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Grecucci A, Rubicondo D, Siugzdaite R, Surian L, Job R. Uncovering the Social Deficits in the Autistic Brain. A Source-Based Morphometric Study. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:388. [PMID: 27630538 PMCID: PMC5005369 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that mainly affects social interaction and communication. Evidence from behavioral and functional MRI studies supports the hypothesis that dysfunctional mechanisms involving social brain structures play a major role in autistic symptomatology. However, the investigation of anatomical abnormalities in the brain of people with autism has led to inconsistent results. We investigated whether specific brain regions, known to display functional abnormalities in autism, may exhibit mutual and peculiar patterns of covariance in their gray-matter concentrations. We analyzed structural MRI images of 32 young men affected by autistic disorder (AD) and 50 healthy controls. Controls were matched for sex, age, handedness. IQ scores were also monitored to avoid confounding. A multivariate Source-Based Morphometry (SBM) was applied for the first time on AD and controls to detect maximally independent networks of gray matter. Group comparison revealed a gray-matter source that showed differences in AD compared to controls. This network includes broad temporal regions involved in social cognition and high-level visual processing, but also motor and executive areas of the frontal lobe. Notably, we found that gray matter differences, as reflected by SBM, significantly correlated with social and behavioral deficits displayed by AD individuals and encoded via the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores. These findings provide support for current hypotheses about the neural basis of atypical social and mental states information processing in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Danilo Rubicondo
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of TrentoTrento, Italy; Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of TrentoTrento, Italy
| | - Roma Siugzdaite
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychological and Pedagogical Sciences, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luca Surian
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Remo Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento Trento, Italy
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252
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Benítez-Burraco A, Lattanzi W, Murphy E. Language Impairments in ASD Resulting from a Failed Domestication of the Human Brain. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:373. [PMID: 27621700 PMCID: PMC5002430 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders entailing social and cognitive deficits, including marked problems with language. Numerous genes have been associated with ASD, but it is unclear how language deficits arise from gene mutation or dysregulation. It is also unclear why ASD shows such high prevalence within human populations. Interestingly, the emergence of a modern faculty of language has been hypothesized to be linked to changes in the human brain/skull, but also to the process of self-domestication of the human species. It is our intention to show that people with ASD exhibit less marked domesticated traits at the morphological, physiological, and behavioral levels. We also discuss many ASD candidates represented among the genes known to be involved in the “domestication syndrome” (the constellation of traits exhibited by domesticated mammals, which seemingly results from the hypofunction of the neural crest) and among the set of genes involved in language function closely connected to them. Moreover, many of these genes show altered expression profiles in the brain of autists. In addition, some candidates for domestication and language-readiness show the same expression profile in people with ASD and chimps in different brain areas involved in language processing. Similarities regarding the brain oscillatory behavior of these areas can be expected too. We conclude that ASD may represent an abnormal ontogenetic itinerary for the human faculty of language resulting in part from changes in genes important for the “domestication syndrome” and, ultimately, from the normal functioning of the neural crest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wanda Lattanzi
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome, Italy
| | - Elliot Murphy
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London London, UK
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253
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Sperdin HF, Schaer M. Aberrant Development of Speech Processing in Young Children with Autism: New Insights from Neuroimaging Biomarkers. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:393. [PMID: 27610073 PMCID: PMC4997090 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
From the time of birth, a newborn is continuously exposed and naturally attracted to human voices, and as he grows, he becomes increasingly responsive to these speech stimuli, which are strong drivers for his language development and knowledge acquisition about the world. In contrast, young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often insensitive to human voices, failing to orient and respond to them. Failure to attend to speech in turn results in altered development of language and social-communication skills. Here, we review the critical role of orienting to speech in ASD, as well as the neural substrates of human voice processing. Recent functional neuroimaging and electroencephalography studies demonstrate that aberrant voice processing could be a promising marker to identify ASD very early on. With the advent of refined brain imaging methods, coupled with the possibility of screening infants and toddlers, predictive brain function biomarkers are actively being examined and are starting to emerge. Their timely identification might not only help to differentiate between phenotypes, but also guide the clinicians in setting up appropriate therapies, and better predicting or quantifying long-term outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger F. Sperdin
- Office Médico-Pédagogique, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of MedicineGeneva, Switzerland
| | - Marie Schaer
- Office Médico-Pédagogique, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of MedicineGeneva, Switzerland
- Stanford Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Stanford University School of MedicinePalo Alto, CA, USA
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254
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Yang X, Si T, Gong Q, Qiu L, Jia Z, Zhou M, Zhao Y, Hu X, Wu M, Zhu H. Brain gray matter alterations and associated demographic profiles in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2016; 50:741-53. [PMID: 26769980 DOI: 10.1177/0004867415623858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that children with autism spectrum disorder are accompanied by specific anatomical alterations. However, the anatomical abnormalities in adults with autism spectrum disorder are poorly understood. This study was aimed to identify the neuroanatomical substrates underlying the pathophysiology of adults with autism spectrum disorder. We also investigated the relationship between neuroanatomical alterations and clinical and demographic characteristics. METHODS A total of 13 datasets were enrolled, of which 12 studies compared whole-brain differences of 382 adult patients with autism and 393 healthy control subjects. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively estimate regional gray matter volume abnormalities in individuals with autism using the effect-size signed differential mapping. RESULTS The voxel-wise meta-analysis revealed that relative to controls, adults with autism spectrum disorder had significantly increased gray matter volume in the middle temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus and parahippocampal gyrus, and reduced gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex and cerebellum. Variations in gray matter volume were significantly associated with the mean age and mean total IQ score of the patients, as well as with the percentage of male patients with autism. CONCLUSION These findings confirmed that the neuroanatomical alterations in the fronto-temporal cortices, limbic system and cerebellum in adult individuals with autism were different from the children and young adolescent's autism. The effects of demographic characteristics on the brain morphological changes allow us to further clarify the neurobiological mechanisms and developmental trajectory in adult population with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Yang
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianjing Si
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Department of Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lihua Qiu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Department of Radiology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, China
| | - Zhiyun Jia
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mi Zhou
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China
| | - Youjin Zhao
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Wu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyan Zhu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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255
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Brief Report: Early VEPs to Pattern-Reversal in Adolescents and Adults with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:3377-86. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2880-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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256
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Murphy CM, Wilson CE, Robertson DM, Ecker C, Daly EM, Hammond N, Galanopoulos A, Dud I, Murphy DG, McAlonan GM. Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis, management, and health services development. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2016; 12:1669-86. [PMID: 27462160 PMCID: PMC4940003 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s65455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by pervasive difficulties since early childhood across reciprocal social communication and restricted, repetitive interests and behaviors. Although early ASD research focused primarily on children, there is increasing recognition that ASD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder. However, although health and education services for children with ASD are relatively well established, service provision for adults with ASD is in its infancy. There is a lack of health services research for adults with ASD, including identification of comorbid health difficulties, rigorous treatment trials (pharmacological and psychological), development of new pharmacotherapies, investigation of transition and aging across the lifespan, and consideration of sex differences and the views of people with ASD. This article reviews available evidence regarding the etiology, legislation, diagnosis, management, and service provision for adults with ASD and considers what is needed to support adults with ASD as they age. We conclude that health services research for adults with ASD is urgently warranted. In particular, research is required to better understand the needs of adults with ASD, including health, aging, service development, transition, treatment options across the lifespan, sex, and the views of people with ASD. Additionally, the outcomes of recent international legislative efforts to raise awareness of ASD and service provision for adults with ASD are to be determined. Future research is required to identify high-quality, evidence-based, and cost-effective models of care. Furthermore, future health services research is also required at the beginning and end of adulthood, including improved transition from youth to adult health care and increased understanding of aging and health in older adults with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clodagh M Murphy
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - C Ellie Wilson
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
- Individual Differences, Language and Cognition Lab, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Seville, Spain
| | - Dene M Robertson
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Christine Ecker
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eileen M Daly
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Neil Hammond
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Anastasios Galanopoulos
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Iulia Dud
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Declan G Murphy
