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Lacroix A, Harquel S, Barbosa LS, Kovarski K, Garrido MI, Vercueil L, Kauffmann L, Dutheil F, Gomot M, Mermillod M. Reduced spatial frequency differentiation and sex-related specificities in fearful face detection in autism: Insights from EEG and the predictive brain model. Autism Res 2024. [PMID: 39092565 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3209] [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: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Face processing relies on predictive processes driven by low spatial frequencies (LSF) that convey coarse information prior to fine information conveyed by high spatial frequencies. However, autistic individuals might have atypical predictive processes, contributing to facial processing difficulties. This may be more normalized in autistic females, who often exhibit better socio-communicational abilities than males. We hypothesized that autistic females would display a more typical coarse-to-fine processing for socio-emotional stimuli compared to autistic males. To test this hypothesis, we asked adult participants (44 autistic, 51 non-autistic) to detect fearful faces among neutral faces, filtered in two orders: from coarse-to-fine (CtF) and from fine-to-coarse (FtC). Results show lower d' values and longer reaction times for fearful detection in autism compared to non-autistic (NA) individuals, regardless of the filtering order. Both groups presented shorter P100 latency after CtF compared to FtC, and larger amplitude for N170 after FtC compared to CtF. However, autistic participants presented a reduced difference in source activity between CtF and FtC in the fusiform. There was also a more spatially spread activation pattern in autistic females compared to NA females. Finally, females had faster P100 and N170 latencies, as well as larger occipital activation for FtC sequences than males, irrespective of the group. Overall, the results do not suggest impaired predictive processes from LSF in autism despite behavioral differences in fear detection. However, they do indicate reduced brain modulation by spatial frequency in autism. In addition, the findings highlight sex differences that warrant consideration in understanding autistic females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Lacroix
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
| | - Sylvain Harquel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
- Defitech Chair in Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, EPFL, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo S Barbosa
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Klara Kovarski
- Sorbonne Université, Faculté des Lettres, INSPE, Paris, France
- LaPsyDÉ, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Marta I Garrido
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Computational Psychiatry Lab, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Graeme Clark Institute for Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laurent Vercueil
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
| | - Louise Kauffmann
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
| | - Frédéric Dutheil
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marie Gomot
- Université de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain and Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253, Tours, France
| | - Martial Mermillod
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
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2
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Luongo M, Simeoli R, Marocco D, Milano N, Ponticorvo M. Enhancing early autism diagnosis through machine learning: Exploring raw motion data for classification. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302238. [PMID: 38648209 PMCID: PMC11034672 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, research has been demonstrating that movement analysis, utilizing machine learning methods, can be a promising aid for clinicians in supporting autism diagnostic process. Within this field of research, we aim to explore new models and delve into the detailed observation of certain features that previous literature has identified as prominent in the classification process. Our study employs a game-based tablet application to collect motor data. We use artificial neural networks to analyze raw trajectories in a "drag and drop" task. We compare a two-features model (utilizing only raw coordinates) with a four-features model (including velocities and accelerations). The aim is to assess the effectiveness of raw data analysis and determine the impact of acceleration on autism classification. Our results revealed that both models demonstrate promising accuracy in classifying motor trajectories. The four-features model consistently outperforms the two-features model, as evidenced by accuracy values (0.90 vs. 0.76). However, our findings support the potential of raw data analysis in objectively assessing motor behaviors related to autism. While the four-features model excels, the two-features model still achieves reasonable accuracy. Addressing limitations related to sample size and noise is essential for future research. Our study emphasizes the importance of integrating intelligent solutions to enhance and assist autism traditional diagnostic process and intervention, paving the way for more effective tools in assessing motor skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luongo
- Department of Humanistic Study, Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Simeoli
- Department of Humanistic Study, Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Neapolisanit S.R.L. Research and Rehabilitation Center, Ottaviano, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide Marocco
- Department of Humanistic Study, Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Milano
- Department of Humanistic Study, Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Michela Ponticorvo
- Department of Humanistic Study, Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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3
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Viktorsson C, Portugal AM, Falck-Ytter T. Genetic and environmental contributions to gaze lateralization across social and non-social stimuli in human infants. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3668. [PMID: 38351309 PMCID: PMC10864339 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54373-6] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
A tendency to look at the left side of faces from the observer's point of view has been found in older children and adults, but it is not known when this face-specific left gaze bias develops and what factors may influence individual differences in gaze lateralization. Therefore, the aims of this study were to estimate gaze lateralization during face observation and to more broadly estimate lateralization tendencies across a wider set of social and non-social stimuli, in early infancy. In addition, we aimed to estimate the influence of genetic and environmental factors on lateralization of gaze. We studied gaze lateralization in 592 5-month-old twins (282 females, 330 monozygotic twins) by recording their gaze while viewing faces and two other types of stimuli that consisted of either collections of dots (non-social stimuli) or faces interspersed with objects (mixed stimuli). A right gaze bias was found when viewing faces, and this measure was moderately heritable (A = 0.38, 95% CI 0.24; 0.50). A left gaze bias was observed in the non-social condition, while a right gaze bias was found in the mixed condition, suggesting that there is no general left gaze bias at this age. Genetic influence on individual differences in gaze lateralization was only found for the tendency to look at the right versus left side of faces, suggesting genetic specificity of lateralized gaze when viewing faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Viktorsson
- Development and Neurodiversity Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Ana Maria Portugal
- Development and Neurodiversity Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Terje Falck-Ytter
