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Nagai Y, Kirino E, Tanaka S, Usui C, Inami R, Inoue R, Hattori A, Uchida W, Kamagata K, Aoki S. Functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorder evaluated using rs-fMRI and DKI. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:129-145. [PMID: 38012112 PMCID: PMC11065111 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad451] [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: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We evaluated functional connectivity (FC) in patients with adult autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI). We acquired rs-fMRI data from 33 individuals with ASD and 33 healthy controls (HC) and DKI data from 18 individuals with ASD and 17 HC. ASD showed attenuated FC between the right frontal pole (FP) and the bilateral temporal fusiform cortex (TFusC) and enhanced FC between the right thalamus and the bilateral inferior division of lateral occipital cortex, and between the cerebellar vermis and the right occipital fusiform gyrus (OFusG) and the right lingual gyrus, compared with HC. ASD demonstrated increased axial kurtosis (AK) and mean kurtosis (MK) in white matter (WM) tracts, including the right anterior corona radiata (ACR), forceps minor (FM), and right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). In ASD, there was also a significant negative correlation between MK and FC between the cerebellar vermis and the right OFusG in the corpus callosum, FM, right SLF and right ACR. Increased DKI metrics might represent neuroinflammation, increased complexity, or disrupted WM tissue integrity that alters long-distance connectivity. Nonetheless, protective or compensating adaptations of inflammation might lead to more abundant glial cells and cytokine activation effectively alleviating the degeneration of neurons, resulting in increased complexity. FC abnormality in ASD observed in rs-fMRI may be attributed to microstructural alterations of the commissural and long-range association tracts in WM as indicated by DKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhito Nagai
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Eiji Kirino
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1129 Nagaoka Izunokuni-shi Shizuoka 410-2295, Japan
- Juntendo Institute of Mental Health, 700-1 Fukuroyama Koshigaya-shi Saitama 343-0032, Japan
| | - Shoji Tanaka
- Department of Information and Communication Sciences, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102-8554, Japan
| | - Chie Usui
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Rie Inami
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Reiichi Inoue
- Juntendo Institute of Mental Health, 700-1 Fukuroyama Koshigaya-shi Saitama 343-0032, Japan
| | - Aki Hattori
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Wataru Uchida
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Koji Kamagata
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Shigeki Aoki
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Faculty of Health Data Science, Juntendo University, 6-8-1 Hinode Urayasu-shi Chiba 279-0013, Japan
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Baizer JS. Neuroanatomy of autism: what is the role of the cerebellum? Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:94-103. [PMID: 38696597 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae050] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism (or autism spectrum disorder) was initially defined as a psychiatric disorder, with the likely cause maternal behavior (the very destructive "refrigerator mother" theory). It took several decades for research into brain mechanisms to become established. Both neuropathological and imaging studies found differences in the cerebellum in autism spectrum disorder, the most widely documented being a decreased density of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. The popular interpretation of these results is that cerebellar neuropathology is a critical cause of autism spectrum disorder. We challenge that view by arguing that if fewer Purkinje cells are critical for autism spectrum disorder, then any condition that causes the loss of Purkinje cells should also cause autism spectrum disorder. We will review data on damage to the cerebellum from cerebellar lesions, tumors, and several syndromes (Joubert syndrome, Fragile X, and tuberous sclerosis). Collectively, these studies raise the question of whether the cerebellum really has a role in autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder is now recognized as a genetically caused developmental disorder. A better understanding of the genes that underlie the differences in brain development that result in autism spectrum disorder is likely to show that these genes affect the development of the cerebellum in parallel with the development of the structures that do underlie autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan S Baizer
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 123 Sherman Hall, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States
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3
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Hensel L, Lüdtke J, Brouzou KO, Eickhoff SB, Kamp D, Schilbach L. Noninvasive brain stimulation in autism: review and outlook for personalized interventions in adult patients. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:8-18. [PMID: 38696602 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae096] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has been increasingly investigated during the last decade as a treatment option for persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, previous studies did not reach a consensus on a superior treatment protocol or stimulation target. Persons with ASD often suffer from social isolation and high rates of unemployment, arising from difficulties in social interaction. ASD involves multiple neural systems involved in perception, language, and cognition, and the underlying brain networks of these functional domains have been well documented. Aiming to provide an overview of NIBS effects when targeting these neural systems in late adolescent and adult ASD, we conducted a systematic search of the literature starting at 631 non-duplicate publications, leading to six studies corresponding with inclusion and exclusion criteria. We discuss these studies regarding their treatment rationale and the accordingly chosen methodological setup. The results of these studies vary, while methodological advances may allow to explain some of the variability. Based on these insights, we discuss strategies for future clinical trials to personalize the selection of brain stimulation targets taking into account intersubject variability of brain anatomy as well as function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Hensel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jana Lüdtke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katia O Brouzou
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße 1, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Daniel Kamp
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Nußbaumstraße 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
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Sakaguchi K, Tawata S. Giftedness and atypical sexual differentiation: enhanced perceptual functioning through estrogen deficiency instead of androgen excess. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1343759. [PMID: 38752176 PMCID: PMC11094242 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1343759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Syndromic autism spectrum conditions (ASC), such as Klinefelter syndrome, also manifest hypogonadism. Compared to the popular Extreme Male Brain theory, the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning model explains the connection between ASC, savant traits, and giftedness more seamlessly, and their co-emergence with atypical sexual differentiation. Overexcitability of primary sensory inputs generates a relative enhancement of local to global processing of stimuli, hindering the abstraction of communication signals, in contrast to the extraordinary local information processing skills in some individuals. Weaker inhibitory function through gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors and the atypicality of synapse formation lead to this difference, and the formation of unique neural circuits that process external information. Additionally, deficiency in monitoring inner sensory information leads to alexithymia (inability to distinguish one's own emotions), which can be caused by hypoactivity of estrogen and oxytocin in the interoceptive neural circuits, comprising the anterior insular and cingulate gyri. These areas are also part of the Salience Network, which switches between the Central Executive Network for external tasks and the Default Mode Network for self-referential mind wandering. Exploring the possibility that estrogen deficiency since early development interrupts GABA shift, causing sensory processing atypicality, it helps to evaluate the co-occurrence of ASC with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and schizophrenia based on phenotypic and physiological bases. It also provides clues for understanding the common underpinnings of these neurodevelopmental disorders and gifted populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kikue Sakaguchi
- Research Department, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE), Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shintaro Tawata
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Sophia University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Wegiel J, Chadman K, London E, Wisniewski T, Wegiel J. Contribution of the serotonergic system to developmental brain abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2024. [PMID: 38500252 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
This review highlights a key role of the serotonergic system in brain development and in distortions of normal brain development in early stages of fetal life resulting in cascades of abnormalities, including defects of neurogenesis, neuronal migration, neuronal growth, differentiation, and arborization, as well as defective neuronal circuit formation in the cortex, subcortical structures, brainstem, and cerebellum of autistic subjects. In autism, defects in regulation of neuronal growth are the most frequent and ubiquitous developmental changes associated with impaired neuron differentiation, smaller size, distorted shape, loss of spatial orientation, and distortion of cortex organization. Common developmental defects of the brain in autism include multiregional focal dysplastic changes contributing to local neuronal circuit distortion, epileptogenic activity, and epilepsy. There is a discrepancy between more than 500 reports demonstrating the contribution of the serotonergic system to autism's behavioral anomalies, highlighted by lack of studies of autistic subjects' brainstem raphe nuclei, the center of brain serotonergic innervation, and of the contribution of the serotonergic system to the diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Discovery of severe fetal brainstem auditory system neuronal deficits and other anomalies leading to a spectrum of hearing deficits contributing to a cascade of behavioral alterations, including deficits of social and verbal communication in individuals with autism, is another argument to intensify postmortem studies of the type and topography of, and the severity of developmental defects in raphe nuclei and their contribution to abnormal brain development and to the broad spectrum of functional deficits and comorbid conditions in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarek Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, USA
| | - Kathryn Chadman
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, USA
| | - Eric London
- Department of Psychology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, USA
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, USA
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Leyhausen J, Schäfer T, Gurr C, Berg LM, Seelemeyer H, Pretzsch CM, Loth E, Oakley B, Buitelaar JK, Beckmann CF, Floris DL, Charman T, Bourgeron T, Banaschewski T, Jones EJH, Tillmann J, Chatham C, Murphy DG, Ecker C. Differences in Intrinsic Gray Matter Connectivity and Their Genomic Underpinnings in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:175-186. [PMID: 37348802 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition accompanied by differences in brain connectivity. Structural connectivity in autism has mainly been investigated within the white matter. However, many genetic variants associated with autism highlight genes related to synaptogenesis and axonal guidance, thus also implicating differences in intrinsic (i.e., gray matter) connections in autism. Intrinsic connections may be assessed in vivo via so-called intrinsic global and local wiring costs. METHODS Here, we examined intrinsic global and local wiring costs in the brain of 359 individuals with autism and 279 healthy control participants ages 6 to 30 years from the EU-AIMS LEAP (Longitudinal European Autism Project). FreeSurfer was used to derive surface mesh representations to compute the estimated length of connections required to wire the brain within the gray matter. Vertexwise between-group differences were assessed using a general linear model. A gene expression decoding analysis based on the Allen Human Brain Atlas was performed to link neuroanatomical differences to putative underpinnings. RESULTS Group differences in global and local wiring costs were predominantly observed in medial and lateral prefrontal brain regions, in inferior temporal regions, and at the left temporoparietal junction. The resulting neuroanatomical patterns were enriched for genes that had been previously implicated in the etiology of autism at genetic and transcriptomic levels. CONCLUSIONS Based on intrinsic gray matter connectivity, the current study investigated the complex neuroanatomy of autism and linked between-group differences to putative genomic and/or molecular mechanisms to parse the heterogeneity of autism and provide targets for future subgrouping approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Leyhausen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Tim Schäfer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Caroline Gurr
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lisa M Berg
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hanna Seelemeyer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Charlotte M Pretzsch
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Loth
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany Oakley
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Christian F Beckmann
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Dorothea L Floris
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Methods of Plasticity Research, Department of Psychology, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Bourgeron
- Institut Pasteur, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Paris, France
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Tillmann
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Chris Chatham
