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Stefanou ME, Dundon NM, Bestelmeyer PEG, Biscaldi M, Smyrnis N, Klein C. The dissociating effects of fear and disgust on multisensory integration in autism: evidence from evoked potentials. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1390696. [PMID: 39161654 PMCID: PMC11330835 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1390696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Deficits in Multisensory Integration (MSI) in ASD have been reported repeatedly and have been suggested to be caused by altered long-range connectivity. Here we investigate behavioral and ERP correlates of MSI in ASD using ecologically valid videos of emotional expressions. Methods In the present study, we set out to investigate the electrophysiological correlates of audiovisual MSI in young autistic and neurotypical adolescents. We employed dynamic stimuli of high ecological validity (500 ms clips produced by actors) that depicted fear or disgust in unimodal (visual and auditory), and bimodal (audiovisual) conditions. Results We report robust MSI effects at both the behavioral and electrophysiological levels and pronounced differences between autistic and neurotypical participants. Specifically, neurotypical controls showed robust behavioral MSI for both emotions as seen through a significant speed-up of bimodal response time (RT), confirmed by Miller's Race Model Inequality (RMI), with greater MSI effects for fear than disgust. Adolescents with ASD, by contrast, showed behavioral MSI only for fear. At the electrophysiological level, the bimodal condition as compared to the unimodal conditions reduced the amplitudes of the visual P100 and auditory P200 and increased the amplitude of the visual N170 regardless of group. Furthermore, a cluster-based analysis across all electrodes revealed that adolescents with ASD showed an overall delayed and spatially constrained MSI effect compared to controls. Conclusion Given that the variables we measured reflect attention, our findings suggest that MSI can be modulated by the differential effects on attention that fear and disgust produce. We also argue that the MSI deficits seen in autistic individuals can be compensated for at later processing stages by (a) the attention-orienting effects of fear, at the behavioral level, and (b) at the electrophysiological level via increased attentional effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena Stefanou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neil M. Dundon
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | | | - Monica Biscaldi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Smyrnis
- Second Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, University General Hospital “Attikon”, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Sensorimotor Control, University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS”, Athens, Greece
| | - Christoph Klein
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Second Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, University General Hospital “Attikon”, Athens, Greece
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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2
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Bled C, Guillon Q, Mottron L, Soulieres I, Bouvet L. Visual mental imagery abilities in autism. Autism Res 2024. [PMID: 38993038 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3192] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
AbstractIn autistic individuals, the role, performance, and autonomy of perceptual functioning are atypical. Overlapping underlying mechanisms of perception and mental imagery predict that the mental imagery abilities of autistic individuals should differ from those of non‐autistic individuals. While enhanced abilities to manipulate mental images have been demonstrated in autism, the other stages of mental imagery (generation, maintenance, inspection) remain to be explored. Forty‐four autistic adults and 42 typical participants performed four tasks to assess different stages of mental imagery: the Image generation task (mentally generating a letter on a grid and indicating whether it passes over a probe located in the grid), the Visual pattern test (maintaining visual patterns in memory), the Image scanning test (inspecting mental images) and the Mental rotation test (mentally manipulating representations of geometric figures). In the image generation task and the mental rotation test, autistic and typical individuals performed equivalently, both in accuracy and response time. The span observed in the visual pattern test was significantly higher in the autistic group, indicating better maintenance of mental images. In the image scanning test, response times were influenced by the distance to mentally inspect in the typical group but not in the autistic group. Autistic participants were equally fast regardless of distance to inspect. Preserved, greater or differently influenced visual mental imagery abilities are in line with an atypical perceptual functioning in autism, possibly reflecting an increased weight of perception‐based information relatively to the top‐down effect of knowledge and language‐based influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Bled
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A, Toulouse, France
| | - Q Guillon
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A, Toulouse, France
| | - L Mottron
- Psychiatry Department, Université de Montréal, Montreal, (Quebec), Canada
| | - I Soulieres
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, (Quebec), Canada
| | - L Bouvet
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A, Toulouse, France
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3
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Huntley MK, Nguyen A, Albrecht MA, Marinovic W. Tactile cues are more intrinsically linked to motor timing than visual cues in visual-tactile sensorimotor synchronization. Atten Percept Psychophys 2024; 86:1022-1037. [PMID: 38263510 PMCID: PMC11062975 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-023-02828-9] [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: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Many tasks require precise synchronization with external sensory stimuli, such as driving a car. This study investigates whether combined visual-tactile information provides additional benefits to movement synchrony over separate visual and tactile stimuli and explores the relationship with the temporal binding window for multisensory integration. In Experiment 1, participants completed a sensorimotor synchronization task to examine movement variability and a simultaneity judgment task to measure the temporal binding window. Results showed similar synchronization variability between visual-tactile and tactile-only stimuli, but significantly lower than visual only. In Experiment 2, participants completed a visual-tactile sensorimotor synchronization task with cross-modal stimuli presented inside (stimulus onset asynchrony 80 ms) and outside (stimulus-onset asynchrony 400 ms) the temporal binding window to examine temporal accuracy of movement execution. Participants synchronized their movement with the first stimulus in the cross-modal pair, either the visual or tactile stimulus. Results showed significantly greater temporal accuracy when only one stimulus was presented inside the window and the second stimulus was outside the window than when both stimuli were presented inside the window, with movement execution being more accurate when attending to the tactile stimulus. Overall, these findings indicate there may be a modality-specific benefit to sensorimotor synchronization performance, such that tactile cues are weighted more strongly than visual information as tactile information is more intrinsically linked to motor timing than visual information. Further, our findings indicate that the visual-tactile temporal binding window is related to the temporal accuracy of movement execution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle K Huntley
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Wodonga, Victoria, Australia.
| | - An Nguyen
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew A Albrecht
- Western Australia Centre for Road Safety Research, School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Welber Marinovic
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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4
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Dahary H, Rimmer C, Quintin EM. Musical Beat Perception Skills of Autistic and Neurotypical Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1453-1467. [PMID: 36635432 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05864-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Many autistic children show musical interests and good musical skills including pitch and melodic memory. Autistic children may also perceive temporal regularities in music such as the primary beat underlying the rhythmic structure of music given some work showing preserved rhythm processing in the context of basic, nonverbal auditory stimuli. The temporal regularity and prediction of musical beats can potentially serve as an excellent framework for building skills in non-musical areas of growth for autistic children. We examine if autistic children are perceptually sensitive to the primary beat of music by comparing the musical beat perception skills of autistic and neurotypical children. Twenty-three autistic children and 23 neurotypical children aged 6-13 years with no group differences in chronological age and verbal and nonverbal mental ages completed a musical beat perception task where they identified whether beeps superimposed on musical excerpts were on or off the musical beat. Overall task performance was above the theoretical chance threshold of 50% but not the statistical chance threshold of 70% across groups. On-beat (versus off-beat) accuracy was higher for the autistic group but not the neurotypical group. The autistic group was just as accurate at detecting beat alignments (on-beat) but less precise at detecting beat misalignments (off-beat) compared to the neurotypical group. Perceptual sensitivity to beat alignments provides support for spared music processing among autistic children and informs on the accessibility of using musical beats and rhythm for cultivating related skills and behaviours (e.g., language and motor abilities).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadas Dahary
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Azrieli Centre for Autism Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Charlotte Rimmer
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Eve-Marie Quintin
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Azrieli Centre for Autism Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Fu Y, Tian M, Chen J, Chen W, Li H. Improvement of symptoms in children with autism by TOMATIS training: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1357453. [PMID: 38562516 PMCID: PMC10982311 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1357453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that is marked by deficits in social interaction, difficulty expressing oneself, lack of enthusiasm, and stereotypical conduct. The TOMATIS training method is an effective music therapy for children with ASD for its individually developed programs to improve behavioral deficits. Methods The research employed both longitudinal and crosssectional designs. Results In the cross-sectional study, the experimental group showed significant improvement in symptoms after TOMATIS training compared to the control group of children with ASD. The results validated the effect of TOMATIS treatment for ASD-related deficits, including perceptual-motor, attentional, social, and emotional issues. Discussion ASD's auditory hypersensitivity hampers social information processing, but TOMATIS enhances cochlear frequency selectivity, aiding in capturing relevant auditory stimuli. In addition, the longitudinal study confirmed these findings, which proved TOMATIS training effective in clinically treating ASD. This study focused on audiometric indicators and behavioural improvement, elucidating the mechanisms behind the training's success. Behavioral improvements might stem from TOMATIS' frequency selectivity, reshaping auditory organ-cortical feedback loops to filter interference and focus on valid information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Fu
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Tian
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
- Hai Perui Education Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaxi Chen
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Wenfeng Chen
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Huang Li
- Affiliated Haixia Hospital of Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, China
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6
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Brizzi G, Sansoni M, Di Lernia D, Frisone F, Tuena C, Riva G. The multisensory mind: a systematic review of multisensory integration processing in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:204. [PMID: 37974266 PMCID: PMC10655389 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00930-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa present alterations in the way they experience their bodies. Body experience results from a multisensory integration process in which information from different sensory domains and spatial reference frames is combined into a coherent percept. Given the critical role of the body in the onset and maintenance of both Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, we conducted a systematic review to examine multisensory integration abilities of individuals affected by these two conditions and investigate whether they exhibit impairments in crossmodal integration. We searched for studies evaluating crossmodal integration in individuals with a current diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa as compared to healthy individuals from both behavioral and neurobiological perspectives. A search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Sciences databases was performed to extract relevant articles. Of the 2348 studies retrieved, 911 were unique articles. After the screening, 13 articles were included. Studies revealed multisensory integration abnormalities in patients affected by Anorexia Nervosa; only one included individuals with Bulimia Nervosa and observed less severe impairments compared to healthy controls. Overall, results seemed to support the presence of multisensory deficits in Anorexia Nervosa, especially when integrating interoceptive and exteroceptive information. We proposed the Predictive Coding framework for understanding our findings and suggested future lines of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Brizzi
- Applied Technology for Neuro- Psychology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Via Magnasco 2, 20149, Milan, Italy.
