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Mello M, Fusaro M, Aglioti SM, Minio-Paluello I. Exploring social touch in autistic and non-autistic adults via a self-report body-painting task: The role of sex, social context and body area. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1985-2001. [PMID: 38179707 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231218314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT What is already known about the topic?At least in neurotypical individuals, social touch represents an important channel for emotional communication associated with social bonding and pain/anxiety modulation. Autistic adults report to avoid social touch more and to have different tactile sensitivity than their non-autistic comparisons.What this paper adds?Few studies specifically investigated social touch in autistic individuals, and none of them examined the role of participants' sex, social context in which social touch occurs, and specific body areas being touched. In our study, adult participants reported how pleasant, erogenous and appropriate they would consider touches delivered by another person over their entire body in intimate (date), friendly (dance class) and professional (physiotherapy-massage session) social contexts. Autistic adults reported social touch to be less pleasant, erogenous and appropriate specifically in intimate and friendly social contexts and in body areas typically touched in these situations. Importantly, autistic females seem more at risk to experience unpleasant social touch as, although they considered it more unpleasant than non-autistic females and autistic males, they did consider it similarly appropriate in professional social contexts where touch is normed to be socially appropriate.Implications for practice, research or policyOur results might improve awareness and understanding about autistic adults' different, and often more discomforting, experience of social touch and thus help consider and respect it during everyday social interactions. Our results might also benefit future research investigating, for instance, the neural underpinnings of social touch differences in autism or aiming at developing support for autistic individuals seeking help in the diverse spheres of social touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Mello
- Sapienza University of Rome, and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Salvatore Maria Aglioti
- Sapienza University of Rome, and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Minio-Paluello
- National Research Council, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Rome, Italy
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2
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Torrens WA, Pablo JN, Berryhill ME, Haigh SM. Pattern glare sensitivity distinguishes subclinical autism and schizotypy. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2024; 29:155-172. [PMID: 38551240 PMCID: PMC11296901 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2024.2335103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder are distinct neurodevelopmental disorders sharing clinically relevant behaviours. However, early sensory responses show divergent responses. Individuals with schizophrenia typically exhibit cortical hypo-excitability whereas individuals with autism show cortical hyperexcitability. Identifying reliable neurobiological differences between the disorders can diminish misdiagnosis and optimise treatments. METHODS The pattern glare test (PGT) is a simple measure of behavioural hyperexcitability. It measures the number of illusions seen in a static horizontal grating. We collected PGT data from non-clinical adults varying in traits of autism and schizophrenia (schizotypy). 576 undergraduate students completed an online survey consisting of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief Revised, the Autism Spectrum Quotient, and the PGT. RESULTS Subclinical autism and schizotypy traits were highly positively correlated. However, only schizotypy scores were significantly predictive of reporting more pattern glare (PG) illusions. When assessing the subcomponents of the schizotypy and autism scores, positive and disorganised schizotypy traits were predictive of reporting more PG illusions. Whereas, subclinical autism factors were not predictive of PG illusions. CONCLUSIONS High schizotypy performed the PGT in a manner consistent with behavioural hyperexcitability. The PGT distinguished subclinical autistic traits from schizotypy, suggesting potential clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Torrens
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Jenna N Pablo
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Marian E Berryhill
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Sarah M Haigh
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
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Valori I, Fan Y, Jung MM, Fairhurst MT. Propensity to trust shapes perceptions of comforting touch between trustworthy human and robot partners. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6747. [PMID: 38514732 PMCID: PMC10957953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57582-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Touching a friend to comfort or be comforted is a common prosocial behaviour, firmly based in mutual trust. Emphasising the interactive nature of trust and touch, we suggest that vulnerability, reciprocity and individual differences shape trust and perceptions of touch. We further investigate whether these elements also apply to companion robots. Participants (n = 152) were exposed to four comics depicting human-human or human-robot exchanges. Across conditions, one character was sad, the other initiated touch to comfort them, and the touchee reciprocated the touch. Participants first rated trustworthiness of a certain character (human or robot in a vulnerable or comforting role), then evaluated the two touch phases (initiation and reciprocity) in terms of interaction realism, touch appropriateness and pleasantness, affective state (valence and arousal) attributed to the characters. Results support an interactive account of trust and touch, with humans being equally trustworthy when comforting or showing vulnerability, and reciprocity of touch buffering sadness. Although these phenomena seem unique to humans, propensity to trust technology reduces the gap between how humans and robots are perceived. Two distinct trust systems emerge: one for human interactions and another for social technologies, both necessitating trust as a fundamental prerequisite for meaningful physical contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Valori
