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Zadok E, Golan O, Lavidor M, Gordon I. Autonomic nervous system responses to social stimuli among autistic individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Autism Res 2024; 17:497-511. [PMID: 38073185 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3068] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Physiological responses to environmental and social stimuli have been studied broadly in relation to psychological states and processes. This may be especially important regarding autistic individuals, who show disparities in social interactions. However, findings from studies assessing autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses of autistic individuals present contradictions, with reports showing both autonomic disparities and intact autonomic functioning. The current study aimed to review the existing literature and to estimate if there is a difference between autistic individuals and neurotypical (NT) individuals in their autonomic responses to social stimuli. Furthermore, the study examined factors that may moderate this difference, including the type of physiological function measured, the level of participation required, as well as the age and intellectual functioning of the participants. The meta-analysis revealed a small and statistically insignificant overall difference between autistic and NT individuals, albeit with high heterogeneity. A further nested moderator analysis revealed a significant difference between autistic and NT individuals in physiological response that reflects mainly a parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity. Another difference was found in physiological response that reflects a combined activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, but only for experimental tasks that demanded active participation in social interactions. These results suggest a distinctiveness in autonomic regulation of autistic individuals in social situations, and point to the PNS as an important study objective for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Zadok
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ofer Golan
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Michal Lavidor
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ilanit Gordon
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Wadhera T, Kakkar D. Social cognition and functional brain network in autism spectrum disorder: Insights from EEG graph-theoretic measures. Biomed Signal Process Control 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2021.102556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Beck KB, Conner CM, Breitenfeldt KE, Northrup JB, White SW, Mazefsky CA. Assessment and Treatment of Emotion Regulation Impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Life Span: Current State of the Science and Future Directions. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2021; 44:95-110. [PMID: 33526240 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Emotion regulation (ER) is the ability to modify arousal and emotional reactivity to achieve goals and maintain adaptive behaviors. ER impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is thought to underlie many problem behaviors, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, and social impairment, and yet is largely unaddressed both clinically and in research. There is a critical need to develop ER treatment and assessment options for individuals with ASD across the life span, given the multitude of downstream effects on functioning. This article summarizes the current state of science in ER assessment and treatment and identifies the most promising measurement options and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly B Beck
- Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 5036 Forbes Tower, 3600 Atwood Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Caitlin M Conner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E Breitenfeldt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 142M, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jessie B Northrup
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Susan W White
- Center for Youth Development and Intervention, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, 200 Hackberry Lane 101 McMillan Building, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA
| | - Carla A Mazefsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Beck KB, Conner CM, Breitenfeldt KE, Northrup JB, White SW, Mazefsky CA. Assessment and Treatment of Emotion Regulation Impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Life Span: Current State of the Science and Future Directions. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 2020; 29:527-542. [PMID: 32471600 PMCID: PMC7810097 DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2020.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Emotion regulation (ER) is the ability to modify arousal and emotional reactivity to achieve goals and maintain adaptive behaviors. ER impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is thought to underlie many problem behaviors, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, and social impairment, and yet is largely unaddressed both clinically and in research. There is a critical need to develop ER treatment and assessment options for individuals with ASD across the life span, given the multitude of downstream effects on functioning. This article summarizes the current state of science in ER assessment and treatment and identifies the most promising measurement options and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly B Beck
- Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 5036 Forbes Tower, 3600 Atwood Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Caitlin M Conner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E Breitenfeldt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 142M, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jessie B Northrup
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Susan W White
- Center for Youth Development and Intervention, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, 200 Hackberry Lane 101 McMillan Building, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA
| | - Carla A Mazefsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Webster Hall Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Burket JA, Pickle JC, Rusk AM, Haynes BA, Sharp JA, Deutsch SI. Glycine transporter type 1 (GlyT1) inhibition improves conspecific-provoked immobility in BALB/c mice: Analysis of corticosterone response and glucocorticoid gene expression in cortex and hippocampus. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 99:109869. [PMID: 31962186 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Stress reactivity and glucocorticoid signaling alterations are reported in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). BALB/c mice display decreased locomotor activity in the presence of stimulus mice and spend less time exploring enclosed stimulus mice; this mouse strain has been validated as an ASD model. VU0410120, a glycine type 1 transporter (GlyT1) inhibitor, improved sociability in BALB/c mice, consistent with data that NMDA Receptor (NMDAR) activation regulates sociability, and the endogenous tone of NMDAR-mediated neurotransmission is altered in this strain. Effects of a prosocial dose of VU0410120 on conspecific-provoked immobility, and relationships between conspecific-provoked immobility and corticosterone response were explored. VU0410120-treated BALB/c mice showed reduced immobility in the presence of conspecifics and increased the conspecific-provoked corticosterone response. However, the intensity of conspecific-provoked immobility in VU0410120-treated BALB/c mice did not differ as a function of corticosterone response. Expression profiles of 88 glucocorticoid signaling associated genes within frontal cortex and hippocampus were examined. BALB/c mice resistant to prosocial effects of VU0410120 had increased mRNA expression of Ddit4, a negative regulator of mTOR signaling. Dysregulated mTOR signaling activity is a convergent finding in several monogenic syndromic forms of ASD. Prosocial effects of VU0410120 in the BALB/c strain may be related to regulatory influences of NMDAR-activation on mTOR signaling activity. Because corticosterone response is a marker of social stress, the current data suggest that the stressfulness of a social encounter alone may not be the sole determinant of increased immobility in BALB/c mice; this strain may also display an element of social disinterest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Burket
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States; Department of Physiological Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Jerrah C Pickle
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Allison M Rusk
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Bronson A Haynes
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Julia A Sharp
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Stephen I Deutsch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, United States; Anne Armistead Robinson Endowed Chair in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 825 Fairfax Avenue, Suite 710, Norfolk, VA 23507, United States.
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Rodgers J, Ofield A. Understanding, Recognising and Treating Co-occurring Anxiety in Autism. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2018; 5:58-64. [PMID: 29497597 PMCID: PMC5818555 DOI: 10.1007/s40474-018-0132-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Autistic people are at increased risk of anxiety, with around 50% of autistic adults and children experiencing this debilitating mental health condition. The purpose of this review is to consider some contemporary ideas about underlying mechanisms for anxiety in autism, explore issues in the identification and assessment of anxiety and discuss emerging trends in anxiety interventions for autistic people, before identifying some important next steps in the field. RECENT FINDINGS Emerging evidence suggests that anxiety may present differently in autism compared to the general population and that whilst CBT holds promise, there may be important differences in neurobiological, affective and cognitive responses to stressors for autistic people, which warrant tailored anxiety models, assessments and interventions. SUMMARY We conclude that research is needed to develop and evaluate theoretical frameworks, assessment methods and interventions for anxiety in autism, particularly for autistic adults and those with co-occurring intellectual disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqui Rodgers
- Clinical Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Sir James Spence Institute, Newcastle University, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle, NE1 4LP UK
| | - A. Ofield
- Clinical Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Sir James Spence Institute, Newcastle University, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle, NE1 4LP UK
- Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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