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Declan G Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Ecker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Zarate-Lopez D, Torres-Chávez AL, Gálvez-Contreras AY, Gonzalez-Perez O. Three Decades of Valproate: A Current Model for Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:260-289. [PMID: 37873949 PMCID: PMC10788883 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666231003121513] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with increased prevalence and incidence in recent decades. Its etiology remains largely unclear, but it seems to involve a strong genetic component and environmental factors that, in turn, induce epigenetic changes during embryonic and postnatal brain development. In recent decades, clinical studies have shown that inutero exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is an environmental factor associated with an increased risk of ASD. Subsequently, prenatal VPA exposure in rodents has been established as a reliable translational model to study the pathophysiology of ASD, which has helped demonstrate neurobiological changes in rodents, non-human primates, and brain organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. This evidence supports the notion that prenatal VPA exposure is a valid and current model to replicate an idiopathic ASD-like disorder in experimental animals. This review summarizes and describes the current features reported with this animal model of autism and the main neurobiological findings and correlates that help elucidate the pathophysiology of ASD. Finally, we discuss the general framework of the VPA model in comparison to other environmental and genetic ASD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zarate-Lopez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Ana Laura Torres-Chávez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Alma Yadira Gálvez-Contreras
- Department of Neuroscience, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, México
| | - Oscar Gonzalez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
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Sokol DK, Lahiri DK. APPlications of amyloid-β precursor protein metabolites in macrocephaly and autism spectrum disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1201744. [PMID: 37799731 PMCID: PMC10548831 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1201744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolites of the Amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) proteolysis may underlie brain overgrowth in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have found elevated APP metabolites (total APP, secreted (s) APPα, and α-secretase adamalysins in the plasma and brain tissue of children with ASD). In this review, we highlight several lines of evidence supporting APP metabolites' potential contribution to macrocephaly in ASD. First, APP appears early in corticogenesis, placing APP in a prime position to accelerate growth in neurons and glia. APP metabolites are upregulated in neuroinflammation, another potential contributor to excessive brain growth in ASD. APP metabolites appear to directly affect translational signaling pathways, which have been linked to single gene forms of syndromic ASD (Fragile X Syndrome, PTEN, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex). Finally, APP metabolites, and microRNA, which regulates APP expression, may contribute to ASD brain overgrowth, particularly increased white matter, through ERK receptor activation on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/Rho GTPase pathway, favoring myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah K. Sokol
- Department of Neurology, Section of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Debomoy K. Lahiri
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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9
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Rabelo LN, Queiroz JPG, Castro CCM, Silva SP, Campos LD, Silva LC, Nascimento EB, Martínez-Cerdeño V, Fiuza FP. Layer-Specific Changes in the Prefrontal Glia/Neuron Ratio Characterizes Patches of Gene Expression Disorganization in Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3648-3658. [PMID: 35704132 PMCID: PMC10084744 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05626-8] [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] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is manifested by abnormal cell numbers and patches of gene expression disruption in higher-order brain regions. Here, we investigated whether layer-specific changes in glia/neuron ratios (GNR) characterize patches in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC) of children with ASD. We analyzed high-resolution digital images of postmortem human brains from 11 ASD and 11 non-ASD children obtained from the Autism Study of the Allen Human Brain Atlas. We found the GNR is overall reduced in the ASD DL-PFC. Moreover, layers II-III belonging to patches presented a lower GNR in comparison with layers V-VI. We here provide a new insight into how brain cells are arranged within patches that contributes to elucidate how neurodevelopmental programs are altered in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Nascimento Rabelo
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil
| | - José Pablo Gonçalves Queiroz
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil
| | - Carla Cristina Miranda Castro
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil
| | - Sayonara Pereira Silva
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil
| | - Laura Damasceno Campos
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil
| | - Larissa Camila Silva
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil
| | | | - Veronica Martínez-Cerdeño
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children of Northern California, MIND Institute, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Felipe Porto Fiuza
- Graduate Program in Neuroengineering, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, Santos Dumont Institute, Macaíba, RN, 59280-000, Brazil.
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10
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Gandhi T, Canepa CR, Adeyelu TT, Adeniyi PA, Lee CC. Neuroanatomical Alterations in the CNTNAP2 Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2023; 13:891. [PMID: 37371370 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with neurodevelopmental alterations, including atypical forebrain cellular organization. Mutations in several ASD-related genes often result in cerebral cortical anomalies, such as the abnormal developmental migration of excitatory pyramidal cells and the malformation of inhibitory neuronal circuitry. Notably here, mutations in the CNTNAP2 gene result in ectopic superficial cortical neurons stalled in lower cortical layers and alterations to the balance of cortical excitation and inhibition. However, the broader circuit-level implications of these findings have not been previously investigated. Therefore, we assessed whether ectopic cortical neurons in CNTNAP2 mutant mice form aberrant connections with higher-order thalamic nuclei, potentially accounting for some autistic behaviors, such as repetitive and hyperactive behaviors. Furthermore, we assessed whether the development of parvalbumin-positive (PV) cortical interneurons and their specialized matrix support structures, called perineuronal nets (PNNs), were altered in these mutant mice. We found alterations in both ectopic neuronal connectivity and in the development of PNNs, PV neurons and PNNs enwrapping PV neurons in various sensory cortical regions and at different postnatal ages in the CNTNAP2 mutant mice, which likely lead to some of the cortical excitation/inhibition (E/I) imbalance associated with ASD. These findings suggest neuroanatomical alterations in cortical regions that underlie the emergence of ASD-related behaviors in this mouse model of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Cade R Canepa
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Tolulope T Adeyelu
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Philip A Adeniyi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Charles C Lee
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
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11
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Zhao Q, Luo Y, Mei X, Shao Z. Resting-state EEG patterns of preschool-aged boys with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2023:1-8. [PMID: 37172019 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2023.2211702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Defective cognition development during preschool years is believed to be linked with core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neurophysiological research on mechanisms underly the cognitive disabilities of preschool-aged children with ASD is scarce currently. This pilot study aimed to compare the resting spectral EEG power of preschool-aged boys with ASD with their matched typically developing peers. Children in the ASD group demonstrated reduced central and posterior absolute delta (1-4 Hz) and enhanced frontal absolute beta (12-30 Hz) and gamma (30-45 Hz). The relative power of the ASD group was elevated in delta, theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), beta, and gamma bands as compared to the controls. The theta/beta ratio decreased in the frontal regions and enhanced at Cz and Pz electrodes in the ASD group. Correlations between the inhibition and metacognition indices of the behavior rating inventory of executive function-preschool version (BRIEF-P) and the theta/beta ratio for children of both groups were significant. In conclusion, the present study revealed atypical resting spectral characteristics of boys with ASD at preschool ages. Future large-sampled studies for the generalization of our findings and a better understanding of the relationships between brain oscillations and phenotypes of ASD are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhao
- Rehabilitation Center for Children with Autism of Chongqing, Department of Child Health Care, Ninth People's Hospital of Chongqing, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Department of Child Health Care, Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Xinjie Mei
- Department of Child Health Care, Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhi Shao
- Rehabilitation Center for Children with Autism of Chongqing, Department of Child Health Care, Ninth People's Hospital of Chongqing, Beibei, Chongqing, China
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12
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Hong SJ, Mottron L, Park BY, Benkarim O, Valk SL, Paquola C, Larivière S, Vos de Wael R, Degré-Pelletier J, Soulieres I, Ramphal B, Margolis A, Milham M, Di Martino A, Bernhardt BC. A convergent structure-function substrate of cognitive imbalances in autism. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:1566-1580. [PMID: 35552620 PMCID: PMC9977381 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental diagnosis showing substantial phenotypic heterogeneity. A leading example can be found in verbal and nonverbal cognitive skills, which vary from elevated to impaired compared with neurotypical individuals. Moreover, deficits in verbal profiles often coexist with normal or superior performance in the nonverbal domain. METHODS To study brain substrates underlying cognitive imbalance in ASD, we capitalized categorical and dimensional IQ profiling as well as multimodal neuroimaging. RESULTS IQ analyses revealed a marked verbal to nonverbal IQ imbalance in ASD across 2 datasets (Dataset-1: 155 ASD, 151 controls; Dataset-2: 270 ASD, 490 controls). Neuroimaging analysis in Dataset-1 revealed a structure-function substrate of cognitive imbalance, characterized by atypical cortical thickening and altered functional integration of language networks alongside sensory and higher cognitive areas. CONCLUSION Although verbal and nonverbal intelligence have been considered as specifiers unrelated to autism diagnosis, our results indicate that intelligence disparities are accentuated in ASD and reflected by a consistent structure-function substrate affecting multiple brain networks. Our findings motivate the incorporation of cognitive imbalances in future autism research, which may help to parse the phenotypic heterogeneity and inform intervention-oriented subtyping in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Jun Hong
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, South Korea.,Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Centre de Recherche du CIUSSSNIM and Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, 7070 boulevard Perras, Montréal, Quebec H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Bo-Yong Park
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, South Korea.,Department of Data Science, Inha Univerisity, Incheon 22212, South Korea
| | - Oualid Benkarim
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
| | - Sofie L Valk
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Otto Hahn group Cognitive neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraβe 1A. Leipzig D-04103, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, Jülich 52425, Germany.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University, Moorenstr. 5, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Casey Paquola
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, Jülich 52425, Germany
| | - Sara Larivière
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
| | - Reinder Vos de Wael
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec H2X 3P2, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulieres
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec H2X 3P2, Canada
| | - Bruce Ramphal
- Department of Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, United States
| | - Amy Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, United States
| | - Michael Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States.,Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962, United States
| | - Adriana Di Martino
- Autism Center, Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
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13
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Loan A, Leung JWH, Cook DP, Ko C, Vanderhyden BC, Wang J, Chan HM. Prenatal low-dose methylmercury exposure causes premature neuronal differentiation and autism-like behaviors in a rodent model. iScience 2023; 26:106093. [PMID: 36843845 PMCID: PMC9947313 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant neurodevelopment is a core deficit of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we ask whether a non-genetic factor, prenatal exposure to the environmental pollutant methylmercury (MeHg), is a contributing factor in ASD onset. We showed that adult mice prenatally exposed to non-apoptotic MeHg exhibited key ASD characteristics, including impaired communication, reduced sociability, and increased restrictive repetitive behaviors, whereas in the embryonic cortex, prenatal MeHg exposure caused premature neuronal differentiation. Further single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis disclosed that prenatal exposure to MeHg resulted in cortical radial glial precursors (RGPs) favoring asymmetric differentiation to directly generate cortical neurons, omitting the intermediate progenitor stage. In addition, MeHg exposure in cultured RGPs increased CREB phosphorylation and enhanced the interaction between CREB and CREB binding protein (CBP). Intriguingly, metformin, an FDA-approved drug, can reverse MeHg-induced premature neuronal differentiation via CREB/CBP repulsion. These findings provide insights into ASD etiology, its underlying mechanism, and a potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Loan
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Joseph Wai-Hin Leung
