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Cording KR, Tu EM, Wang H, Agopyan-Miu AHCW, Bateup HS. Cntnap2 loss drives striatal neuron hyperexcitability and behavioral inflexibility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.09.593387. [PMID: 38766169 PMCID: PMC11100810 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.593387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by two major diagnostic criteria - persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, and the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (RRBs). Evidence from both human and animal model studies of ASD suggest that alteration of striatal circuits, which mediate motor learning, action selection, and habit formation, may contribute to the manifestation of RRBs. CNTNAP2 is a syndromic ASD risk gene, and loss of function of Cntnap2 in mice is associated with RRBs. How loss of Cntnap2 impacts striatal neuron function is largely unknown. In this study, we utilized Cntnap2-/- mice to test whether altered striatal neuron activity contributes to aberrant motor behaviors relevant to ASD. We find that Cntnap2-/- mice exhibit increased cortical drive of striatal projection neurons (SPNs), with the most pronounced effects in direct pathway SPNs. This enhanced drive is likely due to increased intrinsic excitability of SPNs, which make them more responsive to cortical inputs. We also find that Cntnap2-/- mice exhibit spontaneous repetitive behaviors, increased motor routine learning, and cognitive inflexibility. Increased corticostriatal drive, in particular of the direct pathway, may contribute to the acquisition of repetitive, inflexible behaviors in Cntnap2 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R. Cording
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Emilie M. Tu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | | | - Helen S. Bateup
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
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Vagnetti R, Vicovaro M, Spoto A, Battaglini L, Attanasio M, Valenti M, Mazza M. Atypical Time to Contact Estimation in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06352-z. [PMID: 38635130 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06352-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present atypical sensory processing in the perception of moving stimuli and biological motion. The present study aims to explore the performance of young adults with ASD in a time to contact (TTC) estimation task involving social and non-social stimuli. TTC estimation involves extrapolating the trajectory of a moving target concealed by an occluder, based on the visible portion of its path, to predict the target's arrival time at a specific position. Sixteen participants with a diagnosis of level-1 ASD (M = 19.2 years, SE = 0.54 years; 3 F, 13 M) and sixteen participants with TD (M = 22.3 years, SE = 0.44 years; 3 F, 13 M) took part in the study and underwent a TTC estimation task. The task presented two object types (a car and a point-light walker), different object speeds, occluder lengths, motion directions and motion congruency. For the car object, a larger overestimation of TTC emerged for ASDs than for TDs, whereas no difference between ASDs and TDs emerged for the point-light walker. ASDs exhibited a larger TTC overestimation for the car object than for the point-light walker, whereas no difference between object types emerged for TDs. Our results indicated an atypical TTC estimation process in young adults with ASD. Given its importance in daily life, future studies should further explore this skill. Significant effects that emerged from the analysis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vagnetti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Michele Vicovaro
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Andrea Spoto
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Luca Battaglini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Margherita Attanasio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Marco Valenti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Autism (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per l'Autismo), Abruzzo Region Local Health Agency 1 (ASL 1), L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Monica Mazza
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Autism (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per l'Autismo), Abruzzo Region Local Health Agency 1 (ASL 1), L'Aquila, Italy
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Richard Williams N, Tremblay L, Hurt-Thaut C, Brian J, Kowaleski J, Mertel K, Shlüter S, Thaut M. Auditory feedback decreases timing variability for discontinuous and continuous motor tasks in autistic adults. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1379208. [PMID: 38690085 PMCID: PMC11058991 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1379208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autistic individuals demonstrate greater variability and timing error in their motor performance than neurotypical individuals, likely due at least in part to atypical cerebellar characteristics and connectivity. These motor difficulties may differentially affect discrete as opposed to continuous movements in autistic individuals. Augmented auditory feedback has the potential to aid motor timing and variability due to intact auditory-motor pathways in autism and high sensitivity in autistic individuals to auditory stimuli. Methods This experiment investigated whether there were differences in timing accuracy and variability in autistic adults as a function of task (discontinuous vs. continuous movements) and condition (augmented auditory feedback vs. no auditory feedback) in a synchronization-continuation paradigm. Ten autistic young adults aged 17-27 years of age completed the within-subjects study that involved drawing circles at 800 milliseconds intervals on a touch screen. In the discontinuous task, participants traced a series of discrete circles and paused at the top of each circle for at least 60 milliseconds. In the continuous task, participants traced the circles without pausing. Participants traced circles in either a non-auditory condition, or an auditory condition in which they heard a tone each time that they completed a circle drawing. Results Participants had significantly better timing accuracy on the continuous timing task as opposed to the discontinuous task. Timing consistency was significantly higher for tasks performed with auditory feedback. Discussion This research reveals that motor difficulties in autistic individuals affect discrete timing tasks more than continuous tasks, and provides evidence that augmented auditory feedback may be able to mitigate some of the timing variability present in autistic persons' movements. These results provide support for future investigation on the use of music-based therapies involving auditory feedback to address motor dysfunction in autistic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Richard Williams
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
- College of Music and Performing Arts, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Luc Tremblay
- Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Corene Hurt-Thaut
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jessica Brian
- Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julia Kowaleski
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kathrin Mertel
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Michael Thaut
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Zhou L, Jiang P, Zhao L, Fei X, Tang Y, Luo Y, Gong H, Wang X, Li X, Li S, Zhang C, Yang H, Fan X. Ligustilide inhibits Purkinje cell ferritinophagy via the ULK1/NCOA4 pathway to attenuate valproic acid-induced autistic features. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 126:155443. [PMID: 38394737 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in which social impairment is the core symptom. Presently, there are no definitive medications to cure core symptoms of ASD, and most therapeutic strategies ameliorate ASD symptoms. Treatments with proven efficacy in autism are imminent. Ligustilide (LIG), an herbal monomer extracted from Angelica Sinensis and Chuanxiong, is mainly distributed in the cerebellum and widely used in treating neurological disorders. However, there are no studies on its effect on autistic-like phenotypes and its mechanism of action. PURPOSE Investigate the efficacy and mechanism of LIG in treating ASD using two Valproic acid(VPA)-exposed and BTBR T + Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse models of autism. METHODS VPA-exposed mice and BTBR mice were given LIG for treatment, and its effect on autistic-like phenotype was detected by behavioral experiments, which included a three-chamber social test. Subsequently, RNA-Sequence(RNA-Seq) of the cerebellum was performed to observe the biological changes to search target pathways. The autophagy and ferroptosis pathways screened were verified by WB(Western Blot) assay, and the cerebellum was stained by immunofluorescence and examined by electron microscopy. To further explore the therapeutic mechanism, ULK1 agonist BL-918 was used to block the therapeutic effect of LIG to verify its target effect. RESULTS Our work demonstrates that LIG administration from P12-P14 improved autism-related behaviors and motor dysfunction in VPA-exposed mice. Similarly, BTBR mice showed the same improvement. RNA-Seq data identified ULK1 as the target of LIG in regulating ferritinophagy in the cerebellum of VPA-exposed mice, as evidenced by activated autophagy, increased ferritin degradation, iron overload, and lipid peroxidation. We found that VPA exposure-induced ferritinophagy occurred in the Purkinje cells, with enhanced NCOA4 and Lc3B expressions. Notably, the therapeutic effect of LIG disappeared when ULK1 was activated. CONCLUSION LIG treatment inhibits ferritinophagy in Purkinje cells via the ULK1/NCOA4-dependent pathway. Our study reveals for the first time that LIG treatment ameliorates autism symptoms in VPA-exposed mice by reducing aberrant Purkinje ferritinophagy. At the same time, our study complements the pathogenic mechanisms of autism and introduces new possibilities for its therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianyu Zhou
- Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, 400064, China
| | - Peiyan Jiang
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Linyang Zhao
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xinghang Fei
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Yexi Tang
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Hong Gong
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xiaqing Wang
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China; Army 953 Hospital, Shigatse Branch of Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Shigatse, 857000, China
| | - Song Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China; Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, 400064, China
| | - Chunqing Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China; Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, 400064, China.