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Grainne M McAlonan
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group, Behavioural Genetics Clinic, National Adult Autism Service, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
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257
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Libero LE, Nordahl CW, Li DD, Ferrer E, Rogers SJ, Amaral DG. Persistence of megalencephaly in a subgroup of young boys with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2016; 9:1169-1182. [PMID: 27273931 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A recurring finding in autism spectrum disorder research is that head and brain growth is disproportionate to body growth in early childhood. Nordahl et al. (2011) demonstrated that this occurs in approximately 15% of boys with autism. While the literature suggests that brain growth normalizes at older ages, this has never been evaluated in a longitudinal study. The current study evaluated head circumference and total cerebral volume in 129 male children with autism and 49 age-matched, typically developing controls. We determined whether 3-year-old boys with brain size disproportionate to height (which we call disproportionate megalencephaly) demonstrated an abnormal trajectory of head growth from birth and whether they maintained an enlarged brain at 5 years of age. Findings were based on longitudinal, structural MRI data collected around 3, 4, and 5 years of age and head circumference data from medical records. At 3 years of age, 19 boys with autism had enlarged brains while 110 had brain sizes in the normal range. Boys with disproportionate megalencephaly had greater total cerebral, gray matter, and white matter volumes from 3-5 years compared to boys with autism and normal sized brains and typically developing boys, but no differences in body size. While head circumference did not differ between groups at birth, it was significantly greater in the disproportionate megalencephaly group by around 2 years. These data suggest that there is a subgroup of boys with autism who have brains disproportionate to body size and that this continues until at least 5 years of age. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1169-1182. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Libero
- UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Christine W Nordahl
- UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Deana D Li
- UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Emilio Ferrer
- UC Davis Department of Psychology, Davis, California
| | - Sally J Rogers
- UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - David G Amaral
- UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
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258
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Eilam-Stock T, Wu T, Spagna A, Egan LJ, Fan J. Neuroanatomical Alterations in High-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:237. [PMID: 27313505 PMCID: PMC4889574 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental condition, affecting cognition and behavior throughout the life span. With recent advances in neuroimaging techniques and analytical approaches, a considerable effort has been directed toward identifying the neuroanatomical underpinnings of ASD. While gray-matter abnormalities have been found throughout cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions of affected individuals, there is currently little consistency across findings, partly due to small sample-sizes and great heterogeneity among participants in previous studies. Here, we report voxel-based morphometry of structural magnetic resonance images in a relatively large sample of high-functioning adults with ASD (n = 66) and matched typically-developing controls (n = 66) drawn from multiple studies. We found decreased gray-matter volume in posterior brain regions, including the posterior hippocampus and cuneus, as well as increased gray-matter volume in frontal brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, superior and inferior frontal gyri, and middle temporal gyrus in individuals with ASD. We discuss our results in relation to findings obtained in previous studies, as well as their potential clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tehila Eilam-Stock
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New YorkFlushing, NY, USA; The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew York, NY, USA
| | - Tingting Wu
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York Flushing, NY, USA
| | - Alfredo Spagna
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New YorkFlushing, NY, USA
| | - Laura J Egan
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New YorkFlushing, NY, USA
| | - Jin Fan
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New YorkFlushing, NY, USA; The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York, NY, USA
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259
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Dougherty CC, Evans DW, Katuwal GJ, Michael AM. Asymmetry of fusiform structure in autism spectrum disorder: trajectory and association with symptom severity. Mol Autism 2016; 7:28. [PMID: 27226895 PMCID: PMC4879740 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-016-0089-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background While asymmetry in the fusiform gyrus (FFG) has been reported in functional and structural studies in typically developing controls (TDC), few studies have examined FFG asymmetry in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) subjects and those studies are limited by small sample sizes, and confounded by cognitive ability or handedness. No previous work has examined FFG surface area or cortical thickness asymmetry in ASD; nor do we understand the trajectory of FFG asymmetry over time. Finally, it is not known how FFG structural asymmetry relates to ASD symptom severity. Methods In this study, we examined FFG volume, surface area, and cortical thickness asymmetry, as well as their cross-sectional trajectories in a large sample of right-handed males aged 7 to 25 years with 128 ASD and 127 TDC subjects using general linear models. In addition, we examined the relationship between FFG asymmetry and ASD severity using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Gotham autism severity scores. Results Findings revealed that while group differences were evident with mean leftward asymmetry in ASD and mean near symmetry in TDC volume and surface area, asymmetry for both groups existed on a spectrum encompassing leftward and rightward asymmetry. In ASD subjects, volume asymmetry was negatively associated with ADOS and autism severity score symptom measures, with a subset of rightward asymmetric patients being most severely affected. We also observed differential trajectory of surface area asymmetry: ASD subjects exhibited a change from leftward asymmetry toward symmetry from age 7 to 25, whereas TDCs exhibited the reverse trend with a change from near symmetry toward leftward symmetry over the observed age range. Conclusions Abnormalities in FFG structural asymmetry are related to symptom severity in ASD and show differential developmental trajectory compared to TDC. This study is the first to note these findings. These results may have important implications for understanding the role of FFG asymmetry in ASD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13229-016-0089-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase C Dougherty
- Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, 120 Hamm Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837 USA
| | - David W Evans
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Bucknell University, 701 Moore Avenue, Lewisburg, PA 17837 USA
| | - Gajendra J Katuwal
- Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, 120 Hamm Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837 USA ; Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - Andrew M Michael
- Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, 120 Hamm Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837 USA ; Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623 USA ; Institute for Advanced Application, Geisinger Health System, 100 N Academy Ave, Danville, PA 17822 USA
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260
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Corpus callosum area and brain volume in autism spectrum disorder: quantitative analysis of structural MRI from the ABIDE database. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 45:3107-14. [PMID: 26043845 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2468-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Reduced corpus callosum area and increased brain volume are two commonly reported findings in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We investigated these two correlates in ASD and healthy controls using T1-weighted MRI scans from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE). Automated methods were used to segment the corpus callosum and intracranial region. No difference in the corpus callosum area was found between ASD participants and healthy controls (ASD 598.53 ± 109 mm(2); control 596.82 ± 102 mm(2); p = 0.76). The ASD participants had increased intracranial volume (ASD 1,508,596 ± 170,505 mm(3); control 1,482,732 ± 150,873.5 mm(3); p = 0.042). No evidence was found for overall ASD differences in the corpus callosum subregions.
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261
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Hagmann CE, Wyble B, Shea N, LeBlanc M, Kates WR, Russo N. Children with Autism Detect Targets at Very Rapid Presentation Rates with Similar Accuracy as Adults. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:1762-72. [PMID: 26801777 PMCID: PMC4826818 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2705-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Enhanced perception may allow for visual search superiority by individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but does it occur over time? We tested high-functioning children with ASD, typically developing (TD) children, and TD adults in two tasks at three presentation rates (50, 83.3, and 116.7 ms/item) using rapid serial visual presentation. In the Color task, participants detected a purple target letter amongst black letter distractors. In the Category task, participants detected a letter amongst number distractors. Slower rates resulted in higher accuracy. Children with ASD were more accurate than TD children and similar to adults at the fastest rate when detecting color-marked targets, indicating atypical neurodevelopment in ASD may cause generalized perceptual enhancement relative to typically developing peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Erick Hagmann
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Bradley Wyble
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Nicole Shea
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Megan LeBlanc
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Wendy R Kates
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Natalie Russo
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
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262
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Muotri AR. The Human Model: Changing Focus on Autism Research. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:642-9. [PMID: 25861701 PMCID: PMC4573784 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The lack of live human brain cells for research has slowed progress toward understanding the mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorders. A human model using reprogrammed patient somatic cells offers an attractive alternative, as it captures a patient's genome in relevant cell types. Despite the current limitations, the disease-in-a-dish approach allows for progressive time course analyses of target cells, offering a unique opportunity to investigate the cellular and molecular alterations before symptomatic onset. Understanding the current drawbacks of this model is essential for the correct data interpretation and extrapolation of conclusions applicable to the human brain. Innovative strategies for collecting biological material and clinical information from large patient cohorts are important for increasing the statistical power that will allow for the extraction of information from the noise resulting from the variability introduced by reprogramming and differentiation methods. Working with large patient cohorts is also important for understanding how brain cells derived from diverse human genetic backgrounds respond to specific drugs, creating the possibility of personalized medicine for autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alysson Renato Muotri
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California..