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - David P. Cook
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Chelsea Ko
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Barbara C. Vanderhyden
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Jing Wang
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Corresponding author
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Corresponding author
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14
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Lynn A, Amso D. Attention along the cortical hierarchy: Development matters. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2023; 14:e1575. [PMID: 34480779 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We build on the existing biased competition view to argue that attention is an emergent property of neural computations within and across hierarchically embedded and structurally connected cortical pathways. Critically then, one must ask, what is attention emergent from? Within this framework, developmental changes in the quality of sensory input and feedforward-feedback information flow shape the emergence and efficiency of attention. Several gradients of developing structural and functional cortical architecture across the caudal-to-rostral axis provide the substrate for attention to emerge. Neural activity within visual areas depends on neuronal density, receptive field size, tuning properties of neurons, and the location of and competition between features and objects in the visual field. These visual cortical properties highlight the information processing bottleneck attention needs to resolve. Recurrent feedforward and feedback connections convey sensory information through a series of steps at each level of the cortical hierarchy, integrating sensory information across the entire extent of the cortical hierarchy and linking sensory processing to higher-order brain regions. Higher-order regions concurrently provide input conveying behavioral context and goals. Thus, attention reflects the output of a series of complex biased competition neural computations that occur within and across hierarchically embedded cortical regions. Cortical development proceeds along the caudal-to-rostral axis, mirroring the flow in sensory information from caudal to rostral regions, and visual processing continues to develop into childhood. Examining both typical and atypical development will offer critical mechanistic insight not otherwise available in the adult stable state. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Lynn
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Dima Amso
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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15
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Park J, Kawai Y, Asada M. Spike timing-dependent plasticity under imbalanced excitation and inhibition reduces the complexity of neural activity. Front Comput Neurosci 2023; 17:1169288. [PMID: 37122995 PMCID: PMC10130424 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2023.1169288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Excitatory and inhibitory neurons are fundamental components of the brain, and healthy neural circuits are well balanced between excitation and inhibition (E/I balance). However, it is not clear how an E/I imbalance affects the self-organization of the network structure and function in general. In this study, we examined how locally altered E/I balance affects neural dynamics such as the connectivity by activity-dependent formation, the complexity (multiscale entropy) of neural activity, and information transmission. In our simulation, a spiking neural network model was used with the spike-timing dependent plasticity rule to explore the above neural dynamics. We controlled the number of inhibitory neurons and the inhibitory synaptic weights in a single neuron group out of multiple neuron groups. The results showed that a locally increased E/I ratio strengthens excitatory connections, reduces the complexity of neural activity, and decreases information transmission between neuron groups in response to an external input. Finally, we argued the relationship between our results and excessive connections and low complexity of brain activity in the neuropsychiatric brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihoon Park
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Suita, Japan
- Symbiotic Intelligent Systems Research Center, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- *Correspondence: Jihoon Park
| | - Yuji Kawai
- Symbiotic Intelligent Systems Research Center, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Minoru Asada
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Suita, Japan
- Symbiotic Intelligent Systems Research Center, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences/Center for Mathematical Science and Artificial Intelligence, Chubu University, Kasugai, Japan
- International Professional University of Technology in Osaka, Osaka, Japan
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16
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Vakilzadeh G, Martinez-Cerdeño V. Pathology and Astrocytes in Autism. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2023; 19:841-850. [PMID: 37077706 PMCID: PMC10106330 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s390053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
A distinct pathology for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains elusive. Human and animal studies have focused on investigating the role of neurons in ASD. However, recent studies have hinted that glial cell pathology could be a characteristic of ASD. Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell in the brain and play an important role in neuronal function, both during development and in adult. They regulate neuronal migration, dendritic and spine development, and control the concentration of neurotransmitters at the synaptic cleft. They are also responsible for synaptogenesis, synaptic development, and synaptic function. Therefore, any change in astrocyte number and/or function could contribute to the impairment of connectivity that has been reported in ASD. Data available to date is scarce but indicates that while the number of astrocytes is reduced, their state of activation and their GFAP expression is increased in ASD. Disruption of astrocyte function in ASD may affect proper neurotransmitter metabolism, synaptogenesis, and the state of brain inflammation. Astrocytes alterations are common to ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Future studies about the role of astrocytes in ASD are required to better understand this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gelareh Vakilzadeh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Veronica Martinez-Cerdeño
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Correspondence: Veronica Martinez-Cerdeño, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA, Tel +916 453-2163, Email
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17
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Arruda MA, Arruda R. Case report: Look at my eyes. HEADACHE MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.48208/headachemed.2022.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The comorbidity of migraine and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) still remain unclear. In spite of plausible evidences of such comorbidity, there is a scarcity of populational studies focusing this hypothesis. The diagnosis of migraine in children with ASD is very challenge due to the large clinical heterogeneity and limited communication skills, particularly verbal abilities in young children and those with intellectual disability. ASD and migraine are chronic prevalent disorders sharing some pathophysiological changes (neurotransmission dysregulation, altered immune response, abnormal findings in the cortical minicolumn organization, and dysfunctions in the gut–brain axis), susceptibility genes (including calcium channel mutations and polymorphisms), and atypical sensory processing. Herein, we take advantage of a prototypical case of an adolescent with episodic migraine transformed to chronic, not responsive to preventive treatment, to explore the diagnostic workup and successful personalized clinical and therapeutical management.
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18
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DiPiero MA, Surgent OJ, Travers BG, Alexander AL, Lainhart JE, Dean Iii DC. Gray matter microstructure differences in autistic males: A gray matter based spatial statistics study. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 37:103306. [PMID: 36587584 PMCID: PMC9817031 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition. Understanding the brain's microstructure and its relationship to clinical characteristics is important to advance our understanding of the neural supports underlying ASD. In the current work, we implemented Gray-Matter Based Spatial Statistics (GBSS) to examine and characterize cortical microstructure and assess differences between typically developing (TD) and autistic males. METHODS A multi-shell diffusion MRI (dMRI) protocol was acquired from 83 TD and 70 autistic males (5-to-21-years) and fit to the DTI and NODDI models. GBSS was performed for voxelwise analysis of cortical gray matter (GM). General linear models were used to investigate group differences, while age-by-group interactions assessed age-related differences between groups. Within the ASD group, relationships between cortical microstructure and measures of autistic symptoms were investigated. RESULTS All dMRI measures were significantly associated with age across the GM skeleton. Group differences and age-by-group interactions are reported. Group-wise increases in neurite density in autistic individuals were observed across frontal, temporal, and occipital regions of the right hemisphere. Significant age-by-group interactions of neurite density were observed within the middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, and frontal pole. Negative relationships between neurite dispersion and the ADOS-2 Calibrated Severity Scores (CSS) were observed within the ASD group. DISCUSSION Findings demonstrate group and age-related differences between groups in neurite density in ASD across right-hemisphere brain regions supporting cognitive processes. Results provide evidence of altered neurodevelopmental processes affecting GM microstructure in autistic males with implications for the role of cortical microstructure in the level of autistic symptoms. CONCLUSION Using dMRI and GBSS, our findings provide new insights into group and age-related differences of the GM microstructure in autistic males. Defining where and when these cortical GM differences arise will contribute to our understanding of brain-behavior relationships of ASD and may aid in the development and monitoring of targeted and individualized interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa A DiPiero
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Olivia J Surgent
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brittany G Travers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Occupational Therapy Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrew L Alexander
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Janet E Lainhart
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Douglas C Dean Iii
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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19
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Beopoulos A, Géa M, Fasano A, Iris F. Autism spectrum disorders pathogenesis: Toward a comprehensive model based on neuroanatomic and neurodevelopment considerations. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:988735. [PMID: 36408388 PMCID: PMC9671112 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.988735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves alterations in neural connectivity affecting cortical network organization and excitation to inhibition ratio. It is characterized by an early increase in brain volume mediated by abnormal cortical overgrowth patterns and by increases in size, spine density, and neuron population in the amygdala and surrounding nuclei. Neuronal expansion is followed by a rapid decline from adolescence to middle age. Since no known neurobiological mechanism in human postnatal life is capable of generating large excesses of frontocortical neurons, this likely occurs due to a dysregulation of layer formation and layer-specific neuronal migration during key early stages of prenatal cerebral cortex development. This leads to the dysregulation of post-natal synaptic pruning and results in a huge variety of forms and degrees of signal-over-noise discrimination losses, accounting for ASD clinical heterogeneities, including autonomic nervous system abnormalities and comorbidities. We postulate that sudden changes in environmental conditions linked to serotonin/kynurenine supply to the developing fetus, throughout the critical GW7 - GW20 (Gestational Week) developmental window, are likely to promote ASD pathogenesis during fetal brain development. This appears to be driven by discrete alterations in differentiation and patterning mechanisms arising from in utero RNA editing, favoring vulnerability outcomes over plasticity outcomes. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive model of the pathogenesis and progression of ASD neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alessio Fasano
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Center for Celiac Research and Treatment, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
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20
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Hingorani M, Viviani AML, Sanfilippo JE, Janušonis S. High-resolution spatiotemporal analysis of single serotonergic axons in an in vitro system. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:994735. [PMID: 36353595 PMCID: PMC9638127 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.994735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate brains have a dual structure, composed of (i) axons that can be well-captured with graph-theoretical methods and (ii) axons that form a dense matrix in which neurons with precise connections operate. A core part of this matrix is formed by axons (fibers) that store and release 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin), an ancient neurotransmitter that supports neuroplasticity and has profound implications for mental health. The self-organization of the serotonergic matrix is not well understood, despite recent advances in experimental and theoretical approaches. In particular, individual serotonergic axons produce highly stochastic trajectories, fundamental to the construction of regional fiber densities, but further advances in predictive computer simulations require more accurate experimental information. This study examined single serotonergic axons in culture systems (co-cultures and monolayers), by using a set of complementary high-resolution methods: confocal microscopy, holotomography (refractive index-based live imaging), and super-resolution (STED) microscopy. It shows that serotonergic axon walks in neural tissue may strongly reflect the stochastic geometry of this tissue and it also provides new insights into the morphology and branching properties of serotonergic axons. The proposed experimental platform can support next-generation analyses of the serotonergic matrix, including seamless integration with supercomputing approaches.
