, attention deficit-hyperactive disorder, and dyslexia, among others. Therefore, an evo-devo approach to neocortical evolution among species is fundamental to understand not only the role of thyroid hormones and environmental thyroid disruptors on evolution, development, and organization of the cerebral cortex in mammals but also their role in neurological diseases associated to thyroid dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pere Berbel
- Departamento de Histología y Anatomía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
| | - Daniela Navarro
- Departamento de Histología y Anatomía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
| | - Gustavo C. Román
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
- Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, USA
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224
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Jack A, Morris JP. Neocerebellar contributions to social perception in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2014; 10:77-92. [PMID: 25170555 PMCID: PMC6987881 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2014.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous work shows cerebellar Crus I supports imitation via interaction with pSTS. Teens with (ASD) and without (TD) autism completed an imitation task in the scanner. Teens with ASD recruited Crus I less strongly during imitation than TD teens. PPI strength between pSTS and Crus I predicted mentalizing in teens with ASD.
Posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is specialized for interpreting perceived human actions, and disruptions to its function occur in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we consider the role of Crus I of neocerebellum in supporting pSTS function. Research has associated Crus I activity with imitation and biological motion perception, and neocerebellum is theorized to coordinate activity among cerebral sites more generally. Moreover, cerebellar abnormalities have been associated with ASD. We hypothesized that disordered Crus I–pSTS interactions could predict social deficits in ASD. 15 high functioning adolescents with ASD and 15 same-age comparison youth participated in an fMRI imitation paradigm; ratings of mentalizing ability were collected via parent report. We predicted that stronger Crus I–pSTS interactions would be associated with better mentalizing ability. Consistent with these hypotheses, stronger psychophysiological interactions between Crus I and right pSTS were associated with greater mentalizing ability among adolescents with ASD. Whole-brain analyses also indicated that typically developing youth recruited right inferior frontal gyrus, left pSTS, medial occipital regions, and precuneus more strongly during imitation than did youth with ASD. Overall, these results indicate that variability in neocerebellar interactions with key cortical social brain sites may help explain individual differences in social perceptual outcomes in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Jack
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
| | - James P Morris
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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225
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Abstract
Cerebellar research has focused principally on adult motor function. However, the cerebellum also maintains abundant connections with nonmotor brain regions throughout postnatal life. Here we review evidence that the cerebellum may guide the maturation of remote nonmotor neural circuitry and influence cognitive development, with a focus on its relationship with autism. Specific cerebellar zones influence neocortical substrates for social interaction, and we propose that sensitive-period disruption of such internal brain communication can account for autism's key features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S-H Wang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Alexander D Kloth
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Aleksandra Badura
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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226
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Foti F, Mazzone L, Menghini D, De Peppo L, Federico F, Postorino V, Baumgartner E, Valeri G, Petrosini L, Vicari S. Learning by observation in children with autism spectrum disorder. Psychol Med 2014; 44:2437-2447. [PMID: 24433947 DOI: 10.1017/s003329171300322x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observing another person performing a complex action accelerates the observer's acquisition of the same action and limits the time-consuming process of learning by trial and error. Learning by observation requires specific skills such as attending, imitating and understanding contingencies. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in these skills. METHOD The performance of 20 ASD children was compared with that of a group of typically developing (TD) children matched for chronological age (CA), IQ and gender on tasks of learning of a visuomotor sequence by observation or by trial and error. Acquiring the correct sequence involved three phases: a detection phase (DP), in which participants discovered the correct sequence and learned how to perform the task; an exercise phase (EP), in which they reproduced the sequence until performance was error free; and an automatization phase (AP), in which by repeating the error-free sequence they became accurate and speedy. RESULTS In the DP, ASD children were impaired in detecting a sequence by trial and error only when the task was proposed as first, whereas they were as efficient as TD children in detecting a sequence by observation. In the EP, ASD children were as efficient as TD children. In the AP, ASD children were impaired in automatizing the sequence. Although the positive effect of learning by observation was evident, ASD children made a high number of imitative errors, indicating marked tendencies to hyperimitate. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate the imitative abilities of ASD children although the presence of imitative errors indicates an impairment in the control of imitative behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Foti
- Department of Psychology,Sapienza University of Rome,Italy
| | - L Mazzone
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience,Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital,Rome,Italy
| | - D Menghini
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience,Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital,Rome,Italy
| | - L De Peppo
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience,Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital,Rome,Italy
| | - F Federico
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology,Sapienza University of Rome,Italy
| | - V Postorino
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience,Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital,Rome,Italy
| | - E Baumgartner
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology,Sapienza University of Rome,Italy
| | - G Valeri
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience,Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital,Rome,Italy
| | - L Petrosini
- Department of Psychology,Sapienza University of Rome,Italy
| | - S Vicari
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience,Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital,Rome,Italy
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227