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263
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Bohland JW. Toward a Multimodal, Multiscale Understanding of White Matter Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:e47-8. [PMID: 26997119 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Bohland
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
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264
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The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) Conceptual Model to Promote Mental Health for Adolescents with ASD. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2016; 19:94-116. [DOI: 10.1007/s10567-016-0203-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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265
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Jumah F, Ghannam M, Jaber M, Adeeb N, Tubbs RS. Neuroanatomical variation in autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive review. Clin Anat 2016; 29:454-65. [PMID: 27004599 DOI: 10.1002/ca.22717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in socialization, communication, and behavior. Many investigators have described the anatomical abnormalities in autistic brains, in an attempt to correlate them with the manifestations of ASD. Herein, we reviewed all the available literature about the neuroanatomical findings in ASD available via "PubMed" and "Google Scholar." References found in review articles were also searched manually. There was substantial discrepancy throughout the literature regarding the reported presence and significance of neuroanatomical findings in ASD, and this is thoroughly discussed in the present review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fareed Jumah
- Department of Neuroscience, an-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine
| | - Malik Ghannam
- Department of Neuroscience, an-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine
| | - Mohammad Jaber
- Department of Neuroscience, an-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine
| | - Nimer Adeeb
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - R Shane Tubbs
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada.,Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington
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266
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Smith E, Thurm A, Greenstein D, Farmer C, Swedo S, Giedd J, Raznahan A. Cortical thickness change in autism during early childhood. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 37:2616-29. [PMID: 27061356 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at high spatial resolution can detect potential foci of early brain dysmaturation in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In addition, comparison between MRI and behavior measures over time can identify patterns of brain change accompanying specific outcomes. We report structural MRI data from two time points for a total of 84 scans in children with ASD and 30 scans in typical controls (mean age time one = 4.1 years, mean age at time two = 6.6 years). Surface-based cortical morphometry and linear mixed effects models were used to link changes in cortical anatomy to both diagnostic status and individual differences in changes in language and autism severity. Compared with controls, children with ASD showed accelerated gray matter volume gain with age, which was driven by a lack of typical age-related cortical thickness (CT) decrease within 10 cortical regions involved in language, social cognition, and behavioral control. Greater expressive communication gains with age in children with ASD were associated with greater CT gains in a set of right hemisphere homologues to dominant language cortices, potentially identifying a compensatory system for closer translational study. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2616-2629, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Smith
- Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Audrey Thurm
- Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Deanna Greenstein
- Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Cristan Farmer
- Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Susan Swedo
- Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jay Giedd
- Department of Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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267
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Hemispheric Coherence in ASD with and without Comorbid ADHD and Anxiety. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:4267842. [PMID: 27127785 PMCID: PMC4834397 DOI: 10.1155/2016/4267842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that altered brain connectivity may be a defining feature of disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), anxiety, and ADHD. This study investigated whether resting state functional connectivity, measured by 128-channel EEG oscillation coherence, differs between developmental disorders. Analyses were conducted separately on groups with and without comorbid conditions. Analyses revealed increased coherence across central electrodes over the primary motor cortex and decreased coherence in the frontal lobe networks in those with ASD compared to neurotypical controls. There was increased coherence in occipital lobe networks in the ADHD group compared to other groups. Symptoms of generalised anxiety were positively correlated with both frontal-occipital intrahemispheric (alpha only) coherence and occipital interhemispheric coherence (alpha, approaching theta band). The patterns of coherence in the ASD pure group were different when comorbid conditions were included in the analyses, suggesting that aberrant coherence in the frontal and central areas of the brain is specifically associated with ASD. Our findings support the idea that comorbid conditions are additive, rather than being symptoms of the same disorder.
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268
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Abstract
Epilepsy and autistic spectrum disorder frequently coexist in the same individual. Electroencephalogram (EEG) epileptiform activity is also present at a substantially higher rate in children with autism than normally developing children. As with epilepsy, there are a multitude of genetic and environmental factors that can result in autistic spectrum disorder. There is growing consensus from both animal and clinical studies that autism is a disorder of aberrant connectivity. As measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and EEG, the brain in autistic spectrum disorder may be under- or overconnected or have a mixture of over- and underconnectivity. In the case of comorbid epilepsy and autism, an imbalance of the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) ratio in selected regions of the brain may drive overconnectivity. Understanding the mechanism by which altered connectivity in individuals with comorbid epilepsy and autistic spectrum disorder results in the behaviors specific to the autistic spectrum disorder remains a challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory L Holmes
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont 05405
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269
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Kaushik G, Zarbalis KS. Prenatal Neurogenesis in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Chem 2016; 4:12. [PMID: 27014681 PMCID: PMC4791366 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2016.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An ever-increasing body of literature describes compelling evidence that a subset of young children on the autism spectrum show abnormal cerebral growth trajectories. In these cases, normal cerebral size at birth is followed by a period of abnormal growth and starting in late childhood often by regression compared to unaffected controls. Recent work has demonstrated an abnormal increase in the number of neurons of the prefrontal cortex suggesting that cerebral size increase in autism is driven by excess neuronal production. In addition, some affected children display patches of abnormal laminar positioning of cortical projection neurons. As both cortical projection neuron numbers and their correct layering within the developing cortex requires the undisturbed proliferation of neural progenitors, it appears that neural progenitors lie in the center of the autism pathology associated with early brain overgrowth. Consequently, autism spectrum disorders associated with cerebral enlargement should be viewed as birth defects of an early embryonic origin with profound implications for their early diagnosis, preventive strategies, and therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Kaushik
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California at DavisSacramento, CA, USA; Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenSacramento, CA, USA
| | - Konstantinos S Zarbalis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California at DavisSacramento, CA, USA; Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenSacramento, CA, USA
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270
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Guastella AJ, Hickie IB. Oxytocin Treatment, Circuitry, and Autism: A Critical Review of the Literature Placing Oxytocin Into the Autism Context. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:234-42. [PMID: 26257243 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Observed impairment in reciprocal social interaction is a diagnostic hallmark of autism spectrum disorders. There is no effective medical treatment for these problems. Psychological treatments remain costly, time intensive, and developmentally sensitive for efficacy. In this review, we explore the potential of oxytocin-based therapies for social impairments in autism. Evidence shows that acute oxytocin administration improves numerous markers critical to the social circuitry underlying social deficits in autism. Oxytocin may optimize these circuits and enhance reward, motivation, and learning to improve therapeutic outcomes. Despite this, the current evidence of therapeutic benefit from extended oxytocin treatment remains very limited. We highlight complexity in crossing from the laboratory to the autism clinical setting in evaluation of this therapeutic. We discuss a clinical trial approach that provides optimal opportunity for therapeutic response by using personalized methods that better target specific circuitry to define who will obtain benefit, at what stage of development, and the optimal delivery approach for circuitry manipulation. For the autism field, the therapeutic challenges will be resolved by a range of treatment strategies, including greater focus on specific interventions, such as oxytocin, that have a strong basis in the fundamental neurobiology of social behavior. More sophisticated and targeted clinical trials utilizing such approaches are now required, placing oxytocin into the autism context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Guastella
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain & Mind Research Institute, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Ian B Hickie
- Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain & Mind Research Institute, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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271
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Yang DYJ, Beam D, Pelphrey KA, Abdullahi S, Jou RJ. Cortical morphological markers in children with autism: a structural magnetic resonance imaging study of thickness, area, volume, and gyrification. Mol Autism 2016; 7:11. [PMID: 26816612 PMCID: PMC4727390 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-016-0076-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been characterized by altered cerebral cortical structures; however, the field has yet to identify consistent markers and prior studies have included mostly adolescents and adults. While there are multiple cortical morphological measures, including cortical thickness, surface area, cortical volume, and cortical gyrification, few single studies have examined all these measures. The current study analyzed all of the four measures and focused on pre-adolescent children with ASD. Methods We employed the FreeSurfer pipeline to examine surface-based morphometry in 60 high-functioning boys with ASD (mean age = 8.35 years, range = 4–12 years) and 41 gender-, age-, and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) peers (mean age = 8.83 years), while testing for age-by-diagnosis interaction and between-group differences. Results During childhood and in specific regions, ASD participants exhibited a lack of normative age-related cortical thinning and volumetric reduction and an abnormal age-related increase in gyrification. Regarding surface area, ASD and TD exhibited statistically comparable age-related development during childhood. Across childhood, ASD relative to TD participants tended to have higher mean levels of gyrification in specific regions. Within ASD, those with higher Social Responsiveness Scale total raw scores tended to have greater age-related increase in gyrification in specific regions during childhood. Conclusions ASD is characterized by cortical neuroanatomical abnormalities that are age-, measure-, statistical model-, and region-dependent. The current study is the first to examine the development of all four cortical measures in one of the largest pre-adolescent samples. Strikingly, Neurosynth-based quantitative reverse inference of the surviving clusters suggests that many of the regions identified above are related to social perception, language, self-referential, and action observation networks—those frequently found to be functionally altered in individuals with ASD. The comprehensive, multilevel analyses across a wide range of cortical measures help fill a knowledge gap and present a complex but rich picture of neuroanatomical developmental differences in children with ASD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13229-016-0076-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Y-J Yang
- Center for Translational Developmental Neuroscience, Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Danielle Beam
- Center for Translational Developmental Neuroscience, Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- Center for Translational Developmental Neuroscience, Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Sebiha Abdullahi
- Center for Translational Developmental Neuroscience, Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Roger J Jou
- Center for Translational Developmental Neuroscience, Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
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272
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Young AMH, Chakrabarti B, Roberts D, Lai MC, Suckling J, Baron-Cohen S. From molecules to neural morphology: understanding neuroinflammation in autism spectrum condition. Mol Autism 2016; 7:9. [PMID: 26793298 PMCID: PMC4719563 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-016-0068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence points toward a critical role for early (prenatal) atypical neurodevelopmental processes in the aetiology of autism spectrum condition (ASC). One such process that could impact early neural development is inflammation. We review the evidence for atypical expression of molecular markers in the amniotic fluid, serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and the brain parenchyma that suggest a role for inflammation in the emergence of ASC. This is complemented with a number of neuroimaging and neuropathological studies describing microglial activation. Implications for treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M H Young
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, UK ; School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrookes Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bhismadev Chakrabarti
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, UK ; Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - David Roberts
- School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrookes Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, UK ; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada ; Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - John Suckling
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, UK ; CLASS Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
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273
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Monogenic mouse models of autism spectrum disorders: Common mechanisms and missing links. Neuroscience 2015; 321:3-23. [PMID: 26733386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) present unique challenges in the fields of genetics and neurobiology because of the clinical and molecular heterogeneity underlying these disorders. Genetic mutations found in ASD patients provide opportunities to dissect the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying autistic behaviors using animal models. Ongoing studies of genetically modified models have offered critical insight into possible common mechanisms arising from different mutations, but links between molecular abnormalities and behavioral phenotypes remain elusive. The challenges encountered in modeling autism in mice demand a new analytic paradigm that integrates behavioral assessment with circuit-level analysis in genetically modified models with strong construct validity.