| | - Maria Sansoni
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121, Milan, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Lernia
- Applied Technology for Neuro- Psychology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Via Magnasco 2, 20149, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Frisone
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121, Milan, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121, Milan, Italy
| | - Cosimo Tuena
- Applied Technology for Neuro- Psychology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Via Magnasco 2, 20149, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro- Psychology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Via Magnasco 2, 20149, Milan, Italy
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121, Milan, Italy
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7
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Chen N, Watanabe K, Spence C, Wada M. People with higher autistic traits show stronger binding for color-shape associations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9611. [PMID: 37311776 PMCID: PMC10264394 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36666-4] [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: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-synesthetes exhibit a tendency to associate specific shapes with particular colors (i.e., circle-red, triangle-yellow, and square-blue). Such color-shape associations (CSAs) could potentially affect the feature binding of colors and shapes, thus resulting in people reporting more binding errors in the case of incongruent, rather than congruent, colored-shape pairs. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit atypical sensory processing and impaired multisensory integration. Here, we examined whether autistic traits (Autism-Spectrum Quotient; AQ) influence the strength of color-shape associations, as evidenced by the occurrence of binding errors in incongruent minus congruent conditions. Participants took part in an experiment designed to reveal binding errors induced by incongruent and congruent colored-shape pairs, and completed the Japanese version of the AQ score. The results revealed a significant correlation between AQ scores and occurrence of binding errors when participants were presented with the circle-red and triangle-yellow CSAs: That is, individuals with higher autistic traits tend to make more binding errors in incongruent minus congruent colored-shape pairs, indicating a stronger binding of circle-red and triangle-yellow associations. These results therefore suggest that autistic traits play a role in forming color-shape associations, shedding light on the nature of both color-shape associations and autistic perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons With Disabilities, Tokorozawa, 359-8555, Japan.
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
| | - Katsumi Watanabe
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 169-8555, Japan
| | - Charles Spence
- Crossmodal Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Makoto Wada
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons With Disabilities, Tokorozawa, 359-8555, Japan
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Angeletos Chrysaitis N, Seriès P. 10 years of Bayesian theories of autism: A comprehensive review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105022. [PMID: 36581168 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ten years ago, Pellicano and Burr published one of the most influential articles in the study of autism spectrum disorders, linking them to aberrant Bayesian inference processes in the brain. In particular, they proposed that autistic individuals are less influenced by their brains' prior beliefs about the environment. In this systematic review, we investigate if this theory is supported by the experimental evidence. To that end, we collect all studies which included comparisons across diagnostic groups or autistic traits and categorise them based on the investigated priors. Our results are highly mixed, with a slight majority of studies finding no difference in the integration of Bayesian priors. We find that priors developed during the experiments exhibited reduced influences more frequently than priors acquired previously, with various studies providing evidence for learning differences between participant groups. Finally, we focus on the methodological and computational aspects of the included studies, showing low statistical power and often inconsistent approaches. Based on our findings, we propose guidelines for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikitas Angeletos Chrysaitis
- Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation, University of Edinburgh, 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AB, United Kingdom.
| | - Peggy Seriès
- Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation, University of Edinburgh, 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AB, United Kingdom.
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Carroll JB, Hamidi S, Gabriele ML. Microglial heterogeneity and complement component 3 elimination within emerging multisensory midbrain compartments during an early critical period. Front Neurosci 2023; 16:1072667. [PMID: 36685243 PMCID: PMC9846048 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1072667] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC) is a midbrain shell region that receives multimodal inputs that target discrete zones of its compartmental (modular-matrix) framework. This arrangement emerges perinatally in mice (postnatal day, P0-P12) as somatosensory and auditory inputs segregate into their respective modular and matrix terminal patterns. Microglial cells (MGCs) perform a variety of critical functions in the developing brain, among them identifying areas of active circuit assembly and selectively pruning exuberant or underutilized connections. Recent evidence in other brain structures suggest considerable MGC heterogeneity across the lifespan, particularly during established developmental critical periods. The present study examines the potential involvement of classical complement cascade signaling (C3-CR3/CD11b) in refining early multisensory networks, and identifies several microglial subsets exhibiting distinct molecular signatures within the nascent LCIC. Immunostaining was performed in GAD67-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and CX3CR1-GFP mice throughout and after the defined LCIC critical period. GAD labeling highlights the emerging LCIC modularity, while CX3CR1 labeling depicts MGCs expressing the fractalkine receptor. C3 expression is widespread throughout the LCIC neuropil early on, prior to its conspicuous absence from modular zones at P8, and more global disappearance following critical period closure. CD11b-expressing microglia while homogeneously distributed at birth, are biased to modular fields at P8 and then the surrounding matrix by P12. Temporal and spatial matching of the disappearance of C3 by LCIC compartment (i.e., modules then matrix) with CD11b-positive MGC occupancy implicates complement signaling in the selective refinement of early LCIC connectivity. Multiple-labeling studies for a variety of established MGC markers (CD11b, CX3CR1, Iba1, TMEM119) indicate significant MGC heterogeneity in the LCIC as its compartments and segregated multisensory maps emerge. Marker colocalization was the exception rather than the rule, suggesting that unique MGC subpopulations exist in the LCIC and perhaps serve distinct developmental roles. Potential mechanisms whereby microglia sculpt early multisensory LCIC maps and how such activity/inactivity may underlie certain neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark L. Gabriele
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, United States
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10
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Butera IM, Stevenson RA, Gifford RH, Wallace MT. Visually biased Perception in Cochlear Implant Users: A Study of the McGurk and Sound-Induced Flash Illusions. Trends Hear 2023; 27:23312165221076681. [PMID: 37377212 PMCID: PMC10334005 DOI: 10.1177/23312165221076681] [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: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The reduction in spectral resolution by cochlear implants oftentimes requires complementary visual speech cues to facilitate understanding. Despite substantial clinical characterization of auditory-only speech measures, relatively little is known about the audiovisual (AV) integrative abilities that most cochlear implant (CI) users rely on for daily speech comprehension. In this study, we tested AV integration in 63 CI users and 69 normal-hearing (NH) controls using the McGurk and sound-induced flash illusions. To our knowledge, this study is the largest to-date measuring the McGurk effect in this population and the first that tests the sound-induced flash illusion (SIFI). When presented with conflicting AV speech stimuli (i.e., the phoneme "ba" dubbed onto the viseme "ga"), we found that 55 CI users (87%) reported a fused percept of "da" or "tha" on at least one trial. After applying an error correction based on unisensory responses, we found that among those susceptible to the illusion, CI users experienced lower fusion than controls-a result that was concordant with results from the SIFI where the pairing of a single circle flashing on the screen with multiple beeps resulted in fewer illusory flashes for CI users. While illusion perception in these two tasks appears to be uncorrelated among CI users, we identified a negative correlation in the NH group. Because neither illusion appears to provide further explanation of variability in CI outcome measures, further research is needed to determine how these findings relate to CI users' speech understanding, particularly in ecological listening conditions that are naturally multisensory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iliza M. Butera
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ryan A. Stevenson
- Department of Psychology, University of
Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of
Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - René H. Gifford
- Department of Hearing and Speech
Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mark T. Wallace
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Hearing and Speech
Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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11
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Vastano R, Costantini M, Alexander WH, Widerstrom-Noga E. Multisensory integration in humans with spinal cord injury. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22156. [PMID: 36550184 PMCID: PMC9780239 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26678-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although multisensory integration (MSI) has been extensively studied, the underlying mechanisms remain a topic of ongoing debate. Here we investigate these mechanisms by comparing MSI in healthy controls to a clinical population with spinal cord injury (SCI). Deafferentation following SCI induces sensorimotor impairment, which may alter the ability to synthesize cross-modal information. We applied mathematical and computational modeling to reaction time data recorded in response to temporally congruent cross-modal stimuli. We found that MSI in both SCI and healthy controls is best explained by cross-modal perceptual competition, highlighting a common competition mechanism. Relative to controls, MSI impairments in SCI participants were better explained by reduced stimulus salience leading to increased cross-modal competition. By combining traditional analyses with model-based approaches, we examine how MSI is realized during normal function, and how it is compromised in a clinical population. Our findings support future investigations identifying and rehabilitating MSI deficits in clinical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Vastano
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Marcello Costantini
- grid.412451.70000 0001 2181 4941Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy ,grid.412451.70000 0001 2181 4941Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, ITAB, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - William H. Alexander
- grid.255951.fCenter for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA ,grid.255951.fDepartment of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA ,grid.255951.fThe Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA
| | - Eva Widerstrom-Noga
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136 USA
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12
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Schulze M, Aslan B, Jung P, Lux S, Philipsen A. Robust perceptual-load-dependent audiovisual integration in adult ADHD. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 272:1443-1451. [PMID: 35380238 PMCID: PMC9653355 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01401-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We perceive our daily-life surrounded by different senses (e.g., visual, and auditory). For a coherent percept, our brain binds those multiple streams of sensory stimulations, i.e., multisensory integration (MI). Dependent on stimulus complexity, early MI is triggered by bottom-up or late via top-down attentional deployment. Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with successful bottom-up MI and deficient top-down MI. In the current study, we investigated the robustness of the bottom-up MI by adding additional task demand varying the perceptual load. We hypothesized diminished bottom-up MI for high perceptual load for patients with ADHD. 18 adult patients with ADHD and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy controls participated in this study. In the visual search paradigm, a target letter was surrounded by uniform distractors (low load) or by different letters (high load). Additionally, either unimodal (visual flash, auditory beep) or multimodal (audiovisual) flanked the visual search. Linear-mixed modeling was used to investigate the influence of load on reaction times. Further, the race model inequality was calculated. Patients with ADHD showed a similar degree of MI performance like healthy controls, irrespective of perceptual load manipulation. ADHD patients violated the race model for the low load but not for the high-load condition. There seems to be robust bottom-up MI independent of perceptual load in ADHD patients. However, the sensory accumulation might be altered when attentional demands are high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Schulze
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
- Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Behrem Aslan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Paul Jung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Silke Lux
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
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13