- Chair of Acoustics and Haptics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Yichen Fan
- Chair of Industrial Design Engineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- 6G-Life, Dresden, Germany
| | - Merel M Jung
- Department of Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Merle T Fairhurst
- Chair of Acoustics and Haptics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- 6G-Life, Dresden, Germany
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4
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Mazer P, Garcez H, Macedo I, Pasion R, Silveira C, Sempf F, Ferreira-Santos F. Autistic traits and event-related potentials in the general population: A scoping review and meta-analysis. Biol Psychol 2024; 186:108758. [PMID: 38309513 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2024.108758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Differences in short and long-latency Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) can help us infer abnormalities in brain processing, considering early and later stages of stimuli processing across tasks and conditions. In autism research, the adult population remains largely understudied compared to samples at early stages of development. In this context, this scoping review briefly summarises what has been described in community and subclinical adult samples of autism. METHOD The current scoping review and meta-analysis includes 50 records (N = 1652) and comprehensively explores short and long-latency ERP amplitudes and their relationship with autistic traits in adult community samples. RESULTS This meta-analysis identified, with small to medium effect sizes, distinctive patterns in late ERP amplitudes, indicating enhanced responses to visual stimuli and the opposite patterns to auditory tasks in the included sample. Additionally, a pattern of higher amplitudes was also found for the component P3b in autistic traits. DISCUSSION Differential effects in visual and auditory domains are explored in light of the predictive processing framework for Autism. It remains possible that different brain mechanisms operate to explain symptoms related with different sensory modalities. P3b is discussed as a possible component of interest in future studies as it revealed a more robust effect for differentiating severity in the expression of autistic traits in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prune Mazer
- ESS, Polytechnic of Porto, Portugal; Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Helena Garcez
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Rita Pasion
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal; HEI-LAB, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Celeste Silveira
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal; Psychiatry Department, Hospital S. João, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Fernando Ferreira-Santos
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal
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5
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Lee Masson H, Isik L. Rapid Processing of Observed Touch through Social Perceptual Brain Regions: An EEG-fMRI Fusion Study. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7700-7711. [PMID: 37871963 PMCID: PMC10634570 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0995-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Seeing social touch triggers a strong social-affective response that involves multiple brain networks, including visual, social perceptual, and somatosensory systems. Previous studies have identified the specific functional role of each system, but little is known about the speed and directionality of the information flow. Is this information extracted via the social perceptual system or from simulation from somatosensory cortex? To address this, we examined the spatiotemporal neural processing of observed touch. Twenty-one human participants (seven males) watched 500-ms video clips showing social and nonsocial touch during electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. Visual and social-affective features were rapidly extracted in the brain, beginning at 90 and 150 ms after video onset, respectively. Combining the EEG data with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from our prior study with the same stimuli reveals that neural information first arises in early visual cortex (EVC), then in the temporoparietal junction and posterior superior temporal sulcus (TPJ/pSTS), and finally in the somatosensory cortex. EVC and TPJ/pSTS uniquely explain EEG neural patterns, while somatosensory cortex does not contribute to EEG patterns alone, suggesting that social-affective information may flow from TPJ/pSTS to somatosensory cortex. Together, these findings show that social touch is processed quickly, within the timeframe of feedforward visual processes, and that the social-affective meaning of touch is first extracted by a social perceptual pathway. Such rapid processing of social touch may be vital to its effective use during social interaction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Seeing physical contact between people evokes a strong social-emotional response. Previous research has identified the brain systems responsible for this response, but little is known about how quickly and in what direction the information flows. We demonstrated that the brain processes the social-emotional meaning of observed touch quickly, starting as early as 150 ms after the stimulus onset. By combining electroencephalogram (EEG) data with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we show for the first time that the social-affective meaning of touch is first extracted by a social perceptual pathway and followed by the later involvement of somatosensory simulation. This rapid processing of touch through the social perceptual route may play a pivotal role in effective usage of touch in social communication and interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haemy Lee Masson