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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as an Approach to Mitigate Neurodevelopmental Disorders Affecting Excitation/Inhibition Balance: Focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11102839. [PMID: 35628965 PMCID: PMC9143428 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11102839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a promising therapy for rehabilitation of neurodevelopmental disorders. In this review, we discuss studies on the impact of tDCS as a therapy for autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as well as the tDCS' mechanism of action, and propose future paths of research to optimize tDCS treatment protocols. The mechanism underlying tDCS effects is the modulation of excitatory and/or inhibitory activity, making it a valuable tool for restoring the excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance which is disrupted in many neurodevelopmental disorders. Clinical studies have shown that tDCS therapy is well-tolerated by patients and seems to ameliorate behavior and cognitive functions. Alterations in early development of neuronal circuits lead to disruptions in brain activity in neurodevelopmental disorders. An increasing amount of research into the effects of tDCS on neuronal activity has provided a foundation for its use as a therapy for behavior and cognitive characteristics of neurodevelopmental disorders. Clinical studies show that tDCS appears to ameliorate behavioral and cognitive outcomes of patients with autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms of action of tDCS and to optimize treatment protocols.
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22
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Santos-Terra J, Deckmann I, Carello-Collar G, Nunes GDF, Bauer-Negrini G, Schwingel GB, Fontes-Dutra M, Riesgo R, Gottfried C. Resveratrol Prevents Cytoarchitectural and Interneuronal Alterations in the Valproic Acid Rat Model of Autism. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084075. [PMID: 35456893 PMCID: PMC9027778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by several alterations, including disorganized brain cytoarchitecture and excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance. We aimed to analyze aspects associated with the inhibitory components in ASD, using bioinformatics to develop notions about embryonic life and tissue analysis for postnatal life. We analyzed microarray and RNAseq datasets of embryos from different ASD models, demonstrating that regions involved in neuronal development are affected. We evaluated the effect of prenatal treatment with resveratrol (RSV) on the neuronal organization and quantity of parvalbumin-positive (PV+), somatostatin-positive (SOM+), and calbindin-positive (CB+) GABAergic interneurons, besides the levels of synaptic proteins and GABA receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HC) of the ASD model induced by valproic acid (VPA). VPA increased the total number of neurons in the mPFC, while it reduced the number of SOM+ neurons, as well as the proportion of SOM+, PV+, and CB+ neurons (subregion-specific manner), with preventive effects of RSV. In summary, metabolic alterations or gene expression impairments could be induced by VPA, leading to extensive damage in the late developmental stages. By contrast, due to its antioxidant, neuroprotective, and opposite action on histone properties, RSV may avoid damages induced by VPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlio Santos-Terra
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Iohanna Deckmann
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Carello-Collar
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Della-Flora Nunes
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Bauer-Negrini
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Brum Schwingel
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Mellanie Fontes-Dutra
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Rudimar Riesgo
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- Child Neurology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Carmem Gottfried
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder—GETTEA, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil; (J.S.-T.); (I.D.); (G.C.-C.); (G.D.-F.N.); (G.B.-N.); (G.B.S.); (M.F.-D.); (R.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation—INCT-NIM, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Autism Wellbeing and Research Development—AWARD—Initiative BR-UK-CA, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Augmented Reality, Serious Games and Picture Exchange Communication System for People with ASD: Systematic Literature Review and Future Directions. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22031250. [PMID: 35161995 PMCID: PMC8840490 DOI: 10.3390/s22031250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
For people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), using technological tools, such as augmented reality (AR) and serious games remain a new and unexplored option. To attract people with ASD who have communicative, social, emotional and attention deficit disorders to behavioral treatments, an attractive environment is needed that ensures continuity during treatment. The aim of the current work is to efficiently examine systematic reviews and relevant primary studies on ASD solutions from 2015 to 2020, particularly those using the traditional Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), the application of augmented reality and those that propose serious games, thereby providing an overview of existing evidence and to identify strategies for future research. Five databases were searched for keywords that may be included within the broad Autism Spectrum Disorder ‘ASD’ umbrella term, alongside ‘augmented reality’, ‘serious games’ and ‘PECS’. We screened 1799 titles and abstracts, read, and retained 12 reviews and 43 studies. The studies scrutinized in our systematic review were examined to answer four primary and four sub-research questions, which we formulated to better understand general trends in the use of approaches for attracting people with ASD to behavioral therapies. Additionally, our systematic review also presents ongoing issues in this area of research and suggests promising future research directions. Our review is useful to researchers in this field as it facilitates the comparison of existing studies with work currently being conducted, based on the availability of a wide range of studies in three different areas (AR, SG and PECS).
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MONTESANO G, SCALERCIO E, PANUCCIO F, BERARDI A, GALEOTO G. Northeastern State University College of Optometry (NSUCO) Oculomotor Test: cultural adaptation and assessment of psychometric properties in the Italian language. GAZZETTA MEDICA ITALIANA ARCHIVIO PER LE SCIENZE MEDICHE 2022. [DOI: 10.23736/s0393-3660.21.04583-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Innocenti GM. Defining neuroplasticity. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2022; 184:3-18. [PMID: 35034744 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819410-2.00001-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuroplasticity, i.e., the modifiability of the brain, is different in development and adulthood. The first includes changes in: (i) neurogenesis and control of neuron number; (ii) neuronal migration; (iii) differentiation of the somato-dendritic and axonal phenotypes; (iv) formation of connections; (v) cytoarchitectonic differentiation. These changes are often interrelated and can lead to: (vi) system-wide modifications of brain structure as well as to (vii) acquisition of specific functions such as ocular dominance or language. Myelination appears to be plastic both in development and adulthood, at least, in rodents. Adult neuroplasticity is limited, and is mainly expressed as changes in the strength of excitatory and inhibitory synapses while the attempts to regenerate connections have met with limited success. The outcomes of neuroplasticity are not necessarily adaptive, but can also be the cause of neurological and psychiatric pathologies.
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Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study on Efficacy, Feasibility, Safety, and Unexpected Outcomes in Tic Disorder and Epilepsy. J Clin Med 2021; 11:jcm11010143. [PMID: 35011884 PMCID: PMC8745597 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11010143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display distinctive neurophysiological characteristics associated with significant cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the frontal or temporoparietal lobes has demonstrated potential to reduce the severity of ASD-related symptoms. Recently, the cerebellum has been identified as a brain area involved in ASD pathophysiology. In this open-label pilot study, seven ASD patients aged between 9 and 13 years underwent 20 daily sessions of 20 min cathodal stimulation of the right cerebellar lobe. At the end of the treatment, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) scores showed a 25% mean reduction in global severity of symptoms, with a more pronounced reduction in the “social withdrawal and lethargy” (−35%), “hyperactivity and noncompliance” (−26%), and “irritability, agitation, and crying” (−25%) subscales. Minor and no improvement were observed in the “stereotypic behavior” (−18%) and “inappropriate speech” (−0%) subscales, respectively. Improvements were not detected in the two patients who were taking psychotropic drugs during the study. Clinical response showed a symptom-specific time course. Quality of sleep and mood improved earlier than hyperactivity and social withdrawal. The treatment was generally accepted by patients and well tolerated. No serious adverse events were reported. Stimulation also appeared to markedly reduce the severity of tics in a patient with comorbid tic disorder and led to the disappearance of a frontal epileptogenic focus in another patient with a history of seizures. In conclusion, cerebellar tDCS is safe, feasible, and potentially effective in the treatment of ASD symptoms among children. Strategies to improve recruitment and retention are discussed.