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Che Y, Jicol C, Ashwin C, Petrini K. An RCT study showing few weeks of music lessons enhance audio-visual temporal processing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20087. [PMID: 36418441 PMCID: PMC9684138 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23340-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Music involves different senses and is emotional in nature, and musicians show enhanced detection of audio-visual temporal discrepancies and emotion recognition compared to non-musicians. However, whether musical training produces these enhanced abilities or if they are innate within musicians remains unclear. Thirty-one adult participants were randomly assigned to a music training, music listening, or control group who all completed a one-hour session per week for 11 weeks. The music training group received piano training, the music listening group listened to the same music, and the control group did their homework. Measures of audio-visual temporal discrepancy, facial expression recognition, autistic traits, depression, anxiety, stress and mood were completed and compared from the beginning to end of training. ANOVA results revealed that only the music training group showed a significant improvement in detection of audio-visual temporal discrepancies compared to the other groups for both stimuli (flash-beep and face-voice). However, music training did not improve emotion recognition from facial expressions compared to the control group, while it did reduce the levels of depression, stress and anxiety compared to baseline. This RCT study provides the first evidence of a causal effect of music training on improved audio-visual perception that goes beyond the music domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Che
- grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY UK
| | - Crescent Jicol
- grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY UK
| | - Chris Ashwin
- grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY UK ,grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Centre for Applied Autism Research, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, , Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK, Bath, UK
| | - Karin Petrini
- grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY UK
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14
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Groves Kuhnle C, Grimes M, Suárez Casanova VM, Turrigiano GG, Van Hooser SD. Juvenile Shank3 KO Mice Adopt Distinct Hunting Strategies during Prey Capture Learning. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0230-22.2022. [PMID: 36446569 PMCID: PMC9768843 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0230-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice are opportunistic omnivores that readily learn to hunt and eat insects such as crickets. The details of how mice learn these behaviors and how these behaviors may differ in strains with altered neuroplasticity are unclear. We quantified the behavior of juvenile wild-type (WT) and Shank3 knock-out (KO) mice as they learned to hunt crickets during the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity. This stage involves heightened cortical plasticity including homeostatic synaptic scaling, which requires Shank3, a glutamatergic synaptic protein that, when mutated, produces Phelan-McDermid syndrome and is often comorbid with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both strains showed interest in examining live and dead crickets and learned to hunt. Shank3 knock-out mice took longer to become proficient, and, after 5 d, did not achieve the efficiency of wild-type mice in either time-to-capture or distance-to-capture. Shank3 knock-out mice also exhibited different characteristics when pursuing crickets that could not be explained by a simple motor deficit. Although both genotypes moved at the same average speed when approaching a cricket, Shank3 KO mice paused more often, did not begin final accelerations toward crickets as early, and did not close the distance gap to the cricket as quickly as wild-type mice. These differences in Shank3 KO mice are reminiscent of some behavioral characteristics of individuals with ASD as they perform complex tasks, such as slower action initiation and completion. This paradigm will be useful for exploring the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie these learning and performance differences in monogenic ASD rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Micaela Grimes
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
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15
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The relationship between multisensory associative learning and multisensory integration. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108336. [PMID: 35872233 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Integrating sensory information from multiple modalities leads to more precise and efficient perception and behaviour. The process of determining which sensory information should be perceptually bound is reliant on both low-level stimulus features, as well as multisensory associations learned throughout development based on the statistics of our environment. Here, we explored the relationship between multisensory associative learning and multisensory integration using encephalography (EEG) and behavioural measures. Sixty-one participants completed a three-phase study. First, participants were exposed to novel audiovisual shape-tone pairings with frequent and infrequent stimulus pairings and complete a target detection task. EEG recordings of the mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3 were calculated as neural indices of multisensory associative learning. Next, the same learned stimulus pairs were presented in audiovisual as well as unisensory auditory and visual modalities while both early (<120 ms) and late neural indices of multisensory integration were recorded. Finally, participants completed an analogous behavioural speeded-response task, with behavioural indices of multisensory gain calculated using the Race Model. Significant relationships were found in fronto-central and occipital areas between neural measures of associative learning and both early and late indices of multisensory integration in frontal and centro-parietal areas, respectively. Participants who showed stronger indices of associative learning also exhibited stronger indices of multisensory integration of the stimuli they learned to associate. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between neural index of early multisensory integration and behavioural indices of multisensory gain. These results provide insight into the neural underpinnings of how higher-order processes such as associative learning guide multisensory integration.
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16
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Montenegro JTP, Seguin D, Duerden EG. Joint attention in infants at high familial risk for autism spectrum disorder and the association with thalamic and hippocampal macrostructure. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac029. [PMID: 36072708 PMCID: PMC9441013 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heritable neurodevelopmental disorder. Infants diagnosed with ASD can show impairments in spontaneous gaze-following and will seldom engage in joint attention (JA). The ability to initiate JA (IJA) can be more significantly impaired than the ability to respond to JA (RJA). In a longitudinal study, 101 infants who had a familial risk for ASD were enrolled (62% males). Participants completed magnetic resonance imaging scans at 4 or 6 months of age. Subcortical volumes (thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, basal ganglia, ventral diencephalon, and cerebellum) were automatically extracted. Early gaze and JA behaviors were assessed with standardized measures. The majority of infants were IJA nonresponders (n = 93, 92%), and over half were RJA nonresponders (n = 50, 52%). In the nonresponder groups, models testing the association of subcortical volumes with later ASD diagnosis accounted for age, sex, and cerebral volumes. In the nonresponder IJA group, using regression method, the left hippocampus (B = −0.009, aOR = 0.991, P = 0.025), the right thalamus (B = −0.016, aOR = 0.984, P = 0.026), as well as the left thalamus (B = 0.015, aOR = 1.015, P = 0.019), predicted later ASD diagnosis. Alterations in thalamic and hippocampal macrostructure in at-risk infants who do not engage in IJA may reflect an enhanced vulnerability and may be the key predictors of later ASD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia T P Montenegro
- Applied Psychology , Faculty of Education, , London, Ontario N6G1G7, Canada
- Western University, Faculty of Education Building 1137 Western Road , Faculty of Education, , London, Ontario N6G1G7, Canada
| | - Diane Seguin
- Applied Psychology , Faculty of Education, , London, Ontario N6G1G7 , Canada
- Western University, Faculty of Education Building 1137 Western Road , Faculty of Education, , London, Ontario N6G1G7 , Canada
- Physiology & Pharmacology , Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, , Medical Science Building, Room 216 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario N6A5C1 , Canada
- Western University , Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, , Medical Science Building, Room 216 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario N6A5C1 , Canada
| | - Emma G Duerden
- Applied Psychology , Faculty of Education, , Faculty of Education Building 1137 Western Road, London, Ontario N6G1G7 , Canada
- Western University , Faculty of Education, , Faculty of Education Building 1137 Western Road, London, Ontario N6G1G7 , Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, The Brain and Mind Institute Western Interdisciplinary Research Building , Room 3190 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario N6A3K7 , Canada
- Biomedical Engineering , Faculty of Engineering, , Amit Chakma Engineering Building, Room 2405 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario N6A3K7 , Canada
- Western University , Faculty of Engineering, , Amit Chakma Engineering Building, Room 2405 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario N6A3K7 , Canada
- Psychiatry , Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, , Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building, F4-430, London, Ontario N6C0A7 , Canada
- University of Western Ontario , Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, , Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building, F4-430, London, Ontario N6C0A7 , Canada
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17
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Talesh Jafadideh A, Mohammadzadeh Asl B. Rest-fMRI based comparison study between autism spectrum disorder and typically control using graph frequency bands. Comput Biol Med 2022; 146:105643. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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18
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Crosse MJ, Foxe JJ, Tarrit K, Freedman EG, Molholm S. Resolution of impaired multisensory processing in autism and the cost of switching sensory modality. Commun Biol 2022; 5:601. [PMID: 35773473 PMCID: PMC9246932 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03519-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit alterations in multisensory processing, which may contribute to the prevalence of social and communicative deficits in this population. Resolution of multisensory deficits has been observed in teenagers with ASD for complex, social speech stimuli; however, whether this resolution extends to more basic multisensory processing deficits remains unclear. Here, in a cohort of 364 participants we show using simple, non-social audiovisual stimuli that deficits in multisensory processing observed in high-functioning children and teenagers with ASD are not evident in adults with the disorder. Computational modelling indicated that multisensory processing transitions from a default state of competition to one of facilitation, and that this transition is delayed in ASD. Further analysis revealed group differences in how sensory channels are weighted, and how this is impacted by preceding cross-sensory inputs. Our findings indicate that there is a complex and dynamic interplay among the sensory systems that differs considerably in individuals with ASD. Crosse et al. study a cohort of 364 participants with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and matched controls, and show that deficits in multisensory processing observed in high-functioning children and teenagers with ASD are not evident in adults with the disorder. Using computational modelling they go on to demonstrate that there is a delayed transition of multisensory processing from a default state of competition to one of facilitation in ASD, as well as differences in sensory weighting and the ability to switch between sensory modalities, which sheds light on the interplay among sensory systems that differ in ASD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Crosse
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. .,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. .,Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Mechanical, Manufacturing & Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - John J Foxe
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Katy Tarrit
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Edward G Freedman
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Sophie Molholm
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. .,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. .,The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
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19
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Márquez-García AV, Vakorin VA, Kozhemiako N, Magnuson JR, Iarocci G, Ribary U, Moreno S, Doesburg SM. Children with autism spectrum disorder show atypical electroencephalographic response to processing contextual incongruencies. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8948. [PMID: 35624226 PMCID: PMC9142591 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12475-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience difficulties with social communication, making it challenging to interpret contextual information that aids in accurately interpreting language. To investigate how the brain processes the contextual information and how this is different in ASD, we compared event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to processing visual and auditory congruent and incongruent information. Two groups of children participated in the study: 37 typically developing children and 15 children with ASD (age range = 6 to 12). We applied a language task involving auditory sentences describing congruent or incongruent images. We investigated two ERP components associated with language processing: the N400 and P600. Our results showed how children with ASD present significant differences in their neural responses in comparison with the TD group, even when their reaction times and correct trials are not significantly different from the TD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amparo V Márquez-García
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.