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Leyla Isik
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
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6
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Bang P, Igelström K. Modality-specific associations between sensory differences and autistic traits. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:2158-2172. [PMID: 36802917 PMCID: PMC10504810 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231154349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Sensory symptoms are a major source of distress for many autistic people, causing anxiety, stress, and avoidance. Sensory problems are thought to be passed on genetically together with other autistic characteristics, such as social preferences. This means that people who report cognitive rigidity and autistic-like social function are more likely to suffer from sensory issues. We do not know what role the individual senses, such as vision, hearing, smell, or touch, play in this relationship, because sensory processing is generally measured with questionnaires that target general, multisensory issues. This study aimed to investigate the individual importance of the different senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste, balance, and proprioception) in the correlation with autistic traits. To ensure the results were replicable, we repeated the experiment in two large groups of adults. The first group contained 40% autistic participants, whereas the second group resembled the general population. We found that problems with auditory processing were more strongly predictive of general autistic characteristics than were problems with the other senses. Problems with touch were specifically related to differences in social interaction, such as avoiding social settings. We also found a specific relationship between proprioceptive differences and autistic-like communication preferences. The sensory questionnaire had limited reliability, so our results may underestimate the contribution of some senses. With that reservation in mind, we conclude that auditory differences are dominant over other modalities in predicting genetically based autistic traits and may therefore be of special interest for further genetic and neurobiological studies.
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7
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Elias LJ, Succi IK, Schaffler MD, Foster W, Gradwell MA, Bohic M, Fushiki A, Upadhyay A, Ejoh LL, Schwark R, Frazer R, Bistis B, Burke JE, Saltz V, Boyce JE, Jhumka A, Costa RM, Abraira VE, Abdus-Saboor I. Touch neurons underlying dopaminergic pleasurable touch and sexual receptivity. Cell 2023; 186:577-590.e16. [PMID: 36693373 PMCID: PMC9898224 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Pleasurable touch is paramount during social behavior, including sexual encounters. However, the identity and precise role of sensory neurons that transduce sexual touch remain unknown. A population of sensory neurons labeled by developmental expression of the G protein-coupled receptor Mrgprb4 detects mechanical stimulation in mice. Here, we study the social relevance of Mrgprb4-lineage neurons and reveal that these neurons are required for sexual receptivity and sufficient to induce dopamine release in the brain. Even in social isolation, optogenetic stimulation of Mrgprb4-lineage neurons through the back skin is sufficient to induce a conditioned place preference and a striking dorsiflexion resembling the lordotic copulatory posture. In the absence of Mrgprb4-lineage neurons, female mice no longer find male mounts rewarding: sexual receptivity is supplanted by aggression and a coincident decline in dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Together, these findings establish that Mrgprb4-lineage neurons initiate a skin-to-brain circuit encoding the rewarding quality of social touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah J Elias
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Isabella K Succi
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melanie D Schaffler
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William Foster
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark A Gradwell
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Akira Fushiki
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aman Upadhyay
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Lindsay L Ejoh
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ryan Schwark
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Frazer
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brittany Bistis
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E Burke
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victoria Saltz
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jared E Boyce
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anissa Jhumka
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rui M Costa
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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8