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Kang J, Zhang Z, Wan L, Casanova MF, Sokhadze EM, Li X. Effects of 1Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on autism with intellectual disability: A pilot study. Comput Biol Med 2021; 141:105167. [PMID: 34959111 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore whether 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has positive effects on brain activity and behavior of autistic children with intellectual disability. METHODS 32 autistic children with intellectual disability (26 boys and 6 girls) were recruited to participate in this feasibility study. The autistic children were divided randomly and equally into an experimental group and a control group. 16 children (three girls and 13 boys; mean ± SD age: 7.8 ± 2.1 years) who received rTMS treatment twice a week were served as the experimental group, while 16 children (three girls and 13 boys; mean ± SD age: 7.2 ± 1.6 years) with sham stimulation were considered as the control group. Recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) was employed to quantify the nonlinear features of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded during the resting state. Three RQA measures, including recursive rate (RR), deterministic (DET) and mean diagonal length (L) were extracted from the EEG signals to characterize the deterministic features of cortical activity. RESULTS Significant differences in RR and DET were observed between the experimental group and the control group. We also found discernible discrepancies in the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) score pre- and post-rTMS for the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could positively influence brain activity and behavior of autistic children with intellectual disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Kang
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lingyan Wan
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Manuel F Casanova
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Campus, Greenville Health System, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Estate M Sokhadze
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Campus, Greenville Health System, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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Arunachalam Chandran V, Pliatsikas C, Neufeld J, O'Connell G, Haffey A, DeLuca V, Chakrabarti B. Brain structural correlates of autistic traits across the diagnostic divide: A grey matter and white matter microstructure study. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102897. [PMID: 34911200 PMCID: PMC8641248 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a set of neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication as well as stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest. Autistic traits exist in a continuum across the general population, whilst the extreme end of this distribution is diagnosed as clinical ASD. While many studies have investigated brain structure in autism using a case-control design, few have used a dimensional approach. To add to this growing body of literature, we investigated the structural brain correlates of autistic traits in a mixed sample of adult participants (25 ASD and 66 neurotypicals; age: 18-60 years). We examined the relationship between regional brain volumes (using voxel-based morphometry and surface-based morphometry) and white matter microstructure properties (using Diffusion Tensor Imaging) and autistic traits (using Autism Spectrum Quotient). Our findings show grey matter differences in regions including the orbitofrontal cortex and lingual gyrus, and suggestive evidence for white matter microstructure differences in tracts including the superior longitudinal fasciculus being related to higher autistic traits. These grey matter and white matter microstructure findings from our study are consistent with previous reports and support the brain structural differences in ASD. These findings provide further support for shared aetiology for autistic traits across the diagnostic divide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Arunachalam Chandran
- Centre for Autism, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences (SPCLS), University of Reading, UK; Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Earley Gate, Whiteknights Road, Reading RG6 6AL, UK; Centro de Ciencia Cognitiva, Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Calle de Sta. Cruz de Marcenado, 27, 28015 Madrid, Spain
| | - Janina Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Anthony Haffey
- Centre for Autism, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences (SPCLS), University of Reading, UK
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bhismadev Chakrabarti
- Centre for Autism, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences (SPCLS), University of Reading, UK; Department of Psychology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India; India Autism Center, Kolkata, India
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Brennan C, Weintraub H, Tennant S, Meyers C. Speech, Language, and Communication Deficits and Intervention in a Single Case of Pediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2021; 30:2350-2367. [PMID: 34491819 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The current literature on pediatric autoimmune encephalitis (AE) focuses on medical identification/diagnosis and medical treatments. Data about the identification and treatment of communication disorders in these children are limited. This clinical focus article provides an example of the speech, language, and communication characteristics, intervention, and recovery of a single child with medical diagnoses of pediatric AE and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and special education eligibility under the autism spectrum disorder category. Method This is an in-depth illustrative/descriptive case study. Medical, educational, and speech-language documentation of one child diagnosed with AE at age 7 years was reviewed. Methods included interviews with family members, teachers, and the school speech-language pathologist and reviews of documentation including evaluations, reports, and Individualized Education Programs. Results This child received special education and therapy services through his public school and a university speech-language clinic. He concurrently received medical treatment for AE and PANS. Comprehensive augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention included the use of core words, modeling, parallel talk, self-talk, expansive recasts, shared book reading, family counseling, and collaboration with the parents and the school speech-language pathologist. The child made progress on all goals despite irregular attendance to therapy due to medical complications. Discussion Because experimental research including this population is currently limited, this descriptive case study provides valuable information to clinicians, educators, pediatricians, medical diagnosticians, and anyone providing services to a child with a complex neuropsychological disorder like AE. Future research is needed with more children who have AE, especially experimental investigations of the intervention methods utilized here. Additional research of more children with AE can provide information about the scope and severity of speech, language, and communication needs and the trajectory of recovery given AAC intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Brennan
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Haley Weintraub
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Sherri Tennant
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Christina Meyers
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
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Sarrouilhe D, Defamie N, Mesnil M. Is the Exposome Involved in Brain Disorders through the Serotoninergic System? Biomedicines 2021; 9:1351. [PMID: 34680468 PMCID: PMC8533279 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9101351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a biogenic monoamine acting as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS), local mediator in the gut, and vasoactive agent in the blood. It has been linked to a variety of CNS functions and is implicated in many CNS and psychiatric disorders. The high comorbidity between some neuropathies can be partially understood by the fact that these diseases share a common etiology involving the serotoninergic system. In addition to its well-known functions, serotonin has been shown to be a mitogenic factor for a wide range of normal and tumor cells, including glioma cells, in vitro. The developing CNS of fetus and newborn is particularly susceptible to the deleterious effects of neurotoxic substances in our environment, and perinatal exposure could result in the later development of diseases, a hypothesis known as the developmental origin of health and disease. Some of these substances affect the serotoninergic system and could therefore be the source of a silent pandemic of neurodevelopmental toxicity. This review presents the available data that are contributing to the appreciation of the effects of the exposome on the serotoninergic system and their potential link with brain pathologies (neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, neurobehavioral disorders, and glioblastoma).
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Sarrouilhe
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Humaine, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, 6 Rue de la Milétrie, Bât D1, TSA 51115, CEDEX 09, 86073 Poitiers, France
| | - Norah Defamie
- Laboratoire STIM, ERL7003 CNRS-Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue G. Bonnet–TSA 51106, CEDEX 09, 86073 Poitiers, France; (N.D.); (M.M.)
| | - Marc Mesnil
- Laboratoire STIM, ERL7003 CNRS-Université de Poitiers, 1 Rue G. Bonnet–TSA 51106, CEDEX 09, 86073 Poitiers, France; (N.D.); (M.M.)