| | - Vasily A Vakorin
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Nataliia Kozhemiako
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Justine R Magnuson
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Grace Iarocci
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Urs Ribary
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Sylvain Moreno
- Department of School of Interactive Arts & Technology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Sam M Doesburg
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
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20
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Weakley JM, Kavusak EK, Carroll JB, Gabriele ML. Segregation of Multimodal Inputs Into Discrete Midbrain Compartments During an Early Critical Period. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:882485. [PMID: 35463204 PMCID: PMC9021614 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.882485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC) is a multimodal subdivision of the midbrain inferior colliculus (IC) that plays a key role in sensory integration. The LCIC is compartmentally-organized, exhibiting a series of discontinuous patches or modules surrounded by an extramodular matrix. In adult mice, somatosensory afferents target LCIC modular zones, while auditory afferents terminate throughout the encompassing matrix. Recently, we defined an early LCIC critical period (birth: postnatal day 0 to P12) based upon the concurrent emergence of its neurochemical compartments (modules: glutamic acid decarboxylase, GAD+; matrix: calretinin, CR+), matching Eph-ephrin guidance patterns, and specificity of auditory inputs for its matrix. Currently lacking are analogous experiments that address somatosensory afferent shaping and the construction of discrete LCIC multisensory maps. Combining living slice tract-tracing and immunocytochemical approaches in a developmental series of GAD67-GFP knock-in mice, the present study characterizes: (1) the targeting of somatosensory terminals for emerging LCIC modular fields; and (2) the relative separation of somatosensory and auditory inputs over the course of its established critical period. Results indicate a similar time course and progression of LCIC projection shaping for both somatosensory (corticocollicular) and auditory (intracollicular) inputs. While somewhat sparse and intermingling at birth, modality-specific projection patterns soon emerge (P4–P8), coincident with peak guidance expression and the appearance of LCIC compartments. By P12, an adult-like arrangement is in place, with fully segregated multimodal afferent arrays. Quantitative measures confirm increasingly distinct input maps, exhibiting less projection overlap with age. Potential mechanisms whereby multisensory LCIC afferent systems recognize and interface with its emerging modular-matrix framework are discussed.
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21
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Prescott KE, Mathée-Scott J, Reuter T, Edwards J, Saffran J, Ellis Weismer S. Predictive language processing in young autistic children. Autism Res 2022; 15:892-903. [PMID: 35142078 PMCID: PMC9090958 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent theories propose that domain-general deficits in prediction (i.e., the ability to anticipate upcoming information) underlie the behavioral characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). If these theories are correct, autistic children might be expected to demonstrate difficulties on linguistic tasks that rely on predictive processing. Previous research has largely focused on older autistic children and adolescents with average language and cognition. The present study used an eye-gaze task to evaluate predictive language processing among 3- to 4-year-old autistic children (n = 34) and 1.5- to 3-year-old, language-matched neurotypical (NT) children (n = 34). Children viewed images (e.g., a cake and a ball) and heard sentences with informative verbs (e.g., Eat the cake) or neutral verbs (e.g., Find the cake). Analyses of children's looking behaviors indicated that young autistic children, like their language-matched NT peers, engaged in predictive language processing. Regression results revealed a significant effect of diagnostic group, when statistically controlling for age differences. The NT group displayed larger difference scores between the informative and neutral verb conditions (in looks to target nouns) compared to the ASD group. Receptive language measures were predictive of looking behavior across time for both groups, such that children with stronger language skills were more efficient in making use of informative verbs to process upcoming information. Taken together, these results suggest that young autistic children can engage in predictive processing though further research is warranted to explore the developmental trajectory relative to NT development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Prescott
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Janine Mathée-Scott
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Tracy Reuter
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jan Edwards
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA.,Maryland Language Science Center, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Jenny Saffran
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Susan Ellis Weismer
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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22
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Brett CA, Carroll JB, Gabriele ML. Compromised fractalkine signaling delays microglial occupancy of emerging modules in the multisensory midbrain. Glia 2021; 70:697-711. [PMID: 35132709 PMCID: PMC8826074 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Microglial cells (MGCs) are highly dynamic and have been implicated in shaping discrete neural maps in several unimodal systems. MGCs respond to numerous cues in their microenvironment, including the neuronally expressed chemokine, fractalkine (CX3CL1), via interactions with its corresponding fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1). The present study examines microglial and CX3CL1 patterns with regard to the emerging modular-extramodular matrix organization within the lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC). The LCIC is a multisensory shell region of the midbrain inferior colliculus where discrete compartments receive modality-specific connections. Somatosensory inputs terminate within modular confines, while auditory inputs target the surrounding matrix. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an established marker of LCIC modules in developing mouse. During early postnatal development, multimodal LCIC afferents segregate into discrete, neurochemically defined compartments. Here, we analyzed neonatal GAD67-GFP (GFP is defined as green fluorescent protein) and CX3CR1-GFP mice to assess: (1) whether MGCs are recruited to distinct LCIC compartments known to be undergoing active circuit assembly, and (2) if such behaviors are fractalkine signaling-dependent. MGCs colonize the nascent LCIC by birth and increase in density until postnatal day 12 (P12). At the peak critical period (P4-P8), MGCs conspicuously border emerging LCIC modules, prior to their subsequent invasion by P12. CX3CL1 expression becomes distinctly modular at P12, in keeping with the notion of fractalkine-mediated recruitment of microglia to modular centers. In CX3CR1GFP/GFP mice with compromised fractalkine signaling, microglial recruitment into modules is delayed. Taken together, these results suggest a potential role for microglia and fractalkine signaling in sculpting multisensory LCIC maps during an early critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cooper A. Brett
- Department of Biology James Madison University Harrisonburg Virginia USA
| | | | - Mark L. Gabriele
- Department of Biology James Madison University Harrisonburg Virginia USA
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23
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Beker S, Foxe JJ, Molholm S. Oscillatory entrainment mechanisms and anticipatory predictive processes in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:1783-1798. [PMID: 34644178 PMCID: PMC8794059 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00329.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Anticipating near-future events is fundamental to adaptive behavior, whereby neural processing of predictable stimuli is significantly facilitated relative to nonpredictable events. Neural oscillations appear to be a key anticipatory mechanism by which processing of upcoming stimuli is modified, and they often entrain to rhythmic environmental sequences. Clinical and anecdotal observations have led to the hypothesis that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have deficits in generating predictions, and as such, a candidate neural mechanism may be failure to adequately entrain neural activity to repetitive environmental patterns, to facilitate temporal predictions. We tested this hypothesis by interrogating temporal predictions and rhythmic entrainment using behavioral and electrophysiological approaches. We recorded high-density electroencephalography in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) age- and IQ-matched controls, while they reacted to an auditory target as quickly as possible. This auditory event was either preceded by predictive rhythmic visual cues or was not preceded by any cue. Both ASD and control groups presented comparable behavioral facilitation in response to the Cue versus No-Cue condition, challenging the hypothesis that children with ASD have deficits in generating temporal predictions. Analyses of the electrophysiological data, in contrast, revealed significantly reduced neural entrainment to the visual cues and altered anticipatory processes in the ASD group. This was the case despite intact stimulus-evoked visual responses. These results support intact behavioral temporal prediction in response to a cue in ASD, in the face of altered neural entrainment and anticipatory processes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We examined behavioral and EEG indices of predictive processing in children with ASD to rhythmically predictable stimuli. Although behavioral measures of predictive processing and evoked neural responses were intact in the ASD group, neurophysiological measures of preparatory activity and entrainment were impaired. When sensory events are presented in a predictable temporal pattern, performance and neuronal responses in ASD may be governed more by the occurrence of the events themselves and less by their anticipated timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomit Beker
- Department of Pediatrics, The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - John J Foxe
- Department of Pediatrics, The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, The Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - Sophie Molholm
- Department of Pediatrics, The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, The Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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24
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Borgolte A, Roy M, Sinke C, Wiswede D, Stephan M, Bleich S, Münte TF, Szycik GR. Enhanced attentional processing during speech perception in adult high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: An ERP-study. Neuropsychologia 2021; 161:108022. [PMID: 34530026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in audiovisual speech perception have consistently been detected in patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Especially for patients with a highly functional subtype of ASD, it remains uncertain whether these deficits and underlying neural mechanisms persist into adulthood. Research indicates differences in audiovisual speech processing between ASD and healthy controls (HC) in the auditory cortex. The temporal dynamics of these differences still need to be characterized. Thus, in the present study we examined 14 adult subjects with high-functioning ASD and 15 adult HC while they viewed visual (lip movements) and auditory (voice) speech information that was either superimposed by white noise (condition 1) or not (condition 2). Subject's performance was quantified by measuring stimulus comprehension. In addition, event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded. Results demonstrated worse speech comprehension for ASD subjects compared to HC under noisy conditions. Moreover, ERP-analysis revealed significantly higher P2 amplitudes over parietal electrodes for ASD subjects compared to HC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Borgolte
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
| | - Mandy Roy
- Asklepios, Psychiatric Hospital Ochsenzoll, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Sinke
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Daniel Wiswede
- Dept. of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Michael Stephan
- Dept. of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Stefan Bleich
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany; Center of Systems Neuroscience, Hanover, Germany
| | - Thomas F Münte
- Dept. of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Gregor R Szycik
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
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25