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274
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Ha S, Sohn IJ, Kim N, Sim HJ, Cheon KA. Characteristics of Brains in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Structure, Function and Connectivity across the Lifespan. Exp Neurobiol 2015; 24:273-84. [PMID: 26713076 PMCID: PMC4688328 DOI: 10.5607/en.2015.24.4.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Over the past decade, neuroimaging studies have provided considerable insights underlying neurobiological mechanisms of ASD. In this review, we introduce recent findings from brain imaging studies to characterize the brains of ASD across the human lifespan. Results of structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies dealing with total brain volume, regional brain structure and cortical area are summarized. Using task-based functional MRI (fMRI), many studies have shown dysfunctional activation in critical areas of social communication and RRBs. We also describe several data to show abnormal connectivity in the ASD brains. Finally, we suggest the possible strategies to study ASD brains in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungji Ha
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - In-Jung Sohn
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea. ; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Namwook Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea. ; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Hyeon Jeong Sim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Keun-Ah Cheon
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea. ; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
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275
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Inoue E, Watanabe Y, Xing J, Kushima I, Egawa J, Okuda S, Hoya S, Okada T, Uno Y, Ishizuka K, Sugimoto A, Igeta H, Nunokawa A, Sugiyama T, Ozaki N, Someya T. Resequencing and Association Analysis of CLN8 with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Japanese Population. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144624. [PMID: 26657971 PMCID: PMC4682829 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare variations contribute substantially to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) liability. We recently performed whole-exome sequencing in two families with affected siblings and then carried out a follow-up study and identified ceroid-lipofuscinosis neuronal 8 (epilepsy, progressive with mental retardation) (CLN8) as a potential genetic risk factor for ASD. To further investigate the role of CLN8 in the genetic etiology of ASD, we performed resequencing and association analysis of CLN8 with ASD in a Japanese population. Resequencing the CLN8 coding region in 256 ASD patients identified five rare missense variations: g.1719291G>A (R24H), rs201670636 (F39L), rs116605307 (R97H), rs143701028 (T108M) and rs138581191 (N152S). These variations were genotyped in 568 patients (including the resequenced 256 patients) and 1017 controls. However, no significant association between these variations and ASD was identified. This study does not support a contribution of rare missense CLN8 variations to ASD susceptibility in the Japanese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiko Inoue
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Watanabe
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Jingrui Xing
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Itaru Kushima
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Jun Egawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Shujiro Okuda
- Division of Bioinformatics, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hoya
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Takashi Okada
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yota Uno
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kanako Ishizuka
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Atsunori Sugimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Igeta
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ayako Nunokawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.,Oojima Hospital, Sanjo, Niigata, Japan
| | - Toshiro Sugiyama
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Someya
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
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276
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Pramparo T, Lombardo MV, Campbell K, Barnes CC, Marinero S, Solso S, Young J, Mayo M, Dale A, Ahrens-Barbeau C, Murray SS, Lopez L, Lewis N, Pierce K, Courchesne E. Cell cycle networks link gene expression dysregulation, mutation, and brain maldevelopment in autistic toddlers. Mol Syst Biol 2015; 11:841. [PMID: 26668231 PMCID: PMC4704485 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20156108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic mechanisms underlying abnormal early neural development in toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remain uncertain due to the impossibility of direct brain gene expression measurement during critical periods of early development. Recent findings from a multi‐tissue study demonstrated high expression of many of the same gene networks between blood and brain tissues, in particular with cell cycle functions. We explored relationships between blood gene expression and total brain volume (TBV) in 142 ASD and control male toddlers. In control toddlers, TBV variation significantly correlated with cell cycle and protein folding gene networks, potentially impacting neuron number and synapse development. In ASD toddlers, their correlations with brain size were lost as a result of considerable changes in network organization, while cell adhesion gene networks significantly correlated with TBV variation. Cell cycle networks detected in blood are highly preserved in the human brain and are upregulated during prenatal states of development. Overall, alterations were more pronounced in bigger brains. We identified 23 candidate genes for brain maldevelopment linked to 32 genes frequently mutated in ASD. The integrated network includes genes that are dysregulated in leukocyte and/or postmortem brain tissue of ASD subjects and belong to signaling pathways regulating cell cycle G1/S and G2/M phase transition. Finally, analyses of the CHD8 subnetwork and altered transcript levels from an independent study of CHD8 suppression further confirmed the central role of genes regulating neurogenesis and cell adhesion processes in ASD brain maldevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziano Pramparo
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael V Lombardo
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kathleen Campbell
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Cynthia Carter Barnes
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Steven Marinero
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie Solso
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Julia Young
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maisi Mayo
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anders Dale
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Clelia Ahrens-Barbeau
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sarah S Murray
- Scripps Genomic Medicine & The Scripps Translational Sciences Institute (STSI), La Jolla, CA, USA Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Linda Lopez
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nathan Lewis
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at the UCSD School of Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Karen Pierce
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eric Courchesne
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego Autism Center, School of Medicine University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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277
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Habela CW, Song H, Ming GL. Modeling synaptogenesis in schizophrenia and autism using human iPSC derived neurons. Mol Cell Neurosci 2015; 73:52-62. [PMID: 26655799 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are genetically and phenotypically complex disorders of neural development. Human genetic studies, as well as studies examining structural changes at the cellular level, have converged on glutamatergic synapse formation, function, and maintenance as common pathophysiologic substrates involved in both disorders. Synapses as basic functional units of the brain are continuously modified by experience throughout life, therefore they are particularly attractive candidates for targeted therapy. Until recently we lacked a system to evaluate dynamic changes that lead to synaptic abnormalities. With the development of techniques to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients, we are now able to study neuronal and synaptic development in cells from individual patients in the context of genetic changes conferring disease susceptibility. In this review, we discuss recent studies focusing on neural cells differentiated from SCZ and ASD patient iPSCs. These studies support a central role for glutamatergic synapse formation and function in both disorders and demonstrate that iPSC derived neurons offer a potential system for further evaluation of processes leading to synaptic dysregulation and for the design and screening of future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa W Habela
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Hongjun Song
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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278
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Searles Quick VB, Davis JM, Olincy A, Sikela JM. DUF1220 copy number is associated with schizophrenia risk and severity: implications for understanding autism and schizophrenia as related diseases. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e697. [PMID: 26670282 PMCID: PMC5068589 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Revised: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The copy number of DUF1220, a protein domain implicated in human brain evolution, has been linearly associated with autism severity. Given the possibility that autism and schizophrenia are related disorders, the present study examined DUF1220 copy number variation in schizophrenia severity. There are notable similarities between autism symptoms and schizophrenia negative symptoms, and divergence between autism symptoms and schizophrenia positive symptoms. We therefore also examined DUF1220 copy number in schizophrenia subgroups defined by negative and positive symptom features, versus autistic individuals and controls. In the schizophrenic population (N=609), decreased DUF1220 copy number was linearly associated with increasing positive symptom severity (CON1 P=0.013, HLS1 P=0.0227), an association greatest in adult-onset schizophrenia (CON1 P=0.00155, HLS1 P=0.00361). In schizophrenic males, DUF1220 CON1 subtype copy number increase was associated with increased negative symptom severity (P=0.0327), a finding similar to that seen in autistic populations. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that schizophrenic individuals with predominantly positive symptoms exhibited reduced CON1 copy number compared with both controls (P=0.0237) and schizophrenic individuals with predominantly negative symptoms (P=0.0068). These findings support the view that (1) autism and schizophrenia exhibit both opposing and partially overlapping phenotypes and may represent a disease continuum, (2) variation in DUF1220 copy number contributes to schizophrenia disease risk and to the severity of both disorders, and (3) schizophrenia and autism may be, in part, a harmful by-product of the rapid and extreme evolutionary increase in DUF1220 copy number in the human species.