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Sosa-Díaz N, Bringas ME, Atzori M, Flores G. Prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and basolateral amygdala plasticity in a rat model of autism spectrum. Synapse 2014; 68:468-73. [PMID: 24985713 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal administration of valproic acid (VPA) (500 mg/kg) at embryonic day 12.5 on the anatomical properties of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and basolateral amygdala, at three different ages: immediately after weaning (postnatal day 21 [PD21]), prepubertal (PD35), and postpubertal (PD70) ages in a rat model of autistic spectrum disorder. Quantitative analysis of the thickness of the prefrontal cortex revealed a reduced size at all study ages in the cingulate 1 area of the prefrontal cortex and CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus in prenatally exposed animals compared to controls. At the level of the basolateral amygdala, a reduction in the size was observed at PD35 and PD70 in the VPA group. In addition, a reduced thickness was observed in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex in VPA animals at PD35. Interestingly, no differences in cortical thickness were observed between control and VPA animals in the infralimbic region of the prefrontal at any age. Our results suggest that prenatal exposure to VPA differentially alters cortical limbic regions anatomical parameters, with implication in the autistic spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuvia Sosa-Díaz
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México
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228
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Casanova MF. Autism as a sequence: from heterochronic germinal cell divisions to abnormalities of cell migration and cortical dysplasias. Med Hypotheses 2014; 83:32-8. [PMID: 24780284 PMCID: PMC4070182 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The considerable heterogeneity in the number and severity of symptoms observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been regarded as an obstacle to any future research. Some authors believe that clinical heterogeneity results from the complex interplay of the many genetic and environmental factors that themselves define a condition as multifactorial. However, it is important to note that neuropathological findings in both idiopathic and syndromic autism suggests a single pathophysiological mechanism acting during brain development: the heterochronic division of germinal cells and subsequent migrational abnormalities of daughter cells to their target fields. Multiple exogenous (e.g., viruses, drugs) and endogenous (e.g., genetic mutations) factors are known to disrupt the division of germinal cells and provide for an autism phenotype. The variety of endogenous and exogenous factors, their timing of action during brain development, and the genetic susceptibility of affected individuals (a Triple Hit hypothesis) may all account for the clinical heterogeneity of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel F Casanova
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Louisville, 500 South Preston Street, Building A, Room 217, Louisville, KY 40202, United States.
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229
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Chen YW, Lin HC, Ng MC, Hsiao YH, Wang CC, Gean PW, Chen PS. Activation of mGluR2/3 underlies the effects of N-acetylcystein on amygdala-associated autism-like phenotypes in a valproate-induced rat model of autism. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:219. [PMID: 24987341 PMCID: PMC4060031 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism-like phenotypes in male valproate (VPA)-exposed offspring have been linked to high glutamatergic neurotransmission in the thalamic-amygdala pathway. Glial cystine/glutamate exchange (system Xc−), which exchanges extracellular cystine for intracellular glutamate, plays a significant role in the maintenance of extracellular glutamate. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a cystine prodrug that restores extracellular glutamate by stimulating system Xc−. In this study, we examined the effects of NAC on autism-like phenotypes and neurotransmission in the thalamic–amygdala synapses, as well as the involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptors 2/3 (mGluR2/3). Valproate-treated rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of 500 mg/kg NaVPA on E12.5. On postnatal day 21 (P21), NAC or saline was administered once daily for 10 days. From day 8 to 10, NAC was given 1/2 h prior to behavioral testing. Chronic administration of NAC restored the duration and frequency of social interaction and ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors in VPA-exposed offspring. In amygdala slices, NAC treatment normalized the increased frequency of mEPSCs and decreased the paired pulse facilitation (PPF) induced by VPA exposure. The effects of NAC on social interaction and anxiety-like behavior in the VPA-exposed offspring were blocked after intra-amygdala infusion of mGluR2/3 antagonist LY341495. The expressions of mGluR2/3 protein and mGluR2 mRNA were significantly lower in the VPA-exposed offspring. In contrast, the mGluR3 mRNA level did not differ between the saline- and VPA-exposed offspring. These results provide the first evidence that the disruption of social interaction and enhanced presynaptic excitatory transmission in VPA-exposed offspring could be rescued by NAC, which depends on the activation of mGluR2/3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ching Lin
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University Taipei, Taiwan ; Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chong Ng
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Hsin Hsiao
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Chuan Wang
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wu Gean
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Po See Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan ; Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
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230
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Segovia F, Holt R, Spencer M, Górriz JM, Ramírez J, Puntonet CG, Phillips C, Chura L, Baron-Cohen S, Suckling J. Identifying endophenotypes of autism: a multivariate approach. Front Comput Neurosci 2014; 8:60. [PMID: 24936183 PMCID: PMC4047979 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2014.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The existence of an endophenotype of autism spectrum condition (ASC) has been recently suggested by several commentators. It can be estimated by finding differences between controls and people with ASC that are also present when comparing controls and the unaffected siblings of ASC individuals. In this work, we used a multivariate methodology applied on magnetic resonance images to look for such differences. The proposed procedure consists of combining a searchlight approach and a support vector machine classifier to identify the differences between three groups of participants in pairwise comparisons: controls, people with ASC and their unaffected siblings. Then we compared those differences selecting spatially collocated as candidate endophenotypes of ASC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fermín Segovia
- Cyclotron Research Centre, University of LiègeLiège, Belgium
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Rosemary Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Michael Spencer
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Juan M. Górriz
- Department of Signal Theory, Networking and Communications, University of GranadaGranada, Spain
| | - Javier Ramírez
- Department of Signal Theory, Networking and Communications, University of GranadaGranada, Spain