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Chen N, Watanabe K, Wada M. People With High Autistic Traits Show Fewer Consensual Crossmodal Correspondences Between Visual Features and Tastes. Front Psychol 2021; 12:714277. [PMID: 34566793 PMCID: PMC8457010 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.714277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Crossmodal correspondences between visual features (e.g., color/shape) and tastes have been extensively documented in recent years. Visual colors and shapes have been shown to consensually match to specific tastes. Meanwhile, individuals with autism spectrum disorder are reported to have atypical sensory processing and deficits in multisensory integration. However, the influence of autistic traits on the formation of such correspondences is relatively unknown. Here, we examined whether autistic traits could influence visual–taste associations using an online questionnaire survey among Japanese participants. The results showed that the participants exhibited strong color–taste, shape–taste, and shape–color associations, and the proportions of choosing the consensual color–taste/shape–color associations were significantly associated with autistic traits. The participants with higher autistic quotient scores chose fewer of the consensual color–taste/shape–color associations while there was no difference in choosing shape–taste associations. We interpreted the results as statistical learning with a reduced prior knowledge effect in participants with higher autistic quotient scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons With Disabilities, Tokorozawa, Japan
| | - Katsumi Watanabe
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.,Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Makoto Wada
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons With Disabilities, Tokorozawa, Japan
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26
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Schulze M, Aslan B, Stöcker T, Stirnberg R, Lux S, Philipsen A. Disentangling early versus late audiovisual integration in adult ADHD: a combined behavioural and resting-state connectivity study. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E528-E537. [PMID: 34548387 PMCID: PMC8526154 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.210017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies investigating sensory processing in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have shown altered visual and auditory processing. However, evidence is lacking for audiovisual interplay - namely, multisensory integration. As well, neuronal dysregulation at rest (e.g., aberrant within- or between-network functional connectivity) may account for difficulties with integration across the senses in ADHD. We investigated whether sensory processing was altered at the multimodal level in adult ADHD and included resting-state functional connectivity to illustrate a possible overlap between deficient network connectivity and the ability to integrate stimuli. METHODS We tested 25 patients with ADHD and 24 healthy controls using 2 illusionary paradigms: the sound-induced flash illusion and the McGurk illusion. We applied the Mann-Whitney U test to assess statistical differences between groups. We acquired resting-state functional MRIs on a 3.0 T Siemens magnetic resonance scanner, using a highly accelerated 3-dimensional echo planar imaging sequence. RESULTS For the sound-induced flash illusion, susceptibility and reaction time were not different between the 2 groups. For the McGurk illusion, susceptibility was significantly lower for patients with ADHD, and reaction times were significantly longer. At a neuronal level, resting-state functional connectivity in the ADHD group was more highly regulated in polymodal regions that play a role in binding unimodal sensory inputs from different modalities and enabling sensory-to-cognition integration. LIMITATIONS We did not explicitly screen for autism spectrum disorder, which has high rates of comorbidity with ADHD and also involves impairments in multisensory integration. Although the patients were carefully screened by our outpatient department, we could not rule out the possibility of autism spectrum disorder in some participants. CONCLUSION Unimodal hypersensitivity seems to have no influence on the integration of basal stimuli, but it might have negative consequences for the multisensory integration of complex stimuli. This finding was supported by observations of higher resting-state functional connectivity between unimodal sensory areas and polymodal multisensory integration convergence zones for complex stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Schulze
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany (Schulze, Aslan, Lux, Philipsen); Biopsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany (Schulze); the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany (Stöcker, Stirnberg); and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany (Stöcker)
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27
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Rawsthorne H, Calahorro F, Holden-Dye L, O’ Connor V, Dillon J. Investigating autism associated genes in C. elegans reveals candidates with a role in social behaviour. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0243121. [PMID: 34043629 PMCID: PMC8158995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a triad of behavioural impairments and includes disruption in social behaviour. ASD has a clear genetic underpinning and hundreds of genes are implicated in its aetiology. However, how single penetrant genes disrupt activity of neural circuits which lead to affected behaviours is only beginning to be understood and less is known about how low penetrant genes interact to disrupt emergent behaviours. Investigations are well served by experimental approaches that allow tractable investigation of the underpinning genetic basis of circuits that control behaviours that operate in the biological domains that are neuro-atypical in autism. The model organism C. elegans provides an experimental platform to investigate the effect of genetic mutations on behavioural outputs including those that impact social biology. Here we use progeny-derived social cues that modulate C. elegans food leaving to assay genetic determinants of social behaviour. We used the SAFRI Gene database to identify C. elegans orthologues of human ASD associated genes. We identified a number of mutants that displayed selective deficits in response to progeny. The genetic determinants of this complex social behaviour highlight the important contribution of synaptopathy and implicates genes within cell signalling, epigenetics and phospholipid metabolism functional domains. The approach overlaps with a growing number of studies that investigate potential molecular determinants of autism in C. elegans. However, our use of a complex, sensory integrative, emergent behaviour provides routes to enrich new or underexplored biology with the identification of novel candidate genes with a definable role in social behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Rawsthorne
- School of Biological Sciences, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando Calahorro
- School of Biological Sciences, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- School of Biological Sciences, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent O’ Connor
- School of Biological Sciences, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - James Dillon
- School of Biological Sciences, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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28
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Scott KE, Schulz SE, Moehrle D, Allman BL, Oram Cardy JE, Stevenson RA, Schmid S. Closing the species gap: Translational approaches to studying sensory processing differences relevant for autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:1322-1331. [PMID: 34003584 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The study of sensory phenotypes has great potential for increasing research translation between species, a necessity to decipher the neural mechanisms that contribute to higher-order differences in neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Over the past decade, despite separate advances in our understanding of the structural and functional differences within the brain of autistic and non-autistic individuals and in rodent models for ASD, researchers have had difficulty translating the findings in murine species to humans, mostly due to incompatibility in experimental methodologies used to screen for ASD phenotypes. Focusing on sensory phenotypes offers an avenue to close the species gap because sensory pathways are highly conserved across species and are affected by the same risk-factors as the higher-order brain areas mostly responsible for the diagnostic criteria for ASD. By first reviewing how sensory processing has been studied to date, we direct our focus to electrophysiological and behavioral techniques that can be used to study sensory phenotypes consistently across species. Using auditory sensory phenotypes as a template, we seek to improve the accessibility of translational methods by providing a framework for collecting cohesive data in both rodents and humans. Specifically, evoked-potentials, acoustic startle paradigms, and psychophysical detection/discrimination paradigms can be created and implemented in a coordinated and systematic fashion across species. Through careful protocol design and collaboration, sensory processing phenotypes can be harnessed to bridge the gap that exists between preclinical animal studies and human testing, so that mutually held questions in autism research can be answered. LAY SUMMARY: It has always been difficult to relate results from animal research to humans. We try to close this gap by studying changes in sensory processing using careful protocol design and collaboration between clinicians and researchers. Sensory pathways are comparable between animals and humans, and are affected in the same way as the rest of the brain in ASD. Using changes in hearing as a template, we point the field in an innovative direction by providing a framework for collecting cohesive data in rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaela E Scott
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samantha E Schulz
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dorit Moehrle
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian L Allman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Janis E Oram Cardy
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ryan A Stevenson
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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29
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Lian F, Northoff G. The Lost Neural Hierarchy of the Autistic Self-Locked-Out of the Mental Self and Its Default-Mode Network. Brain Sci 2021; 11:574. [PMID: 33946964 PMCID: PMC8145974 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by a fundamental change in self-awareness including seemingly paradoxical features like increased ego-centeredness and weakened self-referentiality. What is the neural basis of this so-called "self-paradox"? Conducting a meta-analytic review of fMRI rest and task studies, we show that ASD exhibits consistent hypofunction in anterior and posterior midline regions of the default-mode network (DMN) in both rest and task with decreased self-non-self differentiation. Relying on a multilayered nested hierarchical model of self, as recently established (Qin et al. 2020), we propose that ASD subjects cannot access the most upper layer of their self, the DMN-based mental self-they are locked-out of their own DMN and its mental self. This, in turn, results in strong weakening of their self-referentiality with decreases in both self-awareness and self-other distinction. Moreover, this blocks the extension of non-DMN cortical and subcortical regions at the lower layers of the physical self to the DMN-based upper layer of the mental self, including self-other distinction. The ASD subjects remain stuck and restricted to their intero- and exteroceptive selves as manifested in a relative increase in ego-centeredness (as compared to self-referentiality). This amounts to what we describe as "Hierarchical Model of Autistic Self" (HAS), which, characterizing the autistic self in hierarchical and spatiotemporal terms, aligns well with and extends current theories of ASD including predictive coding and weak central coherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuxin Lian
- Institute of Psychological Sciences, School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China;
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Georg Northoff
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
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30
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Miller LJ, Marco EJ, Chu RC, Camarata S. Editorial: Sensory Processing Across the Lifespan: A 25-Year Initiative to Understand Neurophysiology, Behaviors, and Treatment Effectiveness for Sensory Processing. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:652218. [PMID: 33897385 PMCID: PMC8063042 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.652218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Jane Miller
- Department of Pediatrics (Emeritus), University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States.,Sensory Therapies and Research Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder, Centennial, CO, United States
| | - Elysa J Marco
- Cortica (United States), San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Robyn C Chu
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Growing Healthy Children Therapy Services, Rescue, CA, United States
| | - Stephen Camarata
- School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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31