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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Wilkes BJ, Archer DB, Farmer AL, Bass C, Korah H, Vaillancourt DE, Lewis MH. Cortico-basal ganglia white matter microstructure is linked to restricted repetitive behavior in autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2024; 15:6. [PMID: 38254158 PMCID: PMC10804694 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-023-00581-2] [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: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Restricted repetitive behavior (RRB) is one of two behavioral domains required for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neuroimaging is widely used to study brain alterations associated with ASD and the domain of social and communication deficits, but there has been less work regarding brain alterations linked to RRB. METHODS We utilized neuroimaging data from the National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive to assess basal ganglia and cerebellum structure in a cohort of children and adolescents with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) controls. We evaluated regional gray matter volumes from T1-weighted anatomical scans and assessed diffusion-weighted scans to quantify white matter microstructure with free-water imaging. We also investigated the interaction of biological sex and ASD diagnosis on these measures, and their correlation with clinical scales of RRB. RESULTS Individuals with ASD had significantly lower free-water corrected fractional anisotropy (FAT) and higher free-water (FW) in cortico-basal ganglia white matter tracts. These microstructural differences did not interact with biological sex. Moreover, both FAT and FW in basal ganglia white matter tracts significantly correlated with measures of RRB. In contrast, we found no significant difference in basal ganglia or cerebellar gray matter volumes. LIMITATIONS The basal ganglia and cerebellar regions in this study were selected due to their hypothesized relevance to RRB. Differences between ASD and TD individuals that may occur outside the basal ganglia and cerebellum, and their potential relationship to RRB, were not evaluated. CONCLUSIONS These new findings demonstrate that cortico-basal ganglia white matter microstructure is altered in ASD and linked to RRB. FW in cortico-basal ganglia and intra-basal ganglia white matter was more sensitive to group differences in ASD, whereas cortico-basal ganglia FAT was more closely linked to RRB. In contrast, basal ganglia and cerebellar volumes did not differ in ASD. There was no interaction between ASD diagnosis and sex-related differences in brain structure. Future diffusion imaging investigations in ASD may benefit from free-water estimation and correction in order to better understand how white matter is affected in ASD, and how such measures are linked to RRB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley J Wilkes
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118205, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
| | - Derek B Archer
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer's Center, Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Anna L Farmer
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Carly Bass
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hannah Korah
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118205, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neurology, Fixel Center for Neurological Diseases, Program in Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Mark H Lewis
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Evans MM, Kim J, Abel T, Nickl-Jockschat T, Stevens HE. Developmental Disruptions of the Dorsal Striatum in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:102-111. [PMID: 37652130 PMCID: PMC10841118 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social and communication deficits as well as patterns of restricted, repetitive behavior. Abnormal brain development has long been postulated to underlie ASD, but longitudinal studies aimed at understanding the developmental course of the disorder have been limited. More recently, abnormal development of the striatum in ASD has become an area of interest in research, partially due to overlap of striatal functions and deficit areas in ASD, as well as the critical role of the striatum in early development, when ASD is first detected. Focusing on the dorsal striatum and the associated symptom domain of restricted, repetitive behavior, we review the current literature on dorsal striatal abnormalities in ASD, including studies on functional connectivity, morphometry, and cellular and molecular substrates. We highlight that observed striatal abnormalities in ASD are often dynamic across development, displaying disrupted developmental trajectories. Important findings include an abnormal trajectory of increasing corticostriatal functional connectivity with age and increased striatal growth during childhood in ASD. We end by discussing striatal findings from animal models of ASD. In sum, the studies reviewed here demonstrate a key role for developmental disruptions of the dorsal striatum in the pathogenesis of ASD. Directing attention toward these findings will improve our understanding of ASD and of how associated deficits may be better addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya M Evans
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Jaekyoon Kim
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
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Soghomonian JJ. The cortico-striatal circuitry in autism-spectrum disorders: a balancing act. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1329095. [PMID: 38273975 PMCID: PMC10808402 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1329095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The basal ganglia are major targets of cortical inputs and, in turn, modulate cortical function via their projections to the motor and prefrontal cortices. The role of the basal ganglia in motor control and reward is well documented and there is also extensive evidence that they play a key role in social and repetitive behaviors. The basal ganglia influence the activity of the cerebral cortex via two major projections from the striatum to the output nuclei, the globus pallidus internus and the substantia nigra, pars reticulata. This modulation involves a direct projection known as the direct pathway and an indirect projection via the globus pallidus externus and the subthalamic nucleus, known as the indirect pathway. This review discusses the respective contribution of the direct and indirect pathways to social and repetitive behaviors in neurotypical conditions and in autism spectrum disorders.
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Xiao M, Luo Y, Ding C, Chen X, Liu Y, Tang Y, Chen H. Social support and overeating in young women: The role of altering functional network connectivity patterns and negative emotions. Appetite 2023; 191:107069. [PMID: 37837769 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107069] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that social support has a protective effect on emotional health and emotionally induced overeating. Women are especially more sensitive to benefits from social support when facing eating problems. Although it has been demonstrated that social support can affect the neural processes of emotion regulation and reward perception, it is unclear how social support alters synergistic patterns in large-scale brain networks associated with negative emotions and overeating. We used a large sample of young women aged 17-22 years (N = 360) to examine how social support influences the synchrony of five intrinsic networks (executive control network [ECN], default mode network, salience network [SN], basal ganglia network, and precuneus network [PN]) and how these networks influence negative affect and overeating. Additionally, we explored these analyses in another sample of males (N = 136). After statistically controlling for differences in age and head movement, we observed significant associations of higher levels of social support with increased intra- and inter-network functional synchrony, particularly for ECN-centered network connectivity. Subsequent chain-mediated analyses showed that social support predicted overeating through the ECN-SN and ECN-PN network connectivity and negative emotions. However, these results were not found in men. These findings suggest that social support influences the synergistic patterns within and between intrinsic networks related to inhibitory control, emotion salience, self-referential thinking, and reward sensitivity. Furthermore, they reveal that social support and its neural markers may play a key role in young women's emotional health and eating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yijun Luo
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cody Ding
- Department of Educational Psychology, Research, and Evaluation, University of Missouri, St. Louis, USA
| | - Ximei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yutian Tang
- Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Hong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Rizzo G, Martino D, Avanzino L, Avenanti A, Vicario CM. Social cognition in hyperkinetic movement disorders: a systematic review. Soc Neurosci 2023; 18:331-354. [PMID: 37580305 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2023.2248687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Numerous lines of research indicate that our social brain involves a network of cortical and subcortical brain regions that are responsible for sensing and controlling body movements. However, it remains unclear whether movement disorders have a systematic impact on social cognition. To address this question, we conducted a systematic review examining the influence of hyperkinetic movement disorders (including Huntington disease, Tourette syndrome, dystonia, and essential tremor) on social cognition. Following the PRISMA guidelines and registering the protocol in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022327459), we analyzed 50 published studies focusing on theory of mind (ToM), social perception, and empathy. The results from these studies provide evidence of impairments in ToM and social perception in all hyperkinetic movement disorders, particularly during the recognition of negative emotions. Additionally, individuals with Huntington's Disease and Tourette syndrome exhibit empathy disorders. These findings support the functional role of subcortical structures (such as the basal ganglia and cerebellum), which are primarily responsible for movement disorders, in deficits related to social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Rizzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e degli studi culturali, Università di Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Davide Martino
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Laura Avanzino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Carmelo Mario Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e degli studi culturali, Università di Messina, Messina, Italy
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Dorsey SG, Mocci E, Lane MV, Krueger BK. Rapid effects of valproic acid on the fetal brain transcriptome: Implications for brain development and autism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.01.538959. [PMID: 37205520 PMCID: PMC10187231 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.01.538959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
There is an increased incidence of autism among the children of women who take the anti-epileptic, mood stabilizing drug, valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy; moreover, exposure to VPA in utero causes autistic-like symptoms in rodents and non-human primates. Analysis of RNAseq data obtained from fetal mouse brains 3 hr after VPA administration revealed that VPA significantly [p(FDR) ≤ 0.025] increased or decreased the expression of approximately 7,300 genes. No significant sex differences in VPA-induced gene expression were observed. Expression of genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism as well as neurogenesis, axon growth and synaptogenesis, GABAergic, glutaminergic and dopaminergic synaptic transmission, perineuronal nets, and circadian rhythms was dysregulated by VPA. Moreover, expression of 400 autism risk genes was significantly altered by VPA as was expression of 247 genes that have been reported to play fundamental roles in the development of the nervous system, but are not linked to autism by GWAS. The goal of this study was to identify mouse genes that are: (a) significantly up- or down-regulated by VPA in the fetal brain and (b) known to be associated with autism and/or to play a role in embryonic neurodevelopmental processes, perturbation of which has the potential to alter brain connectivity in the postnatal and adult brain. The set of genes meeting these criteria provides potential targets for future hypothesis-driven approaches to elucidating the proximal underlying causes of defective brain connectivity in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
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Leisman G, Melillo R, Melillo T. Prefrontal Functional Connectivities in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Connectopathic Disorder Affecting Movement, Interoception, and Cognition. Brain Res Bull 2023; 198:65-76. [PMID: 37087061 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex is included in a neuronal system that includes the basal ganglia, the thalamus, and the cerebellum. Most of the higher and more complex motor, cognitive, and emotional behavioral functions are thought to be found primarily in the frontal lobes. Insufficient connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and other regions of the brain that are distant from each other involved in top-down information processing rely on the global integration of data from multiple input sources and enhance low level perception processes (bottom-up information processing). The reduced deactivation in mPFC and in the rest of the Default Network during global task processing is consistent with the integrative modulatory role served by the mPFC. We stress the importance of understanding the degree to which sensory and movement anomalies in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can contribute to social impairment. Further investigation on the neurobiological basis of sensory symptoms and its relationship to other clinical features found in ASD is required Treatment perhaps should not be first behaviorally based but rather based on facilitating sensory motor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerry Leisman
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; University of the Medical Sciences of Havana, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba.