| | - Carlos G. Puntonet
- Department of Computer Architecture and Technology, University of GranadaGranada, Spain
| | | | - Lindsay Chura
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - John Suckling
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
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231
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Stoodley CJ. Distinct regions of the cerebellum show gray matter decreases in autism, ADHD, and developmental dyslexia. Front Syst Neurosci 2014; 8:92. [PMID: 24904314 PMCID: PMC4033133 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2014.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in cerebellar structure have been identified in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental dyslexia. However, it is not clear if different cerebellar regions are involved in each disorder, and thus whether cerebellar anatomical differences reflect a generic developmental vulnerability or disorder-specific characteristics. To clarify this, we conducted an anatomic likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis on voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies which compared ASD (17 studies), ADHD (10 studies), and dyslexic (10 studies) participants with age-matched typically-developing (TD) controls. A second ALE analysis included studies in which the cerebellum was a region of interest (ROI). There were no regions of significantly increased gray matter (GM) in the cerebellum in ASD, ADHD, or dyslexia. Data from ASD studies revealed reduced GM in the inferior cerebellar vermis (lobule IX), left lobule VIIIB, and right Crus I. In ADHD, significantly decreased GM was found bilaterally in lobule IX, whereas participants with developmental dyslexia showed GM decreases in left lobule VI. There was no overlap between the cerebellar clusters identified in each disorder. We evaluated the functional significance of the regions revealed in both whole-brain and cerebellar ROI ALE analyses using Buckner and colleagues' 7-network functional connectivity map available in the SUIT cerebellar atlas. The cerebellar regions identified in ASD showed functional connectivity with frontoparietal, default mode, somatomotor, and limbic networks; in ADHD, the clusters were part of dorsal and ventral attention networks; and in dyslexia, the clusters involved ventral attention, frontoparietal, and default mode networks. The results suggest that different cerebellar regions are affected in ASD, ADHD, and dyslexia, and these cerebellar regions participate in functional networks that are consistent with the characteristic symptoms of each disorder.
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232
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Yang CJ, Tan HP, Du YJ. The developmental disruptions of serotonin signaling may involved in autism during early brain development. Neuroscience 2014; 267:1-10. [PMID: 24583042 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a developmental disorder defined by the presence of a triad of communication, social and stereo typical behavioral characteristics with onset before 3years of age. In spite of the fact that there are potential environmental factors for autistic behavior, the dysfunction of serotonin during early development of the brain could be playing a role in this prevalence rise. Serotonin can modulate a number of developmental events, including cell division, neuronal migration, cell differentiation and synaptogenesis. Hyperserotonemia during fetal development results in the loss of serotonin terminals through negative feedback. The increased serotonin causes a decrease of oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and an increase in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the central nucleus of the amygdale, which are associated with social interactions and vital in autism. However, hyposerotonemia may be also relevant to the development of sensory as well as motor and cognitive faculties. And the paucity of placenta-derived serotonin should have potential importance when the pathogenesis of autism is considered. This review briefly summarized the developmental disruptions of serotonin signaling involved in the pathogenesis of autism during early development of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- C-J Yang
- School of Preschool & Special Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - H-P Tan
- School of Preschool & Special Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Y-J Du
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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233
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Verrotti A, Scaparrotta A, Cofini M, Chiarelli F, Tiboni GM. Developmental neurotoxicity and anticonvulsant drugs: a possible link. Reprod Toxicol 2014; 48:72-80. [PMID: 24803404 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2014.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 04/05/2014] [Accepted: 04/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
In utero exposure to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may affect neurodevelopment causing postnatal cognitive and behavioral alterations. Phenytoin and phenobarbital may lead to motor and learning dysfunctions in the pre-exposed children. These disorders may reflect the interference of these AEDs with the development of hippocampal and cerebellar neurons, as suggested by animal studies. Exposure to valproic acid may result in inhibition of neural stem cell proliferation and/or immature neuron migration in the cerebral cortex with consequent increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment, such as autistic spectrum disorders. A central issue in the prevention of AED-mediated developmental effects is the identification of drugs that should be avoided in women of child-bearing potential and during pregnancy. The aim of this review is to explore the possible link between AEDs and neurodevelopmental dysfunctions both in human and in animal studies. The possible mechanisms underlying this association are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Verrotti
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Perugia, Italy
| | - A Scaparrotta
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - M Cofini
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Perugia, Italy
| | - F Chiarelli
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - G M Tiboni
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
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234
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Blackmon K, Kuzniecky R, Barr WB, Snuderl M, Doyle W, Devinsky O, Thesen T. Cortical Gray-White Matter Blurring and Cognitive Morbidity in Focal Cortical Dysplasia. Cereb Cortex 2014; 25:2854-62. [PMID: 24770710 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhu080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a malformation of cortical development that is associated with high rates of cognitive morbidity. However, the degree to which specific irregularities of dysplastic tissue directly impact cognition remains unknown. This study investigates the relationship between blurring of the cortical gray and white matter boundary on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and global cognitive abilities in FCD. Gray-white blurring (GWB) is quantified by sampling the non-normalized T1 image intensity contrast above and below the gray and white matter interface along the cortical mantle. Spherical averaging is used to compare resulting GWB for patients with histopathologically verified FCD with matched controls. Whole-brain correlational analyses are used to investigate the relationship between blurring and general cognitive abilities, controlling for epilepsy duration. Results show that cognitive performance is reduced in patients with FCD relative to controls. Patients show increased GWB in bilateral temporal, parietal, and frontal regions. Furthermore, increased GWB in these regions is linearly related to decreased cognition and mediates group differences in cognitive performance. These findings demonstrate that GWB is a marker of reduced cognitive efficiency in FCD that can potentially be used to probe general and domain-specific cognitive functions in other neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Blackmon