- Development and Neurodiversity Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Lacroix A, Harquel S, Mermillod M, Garrido M, Barbosa L, Vercueil L, Aleysson D, Dutheil F, Kovarski K, Gomot M. Sex modulation of faces prediction error in the autistic brain. Commun Biol 2024; 7:127. [PMID: 38273091 PMCID: PMC10810845 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05807-4] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent research suggests that autistic females may have superior socio-cognitive abilities compared to autistic males, potentially contributing to underdiagnosis in females. However, it remains unclear whether these differences arise from distinct neurophysiological functioning in autistic males and females. This study addresses this question by presenting 41 autistic and 48 non-autistic adults with a spatially filtered faces oddball paradigm. Analysis of event-related potentials from scalp electroencephalography reveal a neurophysiological profile in autistic females that fell between those of autistic males and non-autistic females, highlighting sex differences in autism from the initial stages of face processing. This finding underscores the urgent need to explore neurophysiological sex differences in autism and encourages efforts toward a better comprehension of compensation mechanism and a clearer definition of what is meant by camouflaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Lacroix
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Sylvain Harquel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000, Grenoble, France
- Defitech Chair in Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, EPFL, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Martial Mermillod
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Marta Garrido
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Computational Psychiatry Lab, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Graeme Clark Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Leonardo Barbosa
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000, Grenoble, France
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Laurent Vercueil
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - David Aleysson
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Frédéric Dutheil
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, WittyFit, F-63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Klara Kovarski
- Sorbonne Université, Faculté des Lettres, INSPE, Paris, France
- LaPsyDÉ, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Marie Gomot
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
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5
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Doherty JL, Cunningham AC, Chawner SJRA, Moss HM, Dima DC, Linden DEJ, Owen MJ, van den Bree MBM, Singh KD. Atypical cortical networks in children at high-genetic risk of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:368-376. [PMID: 37402765 PMCID: PMC7615386 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01628-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Although many genetic risk factors for psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders have been identified, the neurobiological route from genetic risk to neuropsychiatric outcome remains unclear. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a copy number variant (CNV) syndrome associated with high rates of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Alterations in neural integration and cortical connectivity have been linked to the spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders seen in 22q11.2DS and may be a mechanism by which the CNV acts to increase risk. In this study, magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to investigate electrophysiological markers of local and global network function in 34 children with 22q11.2DS and 25 controls aged 10-17 years old. Resting-state oscillatory activity and functional connectivity across six frequency bands were compared between groups. Regression analyses were used to explore the relationships between these measures, neurodevelopmental symptoms and IQ. Children with 22q11.2DS had altered network activity and connectivity in high and low frequency bands, reflecting modified local and long-range cortical circuitry. Alpha and theta band connectivity were negatively associated with ASD symptoms while frontal high frequency (gamma band) activity was positively associated with ASD symptoms. Alpha band activity was positively associated with cognitive ability. These findings suggest that haploinsufficiency at the 22q11.2 locus impacts short and long-range cortical circuits, which could be a mechanism underlying neurodevelopmental and psychiatric vulnerability in this high-risk group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne L Doherty
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
- Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Adam C Cunningham
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Samuel J R A Chawner
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Hayley M Moss
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Diana C Dima
- Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - David E J Linden
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael J Owen
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Marianne B M van den Bree
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Krish D Singh
- Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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6
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Jiang X, Shou XJ, Zhao Z, Chen Y, Meng FC, Le J, Song TJ, Xu XJ, Guo W, Ke X, Cai XE, Zhao W, Kou J, Huo R, Liu Y, Yuan HS, Xing Y, Han JS, Han SP, Li Y, Lai H, Zhang L, Jia MX, Liu J, Liu X, Kendrick KM, Zhang R. A brain structural connectivity biomarker for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in early childhood. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2023; 3:kkad005. [PMID: 38666122 PMCID: PMC11003421 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with altered brain development, but it is unclear which specific structural changes may serve as potential diagnostic markers, particularly in young children at the age when symptoms become fully established. Furthermore, such brain markers need to meet the requirements of precision medicine and be accurate in aiding diagnosis at an individual rather than only a group level. Objective This study aimed to identify and model brain-wide differences in structural connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in young ASD and typically developing (TD) children. Methods A discovery cohort including 93 ASD and 26 TD children and two independent validation cohorts including 12 ASD and 9 TD children from three different cities in China were included. Brain-wide (294 regions) structural connectivity was measured using DTI (fractional anisotropy, FA) together with symptom severity and cognitive development. A connection matrix was constructed for each child for comparisons between ASD and TD groups. Pattern classification was performed on the discovery dataset and the resulting model was tested on the two independent validation datasets. Results Thirty-three structural connections showed increased FA in ASD compared to TD children and associated with both autistic symptom severity and impaired general cognitive development. The majority (29/33) involved the frontal lobe and comprised five different networks with functional relevance to default mode, motor control, social recognition, language and reward. Overall, classification achieved very high accuracy of 96.77% in the discovery dataset, and 91.67% and 88.89% in the two independent validation datasets. Conclusions Identified structural connectivity differences primarily involving the frontal cortex can very accurately distinguish novel individual ASD from TD children and may therefore represent a robust early brain biomarker which can address the requirements of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Jiang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Shou
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics; and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zhongbo Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Yuzhong Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Fan-Chao Meng
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jiao Le
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
- Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Tian-Jia Song
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xin-Jie Xu
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Weitong Guo
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xiaoyan Ke
- Child Mental Health Research Center, Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xiao-E Cai
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Juan Kou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Ran Huo
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- Radiology Department, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Radiology Department, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hui-Shu Yuan
- Radiology Department, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yan Xing