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Affiliation(s)
- V B Searles Quick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics and Medical Scientist Training Programs, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J M Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - A Olincy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J M Sikela
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics and Medical Scientist Training Programs, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics and Medical Scientist Training Programs, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. E-mail:
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279
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Khan AJ, Nair A, Keown CL, Datko MC, Lincoln AJ, Müller RA. Cerebro-cerebellar Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:625-34. [PMID: 25959247 PMCID: PMC5708535 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cerebellum plays important roles in sensori-motor and supramodal cognitive functions. Cellular, volumetric, and functional abnormalities of the cerebellum have been found in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but no comprehensive investigation of cerebro-cerebellar connectivity in ASD is available. METHODS We used resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging in 56 children and adolescents (28 subjects with ASD, 28 typically developing subjects) 8-17 years old. Partial and total correlation analyses were performed for unilateral regions of interest (ROIs), distinguished in two broad domains as sensori-motor (premotor/primary motor, somatosensory, superior temporal, and occipital) and supramodal (prefrontal, posterior parietal, and inferior and middle temporal). RESULTS There were three main findings: 1) Total correlation analyses showed predominant cerebro-cerebellar functional overconnectivity in the ASD group; 2) partial correlation analyses that emphasized domain specificity (sensori-motor vs. supramodal) indicated a pattern of robustly increased connectivity in the ASD group (compared with the typically developing group) for sensori-motor ROIs but predominantly reduced connectivity for supramodal ROIs; and 3) this atypical pattern of connectivity was supported by significantly increased noncanonical connections (between sensori-motor cerebral and supramodal cerebellar ROIs and vice versa) in the ASD group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that sensori-motor intrinsic functional connectivity is atypically increased in ASD, at the expense of connectivity supporting cerebellar participation in supramodal cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Khan
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Aarti Nair
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.; Joint Doctoral Program in Language and Communicative Disorders, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Christopher L Keown
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.; Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Michael C Datko
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Alan J Lincoln
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego, California
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California..
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280
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Kana RK, Maximo JO, Williams DL, Keller TA, Schipul SE, Cherkassky VL, Minshew NJ, Just MA. Aberrant functioning of the theory-of-mind network in children and adolescents with autism. Mol Autism 2015; 6:59. [PMID: 26512314 PMCID: PMC4624365 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-015-0052-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Theory-of-mind (ToM), the ability to infer people’s thoughts and feelings, is a pivotal skill in effective social interactions. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been found to have altered ToM skills, which significantly impacts the quality of their social interactions. Neuroimaging studies have reported altered activation of the ToM cortical network, especially in adults with autism, yet little is known about the brain responses underlying ToM in younger individuals with ASD. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated the neural mechanisms underlying ToM in high-functioning children and adolescents with ASD and matched typically developing (TD) peers. Methods fMRI data were acquired from 13 participants with ASD and 13 TD control participants while they watched animations involving two “interacting” geometrical shapes. Results Participants with ASD showed significantly reduced activation, relative to TD controls, in regions considered part of the ToM network, the mirror network, and the cerebellum. Functional connectivity analyses revealed underconnectivity between frontal and posterior regions during task performance in the ASD participants. Conclusions Overall, the findings of this study reveal disruptions in the brain circuitry underlying ToM in ASD at multiple levels, including decreased activation and decreased functional connectivity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13229-015-0052-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235G, 1719 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021 USA
| | - Jose O Maximo
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235G, 1719 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021 USA
| | - Diane L Williams
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Timothy A Keller
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Sarah E Schipul
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | | | - Nancy J Minshew
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Marcel Adam Just
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA USA
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281
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Miron O, Ari-Even Roth D, Gabis LV, Henkin Y, Shefer S, Dinstein I, Geva R. Prolonged auditory brainstem responses in infants with autism. Autism Res 2015; 9:689-95. [PMID: 26477791 PMCID: PMC5057307 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have attempted to identify early physiological abnormalities in infants and toddlers who later develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One potential measure of early neurophysiology is the auditory brainstem response (ABR), which has been reported to exhibit prolonged latencies in children with ASD. We examined whether prolonged ABR latencies appear in infancy, before the onset of ASD symptoms, and irrespective of hearing thresholds. To determine how early in development these differences appear, we retrospectively examined clinical ABR recordings of infants who were later diagnosed with ASD. Of the 118 children in the participant pool, 48 were excluded due to elevated ABR thresholds, genetic aberrations, or old testing age, leaving a sample of 70 children: 30 of which were tested at 0–3 months, and 40 were tested at toddlerhood (1.5–3.5 years). In the infant group, the ABR wave‐V was significantly prolonged in those who later developed ASD as compared with case‐matched controls (n = 30). Classification of infants who later developed ASD and case‐matched controls using this measure enabled accurate identification of ASD infants with 80% specificity and 70% sensitivity. In the group of toddlers with ASD, absolute and interpeak latencies were prolonged compared to clinical norms. Findings indicate that ABR latencies are significantly prolonged in infants who are later diagnosed with ASD irrespective of their hearing thresholds; suggesting that abnormal responses might be detected soon after birth. Further research is needed to determine if ABR might be a valid marker for ASD risk. Autism Res2016, 9: 689–695. © 2015 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Miron
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Developmental Neuropsychology Laboratory, The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Daphne Ari-Even Roth
- Hearing, Speech and Language Center, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lidia V Gabis
- The Weinberg Child Development Center, Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yael Henkin
- Hearing, Speech and Language Center, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shahar Shefer
- The Weinberg Child Development Center, Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ilan Dinstein
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ronny Geva
- Developmental Neuropsychology Laboratory, The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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282
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Unterrainer JM, Rauh R, Rahm B, Hardt J, Kaller CP, Klein C, Paschke-Müller M, Biscaldi M. Development of Planning in Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Autism Res 2015; 9:739-51. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Josef M. Unterrainer
- Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology; University Medical Center Mainz; Germany
| | - Reinhold Rauh
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Freiburg; Germany
| | - Benjamin Rahm
- Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology; University Medical Center Mainz; Germany
| | - Jochen Hardt
- Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology; University Medical Center Mainz; Germany
| | - Christoph P. Kaller
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Freiburg; Germany
- Department of Neurology; University Medical Center Freiburg; Germany
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University of Freiburg; Germany
| | - Christoph Klein
- School of Psychology; Bangor University; Bangor UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty; University of Cologne
| | - Mirjam Paschke-Müller
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Freiburg; Germany
| | - Monica Biscaldi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Freiburg; Germany
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283
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Ure AM, Treyvaud K, Thompson DK, Pascoe L, Roberts G, Lee KJ, Seal ML, Northam E, Cheong JL, Hunt RW, Inder T, Doyle LW, Anderson PJ. Neonatal brain abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorder in children born very preterm. Autism Res 2015; 9:543-52. [PMID: 26442616 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 08/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Very preterm (VP) survivors are at increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with term-born children. This study explored whether neonatal magnetic resonance (MR) brain features differed in VP children with and without ASD at 7 years. One hundred and seventy-two VP children (<30 weeks' gestation or <1250 g birth weight) underwent structural brain MR scans at term equivalent age (TEA; 40 weeks' gestation ±2 weeks) and were assessed for ASD at 7 years of age. The presence and severity of white matter, cortical gray matter, deep nuclear gray matter, and cerebellar abnormalities were assessed, and total and regional brain volumes were measured. ASD was diagnosed using a standardized parent report diagnostic interview and confirmed via an independent assessment. Eight VP children (4.7%) were diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD had more cystic lesions in the cortical white matter at TEA compared with those without ASD (odds ratio [OR] 8.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5, 51.3, P = 0.02). There was also some evidence for smaller cerebellar volumes in children with ASD compared with those without ASD (OR = 0.82, CI = 0.66, 1.00, P = 0.06). Overall, the results suggest that VP children with ASD have different brain structure in the neonatal period compared with those who do not have ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 543-552. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Ure
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Karli Treyvaud
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Deanne K Thompson
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Leona Pascoe
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gehan Roberts
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katherine J Lee
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Marc L Seal
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elisabeth Northam
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jeanie L Cheong
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rod W Hunt
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Terrie Inder
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Lex W Doyle
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
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284