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Al Suhaibani A, Ben Bacha A, Alonazi M, Bhat RS, El‐Ansary A. Testing the combined effects of probiotics and prebiotics against neurotoxic effects of propionic acid orally administered to rat pups. Food Sci Nutr 2021; 9:4440-4451. [PMID: 34401092 PMCID: PMC8358352 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated the combined effects of mixed probiotic and bee pollen on brain intoxication induced by propionic acid (PPA) in rat pups. Thirty western albino rats were divided into five groups, six animals each: (1) Control group receiving phosphate-buffered saline; (2) Probiotic and bee pollen-treated group being administered at the same dose with 200 mg/kg body weight; (c) PPA-treated group receiving a neurotoxic dose 250 mg/kg body weight of PPA for 3 days; (d) Therapeutic group being administered the neurotoxic dose of PPA followed by probiotic and bee pollen treatment 200 mg/kg body weight; (e) Protective group receiving probiotic and bee pollen mixture treatment followed by neurotoxic dose of PPA. Selected biochemical parameters linked to oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and neurotransmission were investigated in brain homogenates from all the five groups. PPA treatment showed an increase in oxidative stress markers like lipid peroxidation coupled with a significant decrease in glutathione level. Impaired energy metabolism was ascertained via the alteration of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. Dramatic increase of Na+ and K+ concentrations together with a decrease of GABA and IL-6 and an elevation of glutamate levels in PPA-treated rat's pups confirmed the neurotoxicity effect of PPA. Interestingly, the mixed probiotic and bee pollen treatment were effective in restoring the levels of glutamate, GABA, and IL-6 in addition to normalizing the levels of lipid peroxidation and glutathione and the activities of CK and LDH. The present study indicates that mixed probiotic and bee pollen treatment can improve poor detoxification, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation as mechanisms implicated in the etiology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwar Al Suhaibani
- Biochemistry DepartmentScience CollegeKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Abir Ben Bacha
- Biochemistry DepartmentScience CollegeKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
- Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology Applied to Crop ImprovementFaculty of Science of SfaxUniversity of SfaxSfaxTunisia
| | - Mona Alonazi
- Biochemistry DepartmentScience CollegeKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Ramesa Shafi Bhat
- Biochemistry DepartmentScience CollegeKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Afaf El‐Ansary
- Central LaboratoryKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
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Regev O, Cohen G, Hadar A, Schuster J, Flusser H, Michaelovski A, Meiri G, Dinstein I, Hershkovitch R, Menashe I. Association Between Abnormal Fetal Head Growth and Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 60:986-997. [PMID: 33378701 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite evidence for the prenatal onset of abnormal head growth in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), studies on fetal ultrasound data in ASD are limited and controversial. METHOD We conducted a longitudinal matched case-sibling-control study on prenatal ultrasound biometric measures of children with ASD, and 2 control groups: (1) their own typically developed sibling (TDS) and (2) typically developed population (TDP). The cohort comprised 528 children (72.7% male), 174 with ASD, 178 TDS, and 176 TDP. RESULTS During the second trimester, ASD and TDS fetuses had significantly smaller biparietal diameter (BPD) than TDP fetuses (adjusted odds ratio for the z score of BPD [aORzBPD] = 0.685, 95% CI = 0.527-0.890, and aORzBPD = 0.587, 95% CI = 0.459-0.751, respectively). However, these differences became statistically indistinguishable in the third trimester. Interestingly, head biometric measures varied by sex, with male fetuses having larger heads than female fetuses within and across groups. A linear mixed-effect model assessing the effects of sex and group assignment on fetal longitudinal head growth indicated faster BPD growth in TDS versus both ASD and TDP in male fetuses (β = 0.084 and β = 0.100 respectively; p < .001) but not in female fetuses, suggesting an ASD-sex interaction in head growth during gestation. Finally, fetal head growth showed conflicting correlations with ASD severity in male and female children across different gestation periods, thus further supporting the sex effect on the association between fetal head growth and ASD. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that abnormal fetal head growth is a familial trait of ASD, which is modulated by sex and is associated with the severity of the disorder. Thus, it could serve as an early biomarker for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohad Regev
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Gal Cohen
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Amnon Hadar
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Hagit Flusser
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Gal Meiri
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ilan Dinstein
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Idan Menashe
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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Takahashi Y, Murata S, Idei H, Tomita H, Yamashita Y. Neural network modeling of altered facial expression recognition in autism spectrum disorders based on predictive processing framework. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14684. [PMID: 34312400 PMCID: PMC8313712 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94067-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanism underlying the emergence of emotional categories from visual facial expression information during the developmental process is largely unknown. Therefore, this study proposes a system-level explanation for understanding the facial emotion recognition process and its alteration in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from the perspective of predictive processing theory. Predictive processing for facial emotion recognition was implemented as a hierarchical recurrent neural network (RNN). The RNNs were trained to predict the dynamic changes of facial expression movies for six basic emotions without explicit emotion labels as a developmental learning process, and were evaluated by the performance of recognizing unseen facial expressions for the test phase. In addition, the causal relationship between the network characteristics assumed in ASD and ASD-like cognition was investigated. After the developmental learning process, emotional clusters emerged in the natural course of self-organization in higher-level neurons, even though emotional labels were not explicitly instructed. In addition, the network successfully recognized unseen test facial sequences by adjusting higher-level activity through the process of minimizing precision-weighted prediction error. In contrast, the network simulating altered intrinsic neural excitability demonstrated reduced generalization capability and impaired emotional clustering in higher-level neurons. Consistent with previous findings from human behavioral studies, an excessive precision estimation of noisy details underlies this ASD-like cognition. These results support the idea that impaired facial emotion recognition in ASD can be explained by altered predictive processing, and provide possible insight for investigating the neurophysiological basis of affective contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Information Medicine, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan
| | - Shingo Murata
- Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hayato Idei
- Department of Intermedia Studies, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuichi Yamashita
- Department of Information Medicine, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan.
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Biological implications of genetic variations in autism spectrum disorders from genomics studies. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:229227. [PMID: 34240107 PMCID: PMC8298259 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210593] [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: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition characterized by atypical social interaction and communication together with repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. The prevalence of ASD has been increased these years. Compelling evidence has shown that genetic factors contribute largely to the development of ASD. However, knowledge about its genetic etiology and pathogenesis is limited. Broad applications of genomics studies have revealed the importance of gene mutations at protein-coding regions as well as the interrupted non-coding regions in the development of ASD. In this review, we summarize the current evidence for the known molecular genetic basis and possible pathological mechanisms as well as the risk genes and loci of ASD. Functional studies for the underlying mechanisms are also implicated. The understanding of the genetics and genomics of ASD is important for the genetic diagnosis and intervention for this condition.
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Fetit R, Hillary RF, Price DJ, Lawrie SM. The neuropathology of autism: A systematic review of post-mortem studies of autism and related disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 129:35-62. [PMID: 34273379 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Post-mortem studies allow for the direct investigation of brain tissue in those with autism and related disorders. Several review articles have focused on aspects of post-mortem abnormalities but none has brought together the entire post-mortem literature. Here, we systematically review the evidence from post-mortem studies of autism, and of related disorders that present with autistic features. The literature consists of a small body of studies with small sample sizes, but several remarkably consistent findings are evident. Cortical layering is largely undisturbed, but there are consistent reductions in minicolumn numbers and aberrant myelination. Transcriptomics repeatedly implicate abberant synaptic, metabolic, proliferation, apoptosis and immune pathways. Sufficient replicated evidence is available to implicate non-coding RNA, aberrant epigenetic profiles, GABAergic, glutamatergic and glial dysfunction in autism pathogenesis. Overall, the cerebellum and frontal cortex are most consistently implicated, sometimes revealing distinct region-specific alterations. The literature on related disorders such as Rett syndrome, Fragile X and copy number variations (CNVs) predisposing to autism is particularly small and inconclusive. Larger studies, matched for gender, developmental stage, co-morbidities and drug treatment are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Fetit
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.
| | - Robert F Hillary
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - David J Price
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Stephen M Lawrie
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK; Patrick Wild Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
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Godel M, Andrews DS, Amaral DG, Ozonoff S, Young GS, Lee JK, Wu Nordahl C, Schaer M. Altered Gray-White Matter Boundary Contrast in Toddlers at Risk for Autism Relates to Later Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:669194. [PMID: 34220428 PMCID: PMC8248433 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.669194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent neuroimaging studies have highlighted differences in cerebral maturation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to typical development. For instance, the contrast of the gray-white matter boundary is decreased in adults with ASD. To determine how gray-white matter boundary integrity relates to early ASD phenotypes, we used a regional structural MRI index of gray-white matter contrast (GWC) on a sample of toddlers with a hereditary high risk for ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used a surface-based approach to compute vertex-wise GWC in a longitudinal cohort of toddlers at high-risk for ASD imaged twice between 12 and 24 months (n = 20). A full clinical assessment of ASD-related symptoms was performed in conjunction with imaging and again at 3 years of age for diagnostic outcome. Three outcome groups were defined (ASD, n = 9; typical development, n = 8; non-typical development, n = 3). RESULTS ASD diagnostic outcome at age 3 was associated with widespread increases in GWC between age 12 and 24 months. Many cortical regions were affected, including regions implicated in social processing and language acquisition. In parallel, we found that early onset of ASD symptoms (i.e., prior to 18-months) was specifically associated with slower GWC rates of change during the second year of life. These alterations were found in areas mainly belonging to the central executive network. LIMITATIONS Our study is the first to measure maturational changes in GWC in toddlers who developed autism, but given the limited size of our sample results should be considered exploratory and warrant further replication in independent and larger samples. CONCLUSION These preliminary results suggest that ASD is linked to early alterations of the gray-white matter boundary in widespread brain regions. Early onset of ASD diagnosis constitutes an independent clinical parameter associated with a specific corresponding neurobiological developmental trajectory. Altered neural migration and/or altered myelination processes potentially explain these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Godel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Derek S. Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - David G. Amaral
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Gregory S. Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Joshua K. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Marie Schaer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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Lin Y, Yerukala Sathipati S, Ho SY. Predicting the Risk Genes of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Genet 2021; 12:665469. [PMID: 34194469 PMCID: PMC8236850 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.665469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders that emerge during infancy and continue throughout a lifespan. Although substantial efforts have been made to develop therapeutic approaches, core symptoms persist lifelong in ASD patients. Identifying the brain temporospatial regions where the risk genes are expressed in ASD patients may help to improve the therapeutic strategies. Accordingly, this work aims to predict the risk genes of ASD and identify the temporospatial regions of the brain structures at different developmental time points for exploring the specificity of ASD gene expression in the brain that would help in possible ASD detection in the future. A dataset consisting of 13 developmental stages ranging from 8 weeks post-conception to 8 years from 26 brain structures was retrieved from the BrainSpan atlas. This work proposes a support vector machine–based risk gene prediction method ASD-Risk to distinguish the risk genes of ASD and non-ASD genes. ASD-Risk used an optimal feature selection algorithm called inheritable bi-objective combinatorial genetic algorithm to identify the brain temporospatial regions for prediction of the risk genes of ASD. ASD-Risk achieved a 10-fold cross-validation accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, area under a receiver operating characteristic curve, and a test accuracy of 81.83%, 0.84, 0.79, 0.84, and 72.27%, respectively. We prioritized the temporospatial features according to their contribution to the prediction accuracy. The top identified temporospatial regions of the brain for risk gene prediction included the posteroventral parietal cortex at 13 post-conception weeks feature. The identified temporospatial features would help to explore the risk genes that are specifically expressed in different brain regions of ASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yenching Lin
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Srinivasulu Yerukala Sathipati
- Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, United States.,Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Ying Ho
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Center For Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-Devices (IDS2B), National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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38
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Christoffersen AD, M⊘ller J, Christensen HS. Modelling columnarity of pyramidal cells in the human cerebral cortex. AUST NZ J STAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/anzs.12321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesper M⊘ller
- Department of Mathematical Sciences Aalborg University Skjernvej 4A 9220Aalborg Ø Denmark
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39
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Yang JQ, Yang CH, Yin BQ. Combined the GABA-A and GABA-B receptor agonists attenuates autistic behaviors in a prenatal valproic acid-induced mouse model of autism. Behav Brain Res 2021; 403:113094. [PMID: 33359845 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an immensely challenging developmental disorder characterized primarily by two core behavioral symptoms of social communication deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors. Investigating the etiological process and identifying an appropriate therapeutic target remain as formidable challenges to overcome ASD due to numerous risk factors and complex symptoms associated with the disorder. Among the various mechanisms that contribute to ASD, the maintenance of excitation and inhibition balance emerged as a key factor to regulate proper functioning of neuronal circuitry. In this study, we employed prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA) to establish a validated ASD mouse model and found impaired inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) neurotransmission through a presynaptic mechanism in these model mice, which was accompanied with decreased GABA release and GABA-A and GABA-B receptor subunits expression. And acute administration of individual GABA-A or GABA-B receptor agonists partially reversed autistic-like behaviors in the model mice. Furthermore, acute administration of the combined GABA-A and GABA-B receptor agonists palliated sociability deficits, anxiety and repetitive behaviors in the animal model of autistic-like behaviors, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of above cocktail in the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Quan Yang
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Chao-Hua Yang
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Bao-Qi Yin
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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40
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Dickinson A, Daniel M, Marin A, Gaonkar B, Dapretto M, McDonald NM, Jeste S. Multivariate Neural Connectivity Patterns in Early Infancy Predict Later Autism Symptoms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:59-69. [PMID: 32798139 PMCID: PMC7736067 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional brain connectivity is altered in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Functional disruption during infancy could provide earlier markers of ASD, thus providing a crucial opportunity to improve developmental outcomes. Using a whole-brain multivariate approach, we asked whether electroencephalography measures of neural connectivity at 3 months of age predict autism symptoms at 18 months. METHODS Spontaneous electroencephalography data were collected from 65 infants with and without familial risk for ASD at 3 months of age. Neural connectivity patterns were quantified using phase coherence in the alpha range (6-12 Hz). Support vector regression analysis was used to predict ASD symptoms at age 18 months, with ASD symptoms quantified by the Toddler Module of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition. RESULTS Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores predicted by support vector regression algorithms trained on 3-month electroencephalography data correlated highly with Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores measured at 18 months (r = .76, p = .02, root-mean-square error = 2.38). Specifically, lower frontal connectivity and higher right temporoparietal connectivity at 3 months predicted higher ASD symptoms at 18 months. The support vector regression model did not predict cognitive abilities at 18 months (r = .15, p = .36), suggesting specificity of these brain patterns to ASD. CONCLUSIONS Using a data-driven, unbiased analytic approach, neural connectivity across frontal and temporoparietal regions at 3 months predicted ASD symptoms at 18 months. Identifying early neural differences that precede an ASD diagnosis could promote closer monitoring of infants who show signs of neural risk and provide a crucial opportunity to mediate outcomes through early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Dickinson
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California.