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ji-Sheng Han
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Song-Ping Han
- Wuxi Shenpingxintai Medical Technology Co., Ltd, Wuxi 214091, China
| | - Yun Li
- Child Mental Health Research Center, Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hua Lai
- Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Mei-Xiang Jia
- Mental Health Institute, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Public Health, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Mental Health Institute, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Public Health, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xuan Liu
- Shandong Ke Luo Ni Ke (CLINIC) Medical Technology Co., Ltd, Dezhou 253011, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China; and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- Autism Research Center of Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
- Department of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 100191,Beijing, China
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7
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Surian D, van den Boomen C. The age bias in labeling facial expressions in children: Effects of intensity and expression. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278483. [PMID: 36459504 PMCID: PMC9718404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotion reasoning, including labeling of facial expressions, is an important building block for a child's social development. This study investigated age biases in labeling facial expressions in children and adults, focusing on the influence of intensity and expression on age bias. Children (5 to 14 years old; N = 152) and adults (19 to 25 years old; N = 30) labeled happiness, disgust or sadness at five intensity levels (0%; 25%; 50%; 75%; and 100%) in facial images of children and adults. Sensitivity was computed for each of the expression-intensity combinations, separately for the child and adult faces. Results show that children and adults have an age bias at low levels of intensity (25%). In the case of sadness, children have an age bias for all intensities. Thus, the impact of the age of the face seems largest for expressions which might be most difficult to recognise. Moreover, both adults and children label most expressions best in adult rather than child faces, leading to an other-age bias in children and an own-age bias in adults. Overall, these findings reveal that both children and adults exhibit an age bias in labeling subtle facial expressions of emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Surian
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Carlijn van den Boomen
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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8
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Sheela P, Puthankattil SD. MVME-RCMFDE framework for discerning hyper-responsivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Comput Biol Med 2022; 149:105958. [PMID: 36007291 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), characterized by impaired sensory processing, has a wide range of clinical heterogeneity, which handicaps effective therapeutic interventions. Therefore, it is imperative to develop potential mechanisms for delineating clinically meaningful subgroups, so as to provide individualised medical treatment. In this study, an attempt is being made to differentiate the hyper-responsive subgroup from ASD by analysing the complexity pattern of Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs), recorded from a group of 30 ASD participants, in the presence of vertical achromatic sinewave gratings at varying contrast conditions of low (5%), medium (50%) and high (90%). METHOD This study proposes a new diagnostic framework incorporating a novel signal decomposition method termed as Modified Variational Mode Extraction (MVME) and a multiscale entropy approach. MVME segments the signal into five constituent modes with less spectral overlap in lower frequencies. Refined Composite Multiscale Fluctuation-based Dispersion entropy (RCMFDE) is extracted from these constituent modes, thereby facilitating the identification of hyper-responsive subgroup in ASD. RESULTS When tested on both simulated and real VEPs, MVME displays appreciable performance in terms of root mean square error and minimal spectral overlap in the lower frequencies, in comparison with the other state-of-the-art techniques. Relative Complexity analysis with RCMFDE exhibits a rising trend in 43%-50% of ASD in modes 1, 2, 3 and 4. CONCLUSION The proposed MVME-RCMFDE approach is efficient in discriminating the hyper-responsive subgroup in ASD in multiple modes namely mode 1, 2, 3 and 4, which correspond to delta, theta, alpha and beta frequency bands of brain signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyalakshmi Sheela
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, 673601, Kerala, India
| | - Subha D Puthankattil
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, 673601, Kerala, India.
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9
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Zhang K, Yuan Y, Chen J, Wang G, Chen Q, Luo M. Eye Tracking Research on the Influence of Spatial Frequency and Inversion Effect on Facial Expression Processing in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020283. [PMID: 35204046 PMCID: PMC8870542 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial expression processing mainly depends on whether the facial features related to expressions can be fully acquired, and whether the appropriate processing strategies can be adopted according to different conditions. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty accurately recognizing facial expressions and responding appropriately, which is regarded as an important cause of their social disorders. This study used eye tracking technology to explore the internal processing mechanism of facial expressions in children with ASD under the influence of spatial frequency and inversion effects for improving their social disorders. The facial expression recognition rate and eye tracking characteristics of children with ASD and typical developing (TD) children on the facial area of interest were recorded and analyzed. The multi-factor mixed experiment results showed that the facial expression recognition rate of children with ASD under various conditions was significantly lower than that of TD children. TD children had more visual attention to the eyes area. However, children with ASD preferred the features of the mouth area, and lacked visual attention and processing of the eyes area. When the face was inverted, TD children had the inversion effect under all three spatial frequency conditions, which was manifested as a significant decrease in expression recognition rate. However, children with ASD only had the inversion effect under the LSF condition, indicating that they mainly used a featural processing method and had the capacity of configural processing under the LSF condition. The eye tracking results showed that when the face was inverted or facial feature information was weakened, both children with ASD and TD children would adjust their facial expression processing strategies accordingly, to increase the visual attention and information processing of their preferred areas. The fixation counts and fixation duration of TD children on the eyes area increased significantly, while the fixation duration of children with ASD on the mouth area increased significantly. The results of this study provided theoretical and practical support for facial expression intervention in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; (K.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Q.C.); (M.L.)
- National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Yishuang Yuan
- National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; (K.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Q.C.); (M.L.)
- National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Jingying Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; (K.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Q.C.); (M.L.)
- National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Guangshuai Wang
- School of Computer Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China;
| | - Qian Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; (K.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Q.C.); (M.L.)
- National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Meijuan Luo
- National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; (K.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Q.C.); (M.L.)