| | - Robert Melillo
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ty Melillo
- Northeast College of the Health Sciencs, Seneca Falls, NY USA
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12
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Holistic Functioning from a Developmental Perspective: A New Synthesis with a Focus on a Multi-tiered System Support Structure. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:343-361. [PMID: 36826703 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-023-00428-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
While research in specific academic disciplines has individually advanced knowledge and practice for promoting multiple aspects of health and well-being in children and adolescents, still missing is an understanding of the interconnectedness of many critical aspects of development and how to intentionally weave these factors to advance a more holistic approach. The need for a more holistic and inclusive approach to child and adolescent development is increasingly evident to promote long-term health and well-being as the overall percentage of children, adolescents, and adults who suffer from mental health disorders is increasing. To address this issue, our authorship team consists of researchers in the areas of developmental psychology, neuroscience, motor development, exercise science, and mental health. The collective ideas outlined in this paper are aligned to address the need to remove disciplinary-specific boundaries and elucidate synergistic linkages across multiple research domains that support holistic development and lifespan health and wellness. We propose a conceptual framework that comprehensively addresses the integration of physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and emotional domains of child and adolescent development. In addition, we also provide a holistic preventative approach that is aligned with a contemporary intervention structure (i.e., Multi-tiered Systems of Support) to promote, from a developmental perspective, positive trajectories of health and well-being across childhood and adolescence.
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13
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Labus JS, Wang C, Mayer EA, Gupta A, Oughourlian T, Kilpatrick L, Tillisch K, Chang L, Naliboff B, Ellingson BM. Sex-specific brain microstructural reorganization in irritable bowel syndrome. Pain 2023; 164:292-304. [PMID: 35639426 PMCID: PMC9691795 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Preliminary evidence suggests that there are sex differences in microstructural brain organization among individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aim of this study was to further investigate sex-dependent differences in brain microstructure and organization in a large sample of well-phenotyped participants with IBS compared with healthy controls. We hypothesized that female patients with IBS would show evidence for increased axonal strength and myelination within and between brain regions concerned with pain and sensory processing, when compared with males with IBS. We also hypothesized that female compared with male IBS subjects show greater levels of somatic awareness and sensory sensitivity consistent with multisystem sensory sensitivity. Diffusion tensor images and clinical assessments were obtained in 100 healthy controls (61 females) and 152 IBS (107 females) on a 3T Siemens Trio. Whole brain voxel-wise differences in fractional anisotropy, mean, radial and axial diffusivity, and track density as differences in somatic awareness and sensory sensitivity were assessed using the general linear model. Female compared with male IBS participants showed extensive microstructural alterations in sensorimotor, corticothalamic, and basal ganglia circuits involved in pain processing and integration of sensorimotor information. Together with the observed increases in symptom severity, somatic awareness, and sensory sensitivity, the findings support the hypotheses that the etiology and maintenance of symptoms in females with IBS may be driven by greater central sensitivity for multiple sensory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S. Labus
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Chencai Wang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Emeran A Mayer
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Arpana Gupta
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Talia Oughourlian
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Lisa Kilpatrick
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Kirsten Tillisch
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Lin Chang
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Bruce Naliboff
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Benjamin M. Ellingson
- Oppenheimer Center for the Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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14
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Zhang EQ, Shi ER, Barceló-Coblijn L. Categorical perception and language evolution: a comparative and neurological perspective. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1110730. [PMID: 37179894 PMCID: PMC10172646 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1110730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Qing Zhang
- School of Linguistic Sciences and Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Center for Language Evolution Studies, University Centre of Excellence IMSErt, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
- *Correspondence: Elizabeth Qing Zhang
| | - Edward Ruoyang Shi
- Department of Translation and Language Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lluís Barceló-Coblijn
- Laboratori d'Investigació en Complexitat i de Lingüística Experimental, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Laboratori d'Investigació en Complexitat i de Lingüística Experimental, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
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15
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Melnikov EY, Khodasevich LS, Polyakova AV, Legkaya EF. [Motor impairments in children with autism spectrum disorders: causes and possibilities for correction]. VOPROSY KURORTOLOGII, FIZIOTERAPII, I LECHEBNOI FIZICHESKOI KULTURY 2023; 100:54-61. [PMID: 37735796 DOI: 10.17116/kurort202310004154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by triad of abnormalities in the form of developmental distortion with a lack of communicative abilities, behavioral and motor stereotypies. Etiology and pathogenesis of disease currently are unknown, but multifactorial causes of this pathology have been suggested. Although social disorders are considered a defining characteristic, motor disorders are a key feature of ASD. They are based on a postural control impairment, which is accompanied by delayed psychomotor development, reduced ability to motor synchronism in early childhood, modified arrangement of muscles, problems with balance and gait, postural instability, coordination deficiency, presence of motor dyspraxia and other abnormalities. OBJECTIVE To analyze current scientific data about motor disorders in ASD and their correction possibilities in children with this pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS Analysis of publications, contained in PubMed and Google Scholar databases, which give consideration to motor disorders in children with ASD, was carried out. The search was done by keywords: motor disorders, children, autism spectrum disorder, causes, correction. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Adaptive physical culture during individual training is one of the available and effective methods of physical rehabilitation in patients with ASD. Children with ASD need three levels of psychological support, each of which offers individual exercises, depending on the nature and severity of speech and cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Yu Melnikov
- Research Center of Health Resort and Rehabilitation - branch of Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of Medical Rehabilitation and Health Resort of Federal Medical-Biological Agency in Sochi, Sochi, Russia
| | - L S Khodasevich
- Research Center of Health Resort and Rehabilitation - branch of Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of Medical Rehabilitation and Health Resort of Federal Medical-Biological Agency in Sochi, Sochi, Russia
- Kuban State Medical University, Krasnodar, Russia
| | | | - E F Legkaya
- Sochi Institute - branch of Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Sochi, Russia
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16
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Brandenburg C, Griswold AJ, Van Booven DJ, Kilander MBC, Frei JA, Nestor MW, Dykxhoorn DM, Pericak-Vance MA, Blatt GJ. Transcriptomic analysis of isolated and pooled human postmortem cerebellar Purkinje cells in autism spectrum disorders. Front Genet 2022; 13:944837. [PMID: 36437953 PMCID: PMC9683032 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.944837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
At present, the neuronal mechanisms underlying the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have not been established. However, studies from human postmortem ASD brains have consistently revealed disruptions in cerebellar circuitry, specifically reductions in Purkinje cell (PC) number and size. Alterations in cerebellar circuitry would have important implications for information processing within the cerebellum and affect a wide range of human motor and non-motor behaviors. Laser capture microdissection was performed to obtain pure PC populations from a cohort of postmortem control and ASD cases and transcriptional profiles were compared. The 427 differentially expressed genes were enriched for gene ontology biological processes related to developmental organization/connectivity, extracellular matrix organization, calcium ion response, immune function and PC signaling alterations. Given the complexity of PCs and their far-ranging roles in response to sensory stimuli and motor function regulation, understanding transcriptional differences in this subset of cerebellar cells in ASD may inform on convergent pathways that impact neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Brandenburg
- Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Anthony J. Griswold
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Derek J. Van Booven
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | | | | | - Derek M. Dykxhoorn
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Gene J. Blatt
- Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
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17
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Mattheisen M, Grove J, Als TD, Martin J, Voloudakis G, Meier S, Demontis D, Bendl J, Walters R, Carey CE, Rosengren A, Strom NI, Hauberg ME, Zeng B, Hoffman G, Zhang W, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Bækvad-Hansen M, Agerbo E, Cormand B, Nordentoft M, Werge T, Mors O, Hougaard DM, Buxbaum JD, Faraone SV, Franke B, Dalsgaard S, Mortensen PB, Robinson EB, Roussos P, Neale BM, Daly MJ, Børglum AD. Identification of shared and differentiating genetic architecture for autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and case subgroups. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1470-1478. [PMID: 36163277 PMCID: PMC10848300 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01171-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are highly heritable neurodevelopmental conditions, with considerable overlap in their genetic etiology. We dissected their shared and distinct genetic etiology by cross-disorder analyses of large datasets. We identified seven loci shared by the disorders and five loci differentiating them. All five differentiating loci showed opposite allelic directions in the two disorders and significant associations with other traits, including educational attainment, neuroticism and regional brain volume. Integration with brain transcriptome data enabled us to identify and prioritize several significantly associated genes. The shared genomic fraction contributing to both disorders was strongly correlated with other psychiatric phenotypes, whereas the differentiating portion was correlated most strongly with cognitive traits. Additional analyses revealed that individuals diagnosed with both ASD and ADHD were double-loaded with genetic predispositions for both disorders and showed distinctive patterns of genetic association with other traits compared with the ASD-only and ADHD-only subgroups. These results provide insights into the biological foundation of the development of one or both conditions and of the factors driving psychopathology discriminatively toward either ADHD or ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Mattheisen
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology & Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Jakob Grove
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas D Als
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Joanna Martin
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Georgios Voloudakis
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra Meier
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology & Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ditte Demontis
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jaroslav Bendl
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Raymond Walters
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin E Carey
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anders Rosengren
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nora I Strom
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mads Engel Hauberg
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Biao Zeng
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gabriel Hoffman
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wen Zhang
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonas Bybjerg-Grauholm
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marie Bækvad-Hansen
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Esben Agerbo
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bru Cormand
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IR-SJD), Esplugues de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Copenhagen Research Centre for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Thomas Werge
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- GLOBE Institute, Center for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Mors
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital-Psychiatry, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - David M Hougaard
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Søren Dalsgaard
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Preben B Mortensen
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Elise B Robinson
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, JJ Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin M Neale
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mark J Daly
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anders D Børglum
- Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark.