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Looking beneath the surface: Distinguishing between common features in autism and anorexia nervosa. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbct.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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32
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Stevenson RA, Ruppel J, Sun SZ, Segers M, Zapparoli BL, Bebko JM, Barense MD, Ferber S. Visual working memory and sensory processing in autistic children. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3648. [PMID: 33574399 PMCID: PMC7878880 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82777-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
While atypical sensory processing is one of the more ubiquitous symptoms in autism spectrum disorder, the exact nature of these sensory issues remains unclear, with different studies showing either enhanced or deficient sensory processing. Using a well-established continuous cued-recall task that assesses visual working memory, the current study provides novel evidence reconciling these apparently discrepant findings. Autistic children exhibited perceptual advantages in both likelihood of recall and recall precision relative to their typically-developed peers. When autistic children did make errors, however, they showed a higher probability of erroneously binding a given colour with the incorrect spatial location. These data align with neural-architecture models for feature binding in visual working memory, suggesting that atypical population-level neural noise in the report dimension (colour) and cue dimension (spatial location) may drive both the increase in probability of recall and precision of colour recall as well as the increase in proportion of binding errors when making an error, respectively. These changes are likely to impact core symptomatology associated with autism, as perceptual binding and working memory play significant roles in higher-order tasks, such as communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A. Stevenson
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 2K3 Canada ,grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada ,grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada ,grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Neuroscience Program, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada ,grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Justin Ruppel
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Sol Z. Sun
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Magali Segers
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 2K3 Canada ,grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Busisiwe L. Zapparoli
- grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - James M. Bebko
- grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Morgan D. Barense
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Susanne Ferber
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
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33
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Chen B, Linke A, Olson L, Ibarra C, Reynolds S, Müller RA, Kinnear M, Fishman I. Greater functional connectivity between sensory networks is related to symptom severity in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:160-170. [PMID: 32452051 PMCID: PMC7688487 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) emerge in the first years of life. Yet, little is known about the organization and development of functional brain networks in ASD proximally to the symptom onset. Further, the relationship between brain network connectivity and emerging ASD symptoms and overall functioning in early childhood is not well understood. METHODS Resting-state fMRI data were acquired during natural sleep from 24 young children with ASD and 23 typically developing (TD) children, aged 17-45 months. Intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) within and between resting-state functional networks was derived with independent component analysis (ICA). RESULTS Increased iFC between visual and sensorimotor networks was found in young children with ASD compared to TD participants. Within the ASD group, the degree of overconnectivity between visual and sensorimotor networks was associated with greater autism symptoms. Age-related weakening of the visual-auditory between-network connectivity was observed in the ASD but not the TD group. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results provide evidence for disrupted functional network maturation and differentiation, particularly involving visual and sensorimotor networks, during the first years of life in ASD. The observed pattern of greater visual-sensorimotor between-network connectivity associated with poorer clinical outcomes suggests that disruptions in multisensory brain circuitry may play a critical role for early development of behavioral skills and autism symptomatology in young children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bosi Chen
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.,San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Annika Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Lindsay Olson
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.,San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Cynthia Ibarra
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Reynolds
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.,San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mikaela Kinnear
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Inna Fishman
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.,San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
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34
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Abstract
The present study examined the relationship between multisensory integration and the temporal binding window (TBW) for multisensory processing in adults with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The ASD group was less likely than the typically developing group to perceive an illusory flash induced by multisensory integration during a sound-induced flash illusion (SIFI) task. Although both groups showed comparable TBWs during the multisensory temporal order judgment task, correlation analyses and Bayes factors provided moderate evidence that the reduced SIFI susceptibility was associated with the narrow TBW in the ASD group. These results suggest that the individuals with ASD exhibited atypical multisensory integration and that individual differences in the efficacy of this process might be affected by the temporal processing of multisensory information.
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35
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Yaguchi A, Hidaka S. Autistic Communication and Imagination Sub-Traits Are Related to Audiovisual Temporal Integration in the Stream-Bounce Illusion. Multisens Res 2020; 34:1-16. [PMID: 33535164 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-bja10042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors; such traits are continuously distributed across nonclinical and clinical populations. Recently, relationships between ASD traits and low-level multisensory processing have been investigated, because atypical sensory reactivity has been regarded as a diagnostic criterion of ASD. Studies regarding an audiovisual illusion (the double-flash illusion) reported that social communication difficulties are related to temporal aspects of audiovisual integration. This study investigated whether similar relationships exist in another audiovisual illusion (the stream-bounce effect). In this illusion, two visual objects move toward each other, coincide, and pass each other, and the presentation of a transient sound at their coincidence induces a dominant perception that they bounce away from each other. Typically developing adults were recruited to perform experimental trials involving the stream-bounce effect. We measured their ASD traits using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. The total quotient score was not related to any behavioral measurements of the effect. In contrast, for participants with higher difficulty in communication, the greatest magnitude of the stream-bounce effect occurred when the presentation timing of the sound tended to follow the visual coincidence. Participants with higher difficulty in imagination also showed the greatest magnitude of the effect when the presentation timing of the sound preceded that of the visual coincidence. Our findings regarding the stream-bounce effect, along with previous findings regarding the double-flash illusion, suggest that atypical temporal audiovisual integration is uniquely related to ASD sub-traits, especially in social communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Yaguchi
- 1Department of Psychology, Rikkyo University, 1-2-26, Kitano, Niiza-shi, Saitama, 352-8558, Japan
- 2Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-8555, Japan
- 3Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan
| | - Souta Hidaka
- 1Department of Psychology, Rikkyo University, 1-2-26, Kitano, Niiza-shi, Saitama, 352-8558, Japan
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36
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Ainsworth K, Ostrolenk A, Irion C, Bertone A. Reduced multisensory facilitation exists at different periods of development in autism. Cortex 2020; 134:195-206. [PMID: 33291045 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Atypical sensory processing is now recognised as a key component of an autism diagnosis. The integration of multiple sensory inputs (multisensory integration (MSI)) is thought to be idiosyncratic in autistic individuals and may have cascading effects on the development of higher-level skills such as social communication. Multisensory facilitation was assessed using a target detection paradigm in 45 autistic and 111 neurotypical individuals, matched on age and IQ. Target stimuli were: auditory (A; 3500 Hz tone), visual (V; white disk 'flash') or audiovisual (AV; simultaneous tone and flash), and were presented on a dark background in a randomized order with varying stimulus onset delays. Reaction time (RT) was recorded via button press. In order to assess possible developmental effects, participants were divided into younger (age 14 or younger) and older (age 15 and older) groups. Redundancy gain (RG) was significantly greater in neurotypical, compared to autistic individuals. No significant effect of age or interaction was found. Race model analysis was used to compute a bound value that represented the facilitation effect provided by MSI. Our results revealed that MSI facilitation occurred (violation of the race model) in neurotypical individuals, with more efficient MSI in older participants. In both the younger and older autistic groups, we found reduced MSI facilitation (no or limited violation of the race model). Autistic participants showed reduced multisensory facilitation compared to neurotypical participants in a simple target detection task, void of social context. This remained consistent across age. Our results support evidence that autistic individuals may not integrate low-level, non-social information in a typical fashion, adding to the growing discussion around the influential effect that basic perceptual atypicalities may have on the development of higher-level, core aspects of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty Ainsworth
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development (PNLab), McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Alexia Ostrolenk
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development (PNLab), McGill University, Montreal, Canada; University of Montreal Center of Excellence for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CETEDUM), Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Armando Bertone
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development (PNLab), McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; University of Montreal Center of Excellence for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CETEDUM), Montreal, Canada
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Hirst RJ, McGovern DP, Setti A, Shams L, Newell FN. What you see is what you hear: Twenty years of research using the Sound-Induced Flash Illusion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:759-774. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Noel JP, Failla MD, Quinde-Zlibut JM, Williams ZJ, Gerdes M, Tracy JM, Zoltowski AR, Foss-Feig JH, Nichols H, Armstrong K, Heckers SH, Blake RR, Wallace MT, Park S, Cascio CJ. Visual-Tactile Spatial Multisensory Interaction in Adults With Autism and Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:578401. [PMID: 33192716 PMCID: PMC7644602 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.578401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SZ) exhibit multisensory processing difficulties and social impairments, with growing evidence that the former contributes to the latter. However, this work has largely reported on separate cohorts, introducing method variance as a barrier to drawing broad conclusions across studies. Further, very few studies have addressed touch, resulting in sparse knowledge about how these two clinical groups may integrate somatic information with other senses. Methods: In this study, we compared adults with ASD (n = 29), SZ (n = 24), and typical developmental histories (TD, n = 37) on two tasks requiring visual-tactile spatial multisensory processing. In the first task (crossmodal congruency), participants judged the location of a tactile stimulus in the presence or absence of simultaneous visual input that was either spatially congruent or incongruent, with poorer performance for incongruence an index of spatial multisensory interaction. In the second task, participants reacted to touch in the presence or absence of dynamic visual stimuli that appeared to approach or recede from the body. Within a certain radius around the body, defined as peripersonal space (PPS), an approaching visual or auditory stimulus reliably speeds reaction times (RT) to touch; outside of this radius, in extrapersonal space (EPS), there is no multisensory effect. PPS can be defined both by its size (radius) and slope (sharpness of the PPS-EPS boundary). Clinical measures were administered to explore relations with visual-tactile processing. Results: Neither clinical group differed from controls on the crossmodal congruency task. The ASD group had significantly smaller and more sharply-defined PPSs compared to the other two groups. Small PPS size was related to social symptom severity across groups, but was largely driven by the TD group, without significant effects in either clinical group. Conclusions: These results suggest that: (1) spatially static visual-tactile facilitation is intact in adults with ASD and SZ, (2) spatially dynamic visual-tactile facilitation impacting perception of the body boundary is affected in ASD but not SZ, and (3) body boundary perception is related to social-emotional function, but not in a way that maps on to clinical status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Noel