- National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data, Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
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10
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Bagherzadeh-Azbari S, Lau GKB, Ouyang G, Zhou C, Hildebrandt A, Sommer W, Lui M. Multimodal Evidence of Atypical Processing of Eye Gaze and Facial Emotion in Children With Autistic Traits. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:733852. [PMID: 35242018 PMCID: PMC8886727 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.733852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the shared signal hypothesis (SSH) the impact of facial expressions on emotion processing partially depends on whether the gaze is directed toward or away from the observer. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD) several aspects of face processing have been found to be atypical, including attention to eye gaze and the identification of emotional expressions. However, there is little research on how gaze direction affects emotional expression processing in typically developing (TD) individuals and in those with ASD. This question is investigated here in two multimodal experiments. Experiment 1 required processing eye gaze direction while faces differed in emotional expression. Forty-seven children (aged 9-12 years) participated. Their Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores ranged from 0 to 6 in the experiment. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were sensitive to gaze direction and emotion, but emotion processing did not depend on gaze direction. However, for angry faces the gaze direction effect on the N170 amplitude, as typically observed in TD individuals, diminished with increasing ADOS score. For neutral expressions this correlation was not significant. Experiment 2 required explicit emotion classifications in a facial emotion composite task while eye gaze was manipulated incidentally. A group of 22 children with ASD was compared to a propensity score-matched group of TD children (mean age = 13 years). The same comparison was carried out for a subgroup of nine children with ASD who were less trained in social cognition, according to clinician's report. The ASD group performed overall worse in emotion recognition than the TD group, independently of emotion or gaze direction. However, for disgust expressions, eye tracking data revealed that TD children fixated relatively longer on the eyes of the stimulus face with a direct gaze as compared with averted gaze. In children with ASD we observed no such modulation of fixation behavior as a function of gaze direction. Overall, the present findings from ERPs and eye tracking confirm the hypothesis of an impaired sensitivity to gaze direction in children with ASD or elevated autistic traits, at least for specific emotions. Therefore, we conclude that multimodal investigations of the interaction between emotional processing and stimulus gaze direction are promising to understand the characteristics of individuals differing along the autism trait dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gilbert Ka Bo Lau
- Center for Child Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Guang Ouyang
- Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Changsong Zhou
- Department of Physics, Centre for Nonlinear Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Beijing-Hong Kong-Singapore Joint Centre for Nonlinear and Complex Systems, Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Andrea Hildebrandt
- Department of Psychology and Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Werner Sommer
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Physics, Centre for Nonlinear Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Ming Lui
- Center for Child Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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11
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Jasim H, Hamdan F, Shareef H. Visual evoked potential findings and correlation between visual evoked potential and clinical severity in children with autism spectrum disorder. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF BABYLON 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/mjbl.mjbl_88_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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12
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Xu J, Zhou L, Liu F, Xue C, Jiang J, Jiang C. The autistic brain can process local but not global emotion regularities in facial and musical sequences. Autism Res 2021; 15:222-240. [PMID: 34792299 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Whether autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with a global processing deficit remains controversial. Global integration requires extraction of regularity across various timescales, yet little is known about how individuals with ASD process regularity at local (short timescale) versus global (long timescale) levels. To this end, we used event-related potentials to investigate whether individuals with ASD would show different neural responses to local (within trial) versus global (across trials) emotion regularities extracted from sequential facial expressions; and if so, whether this visual abnormality would generalize to the music (auditory) domain. Twenty individuals with ASD and 21 age- and IQ-matched individuals with typical development participated in this study. At an early processing stage, ASD participants exhibited preserved neural responses to violations of local emotion regularity for both faces and music. At a later stage, however, there was an absence of neural responses in ASD to violations of global emotion regularity for both faces and music. These findings suggest that the autistic brain responses to emotion regularity are modulated by the timescale of sequential stimuli, and provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying emotional processing in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Linshu Zhou
- Music College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Liu
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Chao Xue
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Music College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cunmei Jiang
- Music College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
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13
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Meng C, Huo C, Ge H, Li Z, Hu Y, Meng J. Processing of expressions by individuals with autistic traits: Empathy deficit or sensory hyper-reactivity? PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254207. [PMID: 34242310 PMCID: PMC8270190 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autistic traits display impaired social interaction and communication in everyday life, but the underlying cognitive neural mechanisms remain very unclear and still remain controversial. The mind-blindness hypothesis suggests that social difficulties in individuals with autistic traits are caused by empathy impairment in individuals; however, the intense world theory suggests that these social difficulties are caused by sensory hyper-reactivity and sensory overload, rather than empathy impairment. To further test these two theories, this study investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) to explore the cognitive neural processing of repetitive expressions in individuals with autistic traits. This study employed the Mandarin version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) to assess autistic traits in 2,502 healthy adults. Two subset groups were used, e.g., the participants of a high-AQ group were randomly selected among the 10% of individuals with the highest AQ scores; similarly, the participants in the low-AQ group were randomly selected from the 10% of participants with the lowest AQ scores. In an experiment, three different facial expressions (positive, neutral, or negative) of the same person were presented successively and pseudo-randomly in each trial. Participants needed to define the expression of the face that was presented last. The results showed that compared with the low-AQ group, the high-AQ group exhibited higher P1 amplitudes induced by the second and third presented expressions, as well as higher P3 amplitudes induced by the third presented negative expressions. This indicates that individuals with autistic traits may experience overly strong perception, attention, and cognitive evaluation to repetitive expressions, particularly negative expressions. This result supports the intense world theory more strongly than the mind-blindness hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Meng
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Emotion and Mental Health, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Nanchong Vocational College of Science and Technology, Nanchong, China
| | - Chao Huo
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongxin Ge
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zuoshan Li
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanyan Hu
- Laboratory of Emotion and Mental Health, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Meng
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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14
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van den Boomen C, Munsters NM, Deković M, Kemner C. Exploring emotional face processing in 5-month-olds: The relation with quality of parent-child interaction and spatial frequencies. INFANCY 2021; 26:811-830. [PMID: 34237191 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