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
| | - Ruben Kuzniecky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
| | - William B Barr
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
| | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
| | - Werner Doyle
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
| | - Thomas Thesen
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA
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235
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Altered microstructural connectivity of the superior cerebellar peduncle is related to motor dysfunction in children with autistic spectrum disorders. THE CEREBELLUM 2014; 12:645-56. [PMID: 23564050 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-013-0475-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have reported motor impairments in autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the brain mechanism underlying motor impairment in ASD remains unclear. Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that underconnectivity between the cerebellum and other brain regions contributes to the features of ASD. In this study, we investigated the microstructural integrity of the cerebellar pathways, including the superior, middle, and inferior cerebellar peduncles, of children with and without ASD by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to determine whether the microstructural integrity of the cerebellar pathways is related to motor function in children with ASD. Thirteen children with ASD and 11 age-, gender-, handedness-, and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) controls were enrolled in this study. DTI outcome measurements, such as fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), for the cerebellar pathways were calculated. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (M-ABC 2) was used for assessing motor functions. There were no significant differences between the two groups in RD. However, compared to the TD subjects, patients with ASD had a significantly lower FA in the right superior cerebellar peduncle and lower AD in the left superior cerebellar peduncle, in addition to a significantly lower score in ball skills and the total test score of M-ABC 2. There was a significant positive correlation between the total test score of M-ABC 2 and FA in the right superior cerebellar peduncle in the ASD group. These findings suggest that the altered microstructural integrity of the superior cerebellar peduncle may be related to motor impairment in ASD.
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236
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Stoner R, Chow ML, Boyle MP, Sunkin SM, Mouton PR, Roy S, Wynshaw-Boris A, Colamarino SA, Lein ES, Courchesne E. Patches of disorganization in the neocortex of children with autism. N Engl J Med 2014; 370:1209-1219. [PMID: 24670167 PMCID: PMC4499461 DOI: 10.1056/nejmoa1307491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 479] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism involves early brain overgrowth and dysfunction, which is most strongly evident in the prefrontal cortex. As assessed on pathological analysis, an excess of neurons in the prefrontal cortex among children with autism signals a disturbance in prenatal development and may be concomitant with abnormal cell type and laminar development. METHODS To systematically examine neocortical architecture during the early years after the onset of autism, we used RNA in situ hybridization with a panel of layer- and cell-type-specific molecular markers to phenotype cortical microstructure. We assayed markers for neurons and glia, along with genes that have been implicated in the risk of autism, in prefrontal, temporal, and occipital neocortical tissue from postmortem samples obtained from children with autism and unaffected children between the ages of 2 and 15 years. RESULTS We observed focal patches of abnormal laminar cytoarchitecture and cortical disorganization of neurons, but not glia, in prefrontal and temporal cortical tissue from 10 of 11 children with autism and from 1 of 11 unaffected children. We observed heterogeneity between cases with respect to cell types that were most abnormal in the patches and the layers that were most affected by the pathological features. No cortical layer was uniformly spared, with the clearest signs of abnormal expression in layers 4 and 5. Three-dimensional reconstruction of layer markers confirmed the focal geometry and size of patches. CONCLUSIONS In this small, explorative study, we found focal disruption of cortical laminar architecture in the cortexes of a majority of young children with autism. Our data support a probable dysregulation of layer formation and layer-specific neuronal differentiation at prenatal developmental stages. (Funded by the Simons Foundation and others.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rich Stoner
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Maggie L Chow
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Maureen P Boyle
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Susan M Sunkin
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Peter R Mouton
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Subhojit Roy
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Anthony Wynshaw-Boris
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Sophia A Colamarino
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Ed S Lein
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
| | - Eric Courchesne
- University of California, San Diego, Autism Center of Excellence (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., E.C.), and the Departments of Neuroscience (R.S., M.L.C., M.P.B., S.R., E.C.) and Pathology (S.R.), University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle (M.P.B., S.M.S., E.S.L.); the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida School of Medicine and Alzheimer's Institute and Research Center, Tampa (P.R.M.); the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland (A.W.-B.); and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA (S.A.C.)
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Schneider A, Ligsay A, Hagerman RJ. Fragile X syndrome: an aging perspective. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 18:68-74. [PMID: 23949830 DOI: 10.1002/ddrr.1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2011] [Revised: 04/24/2012] [Accepted: 06/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive and behavioral correlates of molecular variations related to the FMR1 gene have been studied rather extensively, but research about the long-term outcome in individuals with fragile X spectrum disorders remains sparse. In this review, we present an overview of aging research and recent findings in regard to cellular and clinical manifestations of aging in fragile X syndrome, and the FMR1 premutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Schneider
- MIND Institute, University of California at Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA.