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Michelle D. Failla
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | | | - Zachary J. Williams
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Madison Gerdes
- School of Criminology and Justice Policty, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Alisa R. Zoltowski
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jennifer H. Foss-Feig
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Center for Autism Research, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, United States
| | - Heathman Nichols
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Kristan Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Stephan H. Heckers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Randolph R. Blake
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Mark T. Wallace
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Sohee Park
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Carissa J. Cascio
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Nashville, TN, United States
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Candini M, di Pellegrino G, Frassinetti F. The plasticity of the interpersonal space in autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychologia 2020; 147:107589. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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40
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Stefanou ME, Dundon NM, Bestelmeyer PEG, Ioannou C, Bender S, Biscaldi M, Smyrnis N, Klein C. Late attentional processes potentially compensate for early perceptual multisensory integration deficits in children with autism: evidence from evoked potentials. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16157. [PMID: 32999327 PMCID: PMC7527489 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73022-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory processing deficits and altered long-range connectivity putatively underlie Multisensory Integration (MSI) deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The present study set out to investigate non-social MSI stimuli and their electrophysiological correlates in young neurotypical adolescents and adolescents with ASD. We report robust MSI effects at behavioural and electrophysiological levels. Both groups demonstrated normal behavioural MSI. However, at the neurophysiological level, the ASD group showed less MSI-related reduction of the visual P100 latency, greater MSI-related slowing of the auditory P200 and an overall temporally delayed and spatially constrained onset of MSI. Given the task design and patient sample, and the age of our participants, we argue that electro-cortical indices of MSI deficits in ASD: (a) can be detected in early-adolescent ASD, (b) occur at early stages of perceptual processing, (c) can possibly be compensated by later attentional processes, (d) thus leading to normal MSI at the behavioural level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena Stefanou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
| | - Neil M Dundon
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Brain Imaging Center, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Chara Ioannou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Bender
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Monica Biscaldi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Smyrnis
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, 11528, Athens, Greece
| | - Christoph Klein
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 8, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, 11528, Athens, Greece.
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41
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Kawakami S, Uono S, Otsuka S, Zhao S, Toichi M. Everything has Its Time: Narrow Temporal Windows are Associated with High Levels of Autistic Traits Via Weaknesses in Multisensory Integration. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:1561-1571. [PMID: 30298463 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3762-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study examined whether fundamental sensory functions such as temporal processing and multisensory integration are related to autistic traits in the general population. Both a narrower temporal window (TW) for simultaneous perception, as measured by a temporal order judgement task, and a reduced ability to engage in multisensory integration during the sound-induced flash illusion task were related to higher levels of autistic traits. Additionally, a narrow TW is associated with high levels of autistic traits due to a deficiency in multisensory integration. Taken together, these findings suggest that alterations in fundamental functions produce a cascading effect on higher-order social and cognitive functions, such as those experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayaka Kawakami
- Faculty of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Shota Uono
- Department of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Habilitation and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Sadao Otsuka
- Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,The Organization for Promoting Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research, 40 Shogoin Sanno-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8392, Japan
| | - Shuo Zhao
- Faculty of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,The Organization for Promoting Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research, 40 Shogoin Sanno-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8392, Japan
| | - Motomi Toichi
- Faculty of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,The Organization for Promoting Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research, 40 Shogoin Sanno-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8392, Japan
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Siemann JK, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Wallace MT. Approaches to Understanding Multisensory Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:1430-1449. [PMID: 32869933 PMCID: PMC7721996 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal sensory responses are a DSM-5 symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and research findings demonstrate altered sensory processing in ASD. Beyond difficulties with processing information within single sensory domains, including both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity, difficulties in multisensory processing are becoming a core issue of focus in ASD. These difficulties may be targeted by treatment approaches such as "sensory integration," which is frequently applied in autism treatment but not yet based on clear evidence. Recently, psychophysical data have emerged to demonstrate multisensory deficits in some children with ASD. Unlike deficits in social communication, which are best understood in humans, sensory and multisensory changes offer a tractable marker of circuit dysfunction that is more easily translated into animal model systems to probe the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Paralleling experimental paradigms that were previously applied in humans and larger mammals, we and others have demonstrated that multisensory function can also be examined behaviorally in rodents. Here, we review the sensory and multisensory difficulties commonly found in ASD, examining laboratory findings that relate these findings across species. Next, we discuss the known neurobiology of multisensory integration, drawing largely on experimental work in larger mammals, and extensions of these paradigms into rodents. Finally, we describe emerging investigations into multisensory processing in genetic mouse models related to autism risk. By detailing findings from humans to mice, we highlight the advantage of multisensory paradigms that can be easily translated across species, as well as the potential for rodent experimental systems to reveal opportunities for novel treatments. LAY SUMMARY: Sensory and multisensory deficits are commonly found in ASD and may result in cascading effects that impact social communication. By using similar experiments to those in humans, we discuss how studies in animal models may allow an understanding of the brain mechanisms that underlie difficulties in multisensory integration, with the ultimate goal of developing new treatments. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1430-1449. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin K Siemann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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43
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Butera C, Ring P, Sideris J, Jayashankar A, Kilroy E, Harrison L, Cermak S, Aziz-Zadeh L. Impact of Sensory Processing on School Performance Outcomes in High Functioning Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. MIND, BRAIN AND EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION SOCIETY 2020; 14:243-254. [PMID: 34367324 PMCID: PMC8341443 DOI: 10.1111/mbe.12242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Difficulty processing sensory information may impede progress in school for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We explore the relationship between sensory processing and school performance in 26 high-functioning youths with ASD and 26 controls (age 8-14) using measures of sensory, social, cognitive, and academic functioning. In the ASD group, bivariate Pearson correlations indicated a significant positive relationship between intelligence quotient (IQ) and the School Competence Scale (SCS) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and a significant negative relationship between Dunn's Sensory Processing Framework and SCS scores. Final hierarchical multiple linear regression model accounting for SCS scores in ASD included IQ, ADHD symptoms, and sensory features. An interaction between increased sensory sensitivity with reduced sensory avoidance behaviors explained the greatest amount of variance in SCS, meaning school performance is lowest for children with greater hypersensitivity and fewer avoidance behaviors. Results indicate a strong impact of sensory processing on school performance in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Butera
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Priscilla Ring
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
| | - John Sideris
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Aditya Jayashankar
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Emily Kilroy
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Laura Harrison
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Sharon Cermak
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Lisa Aziz-Zadeh
- USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, USA
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
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44
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Wahn B, Rohe T, Gearhart A, Kingstone A, Sinnett S. Performing a task jointly enhances the sound-induced flash illusion. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2020; 73:2260-2271. [PMID: 32698727 DOI: 10.1177/1747021820942687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Our senses are stimulated continuously. Through multisensory integration, different sensory inputs may or may not be combined into a unitary percept. Simultaneous with this stimulation, people are frequently engaged in social interactions, but how multisensory integration and social processing interact is largely unknown. The present study investigated if, and how, the multisensory sound-induced flash illusion is affected by a social manipulation. In the sound-induced flash illusion, a participant typically receives one visual flash and two auditory beeps and she or he is required to indicate the number of flashes that were perceived. Often, the auditory beeps alter the perception of the flashes such that a participant tends to perceive two flashes instead of one flash. We tested whether performing a flash counting task with a partner (confederate), who was required to indicate the number of presented beeps, would modulate this illusion. We found that the sound-induced flash illusion was perceived significantly more often when the flash counting task was performed with the confederate compared with performing it alone. Yet, we no longer find this effect if visual access between the two individuals is prevented. These findings, combined with previous results, suggest that performing a multisensory task jointly-in this case an audiovisual task-lowers the extent to which an individual attends to visual information, which in turn affects the multisensory integration process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basil Wahn