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Andreou M, Konstantopoulos K, Peristeri E. Cognitive flexibility in autism: Evidence from young autistic children. Autism Res 2022; 15:2296-2309. [PMID: 36193816 PMCID: PMC10092108 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We examined the cognitive flexibility performance of young autistic children and a group of neurotypical peers. Thirty-six autistic children (72-83 months) and 200 age-matched typically-developing children were assessed on the Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT), a semantic and a phonemic verbal fluency task. The results showed that the autistic children performed worse than their neurotypical peers in the switching component of the CCTT. In the fluency tests, the autistic group generated overall fewer word items than their neurotypical peers, however, their poorer performance was driven by specific linguistic stimuli in the fluency tasks. The findings suggest that cognitive flexibility for the autistic children was affected in the nonverbal CCTT only, while poor performance in semantic and phonemic fluency seemed to be inherent to the language properties of the verbal fluency tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Andreou
- Department of Speech and Language TherapyUniversity of PeloponneseKalamataGreece
| | | | - Eleni Peristeri
- School of EnglishAristotle University of ThessalonikiThessalonikiGreece
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9
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Understanding others through observed touch: neural correlates, developmental aspects, and psychopathology. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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10
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Ujiie Y, Takahashi K. Associations between self-reported social touch avoidance, hypersensitivity, and autistic traits: Results from questionnaire research among typically developing adults. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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11
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Li Y, Wei Z, Shao M, Hong M, Yang D, Luo L, Meng J. Empathy for pain in individuals with autistic traits during observation of static and dynamic stimuli. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1022087. [PMID: 36465286 PMCID: PMC9709309 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1022087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have reported that individuals with autistic traits, like those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), may have impaired empathic responses when observing static stimuli of others' pain. However, it remains unclear whether individuals with autistic traits exhibit impaired empathy for pain in response to dynamic stimuli. The present study addressed this question by recruiting 529 individuals whose autistic traits were assessed using the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) questionnaire. Thirty participants who scored within the top 10% and bottom 10% on the AQ were selected into High-AQ and Low-AQ groups, respectively. This study employed painful whole-body action pictures and videos as static and dynamic stimuli. Both groups were instructed to judge whether the models in the stimuli were experiencing pain, and their reaction times, accuracy and event-related potential (ERP) data were recorded. Results showed that the P2 amplitudes were larger in the High-AQ group than in the Low-AQ group when viewing painful static stimuli, while no difference between the two groups was found when viewing painful dynamic stimuli. These results suggest that autistic traits influenced the emotional processing of others' pain in response to static stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Li
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zilong Wei
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Shao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingyu Hong
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Di Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Longli Luo
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Meng
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.,Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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12
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The Association among Autistic Traits, Interactional Synchrony and Typical Pattern of Motor Planning and Execution in Neurotypical Individuals. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13061034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in interactional synchrony and motor performance, but little is known about the association between them. The current study investigated the association among aberrant interactional synchrony (as measured by interactors’ symmetry in the form of the hand at each time-point along movement’s execution), motor functioning and the level of Autistic traits. In this study, autistic traits were evaluated by the Autistic Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Two tasks were used: (1) an interactional synchrony task where participants and the research assistant were instructed to move their hands together; and (2) a motor planning task which allows for continuous monitoring of natural hand movements. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant association between lower communication skills (i.e., higher AQ communication scores) and lower intentional synchrony rates. In addition, lower communication skills were found associated with typical patterns of motor planning and execution characterized by shorter time to start the movement and higher value of max speed. Mediator analyses supported the notion that aberrant intentional synchrony in individuals with low communication skills is partially mediated through typical patterns of motor planning and execution. These results suggest typical patterns of motor functions may account for intentional synchrony difficulties.