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18
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Teixeira-Machado L, Arida RM, Ziebold C, Barboza AB, Ribeiro L, Teles MC, Rodrigues da Cunha Azevedo G, Silvestre de Paula C, Lowenthal R, Mari de Jesus J. A pilot randomized controlled clinical trial of dance practice for functionality in autistic children and adolescent with all levels of need support. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2022; 49:101650. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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19
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Brandenburg C, Blatt GJ. Region-Specific Alterations of Perineuronal Net Expression in Postmortem Autism Brain Tissue. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:838918. [PMID: 35493330 PMCID: PMC9043328 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.838918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often associated with mechanisms that broadly fall into the category of neuroplasticity. Parvalbumin positive neurons and their surrounding perineuronal nets (PNNs) are important factors in critical period plasticity and have both been implicated in ASD. PNNs are found in high density within output structures of the cerebellum and basal ganglia, two regions that are densely connected to many other brain areas and have the potential to participate in the diverse array of symptoms present in an ASD diagnosis. The dentate nucleus (DN) and globus pallidus (GP) were therefore assessed for differences in PNN expression in human postmortem ASD brain tissue. While Purkinje cell loss is a consistent neuropathological finding in ASD, in this cohort, the Purkinje cell targets within the DN did not show differences in number of cells with or without a PNN. However, the density of parvalbumin positive neurons with a PNN were significantly reduced in the GP internus and externus of ASD cases, which was not dependent on seizure status. It is unclear whether these alterations manifest during development or are a consequence of activity-dependent mechanisms that lead to altered network dynamics later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Brandenburg
- Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Cheryl Brandenburg,
| | - Gene J. Blatt
- Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
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20
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Therapeutic Effect of Finasteride through its Antiandrogenic and Antioxidant Role in a Propionic acid-induced Autism Model: Demonstrated by Behavioral tests, Histological Findings and MR Spectroscopy’. Neurosci Lett 2022; 779:136622. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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21
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Tian J, Gao X, Yang L. Repetitive Restricted Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Mechanism to Development of Therapeutics. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:780407. [PMID: 35310097 PMCID: PMC8924045 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.780407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication, social interaction, and repetitive restricted behaviors (RRBs). It is usually detected in early childhood. RRBs are behavioral patterns characterized by repetition, inflexibility, invariance, inappropriateness, and frequent lack of obvious function or specific purpose. To date, the classification of RRBs is contentious. Understanding the potential mechanisms of RRBs in children with ASD, such as neural connectivity disorders and abnormal immune functions, will contribute to finding new therapeutic targets. Although behavioral intervention remains the most effective and safe strategy for RRBs treatment, some promising drugs and new treatment options (e.g., supplementary and cell therapy) have shown positive effects on RRBs in recent studies. In this review, we summarize the latest advances of RRBs from mechanistic to therapeutic approaches and propose potential future directions in research on RRBs.
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22
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Thabault M, Turpin V, Maisterrena A, Jaber M, Egloff M, Galvan L. Cerebellar and Striatal Implications in Autism Spectrum Disorders: From Clinical Observations to Animal Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:2294. [PMID: 35216408 PMCID: PMC8874522 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex conditions that stem from a combination of genetic, epigenetic and environmental influences during early pre- and postnatal childhood. The review focuses on the cerebellum and the striatum, two structures involved in motor, sensory, cognitive and social functions altered in ASD. We summarize clinical and fundamental studies highlighting the importance of these two structures in ASD. We further discuss the relation between cellular and molecular alterations with the observed behavior at the social, cognitive, motor and gait levels. Functional correlates regarding neuronal activity are also detailed wherever possible, and sexual dimorphism is explored pointing to the need to apprehend ASD in both sexes, as findings can be dramatically different at both quantitative and qualitative levels. The review focuses also on a set of three recent papers from our laboratory where we explored motor and gait function in various genetic and environmental ASD animal models. We report that motor and gait behaviors can constitute an early and quantitative window to the disease, as they often correlate with the severity of social impairments and loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells. The review ends with suggestions as to the main obstacles that need to be surpassed before an appropriate management of the disease can be proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Thabault
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
| | - Valentine Turpin
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
| | - Alexandre Maisterrena
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
| | - Mohamed Jaber
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Matthieu Egloff
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Laurie Galvan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
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23
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Gupta A, Bansal R, Alashwal H, Kacar AS, Balci F, Moustafa AA. Neural Substrates of the Drift-Diffusion Model in Brain Disorders. Front Comput Neurosci 2022; 15:678232. [PMID: 35069160 PMCID: PMC8776710 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2021.678232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies on the drift-diffusion model (DDM) explain decision-making based on a unified analysis of both accuracy and response times. This review provides an in-depth account of the recent advances in DDM research which ground different DDM parameters on several brain areas, including the cortex and basal ganglia. Furthermore, we discuss the changes in DDM parameters due to structural and functional impairments in several clinical disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia. This review thus uses DDM to provide a theoretical understanding of different brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Gupta
- CNRS UMR 5293, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Rohini Bansal
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hany Alashwal
- College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
- *Correspondence: Hany Alashwal
| | - Anil Safak Kacar
- Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fuat Balci
- Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Ahmed A. Moustafa
- School of Psychology & Marcs Institute for Brain and Behaviour, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Robina, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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24
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Pierce JE, Péron JA. Reward-Based Learning and Emotional Habit Formation in the Cerebellum. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1378:125-140. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-99550-8_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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25
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Disrupted functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and posterior cingulate cortex in autism spectrum disorder. Neuroreport 2021; 33:43-47. [PMID: 34873110 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dysfunctions in the basal ganglia have been repeatedly found in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is known for its central role in social functions and also in its abnormality in ASD. In this study, whole-brain functional connectivity of the NAcc was examined to isolate brain regions that are differently connected to the NAcc in autism, using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data. METHODS In the initial dataset, 68 individuals with ASD (13.13 ± 2.41 years old) and 77 typically developing individuals (14.79 ± 3.57 years old) were compared. RESULTS The precuneus cortex, lingual gyrus, thalamus, dorsal striatum, anterior cingulate cortex and posterior cingulate cortex showed weaker connectivity to the NAcc in the group with ASD. Among these regions, dysconnectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) was replicated in the replication dataset, with 78 individuals with ASD and 105 without ASD. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the dysconnectivity between the NAcc and PCC may account for social dysfunctions in ASD.