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238
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Reorganization of circuits underlying cerebellar modulation of prefrontal cortical dopamine in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder. THE CEREBELLUM 2014; 12:547-56. [PMID: 23436049 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-013-0462-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Imaging, clinical, and pre-clinical studies have provided ample evidence for a cerebellar involvement in cognitive brain function including cognitive brain disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. We previously reported that cerebellar activity modulates dopamine release in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) via two distinct pathways: (1) cerebellum to mPFC via dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and (2) cerebellum to mPFC via glutamatergic projections from the mediodorsal and ventrolateral thalamus (ThN md and vl). The present study compared functional adaptations of cerebello-cortical circuitry following developmental cerebellar pathology in a mouse model of developmental loss of Purkinje cells (Lurcher) and a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (Fmr1 KO mice). Fixed potential amperometry was used to measure mPFC dopamine release in response to cerebellar electrical stimulation. Mutant mice of both strains showed an attenuation in cerebellar-evoked mPFC dopamine release compared to respective wildtype mice. This was accompanied by a functional reorganization of the VTA and thalamic pathways mediating cerebellar modulation of mPFC dopamine release. Inactivation of the VTA pathway by intra-VTA lidocaine or kynurenate infusions decreased dopamine release by 50 % in wildtype and 20-30 % in mutant mice of both strains. Intra-ThN vl infusions of either drug decreased dopamine release by 15 % in wildtype and 40 % in mutant mice of both strains, while dopamine release remained relatively unchanged following intra-ThN md drug infusions. These results indicate a shift in strength towards the thalamic vl projection, away from the VTA. Thus, cerebellar neuropathologies associated with autism spectrum disorders may cause a reduction in cerebellar modulation of mPFC dopamine release that is related to a reorganization of the mediating neuronal pathways.
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239
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Wang Z, Hong Y, Zou L, Zhong R, Zhu B, Shen N, Chen W, Lou J, Ke J, Zhang T, Wang W, Miao X. Reelin gene variants and risk of autism spectrum disorders: an integrated meta-analysis. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2014; 165B:192-200. [PMID: 24453138 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 12/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe neurological disorder with a high degree of heritability. Reelin gene (RELN), which plays a crucial role in the migration and positioning of neurons during brain development, has been strongly posed as a candidate gene for ASD. Genetic variants in RELN have been investigated as risk factors of ASD in numerous epidemiologic studies but with inconclusive results. To clearly discern the effects of RELN variants on ASD, the authors conducted a meta-analysis integrating case-control and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) studies published through 2001 to 2013. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were used to estimate the associations between three RELN variants (rs736707, rs362691, and GGC repeat variant) and ASD. In overall meta-analysis, the summary ORs for rs736707, rs362691, and GGC repeat variant were 1.11 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80-1.54], 0.69 (95% CI: 0.56-0.86), and 1.09 (95% CI: 0.97-1.23), respectively. Besides, positive result was also obtained in subgroup of broadly-defined ASD for rs362691 (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.52-0.86). Our meta-analysis revealed that the RELN rs362691, rather than rs736707 or GGC repeat variant, might contribute significantly to ASD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenling Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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240
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Cocks G, Curran S, Gami P, Uwanogho D, Jeffries AR, Kathuria A, Lucchesi W, Wood V, Dixon R, Ogilvie C, Steckler T, Price J. The utility of patient specific induced pluripotent stem cells for the modelling of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1079-88. [PMID: 23839283 PMCID: PMC3932164 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3196-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Until now, models of psychiatric diseases have typically been animal models. Whether they were to be used to further understand the pathophysiology of the disorder, or as drug discovery tools, animal models have been the choice of preference in mimicking psychiatric disorders in an experimental setting. While there have been cellular models, they have generally been lacking in validity. This situation is changing with the advent of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In this article, we give a methodological evaluation of the current state of the iPS technology with reference to our own work in generating patient-specific iPSCs for the study of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). In addition, we will give a broader perspective on the validity of this technology and to what extent it can be expected to complement animal models of ASD in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Cocks
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Sarah Curran
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department and MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
| | - Priya Gami
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Dafe Uwanogho
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Aaron R. Jeffries
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Annie Kathuria
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Walter Lucchesi
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Victoria Wood
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Rosemary Dixon
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
| | - Caroline Ogilvie
- Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Centre for Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis and Genetics Centre, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Thomas Steckler
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Jack Price
- Department of Neuroscience, The James Black Centre, King’s College London, 125 Coldharbour lane, London, UK
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241
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Maximo JO, Cadena EJ, Kana RK. The implications of brain connectivity in the neuropsychology of autism. Neuropsychol Rev 2014; 24:16-31. [PMID: 24496901 PMCID: PMC4059500 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-014-9250-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been associated with atypical brain functioning. Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) studies examining neural networks in autism have seen an exponential rise over the last decade. Such investigations have led to the characterization of autism as a distributed neural systems disorder. Studies have found widespread cortical underconnectivity, local overconnectivity, and mixed results suggesting disrupted brain connectivity as a potential neural signature of autism. In this review, we summarize the findings of previous fcMRI studies in autism with a detailed examination of their methodology, in order to better understand its potential and to delineate the pitfalls. We also address how a multimodal neuroimaging approach (incorporating different measures of brain connectivity) may help characterize the complex neurobiology of autism at a global level. Finally, we also address the potential of neuroimaging-based markers in assisting neuropsychological assessment of autism. The quest for a neural marker for autism is still ongoing, yet new findings suggest that aberrant brain connectivity may be a promising candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose O. Maximo