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13
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Norholt H. Delivering Clinically on Our Knowledge of Oxytocin and Sensory Stimulation: The Potential of Infant Carrying in Primary Prevention. Front Psychol 2021; 11:590051. [PMID: 33995157 PMCID: PMC8116555 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is one of the most intensively researched neuropeptides during the three past decades. In benign social contexts, OT exerts a range of desirable socioemotional, stress-reducing, and immunoregulatory effects in mammals and humans and influences mammalian parenting. Consequentially, research in potential pharmacological applications of OT toward human social deficits/disorders and physical illness has increased substantially. Regrettably, the results from the administration of exogenous OT are still relatively inconclusive. Research in rodent maternal developmental programming has demonstrated the susceptibility of offspring endogenous OT systems to maternal somatosensory stimulation, with consequences for behavioral, epigenetic, cognitive, and neurological outcomes. A translation of this animal research into practically feasible human parenting recommendations has yet to happen, despite the significant prevention potential implied by the maternal developmental programming research. Extended physical contact with full-term healthy infants in the months following birth (infant carrying) might constitute the human equivalent of those specific rodent maternal behaviors, found to positively influence emerging OT systems. Findings from both OT and maternal programming research parallel those found for infants exposed to such extended parental physical contact, whether through skin-to-skin contact or infant carrying. Clinical support of parents to engage in extended physical contact represents a feasible intervention to create optimum conditions for the development of infant OT systems, with potential beneficial long-term health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Norholt
- SomAffect - The Somatosensory & Affective Neuroscience Group, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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14
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Inner Speech Moderates the Relationship Between Autism Spectrum Traits and Emotion Regulation. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 51:3322-3330. [PMID: 33219916 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04750-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Inner speech processes are thought to be associated with decreases in cognitive performance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although verbal thinking is also a key component in emotional responses, no studies have investigated whether inner speech is linked to emotion regulation in ASD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether inner speech moderates the relationship between ASD traits and emotion regulation strategies. Our results indicate that only the evaluative/motivational form of inner speech moderates the relationship between ASD traits and cognitive reappraisal; inner speech processes did not moderate the association between ASD traits and expressive suppression. These findings are a first step to further investigate the role of inner speech in affective and self-regulatory processes in ASD.
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15
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Lui M, Li X, Sommer W, Hildebrandt A, Lau GKB, Zhou C. Sex differences in behavioral and brain responses to incongruity in emotional speech controlling for autistic traits. Biol Psychol 2020; 157:107973. [PMID: 33091451 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Accurate interpretation of speech requires the integration of verbal and nonverbal signals. This study investigated sex differences in behavior and neural activities associated with the integration of semantic content and emotional speech prosody, while the level of autistic traits was controlled for. Adults listened to Cantonese words spoken with happy and sad prosody, and made judgments on semantic valence while event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded. Behaviorally, men were slower than women in making semantic valence judgments. At the neural level, men had a greater congruity effect in the N400 component, whereas women had a greater congruity effect in the 1150-1300 ms time window for happy prosodies. There was no effect of sex in case of sad prosodies. Our study reveals novel findings on sex differences in the timing of the integration between verbal and non-verbal signals that cannot be explained by differences in autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Lui
- Department of Education Studies, Centre for Learning Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Department of Physics, Centre for Nonlinear Studies and Beijing-Hong Kong-Singapore Joint Centre for Nonlinear and Complex Systems (Hong Kong), Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Germany; Chinese Academy of Disability Data Sciences, Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Werner Sommer
- Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Hildebrandt
- Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Gilbert Ka-Bo Lau
- Department of Education Studies, Centre for Learning Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Changsong Zhou
- Department of Physics, Centre for Nonlinear Studies and Beijing-Hong Kong-Singapore Joint Centre for Nonlinear and Complex Systems (Hong Kong), Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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16