It is unclear whether infants differentially process emotional faces in the brain at 5 months of age. Contradictory findings of previous research indicate that additional factors play a role in this process. The current study investigated whether five-month-old infants show differential brain activity between emotional faces. Furthermore, we explored the relation between emotional face processing and (I) stimulus characteristics, specifically the spatial frequency content, and (II) parent, child, and dyadic qualities of interaction characteristics. Face-sensitive components (i.e., N290, P400, Nc) in response to neutral and fearful faces that contained only lower or higher spatial frequencies were assessed. Quality of parent-child interaction was assessed with the Manchester Assessment of Caregiver Infant Interaction (MACI). The results show that, as a full group, none of the components differed between emotional expressions. However, when splitting the group based on median MACI scores, infants who showed high quality of interaction (i.e., more attentiveness to caregiver, positive and negative affect, and liveliness) processed emotions differently, whereas infants who showed low quality did not. These results indicate that a sub-group of infants show differential emotional face processing at 5 months of age, which seem to relate to quality of their behavior during the parent-child interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlijn van den Boomen
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolette M Munsters
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ede, The Netherlands
| | - Maja Deković
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Chantal Kemner
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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15
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Di Lorenzo R, Munsters NM, Ward EK, de Jonge M, Kemner C, van den Boomen C. Is It Fear? Similar Brain Responses to Fearful and Neutral Faces in Infants with a Heightened Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:961-972. [PMID: 32594334 PMCID: PMC7954762 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04560-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show atypical processing of facial expressions. Research with autistic toddlers suggests that abnormalities in processing of spatial frequencies (SFs) contribute to such differences. The current event-related-potential (ERP) study investigated differences between 10-month-old infants with high- and low-likelihood for ASD in SF processing and in discrimination of fearful and neutral faces, filtered to contain specific SF. Results indicate no group differences in general processing of higher (HSF, detailed) and lower-SF (LSF, global) information. However, unlike low-likelihood infants, high-likelihood infants do not discriminate between facial expressions when either the LSF or HSF information is available. Combined with previous findings in toddlers, the current results indicate a developmental delay in efficient processing of facial expressions in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Di Lorenzo
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands. .,Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Nicolette M Munsters
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ede, The Netherlands
| | - Emma K Ward
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maretha de Jonge
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chantal Kemner
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Carlijn van den Boomen
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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16
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Norcia AM, Lee A, Meredith WJ, Kohler PJ, Pei F, Ghassan SA, Libove RA, Phillips JM, Hardan AY. A case-control study of visual, auditory and audio-visual sensory interactions in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Vis 2021; 21:5. [PMID: 33830169 PMCID: PMC8039569 DOI: 10.1167/jov.21.4.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
To assess the relative integrity of early visual and auditory processes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we used frequency-tagged visual and auditory stimulation and high-density electroencephalogram recordings of unimodal and dual-modality responses in a case-control design. To test for the specificity of effects on ASD, we recorded from a smaller group of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Horizontal 3 cycle per degree (cpd) gratings were presented at 5 Hz, and a random stream of /ba/, /da/, /ga/ syllables was presented at 6 Hz. Grating contrast response functions were measured unimodally and in the presence of a 64-dB auditory input. Auditory response functions were measured unimodally and in the presence of a 40% contrast grating. Children with ASD (n = 34) and ADHD (n = 13) showed a common lack of audio-visual interaction compared to typically developing children (n = 40) when measured at the first harmonic of the visual stimulus frequency. Both patient groups also showed depressed first harmonic responses at low contrast, but the ADHD group had consistently higher first-harmonic responses at high contrast. Children with ASD had a preferential loss of second-harmonic (transient) responses. The alteredtransient responses in ASD are likely to arise very early in the visual pathway and could thus have downstream consequences for many other visual mechanisms and processes. The alteration in audio-visual interaction could be a signature of a comorbid phenotype shared by ASD and ADHD, possibly due to alterations in attentional selection systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Norcia
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Azalea Lee
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Peter J Kohler
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Francesca Pei
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Ghassan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Robin A Libove
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer M Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Antonio Y Hardan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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17
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A distinct electrophysiological signature for synaesthesia that is independent of individual differences in sensory sensitivity. Cortex 2021; 139:249-266. [PMID: 33894542 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
People with synaesthesia have been reported to show atypical electrophysiological responses to certain simple sensory stimuli, even if these stimuli are not inducers of synaesthesia. However, it is unclear whether this constitutes a neural marker that is relatively specific to synaesthesia or whether it reflects some other trait that co-occurs with synaesthesia, but is not specific to it. One candidate is atypical sensory sensitivity (e.g., strong aversion to certain lights and sounds, 'sensory overload') which is a feature of both synaesthesia and autism and that varies greatly in the neurotypical population. Using visual evoked-potentials (to stimuli varying in spatial frequency) and auditory-evoked potentials (to stimuli varying in auditory frequency), we found that synaesthetes had a modulated visual evoked-potential around P1/N1 (emanating from fusiform cortex), a greater auditory N1, as well as differences in the time-frequency domain (increased alpha and beta induced power for visual stimuli). This was distinct from that found in non-synaesthetes. By contrast, no significant electrophysiological differences were found that were linked to neurotypical variation in sensory sensitivity.
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18
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Ronconi L, Vitale A, Federici A, Pini E, Molteni M, Casartelli L. Altered neural oscillations and connectivity in the beta band underlie detail-oriented visual processing in autism. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 28:102484. [PMID: 33395975 PMCID: PMC7663221 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Sensory and perceptual anomalies may have a major impact on basic cognitive and social skills in humans. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represents a special perspective to explore this relationship, being characterized by both these features. The present study employed electroencephalography (EEG) to test whether detail-oriented visual perception, a recognized hallmark of ASD, is associated with altered neural oscillations and functional connectivity in the beta frequency band, considering its role in feedback and top-down reentrant signalling in the typical population. Using a visual crowding task, where participants had to discriminate a peripheral target letter surrounded by flankers at different distances, we found that detail-oriented processing in children with ASD, as compared to typically developing peers, could be attributed to anomalous oscillatory activity in the beta band (15-30 Hz), while no differences emerged in the alpha band (8-12 Hz). Altered beta oscillatory response reflected in turn atypical functional connectivity between occipital areas, where the initial stimulus analysis is accomplished, and infero-temporal regions, where objects identity is extracted. Such atypical beta connectivity predicted both ASD symptomatology and their detail-oriented processing. Overall, these results might be explained by an altered feedback connectivity within the visual system, with potential cascade effects in visual scene parsing and higher order functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ronconi
- Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Child Psychopathology Department, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy.