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Elyse J. Cadena
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Rajesh K. Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
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242
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Petrinovic MM, Künnecke B. Neuroimaging endophenotypes in animal models of autism spectrum disorders: lost or found in translation? Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1167-89. [PMID: 23852013 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3200-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Autism spectrum disorder(s) (ASDs) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by stereotyped behaviours and impairments in communication and social interactions. This heterogeneity has been a major obstacle in uncovering the aetiology and biomarkers of ASDs. Rodent models with genetic modifications or environmental insults have been created to study particular endophenotypes and bridge the gap between genetics and behavioural phenotypes. Translational neuroimaging modalities with their ability to screen the brain noninvasively and yield structural, biochemical and functional information provide a unique platform for discovery and evaluation of such endophenotypes in preclinical and clinical research. OBJECTIVES We reviewed literature on translational neuroimaging in rodent models of ASDs. The most prominent models will be described and the respective neuroimaging endophenotypes will be discussed with reference to human data. A perspective on future directions of translational neuroimaging in animal models of ASDs will be given. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS To date, we experience a proliferation of rodent models which recapitulate specific liabilities identified in ASDs patients. Translational neuroimaging in these models is emerging but is skewed towards magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities. Volumetric and structural assessments of the brain are dominating and a host of endophenotypes have been reported that allude to findings in ASDs patients but with only few to converge among the models. Caveats of current studies are the diverging biological conditions related to genetic background and age of the animals. It is anticipated that longitudinal and functional assessments will gain much importance and will help elucidating mechanistic relationship between behavioural and structural endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija M Petrinovic
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, pRED, Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Neuroscience, Building 68, Room 327A, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
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243
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Devine DP. Self-injurious behaviour in autistic children: a neuro-developmental theory of social and environmental isolation. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:979-97. [PMID: 24057764 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3279-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Self-injurious behaviour is not one of the three core symptoms that define autism. However, children on the autism spectrum appear to be particularly vulnerable. Afflicted children typically slap their faces, punch or bang their heads, and bite or pinch themselves. These behaviours can be extremely destructive, and they interfere with normal social and educational activities. However, the neurobiological mechanisms that confer vulnerability in children with autism have not been adequately described. OBJECTIVES This review explores behavioural and neurobiological characteristics of children with autism that may be relevant for an increased understanding of their vulnerability for self-injurious behaviour. METHODS Behavioural characteristics that are co-morbid for self-injurious behaviour in children with autism are examined. In addition, the contributions of social and environmental deprivation in self-injurious institutionalized orphans, isolated rhesus macaques, and additional animal models are reviewed. RESULTS There is extensive evidence that social and environmental deprivation promotes self-injurious behaviour in both humans (including children with autism) and animal models. Moreover, there are multiple lines of convergent neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and neurochemical data that draw parallels between self-injurious children with autism and environmentally deprived humans and animals. CONCLUSIONS A hypothesis is presented that describes how the core symptoms of autism make these children particularly vulnerable for self-injurious behaviour. Relevant neurodevelopmental pathology is described in cortical, limbic, and basal ganglia brain regions, and additional research is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darragh P Devine
- Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 112250, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA,
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244
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Jeong JW, Tiwari VN, Behen ME, Chugani HT, Chugani DC. In vivo detection of reduced Purkinje cell fibers with diffusion MRI tractography in children with autistic spectrum disorders. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:110. [PMID: 24592234 PMCID: PMC3938156 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Postmortem neuropathology studies report reduced number and size of Purkinje cells (PC) in a majority of cerebellar specimens from persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We used diffusion weighted MRI tractography to investigate whether structural changes associated with reduced number and size of PC, could be detected in vivo by measuring streamlines connecting the posterior-lateral region of the cerebellar cortex to the dentate nucleus using an independent component analysis with a ball and stick model. Seed regions were identified in the cerebellar cortex, and streamlines were identified to two sorting regions, the dorsal dentate nucleus (DDN) and the ventral dentate nucleus (VDN), and probability of connection and measures of directional coherence for these streamlines were calculated. Tractography was performed in 14 typically developing children (TD) and 15 children with diagnoses of ASD. Decreased numbers of streamlines were found in the children with ASD in the pathway connecting cerebellar cortex to the right VDN (p-value = 0.015). Reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) values were observed in pathways connecting the cerebellar cortex to the right DDN (p-value = 0.008), the right VDN (p-value = 0.010) and left VDN (p-value = 0.020) in children with ASD compared to the TD group. In an analysis of single subjects, reduced FA in the pathway connecting cerebellar cortex to the right VDN was found in 73% of the children in the ASD group using a threshold of 3 standard errors of the TD group. The detection of diffusion changes in cerebellum may provide an in vivo biomarker of Purkinje cell pathology in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Won Jeong
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Wayne State University Detroit, MI, USA ; Translational Imaging Laboratory, PET center, Children's Hospital of Michigan Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Vijay N Tiwari
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Wayne State University Detroit, MI, USA ; Translational Imaging Laboratory, PET center, Children's Hospital of Michigan Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Michael E Behen
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Wayne State University Detroit, MI, USA ; Translational Imaging Laboratory, PET center, Children's Hospital of Michigan Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Harry T Chugani
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Wayne State University Detroit, MI, USA ; Translational Imaging Laboratory, PET center, Children's Hospital of Michigan Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Diane C Chugani