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Baltazar M, Geoffray MM, Chatham C, Bouvard M, Martinez Teruel A, Monnet D, Scheid I, Murzi E, Couffin-Cadiergues S, Umbricht D, Murtagh L, Delorme R, Ly Le-Moal M, Leboyer M, Amestoy A. "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" in Autistic Adults is Modulated by Valence and Difficulty: An InFoR Study. Autism Res 2020; 14:380-388. [PMID: 32929870 PMCID: PMC7891586 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are heterogeneous and complex neurodevelopmental conditions that urgently need reliable and sensitive measures to inform diagnosis properly. The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (or Eyes Test from now on) is widely used for this purpose. A recent study showed that subcategories of items of the children version of the Eyes Test could be especially discriminative to distinguish ASD and control children. Here, we analyzed the performance on the Eyes Test of 30 high functioning (IQ > 70) adults with ASD and 29 controls from the InFoR cohort multicentric study, using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model. We found that valence and difficulty modulate the performance on the Eyes Test, with easy and positive items being the most discriminative to distinguish ASD and controls. In particular, we suggest this result might be actionable to discriminate ASD patients from controls in subgroups where their overall scores show less difference with controls. We propose for future research the computation of two additional indexes when using the Eyes Test: the first focusing on the easy and positive items (applying a threshold of 70% of correct responses for these items, above which people are at very low risk of having ASD) and the second focusing on the performance gain from difficult to easy items (with a progression of less than 15% showing high risk of having ASD). Our findings open the possibility for a major change in how the Eyes Test is used to inform diagnosis in ASD. Lay Summary The Eyes Test is used worldwide to inform autism spectrum disorders (ASD) diagnosis. We show here that ASD and neurotypical adults show the most difference in performance on subgroups of items: ASD adults do not improve as expected when comparing easy and difficult items, and they do not show an improvement for items displaying a positive feeling. We advise clinicians to focus on these comparisons to increase the property of the test to distinguish people with ASD from neurotypical adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Baltazar
- Centre d'Evaluation et Diagnostic de l'Autisme (CEDA), Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, Bron, France
| | - Marie-Maude Geoffray
- Centre d'Evaluation et Diagnostic de l'Autisme (CEDA), Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, Bron, France
| | | | - Manuel Bouvard
- Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre Hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Bordeaux, France.,Centre National Pour La Recherche Scientifique, INCIA UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France.,Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France
| | - Axelle Martinez Teruel
- Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,UNIACT, NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France
| | - David Monnet
- Centre Hospitalier de Versailles CHV, Hôpital Mignot, Pôle de Psychiatrie Adulte et Infanto-Juvénile, Centre Expert TSAsdi, Le Chesnay, France
| | | | | | - Sandrine Couffin-Cadiergues
- INSERM, U955, Institut Mondor de Recherches Biomédicales, IMRB, Laboratoire de Neuro-Psychiatrie translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Daniel Umbricht
- Roche Innovation Center, F-Hoffmann La Roche Ldt, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lorraine Murtagh
- Roche Innovation Center, F-Hoffmann La Roche Ldt, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Richard Delorme
- Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Psychiatry and Addictology Department, Université Paris Est Créteil, AP-HP, DMU ADAPT, Mondor University Hospital, Créteil, France
| | | | - Marion Leboyer
- Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,INSERM, U955, Institut Mondor de Recherches Biomédicales, IMRB, Laboratoire de Neuro-Psychiatrie translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Anouck Amestoy
- Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre Hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Bordeaux, France.,Centre National Pour La Recherche Scientifique, INCIA UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France.,Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France
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17
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Haggarty CJ, Malinowski P, McGlone FP, Walker SC. Autistic traits modulate cortical responses to affective but not discriminative touch. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 51:1844-1855. [PMID: 31793072 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The sense of touch is primarily considered a discriminative and exteroceptive sense, facilitating the detection, manipulation and exploration of objects, via an array of low-threshold mechanoreceptors and fast conducting A-beta (Aβ) afferents. However, a class of unmyelinated, low-threshold mechanoreceptors identified in the hairy skin of mammals have been proposed to constitute a second, anatomically distinct system coding the affective qualities of touch. Unlike Aβs, which increase their firing rate linearly with the velocity of a stimulus moving across their receptive field, the response of these C-tactile afferents (CTs) is described by an inverted 'U' curve fit, responding optimally to a skin temperature stimulus moving at between 1 and 10 cm/s. Given the distinct velocity tuning of these fast and slow touch fibres, here we used event-related potentials to compare the time course of neural responses to 1st (fast) and 2nd (slow) touch systems. We identified a higher amplitude P300 in response to fast, Aβ-targeted, versus slow CT-targeted, stroking touch. In contrast, we identified a previously described, C-fibre specific, ultra-late potential (ULP) associated with CT-targeted input. Of special note as regards the function of CTs is that the amplitude of the ULP was negatively correlated with self-reported levels of autistic traits, which is consistent with the hypothesized affective and social significance of this response. Taken together, these findings provide further support for distinct discriminative and affective touch systems and suggests the temporal resolution of EEG provides an as yet underutilized tool for exploring individual differences in response sensitivity to CT-targeted touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor J Haggarty
- Research Centre for Brain & Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Peter Malinowski
- Research Centre for Brain & Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Francis P McGlone