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26
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Basile GA, Bertino S, Bramanti A, Ciurleo R, Anastasi GP, Milardi D, Cacciola A. Striatal topographical organization: Bridging the gap between molecules, connectivity and behavior. Eur J Histochem 2021; 65. [PMID: 34643358 PMCID: PMC8524362 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2021.3284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The striatum represents the major hub of the basal ganglia, receiving projections from the entire cerebral cortex and it is assumed to play a key role in a wide array of complex behavioral tasks. Despite being extensively investigated during the last decades, the topographical organization of the striatum is not well understood yet. Ongoing efforts in neuroscience are focused on analyzing striatal anatomy at different spatial scales, to understand how structure relates to function and how derangements of this organization are involved in various neuropsychiatric diseases. While being subdivided at the macroscale level into dorsal and ventral divisions, at a mesoscale level the striatum represents an anatomical continuum sharing the same cellular makeup. At the same time, it is now increasingly ascertained that different striatal compartments show subtle histochemical differences, and their neurons exhibit peculiar patterns of gene expression, supporting functional diversity across the whole basal ganglia circuitry. Such diversity is further supported by afferent connections which are heterogenous both anatomically, as they originate from distributed cortical areas and subcortical structures, and biochemically, as they involve a variety of neurotransmitters. Specifically, the cortico-striatal projection system is topographically organized delineating a functional organization which is maintained throughout the basal ganglia, subserving motor, cognitive and affective behavioral functions. While such functional heterogeneity has been firstly conceptualized as a tripartite organization, with sharply defined limbic, associative and sensorimotor territories within the striatum, it has been proposed that such territories are more likely to fade into one another, delineating a gradient-like organization along medio-lateral and ventro-dorsal axes. However, the molecular and cellular underpinnings of such organization are less understood, and their relations to behavior remains an open question, especially in humans. In this review we aimed at summarizing the available knowledge on striatal organization, especially focusing on how it links structure to function and its alterations in neuropsychiatric diseases. We examined studies conducted on different species, covering a wide array of different methodologies: from tract-tracing and immunohistochemistry to neuroimaging and transcriptomic experiments, aimed at bridging the gap between macroscopic and molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Antonio Basile
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina.
| | - Salvatore Bertino
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina.
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Medical School of Salerno", University of Salerno.
| | | | - Giuseppe Pio Anastasi
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina.
| | - Demetrio Milardi
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina.
| | - Alberto Cacciola
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina.
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27
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Kosillo P, Bateup HS. Dopaminergic Dysregulation in Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorders: Insights From Genetic Mouse Models. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:700968. [PMID: 34366796 PMCID: PMC8343025 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.700968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by altered social interaction and communication, and repetitive, restricted, inflexible behaviors. Approximately 1.5-2% of the general population meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD and several brain regions including the cortex, amygdala, cerebellum and basal ganglia have been implicated in ASD pathophysiology. The midbrain dopamine system is an important modulator of cellular and synaptic function in multiple ASD-implicated brain regions via anatomically and functionally distinct dopaminergic projections. The dopamine hypothesis of ASD postulates that dysregulation of dopaminergic projection pathways could contribute to the behavioral manifestations of ASD, including altered reward value of social stimuli, changes in sensorimotor processing, and motor stereotypies. In this review, we examine the support for the idea that cell-autonomous changes in dopaminergic function are a core component of ASD pathophysiology. We discuss the human literature supporting the involvement of altered dopamine signaling in ASD including genetic, brain imaging and pharmacologic studies. We then focus on genetic mouse models of syndromic neurodevelopmental disorders in which single gene mutations lead to increased risk for ASD. We highlight studies that have directly examined dopamine neuron number, morphology, physiology, or output in these models. Overall, we find considerable support for the idea that the dopamine system may be dysregulated in syndromic ASDs; however, there does not appear to be a consistent signature and some models show increased dopaminergic function, while others have deficient dopamine signaling. We conclude that dopamine dysregulation is common in syndromic forms of ASD but that the specific changes may be unique to each genetic disorder and may not account for the full spectrum of ASD-related manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Kosillo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Helen S. Bateup
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, United States
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28
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Sex Differences in Functional Connectivity Between Resting State Brain Networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:3088-3101. [PMID: 34272649 PMCID: PMC9213274 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05191-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Functional brain connectivity (FBC) has previously been examined in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between-resting-state networks (RSNs) using a highly sensitive and reproducible hypothesis-free approach. However, results have been inconsistent and sex differences have only recently been taken into consideration using this approach. We estimated main effects of diagnosis and sex and a diagnosis by sex interaction on between-RSNs FBC in 83 ASD (40 females/43 males) and 85 typically developing controls (TC; 43 females/42 males). We found increased connectivity between the default mode (DM) and (a) the executive control networks in ASD (vs. TC); (b) the cerebellum networks in males (vs. females); and (c) female-specific altered connectivity involving visual, language and basal ganglia (BG) networks in ASD—in suggestive compatibility with ASD cognitive and neuroscientific theories.
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29
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Pierce JE, Péron J. The basal ganglia and the cerebellum in human emotion. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 15:599-613. [PMID: 32507876 PMCID: PMC7328022 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The basal ganglia (BG) and the cerebellum historically have been relegated to a functional role in producing or modulating motor output. Recent research, however, has emphasized the importance of these subcortical structures in multiple functional domains, including affective processes such as emotion recognition, subjective feeling elicitation and reward valuation. The pathways through the thalamus that connect the BG and cerebellum directly to each other and with extensive regions of the cortex provide a structural basis for their combined influence on limbic function. By regulating cortical oscillations to guide learning and strengthening rewarded behaviors or thought patterns to achieve a desired goal state, these regions can shape the way an individual processes emotional stimuli. This review will discuss the basic structure and function of the BG and cerebellum and propose an updated view of their functional role in human affective processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan E Pierce
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julie Péron
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.,Neuropsychology Unit, Neurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
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30
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Angioni D, Virecoulon Giudici K, Montoya Martinez M, Rolland Y, Vellas B, de Souto Barreto P. Neuroimaging markers of chronic fatigue in older people: a narrative review. Aging Clin Exp Res 2021; 33:1487-1492. [PMID: 32734575 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-020-01666-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic fatigue is a common symptom in older adults. Although some studies have attempted to identify the neuronal correlates of fatigue associated with chronic diseases, the scientific evidence is scarce regarding fatigue in older people not suffering from a specific disease. AIMS To gather available evidence of neuroimaging studies investigating the associations between fatigue and brain health in older adults out of the context of a specific disease, and to identify potential brain structures associated with this symptom. METHODS Studies considering exclusively patients with a specific disease and/or studies focusing on physiological mechanisms of acute fatigue induced by the realization of cognitive and physical tasks were excluded. RESULTS Very few studies on the associations of fatigue with neuroimaging markers are currently available. Fatigue was associated with reduced hippocampus volumes and with hippocampal amyloid deposition. Regarding the association between fatigue and the circuit of basal ganglia, putamen and thalamus were associated with physical fatigability, whereas amygdala and thalamus with mental fatigability. Very limited evidence about white matter integrity found that healthy individuals with high levels of fatigue had a greater total volume of leukoaraiosis. CONCLUSION This review suggests that hippocampus damage and potentially loss of function in basal ganglia networks could play a role on chronic fatigue during aging. Further studies are needed to assess the associations of fatigue with white matter alterations.