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Zwaigenbaum L, Bauman ML, Choueiri R, Kasari C, Carter A, Granpeesheh D, Mailloux Z, Smith Roley S, Wagner S, Fein D, Pierce K, Buie T, Davis PA, Newschaffer C, Robins D, Wetherby A, Stone WL, Yirmiya N, Estes A, Hansen RL, McPartland JC, Natowicz MR. Early Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Under 3 Years of Age: Recommendations for Practice and Research. Pediatrics 2015; 136 Suppl 1:S60-81. [PMID: 26430170 PMCID: PMC9923898 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-3667e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 336] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews current evidence for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interventions for children aged <3 years, based on peer-reviewed articles published up to December 2013. Several groups have adapted treatments initially designed for older, preschool-aged children with ASD, integrating best practice in behavioral teaching methods into a developmental framework based on current scientific understanding of how infants and toddlers learn. The central role of parents has been emphasized, and interventions are designed to incorporate learning opportunities into everyday activities, capitalize on "teachable moments," and facilitate the generalization of skills beyond the familiar home setting. Our review identified several comprehensive and targeted treatment models with evidence of clear benefits. Although some trials were limited to 8- to 12-week outcome data, enhanced outcomes associated with some interventions were evaluated over periods as long as 2 years. Based on this review, recommendations are proposed for clinical practice and future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;
| | - Margaret L. Bauman
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roula Choueiri
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Memorial Children’s Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Connie Kasari
- Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Alice Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Zoe Mailloux
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Susanne Smith Roley
- USC Mrs T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sheldon Wagner
- Behavioral Development & Educational Services, New Bedford, Massachusetts
| | - Deborah Fein
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Karen Pierce
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Timothy Buie
- Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Craig Newschaffer
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Diana Robins
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Amy Wetherby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida
| | | | - Nurit Yirmiya
- Department of Psychology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Annette Estes
- Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Robin L. Hansen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, California
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285
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Foster NEV, Doyle-Thomas KAR, Tryfon A, Ouimet T, Anagnostou E, Evans AC, Zwaigenbaum L, Lerch JP, Lewis JD, Hyde KL. Structural Gray Matter Differences During Childhood Development in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Multimetric Approach. Pediatr Neurol 2015; 53:350-9. [PMID: 26231265 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests. Gray matter differences linked to autism spectrum disorder have been studied using a variety of structural imaging methods, but yielded little consensus; the extent to which disparate results reflect differences in methodology or heterogeneity within autism spectrum disorder is not yet clear. Moreover, very few studies have examined gray matter changes as a function of age in autism spectrum disorder. METHOD A detailed investigation of gray matter structural development was performed via voxel-based morphometry, cortical thickness, and cortical surface area analyses in 38 autism spectrum disorder versus 46 typically developing children. RESULTS Relative to typically developing children, the autism spectrum disorder group showed gray matter increases most prominently in the frontal and temporal lobes (including regions such as medial frontal gyrus, Broca's area and posterior temporal cortex), as well as certain parietal and occipital subcortical regions. Gray matter decreases were found only near the temporoparietal junction. Subcortical gray matter increases were found in the putamen and caudate nucleus, while decreases were found in cerebellum. There were age-dependent GM differences in distributed regions including prefrontal cortex, primary sensorimotor cortex, and temporoparietal junction. CONCLUSION The results underline the distributed nature of gray matter structural differences in autism spectrum disorder and provide a more comprehensive characterization of autism spectrum disorder-related cortical and subcortical gray matter structural differences during childhood and adolescent development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E V Foster
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), FAS, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Krissy A R Doyle-Thomas
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ana Tryfon
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), FAS, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tia Ouimet
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), FAS, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alan C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Jason P Lerch
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Krista L Hyde
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), FAS, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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286
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Wei H, Ding C, Jin G, Yin H, Liu J, Hu F. Abnormal glutamate release in aged BTBR mouse model of autism. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2015; 8:10689-10697. [PMID: 26617779 PMCID: PMC4637594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal reciprocal social interactions, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interests. Most of the available research on autism is focused on children and young adults and little is known about the pathological alternation of autism in older adults. In order to investigate the neurobiological alternation of autism in old age stage, we compared the morphology and synaptic function of excitatory synapses between the BTBR mice with low level sociability and B6 mice with high level sociability. The results revealed that the number of excitatory synapse colocalized with pre- and post-synaptic marker was not different between aged BTBR and B6 mice. The aged BTBR mice had a normal structure of dendritic spine and the expression of Shank3 protein in the brain as well as that in B6 mice. The baseline and KCl-evoked glutamate release from the cortical synaptoneurosome in aged BTBR mice was lower than that in aged B6 mice. Overall, the data indicate that there is a link between disturbances of the glutamate transmission and autism. These findings provide new evidences for the hypothesis of excitation/inhibition imbalance in autism. Further work is required to determine the cause of this putative abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongen Wei
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical UniversityTaiyuan, China
| | - Caiyun Ding
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical UniversityTaiyuan, China
| | - Guorong Jin
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical UniversityTaiyuan, China
| | - Haizhen Yin
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical UniversityTaiyuan, China
| | - Jianrong Liu
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical UniversityTaiyuan, China
| | - Fengyun Hu
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical UniversityTaiyuan, China
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287
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Tessier S, Lambert A, Scherzer P, Jemel B, Godbout R. REM sleep and emotional face memory in typically-developing children and children with autism. Biol Psychol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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288
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Green RR, Bigler ED, Froehlich A, Prigge MBD, Travers BG, Cariello AN, Anderson JS, Zielinski BA, Alexander A, Lange N, Lainhart JE. Beery VMI performance in autism spectrum disorder. Child Neuropsychol 2015; 22:795-817. [PMID: 26292997 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2015.1056131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have examined the visuomotor integration (VMI) abilities of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An all-male sample consisting of 56 ASD participants (ages 3-23 years) and 36 typically developing (TD) participants (ages 4-26 years) completed the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI) as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. Participants were also administered standardized measures of intellectual functioning and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), which assesses autism and autism-like traits. The ASD group performed significantly lower on the Beery VMI and on all IQ measures compared to the TD group. VMI performance was significantly correlated with full scale IQ (FSIQ), performance IQ (PIQ), and verbal IQ (VIQ) in the TD group only. However, when FSIQ was taken into account, no significant Beery VMI differences between groups were observed. Only one TD participant scored 1.5 standard deviations (SDs) below the Beery VMI normative sample mean, in comparison to 21% of the ASD sample. As expected, the ASD group was rated as having significantly higher levels of social impairment on the SRS compared to the TD group across all major domains. However, level of functioning on the SRS was not associated with Berry VMI performance. These findings demonstrate that a substantial number of individuals with ASD experience difficulties compared to TD in performing VMI-related tasks, and that VMI is likely affected by general cognitive ability. The fact that lowered Beery VMI performance occurred only within a subset of individuals with ASD and did not correlate with SRS would indicate that visuomotor deficits are not a core feature of ASD, even though they present at a higher rate of impairment than observed in TD participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Green
- a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University , Provo , UT , USA
| | - Erin D Bigler
- a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University , Provo , UT , USA.,b Neuroscience Center , Brigham Young University , Provo , UT , USA.,c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Alyson Froehlich
- c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Molly B D Prigge
- c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Brittany G Travers
- d Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA
| | - Annahir N Cariello
- c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Jeffrey S Anderson
- e Department of Radiology , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Brandon A Zielinski
- f Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, School of Medicine , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Andrew Alexander
- d Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA.,g Department of Medical Physics , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA.,h Department of Psychiatry , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA
| | - Nicholas Lange
- i Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics , Harvard University , Boston , MA , USA.,j Neurostatistics Laboratory , McLean Hospital , Belmont , MA , USA
| | - Janet E Lainhart
- d Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA.,h Department of Psychiatry , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA
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289