| | - Andrea Vitale
- Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Child Psychopathology Department, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Alessandra Federici
- Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Child Psychopathology Department, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy; IMT School of Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Elisa Pini
- Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Child Psychopathology Department, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Child Psychopathology Department, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy.
| | - Luca Casartelli
- Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Child Psychopathology Department, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
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19
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Alink A, Charest I. Clinically relevant autistic traits predict greater reliance on detail for image recognition. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14239. [PMID: 32859935 PMCID: PMC7455566 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70953-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis are often described as having an eye for detail. But it remains to be shown that a detail-focused processing bias is a ubiquitous property of vision in individuals with ASD. To address this question, we investigated whether a greater number of autistic traits in neurotypical subjects is associated with an increased reliance on image details during a natural image recognition task. To this end, we use a novel reverse correlation-based method (feature diagnosticity mapping) for measuring the relative importance of low-level image features for object recognition. The main finding of this study is that image recognition in participants with an above-median number of autistic traits benefited more from the presence of high-spatial frequency image features. Furthermore, we found that this reliance-on-detail effect was best predicted by the presence of the most clinically relevant autistic traits. Therefore, our findings suggest that a greater number of autistic traits in neurotypical individuals is associated with a more detail-oriented visual information processing strategy and that this effect might generalize to a clinical ASD population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjen Alink
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ian Charest
- School of Psychology, Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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20
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Chung S, Son JW. Visual Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Neuroimaging Studies. Soa Chongsonyon Chongsin Uihak 2020; 31:105-120. [PMID: 32665755 PMCID: PMC7350544 DOI: 10.5765/jkacap.200018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairments, patients with ASD frequently manifest atypical sensory behaviors. Recently, atypical sensory perception in ASD has received much attention, yet little is known about its cause or neurobiology. Herein, we review the findings from neuroimaging studies related to visual perception in ASD. Specifically, we examined the neural underpinnings of visual detection, motion perception, and face processing in ASD. Results from neuroimaging studies indicate that atypical visual perception in ASD may be influenced by attention or higher order cognitive mechanisms, and atypical face perception may be affected by disrupted social brain network. However, there is considerable evidence for atypical early visual processing in ASD. It is likely that visual perceptual abnormalities are independent of deficits of social functions or cognition. Importantly, atypical visual perception in ASD may enhance difficulties in dealing with complex and subtle social stimuli, or improve outstanding abilities in certain fields in individuals with Savant syndrome. Thus, future research is required to elucidate the characteristics and neurobiology of autistic visual perception to effectively apply these findings in the interventions of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungwon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Jung-Woo Son
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
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21
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Federici A, Parma V, Vicovaro M, Radassao L, Casartelli L, Ronconi L. Anomalous Perception of Biological Motion in Autism: A Conceptual Review and Meta-Analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4576. [PMID: 32165647 PMCID: PMC7067769 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61252-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its popularity, the construct of biological motion (BM) and its putative anomalies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not completely clarified. In this article, we present a meta-analysis investigating the putative anomalies of BM perception in ASD. Through a systematic literature search, we found 30 studies that investigated BM perception in both ASD and typical developing peers by using point-light display stimuli. A general meta-analysis including all these studies showed a moderate deficit of individuals with ASD in BM processing, but also a high heterogeneity. This heterogeneity was explored in different additional meta-analyses where studies were grouped according to levels of complexity of the BM task employed (first-order, direct and instrumental), and according to the manipulation of low-level perceptual features (spatial vs. temporal) of the control stimuli. Results suggest that the most severe deficit in ASD is evident when perception of BM is serving a secondary purpose (e.g., inferring intentionality/action/emotion) and, interestingly, that temporal dynamics of stimuli are an important factor in determining BM processing anomalies in ASD. Our results question the traditional understanding of BM anomalies in ASD as a monolithic deficit and suggest a paradigm shift that deconstructs BM into distinct levels of processing and specific spatio-temporal subcomponents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Federici
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- MoMiLab Research Unit, IMT School of Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Valentina Parma
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michele Vicovaro
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Luca Radassao
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Casartelli
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
| | - Luca Ronconi
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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22
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Balasco L, Provenzano G, Bozzi Y. Sensory Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Focus on the Tactile Domain, From Genetic Mouse Models to the Clinic. Front Psychiatry 2020; 10:1016. [PMID: 32047448 PMCID: PMC6997554 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory abnormalities are commonly recognized as diagnostic criteria in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as reported in the last edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-V). About 90% of ASD individuals have atypical sensory experiences, described as both hyper- and hypo-reactivity, with abnormal responses to tactile stimulation representing a very frequent finding. In this review, we will address the neurobiological bases of sensory processing in ASD, with a specific focus of tactile sensitivity. In the first part, we will review the most relevant sensory abnormalities detected in ASD, and then focus on tactile processing deficits through the discussion of recent clinical and experimental studies. In the search for the neurobiological bases of ASD, several mouse models have been generated with knockout and humanized knockin mutations in many ASD-associated genes. Here, we will therefore give a brief overview of the anatomical structure of the mouse somatosensory system, and describe the somatosensory abnormalities so far reported in different mouse models of ASD. Understanding the neurobiological bases of sensory processing in ASD mouse models may represent an opportunity for a better comprehension of the mechanisms underlying sensory abnormalities, and for the development of novel effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Balasco
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Giovanni Provenzano
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Yuri Bozzi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy
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23
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Cruveiller V. Sémiologie sensorielle dans les troubles du spectre autistique : revue de la littérature. PSYCHIATRIE DE L ENFANT 2019. [DOI: 10.3917/psye.622.0455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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24
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Guy J, Mottron L, Berthiaume C, Bertone A. A Developmental Perspective of Global and Local Visual Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2706-2720. [PMID: 27371139 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2834-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate superior performances on visuo-spatial tasks emphasizing local information processing; however, findings from studies involving hierarchical stimuli are inconsistent. Wide age ranges and group means complicate their interpretability. Children and adolescents with and without ASD completed a Navon task wherein they identified global and local stimuli composed of either consistent or inconsistent letters. Trajectories of reaction time in global and local conditions were similar within and between groups when consistent and inconsistent stimuli were considered together, but the effect of local-to-global interference was significantly higher in participants with than without ASD. Age was not a significant predictor of local-to-global interference, suggesting that this effect emerges in childhood and persists throughout adolescence in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacalyn Guy
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 1Y2, Canada.