| | - Manjari Daniel
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Andrew Marin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Bilwaj Gaonkar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Nicole M McDonald
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shafali Jeste
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California
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41
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Šimić G, Vukić V, Kopić J, Krsnik Ž, Hof PR. Molecules, Mechanisms, and Disorders of Self-Domestication: Keys for Understanding Emotional and Social Communication from an Evolutionary Perspective. Biomolecules 2020; 11:E2. [PMID: 33375093 PMCID: PMC7822183 DOI: 10.3390/biom11010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest hypothesis states that the phenotypic features of the domestication syndrome are due to a reduced number or disruption of neural crest cells (NCCs) migration, as these cells differentiate at their final destinations and proliferate into different tissues whose activity is reduced by domestication. Comparing the phenotypic characteristics of modern and prehistoric man, it is clear that during their recent evolutionary past, humans also went through a process of self-domestication with a simultaneous prolongation of the period of socialization. This has led to the development of social abilities and skills, especially language, as well as neoteny. Disorders of neural crest cell development and migration lead to many different conditions such as Waardenburg syndrome, Hirschsprung disease, fetal alcohol syndrome, DiGeorge and Treacher-Collins syndrome, for which the mechanisms are already relatively well-known. However, for others, such as Williams-Beuren syndrome and schizophrenia that have the characteristics of hyperdomestication, and autism spectrum disorders, and 7dupASD syndrome that have the characteristics of hypodomestication, much less is known. Thus, deciphering the biological determinants of disordered self-domestication has great potential for elucidating the normal and disturbed ontogenesis of humans, as well as for the understanding of evolution of mammals in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Šimić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Vana Vukić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Janja Kopić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Željka Krsnik
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (V.V.); (J.K.); (Ž.K.)
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA;
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42
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McKenna F, Miles L, Donaldson J, Castellanos FX, Lazar M. Diffusion kurtosis imaging of gray matter in young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21465. [PMID: 33293640 PMCID: PMC7722927 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78486-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior ex vivo histological postmortem studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown gray matter microstructural abnormalities, however, in vivo examination of gray matter microstructure in ASD has remained scarce due to the relative lack of non-invasive methods to assess it. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of employing diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) to describe gray matter abnormalities in ASD in vivo. DKI data were examined for 16 male participants with a diagnosis of ASD and IQ>80 and 17 age- and IQ-matched male typically developing (TD) young adults 18-25 years old. Mean (MK), axial (AK), radial (RK) kurtosis and mean diffusivity (MD) metrics were calculated for lobar and sub-lobar regions of interest. Significantly decreased MK, RK, and MD were found in ASD compared to TD participants in the frontal and temporal lobes and several sub-lobar regions previously associated with ASD pathology. In ASD participants, decreased kurtosis in gray matter ROIs correlated with increased repetitive and restricted behaviors and poor social interaction symptoms. Decreased kurtosis in ASD may reflect a pathology associated with a less restrictive microstructural environment such as decreased neuronal density and size, atypically sized cortical columns, or limited dendritic arborizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye McKenna
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA.
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Laura Miles
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Donaldson
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA
| | - F Xavier Castellanos
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Mariana Lazar
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, USA
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Fóthi Á, Soorya L, Lőrincz A. The Autism Palette: Combinations of Impairments Explain the Heterogeneity in ASD. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:503462. [PMID: 33343403 PMCID: PMC7738611 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.503462] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neuropsychiatric condition traditionally defined by core symptoms in social behavior, speech/communication, repetitive behavior, and restricted interests. Beyond the core symptoms, autism has strong association with other disorders such as intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, schizophrenia among many others. This paper outlines a theory of ASD with capacity to connect heterogeneous "core" symptoms, medical and psychiatric comorbidities as well as other etiological theories of autism in a unifying cognitive framework rooted in neuroscience and genetics. Cognition is embedded into an ever-developing structure modified by experiences, including the outcomes of environment influencing behaviors. The key constraint of cognition is that the brain can handle only 7±2 relevant variables at a time, whereas sensory variables, i.e., the number of sensory neurons is orders of magnitude larger. As a result, (a) the extraction, (b) the encoding, and (c) the capability for the efficient cognitive manipulation of the relevant variables, and (d) the compensatory mechanisms that counteract computational delays of the distributed components are critical. We outline our theoretical model to describe a Cartesian Factor (CF) forming, autoencoder-like cognitive mechanism which breaks combinatorial explosion and is accelerated by internal reinforcing machineries and discuss the neural processes that support CF formation. Impairments in any of these aspects may disrupt learning, cognitive manipulation, decisions on interactions, and execution of decisions. We suggest that social interactions are the most susceptible to combinations of diverse small impairments and can be spoiled in many ways that pile up. Comorbidity is experienced, if any of the many potential impairments is relatively strong. We consider component spoiling impairments as the basic colors of autism, whereas the combinations of individual impairments make the palette of autism. We put forth arguments on the possibility of dissociating the different main elements of the impairments that can appear together. For example, impairments of generalization (domain general learning) and impairments of dealing with many variable problems, such as social situations may appear independently and may mutually enhance their impacts. We also consider mechanisms that may lead to protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ábel Fóthi
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Informatics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Latha Soorya
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - András Lőrincz
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Informatics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Khaleghi A, Zarafshan H, Vand SR, Mohammadi MR. Effects of Non-invasive Neurostimulation on Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 18:527-552. [PMID: 33124586 PMCID: PMC7609207 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2020.18.4.527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by major impairments in social communication, stereotyped and ritualistic behaviors and deficits in sensory reactivity. Recently, noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods, namely transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), have been examined as possible new therapeutic options for modifying the pathological neuroplasticity involved in neuropsychiatric disorders including ASD. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review on the therapeutic uses of tDCS and repetitive TMS (rTMS) in ASD patients. A systematic search was performed on Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane and Embase. Original articles reporting the use of tDCS or rTMS to treat ASD were screened and studied by two researchers independently based on PRISMA guidelines. We found 32 eligible studies including 8 tDCS reports, 23 rTMS reports and one report with both tDCS and rTMS. These studies comprised 6 case-reports, 9 non-controlled trials and 17 controlled trials which assessed NIBS effects on the three cognitive, behavioral and biological dimensions in ASD. Existing evidence demonstrates that NIBS methods could be helpful for treating some dimensions of ASD such as repetitive behavior, sociability or some aspects of executive and cognitive functions. However, such evidence should be regarded with care because of the quality of original researches and serious publication bias as well as the heterogeneity of data. Further randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trials with appropriate follow-up periods should be designed to assess the efficacy of NIBS methods for ASD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Khaleghi
- Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hadi Zarafshan
- Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Safa Rafiei Vand
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Mohammadi
- Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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45
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Ammons CJ, Winslett ME, Bice J, Patel P, May KE, Kana RK. The Mid-Fusiform Sulcus in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Establishing a Novel Anatomical Landmark Related to Face Processing. Autism Res 2020; 14:53-64. [PMID: 33174665 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of research, the brain basis of aberrant face processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains a topic of debate. The mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS), a minor feature of the ventral occipitotemporal cortex, provides new directions for studying face processing. The MFS closely aligns with face-selective cortical patches and other structural and functional divisions of the fusiform gyrus; however, it has received little attention in clinical populations. We collected structural MRI data from 54 individuals with ASD and 61 age-and-IQ-matched controls ages 8 to 40 years. The MFS was identified on cortical surface reconstructions via 4 trained raters and classified into known surface patterns. Mean MFS gray matter volume (GMV), cortical surface area (SA), cortical thickness (CT), and standard deviation of CT (CT SD) were extracted. Effects of diagnosis, age, and hemisphere on MFS surface presentation and morphometry were assessed via multinomial logistic regression and mixed effects general linear modeling, respectively. The MFS was reliably identified in 97% of hemispheres examined. Macroanatomical patterns and age-related decreases in MFS GMV and CT were similar between groups. CT SD was greater in the left hemisphere in ASD. Participants' ability to interpret emotions and mental states from facial features was significantly negatively correlated with MFS CT and CT SD. Overall, the MFS is a stable feature of the fusiform gyrus in ASD and CT related measures appear to be sensitive to diagnosis and behavior. These results can inform future investigations of face processing and structure-function relationships in populations with social deficits. LAY SUMMARY: A small structural feature of the brain related to seeing faces (the mid-fusiform sulcus; MFS) appears similar in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypical development; however, the thickness of this structure on the left side of the brain is more variable in ASD. People who are better at judging mental states from another person's eyes tend to have thinner and less variable MFS. This feature may teach us more about face processing and how brain structure influences function in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla J Ammons
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Jamie Bice
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Priyanka Patel
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E May
- Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Department of Psychology, & Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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46
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Brain Structural and Functional Alterations in Mice Prenatally Exposed to LPS Are Only Partially Rescued by Anti-Inflammatory Treatment. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10090620. [PMID: 32906830 PMCID: PMC7564777 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant immune activity during neurodevelopment could participate in the generation of neurological dysfunctions characteristic of several neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Numerous epidemiological studies have shown a link between maternal infections and NDDs risk; animal models of maternal immune activation (MIA) have confirmed this association. Activation of maternal immune system during pregnancy induces behavioral and functional alterations in offspring but the biological mechanisms at the basis of these effects are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in peripheral and central inflammation, cortical cytoarchitecture and behavior of offspring (LPS-mice). LPS-mice reported a significant increase in interleukin-1β (IL-1β) serum level, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)- and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1)-positive cells in the cortex. Furthermore, cytoarchitecture analysis in specific brain areas, showed aberrant alterations in minicolumns’ organization in LPS-mice adult brain. In addition, we demonstrated that LPS-mice presented behavioral alterations throughout life. In order to better understand biological mechanisms whereby LPS induced these alterations, dams were treated with meloxicam. We demonstrated for the first time that exposure to LPS throughout pregnancy induces structural permanent alterations in offspring brain. LPS-mice also present severe behavioral impairments. Preventive treatment with meloxicam reduced inflammation in offspring but did not rescue them from structural and behavioral alterations.