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Conti E, Calderoni S, Gaglianese A, Pannek K, Mazzotti S, Rose S, Scelfo D, Tosetti M, Muratori F, Cioni G, Guzzetta A. Lateralization of Brain Networks and Clinical Severity in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A HARDI Diffusion MRI Study. Autism Res 2015; 9:382-92. [PMID: 26280255 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Recent diffusion tensor imaging studies in adolescents and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have reported a loss or an inversion of the typical left-right lateralization in fronto-temporal regions crucial for sociocommunicative skills. No studies explored atypical lateralization in toddlers and its correlation with clinical severity of ASD. We recruited a cohort of 20 subjects aged 36 months or younger receiving a first clinical diagnosis of ASD (15 males; age range 20-36 months). Patients underwent diffusion MRI (High-Angular-Resolution Diffusion Imaging protocol). Data from cortical parcellation were combined with tractography to obtain a connection matrix and diffusion indexes (DI ) including mean fractional anisotropy (DFA ), number of tracts (DNUM ), and total tract length (DTTL ). A laterality index was generated for each measure, and then correlated with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G) total score. Laterality indexes of DFA were significantly correlated with ADOS-G total scores only in two intrafrontal connected areas (correlation was positive in one case and negative in the other). Laterality indexes of DTTL and DNUM showed significant negative correlations (P < 0.05) in six connected areas, mainly fronto-temporal. This study provides first evidence of a significant correlation between brain lateralization of diffusion indexes and clinical severity in toddlers with a first diagnosis of ASD. Significant correlations mainly involved regions within the fronto-temporal circuits, known to be crucial for sociocommunicative skills. It is of interest that all correlations but one were negative, suggesting an inversion of the typical left-right asymmetry in subjects with most severe clinical impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Conti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anna Gaglianese
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - Kerstin Pannek
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sara Mazzotti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stephen Rose
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Danilo Scelfo
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michela Tosetti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Muratori
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Guzzetta
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
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290
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QEEG spectral and coherence assessment of autistic children in three different experimental conditions. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 45:406-24. [PMID: 24048514 PMCID: PMC4309919 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1909-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We studied autistics by quantitative EEG spectral and coherence analysis during three experimental conditions: basal, watching a cartoon with audio (V–A), and with muted audio band (VwA). Significant reductions were found for the absolute power spectral density (PSD) in the central region for delta and theta, and in the posterior region for sigma and beta bands, lateralized to the right hemisphere. When comparing VwA versus the V–A in the midline regions, we found significant decrements of absolute PSD for delta, theta and alpha, and increments for the beta and gamma bands. In autistics, VwA versus V–A tended to show lower coherence values in the right hemisphere. An impairment of visual and auditory sensory integration in autistics might explain our results.
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291
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Electromyographic responses to emotional facial expressions in 6-7 year olds with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 45:354-62. [PMID: 23888357 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1890-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to examine facial mimicry in 6-7 year old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to explore whether facial mimicry was related to the severity of impairment in social responsiveness. Facial electromyographic activity in response to angry, fearful, sad and happy facial expressions was recorded in twenty 6-7 year old children with ASD and twenty-seven typically developing children. Even though results did not show differences in facial mimicry between children with ASD and typically developing children, impairment in social responsiveness was significantly associated with reduced fear mimicry in children with ASD. These findings demonstrate normal mimicry in children with ASD as compared to healthy controls, but that in children with ASD the degree of impairments in social responsiveness may be associated with reduced sensitivity to distress signals.
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292
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Reduced Gyrification Is Related to Reduced Interhemispheric Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2015. [PMID: 26210336 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been associated with atypical cortical gray and subcortical white matter development. Neurodevelopmental theories postulate that a relation between cortical maturation and structural brain connectivity may exist. We therefore investigated the development of gyrification and white matter connectivity and their relationship in individuals with ASD and their typically developing peers. METHOD T1- and diffusion-weighted images were acquired from a representative sample of 30 children and adolescents with ASD (aged 8-18 years), and 29 typically developing children matched for age, sex, hand preference, and socioeconomic status. The FreeSurfer suite was used to calculate cortical volume, surface area, and gyrification index. Measures of structural connectivity were estimated using probabilistic tractography and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). RESULTS Left prefrontal and parietal cortex showed a relative, age-dependent decrease in gyrification index in children and adolescents with ASD compared to typically developing controls. This result was replicated in an age-and IQ-matched sample provided by the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) initiative. Furthermore, tractography and TBSS showed a complementary pattern in which left prefrontal gyrification was negatively related to radial diffusivity in the forceps minor in participants with ASD. CONCLUSION The present study builds on earlier findings of abnormal gyrification and structural connectivity in the prefrontal cortex in ASD. It provides a more comprehensive neurodevelopmental characterization of ASD, involving interdependent changes in microstructural white and cortical gray matter. The findings of related abnormal patterns of gyrification and white matter connectivity support the notion of the intertwined development of 2 major morphometric domains in ASD.
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293
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has a strong genetic basis, and is heterogeneous in its etiopathogenesis and clinical presentation. Neuroimaging studies, in concert with neuropathological and clinical research, have been instrumental in delineating trajectories of development in children with ASD. Structural neuroimaging has revealed ASD to be a disorder with general and regional brain enlargement, especially in the frontotemporal cortices, while functional neuroimaging studies have highlighted diminished connectivity, especially between frontal-posterior regions. The diverse and specific neuroimaging findings may represent potential neuroendophenotypes, and may offer opportunities to further understand the etiopathogenesis of ASD, predict treatment response, and lead to the development of new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajneesh Mahajan
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research (CNIR), Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Stewart H. Mostofsky
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research (CNIR), Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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294
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Kirkovski M, Enticott PG, Maller JJ, Rossell SL, Fitzgerald PB. Diffusion tensor imaging reveals no white matter impairments among adults with autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatry Res 2015; 233:64-72. [PMID: 26032898 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities within white matter (WM) have been identified in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there is some support for greater neurobiological deficits among females with ASD, there is little research investigating sex differences in WM in ASD. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate WM aberration in 25 adults with high-functioning ASD and 24 age-, sex- and IQ-matched controls. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to explore differences in WM in major tract bundles. The effects of biological sex were also investigated. TBSS revealed no differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), or axial diffusivity (AD) between groups. There were no effects of biological sex. We consider whether methodological differences between past studies have contributed to the highly heterogeneous findings in the literature. Finally, we suggest that, among a high-functioning sample of adults with ASD, differences in WM microstructure may not be related to clinical impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Kirkovski
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia; Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jerome J Maller
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Brain and Psychological Science Research Centre, Faculty Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia; Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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295
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Lefebvre A, Beggiato A, Bourgeron T, Toro R. Neuroanatomical Diversity of Corpus Callosum and Brain Volume in Autism: Meta-analysis, Analysis of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange Project, and Simulation. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:126-34. [PMID: 25850620 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 01/31/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with autism have been often reported to have a smaller corpus callosum (CC) than control subjects. METHODS We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature, analyzed the CC in 694 subjects of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange project, and performed computer simulations to study the effect of different analysis strategies. RESULTS Our meta-analysis suggested a group difference in CC size; however, the studies were heavily underpowered (20% power to detect Cohen's d = .3). In contrast, we did not observe significant differences in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange cohort, despite having achieved 99% power. However, we observed that CC scaled nonlinearly with brain volume (BV): large brains had a proportionally smaller CC. Our simulations showed that because of this nonlinearity, CC normalization could not control for eventual BV differences, but using BV as a covariate in a linear model would. We also observed a weaker correlation of IQ and BV in cases compared with control subjects. Our simulations showed that matching populations by IQ could then induce artifactual BV differences. CONCLUSIONS The lack of statistical power in the previous literature prevents us from establishing the reality of the claims of a smaller CC in autism, and our own analyses did not find any. However, the nonlinear relationship between CC and BV and the different correlation between BV and IQ in cases and control subjects may induce artifactual differences. Overall, our results highlight the necessity for open data sharing to provide a more solid ground for the discovery of neuroimaging biomarkers within the context of the wide human neuroanatomical diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Lefebvre
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Robert Debré Hospital
| | - Anita Beggiato
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Robert Debré Hospital
| | - Thomas Bourgeron
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris; Unité Mixte de Recherche 3571, Genes, Synapses and Cognition, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pasteur, Paris; Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, , Paris; Foundation Fondamentale, Créteil, France
| | - Roberto Toro
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris; Unité Mixte de Recherche 3571, Genes, Synapses and Cognition, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pasteur, Paris; Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, , Paris.