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Wayne State University Detroit, MI, USA ; Translational Imaging Laboratory, PET center, Children's Hospital of Michigan Detroit, MI, USA
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245
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Skefos J, Cummings C, Enzer K, Holiday J, Weed K, Levy E, Yuce T, Kemper T, Bauman M. Regional alterations in purkinje cell density in patients with autism. PLoS One 2014; 9:e81255. [PMID: 24586223 PMCID: PMC3933333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathological studies, using a variety of techniques, have reported a decrease in Purkinje cell (PC) density in the cerebellum in autism. We have used a systematic sampling technique that significantly reduces experimenter bias and variance to estimate PC densities in the postmortem brains of eight clinically well-documented individuals with autism, and eight age- and gender-matched controls. Four cerebellar regions were analyzed: a sensorimotor area comprised of hemispheric lobules IV-VI, crus I & II of the posterior lobe, and lobule X of the flocculonodular lobe. Overall PC density was thus estimated using data from all three cerebellar lobes and was found to be lower in the cases with autism as compared to controls, an effect that was most prominent in crus I and II (p<0.05). Lobule X demonstrated a trend towards lower PC density in only the males with autism (p = 0.05). Brain weight, a correlate of tissue volume, was found to significantly contribute to the lower lobule X PC density observed in males with autism, but not to the finding of lower PC density in crus I & II. Therefore, lower crus I & II PC density in autism is more likely due to a lower number of PCs. The PC density in lobule X was found to correlate with the ADI-R measure of the patient's use of social eye contact (R² = -0.75, p = 0.012). These findings support the hypothesis that abnormal PC density may contribute to selected clinical features of the autism phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Skefos
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Christopher Cummings
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Katelyn Enzer
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jarrod Holiday
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Katrina Weed
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ezra Levy
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tarik Yuce
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Thomas Kemper
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Margaret Bauman
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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246
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A direct molecular link between the autism candidate gene RORa and the schizophrenia candidate MIR137. Sci Rep 2014; 4:3994. [PMID: 24500708 PMCID: PMC3915307 DOI: 10.1038/srep03994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor alpha gene (RORa) and the microRNA MIR137 have both recently been identified as novel candidate genes for neuropsychiatric disorders. RORa encodes a ligand-dependent orphan nuclear receptor that acts as a transcriptional regulator and miR-137 is a brain enriched small non-coding RNA that interacts with gene transcripts to control protein levels. Given the mounting evidence for RORa in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and MIR137 in schizophrenia and ASD, we investigated if there was a functional biological relationship between these two genes. Herein, we demonstrate that miR-137 targets the 3'UTR of RORa in a site specific manner. We also provide further support for MIR137 as an autism candidate by showing that a large number of previously implicated autism genes are also putatively targeted by miR-137. This work supports the role of MIR137 as an ASD candidate and demonstrates a direct biological link between these previously unrelated autism candidate genes.
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247
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Verly M, Verhoeven J, Zink I, Mantini D, Peeters R, Deprez S, Emsell L, Boets B, Noens I, Steyaert J, Lagae L, De Cock P, Rommel N, Sunaert S. Altered functional connectivity of the language network in ASD: role of classical language areas and cerebellum. Neuroimage Clin 2014; 4:374-82. [PMID: 24567909 PMCID: PMC3930113 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2013] [Revised: 11/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The development of language, social interaction and communicative skills is remarkably different in the child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Atypical brain connectivity has frequently been reported in this patient population. However, the neural correlates underlying their disrupted language development and functioning are still poorly understood. Using resting state fMRI, we investigated the functional connectivity properties of the language network in a group of ASD patients with clear comorbid language impairment (ASD-LI; N = 19) and compared them to the language related connectivity properties of 23 age-matched typically developing children. A verb generation task was used to determine language components commonly active in both groups. Eight joint language components were identified and subsequently used as seeds in a resting state analysis. Interestingly, both the interregional and the seed-based whole brain connectivity analysis showed preserved connectivity between the classical intrahemispheric language centers, Wernicke's and Broca's areas. In contrast however, a marked loss of functional connectivity was found between the right cerebellar region and the supratentorial regulatory language areas. Also, the connectivity between the interhemispheric Broca regions and modulatory control dorsolateral prefrontal region was found to be decreased. This disruption of normal modulatory control and automation function by the cerebellum may underlie the abnormal language function in children with ASD-LI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein Verly
- Department of Neurosciences, Exp ORL, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Judith Verhoeven
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAURES) Consortium, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Inge Zink
- Department of Neurosciences, Exp ORL, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK
- Department of Heath Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ronald Peeters
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sabine Deprez
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Louise Emsell
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Leuven Autism Research (LAURES) Consortium, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Noens
- Leuven Autism Research (LAURES) Consortium, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAURES) Consortium, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Genetics, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lieven Lagae
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul De Cock
- Leuven Autism Research (LAURES) Consortium, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Developmental Disabilities, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Rommel