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31
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Quezada NT, Salas-Ortíz SF, Peralta FA, Aguayo FI, Morgado-Gallardo KP, Mac-Rae CA, Fiedler JL, Aliaga EE. Loss of Social/Non-social Context Discrimination by Movement Acceleration in the Valproate Model of Autism. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:555610. [PMID: 33505254 PMCID: PMC7829965 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.555610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental alteration characterized by social/communicative deficits, repetitive/stereotyped movements, and restricted/obsessive interests. However, there is not much information about whether movement alterations in ASD comprise modifications at the basic kinematic level, such as trajectory and velocity, which may contribute to the higher level of processing that allows the perception and interpretation of actions performed by others, and hence, impact social interaction. In order to further explore possible motor alterations in ASD, we analyzed movement parameters in the Valproate (VPA) animal model of autism. We found that VPA-treated rats displayed greater movement acceleration, reduced distance between stops, spent more time in the corner of the open-field arena, and executed a number of particular behaviors; for example, supported rearing and circling, with no major changes in distance and velocity. However, in the social interaction test, we found other alterations in the movement parameters. In addition to increased acceleration, VPA-rats displayed reduced velocity, increased stops, reduced distance/stop and lost the social/non-social area discrimination that is characteristic of control rats in acceleration and stops variables. Hence, even if prenatal VPA-treatment could have a minor effect in motor variables in a non-social context, it has a crucial effect in the capacity of the animals to adjust their kinematic variables when social/non-social context alternation is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelva T Quezada
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Sebastiana F Salas-Ortíz
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Francisco A Peralta
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Felipe I Aguayo
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Catherine A Mac-Rae
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Jenny L Fiedler
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Esteban E Aliaga
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Faculty of Health Sciences, The Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center (CINPSI-Neurocog), Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
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32
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Neuroimaging of Basal Ganglia in Neurometabolic Diseases in Children. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110849. [PMID: 33198265 PMCID: PMC7697699 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases primarily affecting the basal ganglia in children result in characteristic disturbances of movement and muscle tone. Both experimental and clinical evidence indicates that the basal ganglia also play a role in higher mental states. The basal ganglia can be affected by neurometabolic, degenerative diseases or other conditions from which they must be differentiated. Neuroradiological findings in basal ganglia diseases are also known. However, they may be similar in different diseases. Their assessment in children may require repeated MRI examinations depending on the stage of brain development (mainly the level of myelination). A large spectrum of pathological changes in the basal ganglia in many diseases is caused by their vulnerability to metabolic abnormalities and chemical or ischemic trauma. The diagnosis is usually established by correlation of clinical and radiological findings. Neuroimaging of basal ganglia in neurometabolic diseases is helpful in early diagnosis and monitoring of changes for optimal therapy. This review focuses on neuroimaging of basal ganglia and its role in the differential diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism.
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33
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Brandenburg C, Soghomonian JJ, Zhang K, Sulkaj I, Randolph B, Kachadoorian M, Blatt GJ. Increased Dopamine Type 2 Gene Expression in the Dorsal Striatum in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder Suggests Alterations in Indirect Pathway Signaling and Circuitry. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:577858. [PMID: 33240045 PMCID: PMC7681004 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.577858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is behaviorally defined and diagnosed by delayed and/or impeded language, stereotyped repetitive behaviors, and difficulties with social interactions. Additionally, there are disruptions in motor processing, which includes the intent to execute movements, interrupted/inhibited action chain sequences, impaired execution of speech, and repetitive motor behaviors. Cortical loops through basal ganglia (BG) structures are known to play critical roles in the typical functioning of these actions. Specifically, corticostriate projections to the dorsal striatum (caudate and putamen) convey abundant input from motor, cognitive and limbic cortices and subsequently project to other BG structures. Excitatory dopamine (DA) type 1 receptors are predominantly expressed on GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the dorsal striatum as part of the "direct pathway" to GPi and SNpr whereas inhibitory DA type 2 receptors are predominantly expressed on MSNs that primarily project to GPe. This study aimed to better understand how this circuitry may be altered in ASD, especially concerning the neurochemical modulation of GABAergic MSNs within the two major BG pathways. We utilized two classical methods to analyze the postmortem BG in ASD in comparison to neurotypical cases: ligand binding autoradiography to quantify densities of GABA-A, GABA-B, 5-HT2, and DA type 1 and 2 receptors and in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH) to quantify mRNA for D1, D2 receptors and three key GABAergic subunits (α1, β2, and γ2), as well as the GABA synthesizing enzymes (GAD65/67). Results demonstrated significant increases in D2 mRNA within MSNs in both the caudate and putamen, which was further verified by proenkephalin mRNA that is co-expressed with the D2 receptor in the indirect pathway MSNs. In contrast, all other GABAergic, serotonergic and dopaminergic markers in the dorsal striatum had comparable labeling densities. These results indicate alterations in the indirect pathway of the BG, with possible implications for the execution of competing motor programs and E/I imbalance in the direct/indirect motor feedback pathways through thalamic and motor cortical areas. Results also provide insights regarding the efficacy of FDA-approved drugs used to treat individuals with ASD acting on specific DA and 5-HT receptor subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Brandenburg
- Autism Neurocircuitry Laboratory, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jean-Jacques Soghomonian
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kunzhong Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ina Sulkaj
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Brianna Randolph
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Marissa Kachadoorian
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Gene J Blatt
- Autism Neurocircuitry Laboratory, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
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34
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Pfaff D, Barbas H. Mechanisms for the Approach/Avoidance Decision Applied to Autism. Trends Neurosci 2020; 42:448-457. [PMID: 31253250 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
As a neurodevelopmental disorder with serious lifelong consequences, autism has received considerable attention from neuroscientists and geneticists. We present a hypothesis of mechanisms plausibly affected during brain development in autism, based on neural pathways that are associated with social behavior and connect the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to the basal ganglia (BG). We consider failure of social approach in autism as a special case of imbalance in the fundamental dichotomy between behavioral approach and avoidance. Differential combinations of genes mutated, differences in the timing of their impact during development, and graded degrees of hormonal influences may help explain the heterogeneity in symptomatology in autism and predominance in boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald Pfaff
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA.
| | - Helen Barbas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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35
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Markers for the central serotonin system correlate to verbal ability and paralinguistic social voice processing in autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14558. [PMID: 32883965 PMCID: PMC7471326 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71254-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairment in verbal communication abilities has been reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dysfunction of the serotonergic system has also been reported in ASD. However, it is still unknown how the brain serotonergic system relates to impairment in verbal communication abilities in individuals with ASD. In the present study, we investigated the correlation between brain serotonergic condition and brain sensitivity to paralinguistic stimuli (i.e., amplitude in the human voice prosodic change-evoked mismatch field) measured by magnetoencephalography (MEG) or verbal ability in 10 adults with ASD. To estimate the brain serotonergic condition, we measured the serotonin transporter nondisplaceable binding potential cerebrum-wide using positron emission tomography with [11C]N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio)benzylamine ([11C] DASB). The results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between brain activity to paralinguistic stimuli and brain serotonin transporter binding potential in the left lingual gyrus, left fusiform gyrus and left calcarine cortex. In addition, there were significant positive correlations between verbal ability and serotonergic condition in the right anterior insula, right putamen and right central operculum. These results suggested that the occipital cortex is implicated in recognition of the prosodic change in ASD, whereas the right insula-involved serotonergic system is important in nurturing verbal function in ASD.Trial registration: UMIN000011077.
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36
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The Role of Alpha-Synuclein and Other Parkinson's Genes in Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165724. [PMID: 32785033 PMCID: PMC7460874 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental and late-onset neurodegenerative disorders present as separate entities that are clinically and neuropathologically quite distinct. However, recent evidence has highlighted surprising commonalities and converging features at the clinical, genomic, and molecular level between these two disease spectra. This is particularly striking in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Genetic causes and risk factors play a central role in disease pathophysiology and enable the identification of overlapping mechanisms and pathways. Here, we focus on clinico-genetic studies of causal variants and overlapping clinical and cellular features of ASD and PD. Several genes and genomic regions were selected for our review, including SNCA (alpha-synuclein), PARK2 (parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase), chromosome 22q11 deletion/DiGeorge region, and FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation 1) repeat expansion, which influence the development of both ASD and PD, with converging features related to synaptic function and neurogenesis. Both PD and ASD display alterations and impairments at the synaptic level, representing early and key disease phenotypes, which support the hypothesis of converging mechanisms between the two types of diseases. Therefore, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms might inform on common targets and therapeutic approaches. We propose to re-conceptualize how we understand these disorders and provide a new angle into disease targets and mechanisms linking neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegeneration.