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du développement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, Canada
| | - Claude Berthiaume
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du développement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, Canada
| | - Armando Bertone
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 1Y2, Canada
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du développement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, Canada
- School/Applied Child Psychology, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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25
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Zhang X, Piano I, Messina A, D'Antongiovanni V, Crò F, Provenzano G, Bozzi Y, Gargini C, Casarosa S. Retinal defects in mice lacking the autism-associated gene Engrailed-2. Neuroscience 2019; 408:177-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.03.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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26
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Leung RC, Pang EW, Brian JA, Taylor MJ. Happy and Angry Faces Elicit Atypical Neural Activation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:1021-1030. [PMID: 31171500 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant impairments in social interactions and communication. The ability to accurately perceive and interpret emotional faces is critical to successful social interactions. However, few studies have investigated the spatiotemporal profile of the neural mechanisms underlying emotional face processing in ASD, particularly in children. The current study fills this important gap. METHODS Participants were 55 children: 28 children with ASD (mean age = 9.5 ± 1.3 years) and 27 control children (mean age = 8.5 ± 1.3 years). All children completed an implicit emotional face task while magnetoencephalography was recorded. We examined spatiotemporal differences between the groups in neural activation during implicit processing of emotional faces. RESULTS Within-group analyses demonstrated greater right middle temporal (300-375 ms) and superior temporal (300-400 ms) activation to angry faces than to happy faces in control children, while children with ASD showed greater activation from 250 to 500 ms to happy faces than to angry faces across frontal and temporal regions. Between-group analyses demonstrated that children with ASD showed similar patterns of late (425-500 ms) posterior cingulate and thalamic underactivity to both angry and happy faces relative to control children, suggesting general atypical processing of emotional information. CONCLUSIONS Atypical posterior cingulate cortex and thalamus recruitment in children with ASD to emotional faces suggests poor modulation of toggling between the default mode network and task-based processing. Increased neural activity to happy faces compared with angry faces in children with ASD suggests reduced salience or immature response to anger, which in turn could contribute to deficits in social cognition in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Leung
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Elizabeth W Pang
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica A Brian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Autism Research Centre, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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27
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Test-retest reliability of infant event related potentials evoked by faces. Neuropsychologia 2019; 126:20-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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28
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van den Boomen C, Munsters NM, Kemner C. Emotion processing in the infant brain: The importance of local information. Neuropsychologia 2019; 126:62-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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29
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Gilmour G, Porcelli S, Bertaina-Anglade V, Arce E, Dukart J, Hayen A, Lobo A, Lopez-Anton R, Merlo Pich E, Pemberton DJ, Havenith MN, Glennon JC, Harel BT, Dawson G, Marston H, Kozak R, Serretti A. Relating constructs of attention and working memory to social withdrawal in Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia: issues regarding paradigm selection. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 97:47-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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30
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Social brain, social dysfunction and social withdrawal. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 97:10-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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31
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Jun E, Kang E, Choi J, Suk HI. Modeling regional dynamics in low-frequency fluctuation and its application to Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Neuroimage 2019; 184:669-686. [PMID: 30248456 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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32
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Ward J. Individual differences in sensory sensitivity: A synthesizing framework and evidence from normal variation and developmental conditions. Cogn Neurosci 2018; 10:139-157. [PMID: 30526338 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2018.1557131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
For some people, simple sensory stimuli (e.g., noises, patterns) may reliably evoke intense and aversive reactions. This is common in certain clinical groups (e.g., autism) and varies greatly in the neurotypical population. This paper critically evaluates the concept of individual differences in sensory sensitivity, explores its possible underlying neurobiological basis, and presents a roadmap for future research in this area. A distinction is made between subjective sensory sensitivity (self-reported symptoms); neural sensory sensitivity (the degree of neural activity induced by sensory stimuli); and behavioral sensory sensitivity (detection and discrimination of sensory stimuli). Whereas increased subjective and neural sensory sensitivity are assumed to increase together, the status of behavioral sensory sensitivity depends on the extent to which the increased neural activity is linked to signal or noise. A signal detection framework is presented that offers a unifying framework for exploring sensory sensitivity across different conditions. The framework is discussed, in more concrete terms, by linking it to four existing theoretical accounts of atypical sensory sensitivity (not necessarily mutually exclusive): increased excitation-to-inhibition ratio; predictive coding; increased neural noise; and atypical brain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Ward
- a School of Psychology , University of Sussex , Brighton , UK
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33
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Simões M, Monteiro R, Andrade J, Mouga S, França F, Oliveira G, Carvalho P, Castelo-Branco M. A Novel Biomarker of Compensatory Recruitment of Face Emotional Imagery Networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:791. [PMID: 30443204 PMCID: PMC6221955 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Imagery of facial expressions in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is likely impaired but has been very difficult to capture at a neurophysiological level. We developed an approach that allowed to directly link observation of emotional expressions and imagery in ASD, and to derive biomarkers that are able to classify abnormal imagery in ASD. To provide a handle between perception and action imagery cycles it is important to use visual stimuli exploring the dynamical nature of emotion representation. We conducted a case-control study providing a link between both visualization and mental imagery of dynamic facial expressions and investigated source responses to pure face-expression contrasts. We were able to replicate the same highly group discriminative neural signatures during action observation (dynamical face expressions) and imagery, in the precuneus. Larger activation in regions involved in imagery for the ASD group suggests that this effect is compensatory. We conducted a machine learning procedure to automatically identify these group differences, based on the EEG activity during mental imagery of facial expressions. We compared two classifiers and achieved an accuracy of 81% using 15 features (both linear and non-linear) of the signal from theta, high-beta and gamma bands extracted from right-parietal locations (matching the precuneus region), further confirming the findings regarding standard statistical analysis. This robust classification of signals resulting from imagery of dynamical expressions in ASD is surprising because it far and significantly exceeds the good classification already achieved with observation of neutral face expressions (74%). This novel neural correlate of emotional imagery in autism could potentially serve as a clinical interventional target for studies designed to improve facial expression recognition, or at least as an intervention biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Simões