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tim Rohe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anika Gearhart
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Alan Kingstone
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Scott Sinnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
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45
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Clarke KA, Williams DL. Instruction Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Supports: Description of Current Practices by Speech-Language Pathologists Who Work With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2020; 29:586-596. [PMID: 32105508 DOI: 10.1044/2019_ajslp-19-00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this research study was to examine common practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with respect to whether or not SLPs consider processing differences in ASD or the effects of input during their instruction. Method Following a qualitative research method, how SLPs instruct and present augmentative and alternative communication systems to individuals with ASD, their rationale for method selection, and their perception of the efficacy of selected interventions were probed. Semistructured interviews were conducted as part of an in-depth case report with content analysis. Results Based on completed interviews, 4 primary themes were identified: (a) instructional method, (b) input provided, (c) decision-making process, and (d) perceived efficacy of treatment. Additionally, one secondary theme, training and education received, was identified. Conclusions Clinicians reported making decisions based on the needs of the child; however, they also reported making decisions based on the diagnostic category that characterized the child (i.e., ASD). The use of modeling when teaching augmentative and alternative communication to individuals with ASD emerged as a theme, but variations in the method of modeling were noted. SLPs did not report regularly considering processing differences in ASD, nor did they consider the effects of input during instruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn A Clarke
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Diane L Williams
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
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46
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Wallace MT, Woynaroski TG, Stevenson RA. Multisensory Integration as a Window into Orderly and Disrupted Cognition and Communication. Annu Rev Psychol 2020; 71:193-219. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-051112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
During our everyday lives, we are confronted with a vast amount of information from several sensory modalities. This multisensory information needs to be appropriately integrated for us to effectively engage with and learn from our world. Research carried out over the last half century has provided new insights into the way such multisensory processing improves human performance and perception; the neurophysiological foundations of multisensory function; the time course for its development; how multisensory abilities differ in clinical populations; and, most recently, the links between multisensory processing and cognitive abilities. This review summarizes the extant literature on multisensory function in typical and atypical circumstances, discusses the implications of the work carried out to date for theory and research, and points toward next steps for advancing the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark T. Wallace
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA;,
- Departments of Psychology and Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA
| | - Tiffany G. Woynaroski
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA;,
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA
| | - Ryan A. Stevenson
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
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47
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Lense MD, Camarata S. PRESS-Play: Musical Engagement as a Motivating Platform for Social Interaction and Social Play in Young Children with ASD. MUSIC & SCIENCE 2020; 3:10.1177/2059204320933080. [PMID: 32832103 PMCID: PMC7440205 DOI: 10.1177/2059204320933080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Musical experiences are ubiquitous in early childhood. Beyond potential benefits of musical activities for young children with typical development, there has long been interest in harnessing music for therapeutic purposes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there is debate as to the effectiveness of these approaches and thus a need to identify mechanisms of change (or active ingredients) by which musical experiences may impact social development in young children with ASD. In this review, we introduce the PRESS-Play framework, which conceptualizes musical activities for young children with ASD within an applied behavior analysis framework consistent with the principles of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions. Specifically, the PRESS-Play framework proposes that musical activities support key elements of evidence-based approaches for social engagement including predictability, reinforcement, emotion regulation, shared attention, and social play context, providing a platform for delivery and receipt of social and behavioral instruction via a transactional, developmental approach. PRESS-Play considers that these factors may impact not only the child with ASD but also their interaction partner, such as a parent or peer, creating contexts conducive for validated social engagement and interaction. These principles point to focused theories of change within a clinical-translational framework in order to experimentally test components of social-musical engagement and conduct rigorous, evidence-based intervention studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam D. Lense
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Stephen Camarata
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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48
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Ostrolenk A, Bao VA, Mottron L, Collignon O, Bertone A. Reduced multisensory facilitation in adolescents and adults on the Autism Spectrum. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11965. [PMID: 31427634 PMCID: PMC6700191 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48413-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism are reported to integrate information from visual and auditory channels in an idiosyncratic way. Multisensory integration (MSI) of simple, non-social stimuli (i.e., flashes and beeps) was evaluated in adolescents and adults with (n = 20) and without autism (n = 19) using a reaction time (RT) paradigm using audio, visual, and audiovisual stimuli. For each participant, the race model analysis compares the RTs on the audiovisual condition to a bound value computed from the unimodal RTs that reflects the effect of redundancy. If the actual audiovisual RTs are significantly faster than this bound, the race model is violated, indicating evidence of MSI. Our results show that the race model violation occurred only for the typically-developing (TD) group. While the TD group shows evidence of MSI, the autism group does not. These results suggest that multisensory integration of simple information, void of social content or complexity, is altered in autism. Individuals with autism may not benefit from the advantage conferred by multisensory stimulation to the same extent as TD individuals. Altered MSI for simple, non-social information may have cascading effects on more complex perceptual processes related to language and behaviour in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Ostrolenk
- Perceptual Neuroscience Lab for Autism and Development (PNLab), McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,University of Montreal Center of Excellence for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CETEDUM), CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Vanessa A Bao
- Perceptual Neuroscience Lab for Autism and Development (PNLab), McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,School/Applied Child Psychology, Department of Education and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Laurent Mottron
- University of Montreal Center of Excellence for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CETEDUM), CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Olivier Collignon
- Centre for Mind/Brain Science (CIMeC), University of Trento, Trento, Italy.,Institut de recherche en Psychologie (IPSY) et en Neuroscience (IoNS), Université de Louvain-la-Neuve, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Armando Bertone
- Perceptual Neuroscience Lab for Autism and Development (PNLab), McGill University, Montreal, Canada. .,School/Applied Child Psychology, Department of Education and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. .,University of Montreal Center of Excellence for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CETEDUM), CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
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Anger M, Wantzen P, Le Vaillant J, Malvy J, Bon L, Guénolé F, Moussaoui E, Barthelemy C, Bonnet-Brilhault F, Eustache F, Baleyte JM, Guillery-Girard B. Positive Effect of Visual Cuing in Episodic Memory and Episodic Future Thinking in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1513. [PMID: 31354565 PMCID: PMC6629950 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive studies generally report impaired autobiographical memory in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but mostly using verbal paradigms. In the present study, we therefore investigated the properties of both past and future autobiographical productions using visual cues in 16 boys with ASD and 16 typically developing (TD) participants aged between 10 and 18 years. We focused on sensory properties, emotional properties, and recollection, probing past and future productions for both near and distant time periods. Results showed that the ASD group performed more poorly than controls on free recall for recent periods, but performed like them when provided with visual cues. In addition, the ASD group reported fewer sensory details than controls and exhibited difficulties in the experience of recollection for the most remote events. These data suggest a combination of consolidation and binding deficits. Finally, our findings reveal the relevance of using visual cues to probe autobiographical memory, with possible perspectives for memory rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Anger
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Prany Wantzen
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Justine Le Vaillant
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Joëlle Malvy
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Laetitia Bon
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Fabian Guénolé
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Edgar Moussaoui
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Catherine Barthelemy
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Jean-Marc Baleyte
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHI de Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Bérengère Guillery-Girard
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
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van Laarhoven T, Stekelenburg JJ, Vroomen J. Increased sub-clinical levels of autistic traits are associated with reduced multisensory integration of audiovisual speech. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9535. [PMID: 31267024 PMCID: PMC6606565 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46084-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that sub-clinical levels of autistic symptoms may be related to reduced processing of artificial audiovisual stimuli. It is unclear whether these findings extent to more natural stimuli such as audiovisual speech. The current study examined the relationship between autistic traits measured by the Autism spectrum Quotient and audiovisual speech processing in a large non-clinical population using a battery of experimental tasks assessing audiovisual perceptual binding, visual enhancement of speech embedded in noise and audiovisual temporal processing. Several associations were found between autistic traits and audiovisual speech processing. Increased autistic-like imagination was related to reduced perceptual binding measured by the McGurk illusion. Increased overall autistic symptomatology was associated with reduced visual enhancement of speech intelligibility in noise. Participants reporting increased levels of rigid and restricted behaviour were more likely to bind audiovisual speech stimuli over longer temporal intervals, while an increased tendency to focus on local aspects of sensory inputs was related to a more narrow temporal binding window. These findings demonstrate that increased levels of autistic traits may be related to alterations in audiovisual speech processing, and are consistent with the notion of a spectrum of autistic traits that extends to the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs van Laarhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
| | - Jeroen J Stekelenburg
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Jean Vroomen
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands
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