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Kuo HY, Liu FC. Pathological alterations in striatal compartments in the human brain of autism spectrum disorder. Mol Brain 2020; 13:83. [PMID: 32460809 PMCID: PMC7254729 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00624-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The striatum comprises a mosaic structure of striosomal and matrix compartments. Imbalanced neuronal activity between striosomes and matrix is implicated in neurological deficits in psychomotor and limbic functions. Because patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are impaired in social communication and psychomotor function, it raises the possibility that abnormal striatal compartments may contribute to ASD pathogenesis. Here, we provide pathological evidence from human postmortem brains to support this hypothesis. Because ASD is a neurodevelopmental disease that emerges early in childhood, we analyzed juvenile and adolescent brains. Distinct patterns of PRODYNORPHIN-positive and calbindin-poor striosomes were detected in the caudate nucleus of control brains by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. By contrast, PRODYNORPHIN-positive and calbindin-poor striosomes were decreased in the caudate nucleus of young ASD brains. Moreover, calbindin, a matrix marker, was aberrantly increased in the striosomal compartment, obscuring the boundaries between calbindin-poor striosomes and calbindin-rich matrix in ASD caudate nucleus. Calbindin-positive cells were decreased in the ASD matrix compartment. Collectively, our study has uncovered for the first time that aberrant striatal compartments occur in the caudate nucleus of human ASD brains, which suggests abnormal striatal compartmentation as a pathological signature that has previously been underestimated in ASD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Ying Kuo
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, 155, Sec. 2, Li-Nong Street, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chin Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, 155, Sec. 2, Li-Nong Street, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan.
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Duan X, Wang R, Xiao J, Li Y, Huang X, Guo X, Cao J, He L, He C, Ling Z, Shan X, Chen H, Kang X, Chen H. Subcortical structural covariance in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 99:109874. [PMID: 31981719 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities in the structure of subcortical regions are central to numerous behaviors affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and these regions may undergo atypical coordinated neurodevelopment. However, relatively little is known about morphological correlations among subcortical structures in young children with ASD. In this study, using volumetric-based methodology and structural covariance approach, we investigated structural covariance of subcortical brain volume in 40 young children with ASD (<7.5 years old) and 38 age-, gender-, and handedness-matched typically developing (TD) children. Results showed that compared with TD children, children with ASD exhibited decreased structural covariation between the left and right cerebral hemispheres, specifically between the left and right thalami, right globus pallidus and left nucleus accumbens, and left globus pallidus and right nucleus accumbens. Compared with TD children, children with ASD exhibited increased structural covariation between adjacent regions, such as between the right globus pallidus and right putamen. Additionally, abnormalities in subcortical structural covariance can predict social communication and repetitive and stereotypic behavior in young children with ASD. Overall, these results suggest decreased long-range structural covariation and enhanced local covariation in subcortical structures in children with ASD, highlighting aberrant developmental coordination or synchronized maturation between subcortical regions that play crucial roles in social cognition and behavior in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujun Duan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Runshi Wang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Jinming Xiao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Ya Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xinyue Huang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xiaonan Guo
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu 611135, China
| | - Liyao He
- Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu 611135, China
| | - Changchun He
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Zihan Ling
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xiaolong Shan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Heng Chen
- Medical College of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Xiaodong Kang
- Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu 611135, China.
| | - Huafu Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China.
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Shen W, Kilander MBC, Bridi MS, Frei JA, Niescier RF, Huang S, Lin YC. Tomosyn regulates the small RhoA GTPase to control the dendritic stability of neurons and the surface expression of AMPA receptors. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1213-1231. [PMID: 32133675 PMCID: PMC7216846 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tomosyn, a protein encoded by syntaxin‐1‐binding protein 5 (STXBP5) gene, has a well‐established presynaptic role in the inhibition of neurotransmitter release and the reduction of synaptic transmission by its canonical interaction with the soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment protein receptor machinery. However, the postsynaptic role of tomosyn in dendritic arborization, spine stability, and trafficking of ionotropic glutamate receptors remains to be elucidated. We used short hairpin RNA to knock down tomosyn in mouse primary neurons to evaluate the postsynaptic cellular function and molecular signaling regulated by tomosyn. Knockdown of tomosyn led to an increase of RhoA GTPase activity accompanied by compromised dendritic arborization, loss of dendritic spines, decreased surface expression of AMPA receptors, and reduced miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency. Inhibiting RhoA signaling was sufficient to rescue the abnormal dendritic morphology and the surface expression of AMPA receptors. The function of tomosyn regulating RhoA is mediated through the N‐terminal WD40 motif, where two variants each carrying a single nucleotide mutation in this region were found in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We demonstrated that these variants displayed loss‐of‐function phenotypes. Unlike the wild‐type tomosyn, these two variants failed to restore the reduced dendritic complexity, spine density, as well as decreased surface expression of AMPA receptors in tomosyn knockdown neurons. This study uncovers a novel role of tomosyn in maintaining neuronal function by inhibiting RhoA activity. Further analysis of tomosyn variants also provides a potential mechanism for explaining cellular pathology in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Shen
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Morgan S Bridi
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeannine A Frei
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert F Niescier
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shiyong Huang
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yu-Chih Lin
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Bojanek EK, Wang Z, White SP, Mosconi MW. Postural control processes during standing and step initiation in autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:1. [PMID: 31906846 PMCID: PMC6945692 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-019-9305-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show a reduced ability to maintain postural stability, though motor control mechanisms contributing to these issues and the extent to which they are associated with other gross motor activities (e.g., stepping) are not yet known. Methods Seventeen individuals with ASD and 20 typically developing (TD) controls (ages 6–19 years) completed three tests of postural control during standing. During the neutral stance, individuals stood with their feet shoulder width apart. During the Romberg one stance, they stood with feet close together. During the circular sway, participants stood with feet shoulder width apart and swayed in a circular motion. The standard deviation (SD) of their center of pressure (COP) in the mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) directions and the COP trajectory length were examined for each stance. We also assessed mutual information (MI), or the shared dependencies between COP in the ML and AP directions. Participants also completed a stepping task in which they stepped forward from one force platform to an adjacent platform. The amplitude and duration of anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) were examined, as were the maximum lateral sway, duration, and velocity of COP adjustments following the initial step. We examined stepping variables using separate one-way ANCOVAs with height as a covariate. The relationships between postural control and stepping measures and ASD symptom severity were assessed using Spearman correlations with scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule–Second Edition (ADOS-2) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). Results Individuals with ASD showed increased COP trajectory length across stance conditions (p = 0.05) and reduced MI during circular sway relative to TD controls (p = 0.02). During stepping, groups did not differ on APA amplitude (p = 0.97) or duration (p = 0.41), but during their initial step, individuals with ASD showed reduced ML sway (p = 0.06), reduced body transfer duration (p < 0.01), and increased body transfer velocity (p = 0.02) compared to controls. Greater neutral stance COPML variability (r = 0.55, p = 0.02) and decreased lateral sway (r = − 0.55, p = 0.02) when stepping were associated with more severe restricted and repetitive behaviors in participants with ASD. Conclusions We found that individuals with ASD showed reduced MI during circular sway suggesting a reduced ability to effectively coordinate joint movements during dynamic postural adjustments. Additionally, individuals with ASD showed reduced lateral sway when stepping indicating that motor rigidity may interfere with balance and gait. Postural control and stepping deficits were related to repetitive behaviors in individuals with ASD indicating that motor rigidity and key clinical issues in ASD may represent overlapping pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Bojanek
- Life Span Institute and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical Center, Overland Park, KS, 66213, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive PO Box 100164, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Stormi P White
- Marcus Autism Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4010, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Life Span Institute and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA. .,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical Center, Overland Park, KS, 66213, USA.
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41
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Léna I, Mantegazza M. Na V1.2 haploinsufficiency in Scn2a knock-out mice causes an autistic-like phenotype attenuated with age. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12886. [PMID: 31501495 PMCID: PMC6733925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49392-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations of the SCN2A gene, encoding the voltage gated sodium channel NaV1.2, have been associated to a wide spectrum of epileptic disorders ranging from benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures to early onset epileptic encephalopathies such as Ohtahara syndrome. These phenotypes may be caused by either gain-of-function or loss-of-function mutations. More recently, loss-of-function SCN2A mutations have also been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without overt epileptic phenotypes. Heterozygous Scn2a knock-out mice (Scn2a+/−) may be a model of this phenotype. Because ASD develops in childhood, we performed a detailed behavioral characterization of Scn2a+/− mice comparing the juvenile/adolescent period of development and adulthood. We used tasks relevant to ASD and the different comorbidities frequently found in this disorder, such as anxiety or intellectual disability. Our data demonstrate that young Scn2a+/− mice display autistic-like phenotype associated to impaired memory and reduced reactivity to stressful stimuli. Interestingly, these dysfunctions are attenuated with age since adult mice show only communicative deficits. Considering the clinical data available on patients with loss-of-function SCN2A mutations, our results indicate that Scn2a+/− mice constitute an ASD model with construct and face validity during the juvenile/adolescent period of development. However, more information about the clinical features of adult carriers of SCN2A mutations is needed to evaluate comparatively the phenotype of adult Scn2a+/− mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Léna
- Université Côte d'Azur, 660 Route des Lucioles, 06560, Valbonne - Sophia Antipolis, France. .,CNRS UMR 7275, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (IPMC), 660 Route des Lucioles, 06560, Valbonne - Sophia Antipolis, France.
| | - Massimo Mantegazza
- Université Côte d'Azur, 660 Route des Lucioles, 06560, Valbonne - Sophia Antipolis, France. .,CNRS UMR 7275, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (IPMC), 660 Route des Lucioles, 06560, Valbonne - Sophia Antipolis, France. .,Inserm, 660 Route des Lucioles, 06560, Valbonne - Sophia Antipolis, France.