- Department of Neurosciences, Exp ORL, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAURES) Consortium, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Edmonson C, Ziats MN, Rennert OM. Altered glial marker expression in autistic post-mortem prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. Mol Autism 2014; 5:3. [PMID: 24410870 PMCID: PMC3914711 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The cellular mechanism(s) underlying autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are not completely understood, but ASDs are thought to ultimately result from disrupted synaptogenesis. However, studies have also shown that glial cell numbers and function are abnormal in post-mortem brain tissue from autistic patients. Direct assessment of glial cells in post-mortem human brain tissue is technically challenging, limiting glial research in human ASD studies. Therefore, we attempted to determine if glial cell-type specific markers may be altered in autistic brain tissue in a manner that is consistent with known cellular findings, such that they could serve as a proxy for glial cell numbers and/or activation patterns. Methods We assessed the relative expression of five glial-specific markers and two neuron-specific markers via qRT-PCR. We studied tissue samples from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and cerebellum of nine post-mortem autistic brain samples and nine neurologically-normal controls. Relative fold-change in gene expression was determined using the ΔΔCt method normalized to housekeeping gene β-actin, with a two-tailed Student’s t-test P <0.05 between groups considered as significant. Results Both astrocyte- and microglial-specific markers were significantly more highly expressed in autistic PFC as compared to matched controls, while in the cerebellum only astrocyte markers were elevated in autistic samples. In contrast, neuron-specific markers showed significantly lower expression in both the PFC and cerebellum of autistic patients as compared to controls. Conclusions These results are in line with previous findings showing increased glial cell numbers and up-regulation of glial cell gene expression in autistic post-mortem brain tissue, particularly in the PFC, as well as decreased number of neurons in both the PFC and cerebellum of autistic patients. The concordance of these results with cell-level studies in post-mortem autistic brain tissue suggests that expression of glial cell-type specific markers may serve as a useful alternative to traditional cellular characterization methods, especially when appropriately-preserved post-mortem tissue is lacking. Additionally, these results demonstrate abnormal glial-specific gene expression in autistic brains, supporting previous studies that have observed altered glial cell numbers or activation patterns in ASDs. Future work should directly assess the correlation between cell-type specific marker levels and cell number and activation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Edmonson
- Laboratory of Clinical and Developmental Genomics, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 49 Convent Drive, Building 49, Room 2C078, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.,University of Florida College of Medicine, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Mark N Ziats
- Laboratory of Clinical and Developmental Genomics, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 49 Convent Drive, Building 49, Room 2C078, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.,University of Cambridge, Robinson College, Grange Rd, Cambridgeshire CB3 9AN, UK.,Baylor College of Medicine MSTP, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Owen M Rennert
- Laboratory of Clinical and Developmental Genomics, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 49 Convent Drive, Building 49, Room 2C078, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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Class QA, Abel KM, Khashan AS, Rickert ME, Dalman C, Larsson H, Hultman CM, Långström N, Lichtenstein P, D’Onofrio BM. Offspring psychopathology following preconception, prenatal and postnatal maternal bereavement stress. Psychol Med 2014; 44:71-84. [PMID: 23591021 PMCID: PMC3766407 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291713000780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preconception, prenatal and postnatal maternal stress is associated with increased offspring psychopathology, but findings are inconsistent and need replication. We estimated associations between maternal bereavement stress and offspring autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, suicide attempt and completed suicide. METHOD Using Swedish registers, we conducted the largest population-based study to date examining associations between stress exposure in 738,144 offspring born 1992-2000 for childhood outcomes and 2,155,221 offspring born 1973-1997 for adult outcomes with follow-up to 2009. Maternal stress was defined as death of a first-degree relative during (a) the 6 months before conception, (b) pregnancy or (c) the first two postnatal years. Cox proportional survival analyses were used to obtain hazard ratios (HRs) in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. RESULTS Marginal increased risk of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia following preconception bereavement stress was not significant. Third-trimester prenatal stress increased the risk of ASD [adjusted HR (aHR) 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.17] and ADHD (aHR 1.31, 95% CI 1.04-1.66). First postnatal year stress increased the risk of offspring suicide attempt (aHR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.25) and completed suicide (aHR 1.51, 95% CI 1.08-2.11). Bereavement stress during the second postnatal year increased the risk of ASD (aHR 1.30, 95% CI 1.09-1.55). CONCLUSIONS Further research is needed regarding associations between preconception stress and psychopathological outcomes. Prenatal bereavement stress increases the risk of offspring ASD and ADHD. Postnatal bereavement stress moderately increases the risk of offspring suicide attempt, completed suicide and ASD. Smaller previous studies may have overestimated associations between early stress and psychopathological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quetzal A. Class
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Bloomington, IN, US
| | - Kathryn M. Abel
- Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ali S. Khashan
- Anu Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Martin E. Rickert
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Bloomington, IN, US
| | - Christina Dalman
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Public Health Epidemiology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christina M. Hultman
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas Långström
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brian M. D’Onofrio
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Bloomington, IN, US
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Giovedí S, Corradi A, Fassio A, Benfenati F. Involvement of synaptic genes in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders: the case of synapsins. Front Pediatr 2014; 2:94. [PMID: 25237665 PMCID: PMC4154395 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2014.00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Many synaptic protein genes are linked to the pathogenesis of ASDs, making them prototypical synaptopathies. An array of mutations in the synapsin (Syn) genes in humans has been recently associated with ASD and epilepsy, diseases that display a frequent comorbidity. Syns are pre-synaptic proteins regulating synaptic vesicle traffic, neurotransmitter release, and short-term synaptic plasticity. In doing so, Syn isoforms control the tone of activity of neural circuits and the balance between excitation and inhibition. As ASD pathogenesis is believed to result from dysfunctions in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory transmissions in neocortical areas, Syns are novel ASD candidate genes. Accordingly, deletion of single Syn genes in mice, in addition to epilepsy, causes core symptoms of ASD by affecting social behavior, social communication, and repetitive behaviors. Thus, Syn knockout mice represent a good experimental model to define synaptic alterations involved in the pathogenesis of ASD and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Giovedí
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova , Genova , Italy
| | - Anna Corradi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova , Genova , Italy
| | - Anna Fassio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova , Genova , Italy ; Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Genova , Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova , Genova , Italy ; Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Genova , Italy
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