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296
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Unwin LM, Maybery MT, Murphy A, Lilje W, Bellesini M, Hunt AM, Granich J, Jacoby P, Dissanayake C, Pennell CE, Hickey M, Whitehouse AJ. A Prospective Ultrasound Study of Prenatal Growth in Infant Siblings of Children With Autism. Autism Res 2015; 9:210-6. [PMID: 26148908 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Unwin
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia; PO Box 855, West Perth Western Australia 6872 Australia
- School of Psychology; University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Murray T. Maybery
- School of Psychology; University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Anthony Murphy
- Western Ultrasound for Women, West Leederville; Western Australia 6007 Australia
| | - Wendy Lilje
- Western Ultrasound for Women, West Leederville; Western Australia 6007 Australia
| | - Michelle Bellesini
- Western Ultrasound for Women, West Leederville; Western Australia 6007 Australia
| | - Anna M. Hunt
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia; PO Box 855, West Perth Western Australia 6872 Australia
| | - Joanna Granich
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia; PO Box 855, West Perth Western Australia 6872 Australia
| | - Peter Jacoby
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia; PO Box 855, West Perth Western Australia 6872 Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University; Melbourne Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Craig E. Pennell
- School of Women's and Infants’ Health; University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Martha Hickey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; University of Melbourne; Royal Women's Hospital, Cnr of Flemington Road and Grattan Street Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia
| | - Andrew J.O. Whitehouse
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia; PO Box 855, West Perth Western Australia 6872 Australia
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297
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Molecular underpinnings of prefrontal cortex development in rodents provide insights into the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:795-809. [PMID: 25450230 PMCID: PMC4486649 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC), seat of the highest-order cognitive functions, constitutes a conglomerate of highly specialized brain areas and has been implicated to have a role in the onset and installation of various neurodevelopmental disorders. The development of a properly functioning PFC is directed by transcription factors, guidance cues and other regulatory molecules and requires the intricate and temporal orchestration of a number of developmental processes. Disturbance or failure of any of these processes causing neurodevelopmental abnormalities within the PFC may contribute to several of the cognitive deficits seen in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. In this review, we elaborate on the specific processes underlying prefrontal development, such as induction and patterning of the prefrontal area, proliferation, migration and axonal guidance of medial prefrontal progenitors, and their eventual efferent and afferent connections. We furthermore integrate for the first time the available knowledge from genome-wide studies that have revealed genes linked to neurodevelopmental disorders with experimental molecular evidence in rodents. The integrated data suggest that the pathogenic variants in the neurodevelopmental disorder-associated genes induce prefrontal cytoarchitectonical impairments. This enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of prefrontal (mis)development underlying the four major neurodevelopmental disorders in humans, that is, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia, and may thus provide clues for the development of novel therapies.
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298
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Chantiluke K, Barrett N, Giampietro V, Brammer M, Simmons A, Murphy DG, Rubia K. Inverse Effect of Fluoxetine on Medial Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Reward Reversal in ADHD and Autism. Cereb Cortex 2015; 25:1757-70. [PMID: 24451919 PMCID: PMC4459282 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share brain function abnormalities during cognitive flexibility. Serotonin is involved in both disorders, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can modulate cognitive flexibility and improve behavior in both disorders. Thus, this study investigates shared and disorder-specific brain dysfunctions in these 2 disorders during reward reversal, and the acute effects of an SSRI on these. Age-matched boys with ADHD (15), ASD (18), and controls (21) were compared with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a reversal task. Patients were scanned twice, under either an acute dose of Fluoxetine or placebo in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized design. Repeated-measures analyses within patients assessed drug effects. Patients under each drug condition were compared with controls to assess normalization effects. fMRI data showed that, under placebo, ASD boys underactivated medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), compared with control and ADHD boys. Both patient groups shared decreased precuneus activation. Under Fluoxetine, mPFC activation was up-regulated and normalized in ASD boys relative to controls, but down-regulated in ADHD boys relative to placebo, which was concomitant with worse task performance in ADHD. Fluoxetine therefore has inverse effects on mPFC activation in ASD and ADHD during reversal learning, suggesting dissociated underlying serotonin abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Andrew Simmons
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
| | - Declan G. Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Developmental Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Katya Rubia
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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299
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Rapin I. Classification of behaviorally defined disorders: biology versus the DSM. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 44:2661-6. [PMID: 24816869 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2127-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Three levels of investigation underlie all biologically based attempts at classification of behaviorally defined developmental and psychiatric disorders: Level A, pseudo-categorical classification of mostly dimensional descriptions of behaviors and their disorders included in the 2013 American Psychiatric Association's Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5); Level C, mostly categorical classification of genetic and environmental causes (etiologies) of Level A disorders; and Level B, the pathophysiologic--both categorical and dimensional--biologic mechanisms underlying Level A "diagnoses" which comprise hierarchically interacting molecular, cellular, and neural networks and major brain pathways orchestrated by Level C etiologies. Besides modest numbers of effective psychotropic medications and their derivatives, major advances in treatment have addressed the behavioral symptoms of Level A-defined developmental and psychiatric disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health proposes support for a new biologically based Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) classification; its goal is to apply to behaviorally defined Level A developmental and psychiatric disorders the biologically based Level C and Level B research strategies that have greatly accelerated treatment and prevention of medical disorders. It plans to supplement effective educational and behavioral symptom-based interventions with faster, more potent and specific biologic therapies and, hopefully, to discover how effective behavioral interventions alter brain function. This commentary raises the question of whether a hybrid nosology that maps biology onto behavior is attainable. At a minimum, such a nosologic effort requires greater in-depth and better informed dialog between investigators of behavior and biology than occurs typically, and more realistic communication of the implications of research results to the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Rapin
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, The Department of Pediatrics, The Rose F. Kennedy Center for Research on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA,
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300
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Mottron L, Duret P, Mueller S, Moore RD, Forgeot d'Arc B, Jacquemont S, Xiong L. Sex differences in brain plasticity: a new hypothesis for sex ratio bias in autism. Mol Autism 2015; 6:33. [PMID: 26052415 PMCID: PMC4456778 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-015-0024-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Several observations support the hypothesis that differences in synaptic and regional cerebral plasticity between the sexes account for the high ratio of males to females in autism. First, males are more susceptible than females to perturbations in genes involved in synaptic plasticity. Second, sex-related differences in non-autistic brain structure and function are observed in highly variable regions, namely, the heteromodal associative cortices, and overlap with structural particularities and enhanced activity of perceptual associative regions in autistic individuals. Finally, functional cortical reallocations following brain lesions in non-autistic adults (for example, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis) are sex-dependent. Interactions between genetic sex and hormones may therefore result in higher synaptic and consecutively regional plasticity in perceptual brain areas in males than in females. The onset of autism may largely involve mutations altering synaptic plasticity that create a plastic reaction affecting the most variable and sexually dimorphic brain regions. The sex ratio bias in autism may arise because males have a lower threshold than females for the development of this plastic reaction following a genetic or environmental event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Mottron
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du dévelopement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada.,Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Département de Psychiatrie, Montréal, Canada.,Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Pauline Duret
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du dévelopement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada.,Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Département de Psychiatrie, Montréal, Canada.,Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, CEDEX 07 France
| | - Sophia Mueller
- Institute of Clinical Radiology, University Hospitals, Munich, Germany.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129 USA.,Harvard University, Center for Brain Science, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Robert D Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Health Sciences, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.,College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Baudouin Forgeot d'Arc
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du dévelopement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada.,Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Département de Psychiatrie, Montréal, Canada.,Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sebastien Jacquemont
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Montréal, Canada.,Service of Medical Genetics, University Hospital of Lausanne, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1011 Switzerland
| | - Lan Xiong
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada
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