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Kawakubo H, Matsui Y, Kushima I, Ozaki N, Shimamura T. A network of networks approach for modeling interconnected brain tissue-specific networks. Bioinformatics 2019; 35:3092-3101. [PMID: 30649245 PMCID: PMC6735868 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation Recent sequence-based analyses have identified a lot of gene variants that may contribute to neurogenetic disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Several state-of-the-art network-based analyses have been proposed for mechanical understanding of genetic variants in neurogenetic disorders. However, these methods were mainly designed for modeling and analyzing single networks that do not interact with or depend on other networks, and thus cannot capture the properties between interdependent systems in brain-specific tissues, circuits and regions which are connected each other and affect behavior and cognitive processes. Results We introduce a novel and efficient framework, called a ‘Network of Networks’ approach, to infer the interconnectivity structure between multiple networks where the response and the predictor variables are topological information matrices of given networks. We also propose Graph-Oriented SParsE Learning, a new sparse structural learning algorithm for network data to identify a subset of the topological information matrices of the predictors related to the response. We demonstrate on simulated data that propose Graph-Oriented SParsE Learning outperforms existing kernel-based algorithms in terms of F-measure. On real data from human brain region-specific functional networks associated with the autism risk genes, we show that the ‘Network of Networks’ model provides insights on the autism-associated interconnectivity structure between functional interaction networks and a comprehensive understanding of the genetic basis of autism across diverse regions of the brain. Availability and implementation Our software is available from https://github.com/infinite-point/GOSPEL. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideko Kawakubo
- Division of Systems of Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yusuke Matsui
- Laboratory of Intelligence Healthcare, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Itaru Kushima
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Psychotherapy for parents and children, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Teppei Shimamura
- Division of Systems of Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Van Hecke R, Danneels M, Dhooge I, Van Waelvelde H, Wiersema JR, Deconinck FJA, Maes L. Vestibular Function in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:3328-3350. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04059-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Coll-Tané M, Krebbers A, Castells-Nobau A, Zweier C, Schenck A. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders 'on the fly': insights from Drosophila. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm039180. [PMID: 31088981 PMCID: PMC6550041 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are frequently co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders and affect 2-3% of the population. Rapid advances in exome and genome sequencing have increased the number of known implicated genes by threefold, to more than a thousand. The main challenges in the field are now to understand the various pathomechanisms associated with this bewildering number of genetic disorders, to identify new genes and to establish causality of variants in still-undiagnosed cases, and to work towards causal treatment options that so far are available only for a few metabolic conditions. To meet these challenges, the research community needs highly efficient model systems. With an increasing number of relevant assays and rapidly developing novel methodologies, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is ideally positioned to change gear in ID and ASD research. The aim of this Review is to summarize some of the exciting work that already has drawn attention to Drosophila as a model for these disorders. We highlight well-established ID- and ASD-relevant fly phenotypes at the (sub)cellular, brain and behavioral levels, and discuss strategies of how this extraordinarily efficient and versatile model can contribute to 'next generation' medical genomics and to a better understanding of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireia Coll-Tané
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alina Krebbers
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Castells-Nobau
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Christiane Zweier
- Institute of Human Genetics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Annette Schenck
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Peter B, Dinu V, Liu L, Huentelman M, Naymik M, Lancaster H, Vose C, Schrauwen I. Exome Sequencing of Two Siblings with Sporadic Autism Spectrum Disorder and Severe Speech Sound Disorder Suggests Pleiotropic and Complex Effects. Behav Genet 2019; 49:399-414. [DOI: 10.1007/s10519-019-09957-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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London EB. Neuromodulation and a Reconceptualization of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Using the Locus Coeruleus Functioning as an Exemplar. Front Neurol 2018; 9:1120. [PMID: 30619071 PMCID: PMC6305710 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of developmental disorders. Although, ASD can be reliably diagnosed, the etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment targets remain poorly characterized. While there are many atypical findings in anatomy, genetics, connectivity, and other biologic parameters, there remains no discreet hypothesis to explain the core signs as well as the very frequent comorbidities. Due to this, designing targets for treatments can only be done by assuming each symptom is a result of a discreet abnormality which is likely not the case. Neuronal circuity remains a major focus of research but rarely taking into account the functioning of the brain is highly dependent on various systems, including the neuromodulatory substances originating in the midbrain. A hypothesis is presented which explores the possibility of explaining many of the symptoms found in ASD in terms of inefficient neuromodulation using the functioning of the locus coeruleus and norepinephrine (LC/NE) as exemplars. The basic science of LC/NE is reviewed. Several functions found to be impaired in ASD including learning, attention, sensory processing, emotional regulation, autonomic functioning, adaptive and repetitive behaviors, sleep, language acquisition, initiation, and prompt dependency are examined in terms of the functioning of the LC/NE system. Suggestions about possible treatment directions are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric B. London
- Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, United States
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Eggleston JD, Harry JR, Dufek JS. Lower extremity joint stiffness during walking distinguishes children with and without autism. Hum Mov Sci 2018; 62:25-33. [PMID: 30218847 PMCID: PMC6251740 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
How children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and peers with typical development (TD) modulate lower extremity stiffness during walking could identify a mechanism for gait differences between groups. We quantified differences in lower extremity joint stiffness and linear impulses, along the vertical and anterior/posterior axes during over-ground walking in children with ASD compared to age- and gender-matched children with TD. Nine age- and gender-matched pairs of children, aged 5-12 years, completed the current study. Joint stiffness and linear impulses were computed in four sub-phases of stance: loading response, mid-stance, terminal stance, and pre-swing. The Model Statistic technique (α = 0.05) was used to test for statistical significance between the matched-pairs for each variable and sub-phase. Furthermore, dependent t-tests (α = 0.05) were utilized, at the group level, to determine whether significant differences existed between sub-phases. Results indicate that children with ASD may exhibit greater stiffness in pre-swing, and thus, produce inefficient propulsive forces during walking. We attribute these differences to sensory processing dysfunction previously observed in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Eggleston
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
| | - John R Harry
- Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Box 43011, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Janet S Dufek
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
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Frye RE. Social Skills Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential Biological Origins and Progress in Developing Therapeutic Agents. CNS Drugs 2018; 32:713-734. [PMID: 30105528 PMCID: PMC6105175 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-018-0556-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is defined by two core symptoms: a deficit in social communication and the presence of repetitive behaviors and/or restricted interests. Currently, there is no US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for these core symptoms. This article reviews the biological origins of the social function deficit associated with autism spectrum disorder and the drug therapies with the potential to treat this deficit. A review of the history of autism demonstrates that a deficit in social interaction has been the defining feature of the concept of autism from its conception. Abnormalities identified in early social skill development and an overview of the pathophysiology abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorder are discussed as are the abnormalities in brain circuits associated with the social function deficit. Previous and ongoing clinical trials examining agents that have the potential to improve social deficits associated with autism spectrum disorder are discussed in detail. This discussion reveals that agents such as oxytocin and propranolol are particularly promising and undergoing active investigation, while other agents such as vasopressin agonists and antagonists are being activity investigated but have limited published evidence at this time. In addition, agents such as bumetanide and manipulation of the enteric microbiome using microbiota transfer therapy appear to have promising effects on core autism spectrum disorder symptoms including social function. Other pertinent issues associated with developing treatments in autism spectrum disorder, such as disease heterogeneity, high placebo response rates, trial design, and the most appropriate way of assessing effects on social skills (outcome measures), are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard E Frye
- Division of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E Thomas St, Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA.
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
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