- Research Centre for Brain & Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.,Institute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Susannah C Walker
- Research Centre for Brain & Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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18
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González-Cortés T, Gutiérrez-Contreras E, Espino-Silva PK, Haro-Santa Cruz J, Álvarez-Cruz D, Rosales-González CC, Sida-Godoy C, Nava-Hernández MP, López-Márquez FC, Ruiz-Flores P. Clinical Profile of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Pediatric Population from Northern Mexico. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:4409-4420. [PMID: 31385173 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04154-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition classified based on needs of support, in order to address impairments in the areas of social communication and restricted and repetitive behavior. The aim of this work is to describe the main clinical features of the ASD severity levels in a group of Mexican pediatric patients. The results show firstly that this condition was more frequent in males than females. Secondly, an inverse relationship was found between the intellectual coefficient and the level of severity of the disorder. Thirdly, deficits in social reciprocity and communication were more evident in Level 3, than in Levels 1 and 2, while the difference was less evident in restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania González-Cortés
- Centro de Investigación y Atención del Autismo, Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) del Estado de Coahuila, Orquídeas 100 Torreón Residencial, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
| | - Elizabeth Gutiérrez-Contreras
- Centro de Investigación y Atención del Autismo, Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) del Estado de Coahuila, Orquídeas 100 Torreón Residencial, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Perla Karina Espino-Silva
- Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Gregorio A. García 198 Centro, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Jorge Haro-Santa Cruz
- Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Gregorio A. García 198 Centro, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Diana Álvarez-Cruz
- Centro de Investigación y Atención del Autismo, Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) del Estado de Coahuila, Orquídeas 100 Torreón Residencial, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Claudia Cecilia Rosales-González
- Centro de Investigación y Atención del Autismo, Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) del Estado de Coahuila, Orquídeas 100 Torreón Residencial, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Cristina Sida-Godoy
- Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Gregorio A. García 198 Centro, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Martha Patricia Nava-Hernández
- Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Gregorio A. García 198 Centro, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Francisco Carlos López-Márquez
- Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Gregorio A. García 198 Centro, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Pablo Ruiz-Flores
- Centro de Investigación y Atención del Autismo, Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) del Estado de Coahuila, Orquídeas 100 Torreón Residencial, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.,Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Gregorio A. García 198 Centro, 27000, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
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19
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Schirmer A, McGlone F. A touching Sight: EEG/ERP correlates for the vicarious processing of affectionate touch. Cortex 2018; 111:1-15. [PMID: 30419352 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Observers can simulate aspects of other people's tactile experiences. We asked whether they do so when faced with full-body social interactions, whether emerging representations go beyond basic sensorimotor mirroring, and whether they depend on processing goals and inclinations. In an EEG/ERP study, we presented line-drawn, dyadic interactions with and without affectionate touch. In an explicit and an implicit task, participants categorized images into touch versus no-touch and same versus opposite sex interactions, respectively. Modulations of central Rolandic rhythms implied that affectionate touch displays engaged sensorimotor mechanisms. Additionally, the late positive potential (LPP) being larger for images with as compared to without touch pointed to an involvement of higher order socio-affective mechanisms. Task and sex modulated touch perception. Sensorimotor responding, indexed by Rolandic rhythms, was fairly independent of the task but appeared less effortful in women than in men. Touch induced socio-affective responding, indexed by the LPP, declined from explicit to implicit processing in women and disappeared in men. In sum, this study provides first evidence that vicarious touch from full-body social interactions entails shared sensorimotor as well as socio-affective experiences. Yet, mental representations of touch at a socio-affective level are more likely when touch is goal relevant and observers are female. Together, these results outline the conditions under which touch in visual media may be usefully employed to socially engage observers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annett Schirmer
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Center for Cognition and Brain Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
| | - Francis McGlone
- School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, UK; Institute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, UK
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20
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Albein-Urios N, Youssef GJ, Kirkovski M, Enticott PG. Autism Spectrum Traits Linked with Reduced Performance on Self-Report Behavioural Measures of Cognitive Flexibility. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:2506-2515. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3503-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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