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47
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Autism and Migraine: An Unexplored Association? Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10090615. [PMID: 32899972 PMCID: PMC7565535 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by neurological, psychiatric and medical comorbidities—some conditions co-occur so frequently that comorbidity in autism is the rule rather than the exception. The most common autism co-occurring conditions are intellectual disability, language disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, gastrointestinal problems, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychotic disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, and eating disorders. They are well known and studied. Migraine is the most common brain disease in the world, but surprisingly only a few studies investigate the comorbidity between autism and migraine. The aim of this narrative review is to explore the literature reports about the comorbidity between autism and migraine and to investigate the common neurotransmitter, immune, anatomical and genetic abnormalities at the base of these two conditions.
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Precenzano F, Parisi L, Lanzara V, Vetri L, Operto FF, Pastorino GMG, Ruberto M, Messina G, Risoleo MC, Santoro C, Bitetti I, Marotta R. Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristics and Therapeutic Implications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 56:medicina56090419. [PMID: 32825169 PMCID: PMC7559692 DOI: 10.3390/medicina56090419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
A large body of literature reports the higher prevalence of epilepsy in subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to the general population. Similarly, several studies report an increased rate of Subclinical Electroencephalographic Abnormalities (SEAs) in seizure-free patients with ASD rather than healthy controls, although with varying percentages. SEAs include both several epileptiform discharges and different non-epileptiform electroencephalographic abnormalities. They are more frequently associated with lower intellectual functioning, more serious dysfunctional behaviors, and they are often sign of severer forms of autism. However, SEAs clinical implications remain controversial, and they could represent an epiphenomenon of the neurochemical alterations of autism etiology. This paper provides an overview of the major research findings with two main purposes: to better delineate the state-of-the-art about EEG abnormalities in ASD and to find evidence for or against appropriateness of SEAs pharmacological treatment in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Precenzano
- Epilepsy and EEG lab for Developmental Age; Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Napoli, Italy; (F.P.); (V.L.); (M.C.R.); (C.S.); (I.B.)
- Inter-University Group for Study and Research on Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children and Adolescents; (L.P.); (G.M.G.P.)
| | - Lucia Parisi
- Inter-University Group for Study and Research on Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children and Adolescents; (L.P.); (G.M.G.P.)
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Lanzara
- Epilepsy and EEG lab for Developmental Age; Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Napoli, Italy; (F.P.); (V.L.); (M.C.R.); (C.S.); (I.B.)
- Inter-University Group for Study and Research on Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children and Adolescents; (L.P.); (G.M.G.P.)
| | - Luigi Vetri
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +39-328-643-4126
| | - Francesca Felicia Operto
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy;
| | - Grazia Maria Giovanna Pastorino
- Inter-University Group for Study and Research on Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children and Adolescents; (L.P.); (G.M.G.P.)
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy;
| | - Maria Ruberto
- Centro Pro Juventute Minerva SRL, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Messina
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
| | - Maria Cristina Risoleo
- Epilepsy and EEG lab for Developmental Age; Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Napoli, Italy; (F.P.); (V.L.); (M.C.R.); (C.S.); (I.B.)
- Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Claudia Santoro
- Epilepsy and EEG lab for Developmental Age; Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Napoli, Italy; (F.P.); (V.L.); (M.C.R.); (C.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Ilaria Bitetti
- Epilepsy and EEG lab for Developmental Age; Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Napoli, Italy; (F.P.); (V.L.); (M.C.R.); (C.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Rosa Marotta
- Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
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Patak J, Faraone SV, Zhang-James Y. Sodium hydrogen exchanger 9 NHE9 (SLC9A9) and its emerging roles in neuropsychiatric comorbidity. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:289-305. [PMID: 32400953 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Variations in SLC9A9 gene expression and protein function are associated with multiple human diseases, which range from Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to glioblastoma multiforme. In an effort to determine the full spectrum of human disease associations with SLC9A9, we performed a systematic review of the literature. We also review SLC9A9's biochemistry, protein structure, and function, as well as its interacting partners with the goal of identifying mechanisms of disease and druggable targets. We report gaps in the literature regarding the genes function along with consistent trends in disease associations that can be used to further research into treating the respective diseases. We report that SLC9A9 has strong associations with neuropsychiatric diseases and various cancers. Interestingly, we find strong overlap in SLC9A9 disease associations and propose a novel role for SLC9A9 in neuropsychiatric comorbidity. In conclusion, SLC9A9 is a multifunctional protein that, through both its endosome regulatory function and its protein-protein interaction network, has the ability to modulate signaling axes, such as the PI3K pathway, among others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jameson Patak
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.,College of Medicine, MD Program, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Yanli Zhang-James
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
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50
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Yankowitz LD, Herrington JD, Yerys BE, Pereira JA, Pandey J, Schultz RT. Evidence against the "normalization" prediction of the early brain overgrowth hypothesis of autism. Mol Autism 2020; 11:51. [PMID: 32552879 PMCID: PMC7301552 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00353-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The frequently cited Early Overgrowth Hypothesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) postulates that there is overgrowth of the brain in the first 2 years of life, which is followed by a period of arrested growth leading to normalized brain volume in late childhood and beyond. While there is consistent evidence for early brain overgrowth, there is mixed evidence for normalization of brain volume by middle childhood. The outcome of this debate is important to understanding the etiology and neurodevelopmental trajectories of ASD. METHODS Brain volume was examined in two very large single-site samples of children, adolescents, and adults. The primary sample comprised 456 6-25-year-olds (ASD n = 240, typically developing controls (TDC) n = 216), including a large number of females (n = 102) and spanning a wide IQ range (47-158). The replication sample included 175 males. High-resolution T1-weighted anatomical MRI images were examined for group differences in total brain, cerebellar, ventricular, gray, and white matter volumes. RESULTS The ASD group had significantly larger total brain, cerebellar, gray matter, white matter, and lateral ventricular volumes in both samples, indicating that brain volume remains enlarged through young adulthood, rather than normalizing. There were no significant age or sex interactions with diagnosis in these measures. However, a significant diagnosis-by-IQ interaction was detected in the larger sample, such that increased brain volume was related to higher IQ in the TDCs, but not in the ASD group. Regions-of-significance analysis indicated that total brain volume was larger in ASD than TDC for individuals with IQ less than 115, providing a potential explanation for prior inconsistent brain size results. No relationships were found between brain volume and measures of autism symptom severity within the ASD group. LIMITATIONS Our cross-sectional sample may not reflect individual changes over time in brain volume and cannot quantify potential changes in volume prior to age 6. CONCLUSIONS These findings challenge the "normalization" prediction of the brain overgrowth hypothesis by demonstrating that brain enlargement persists across childhood into early adulthood. The findings raise questions about the clinical implications of brain enlargement, since we find that it neither confers cognitive benefits nor predicts increased symptom severity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa D Yankowitz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 425 S. University Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - John D Herrington
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19105, USA
| | - Benjamin E Yerys
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19105, USA
| | - Joseph A Pereira
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19105, USA
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19105, USA
- Department of Pediatrics Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19105, USA
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