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Center for Informatics and Systems, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Raquel Monteiro
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Andrade
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Susana Mouga
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Neurodevelopmental and Autism Unit from Child Developmental Center, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Felipe França
- PESC-COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Guiomar Oliveira
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Neurodevelopmental and Autism Unit from Child Developmental Center, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,University Clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paulo Carvalho
- Center for Informatics and Systems, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Castelo-Branco
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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34
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Ward J, Brown P, Sherwood J, Simner J. An autistic-like profile of attention and perception in synaesthesia. Cortex 2018; 107:121-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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35
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Jeantet C, Caharel S, Schwan R, Lighezzolo-Alnot J, Laprevote V. Factors influencing spatial frequency extraction in faces: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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36
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Insights from perceptual, sensory, and motor functioning in autism and cerebellar primary disturbances: Are there reliable markers for these disorders? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:263-279. [PMID: 30268434 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The contribution of cerebellar circuitry alterations in the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been widely investigated in the last decades. Yet, experimental studies on neurocognitive markers of ASD have not been attentively compared with similar studies in patients with cerebellar primary disturbances (e.g., malformations, agenesis, degeneration, etc). Addressing this neglected issue could be useful to underline unexpected areas of overlap and/or underestimated differences between these sets of conditions. In fact, ASD and cerebellar primary disturbances (notably, Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome, CCAS) can share atypical manifestations in perceptual, sensory, and motor functions, but neural subcircuits involved in these anomalies/difficulties could be distinct. Here, we specifically deal with this issue focusing on four paradigmatic neurocognitive functions: visual and biological motion perception, multisensory integration, and high stages of the motor hierarchy. From a research perspective, this represents an essential challenge to more deeply understand neurocognitive markers of ASD and of cerebellar primary disturbances/CCAS. Although we cannot assume definitive conclusions, and beyond phenotypical similarities between ASD and CCAS, clinical and experimental evidence described in this work argues that ASD and CCAS are distinct phenomena. ASD and CCAS seem to be characterized by different pathophysiological mechanisms and mediated by distinct neural nodes. In parallel, from a clinical perspective, this characterization may furnish insights to tackle the distinction between autistic functioning/autistic phenotype (in ASD) and dysmetria of thought/autistic-like phenotype (in CCAS).
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37
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Brown T, Peres L. An overview and critique of the Test of Visual Perception Skills - fourth edition (TVPS-4). Hong Kong J Occup Ther 2018; 31:59-68. [PMID: 30643493 PMCID: PMC6322110 DOI: 10.1177/1569186118793847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Test of Visual Perception Skills - fourth edition (TVPS-4) is an updated version of the Test of Visual Perception Skills - third edition (TVPS-3). The TVPS-4 is a standardized assessment of motor-free visual perception skills for individuals aged 5-21 years. Test norms were derived from a normative sample that reflected the United States population. Method The present paper outlines and appraises the reliability and validity of the TVPS-4. Measurement properties of the TVPS-4 were critiqued using the Quality Criteria for Health Status Questionnaires (QCHSQ) and the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist with 4-point rating scale. Results The TVPS-4 manual reports details of reasonable levels and types of overall reliability and validity. The QCHSQ and COSMIN checklist reviews suggested that further research is needed in relation to the TVPS-4's measurement error, reproducibility, internal consistency and cross-cultural validity. Conclusion The TVPS-4 is an in-depth assessment that can be used to identify areas of impairment and assist with goal setting and intervention planning. The impact of the TVPS-4 on occupational therapy practice is also considered. Future research could investigate the cross-cultural validity of the TVPS-4 so that it can be used in other countries with confidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted Brown
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Monash University, Australia
| | - Lisa Peres
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Monash University, Australia
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38
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Ghanouni P, Zwicker JG. Electrophysiological Responses to Emotional Facial Expressions in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-018-0134-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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39
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Ronconi L, Gori S, Federici A, Devita M, Carna S, Sali ME, Molteni M, Casartelli L, Facoetti A. Weak surround suppression of the attentional focus characterizes visual selection in the ventral stream in autism. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 18:912-922. [PMID: 29876276 PMCID: PMC5988461 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Neurophysiological findings in the typical population demonstrate that spatial scrutiny for visual selection determines a center-surround profile of the attentional focus, which is the result of recurrent processing in the visual system. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) manifest several anomalies in their visual selection, with strengths in detail-oriented tasks, but also difficulties in distractor inhibition tasks. Here, we asked whether contradictory aspects of perception in ASD might be due to a different center-surround profile of their attentional focus. In two experiments, we tested two independent samples of children with ASD, comparing them with typically developing (TD) peers. In Experiment 1, we used a psychophysical task that mapped the entire spatial profile of the attentional focus. In Experiment 2, we used dense-array electroencephalography (EEG) to explore its neurophysiological underpinnings. Experiment 1 results showed that the suppression, surrounding the attentional focus, was markedly reduced in children with ASD. Experiment 2 showed that the center-surround profile in TD children resulted in a modulation of the posterior N2 ERP component, with cortical sources in the lateral-occipital and medial/inferior temporal areas. In contrast, children with ASD did not show modulation of the N2 and related activations in the ventral visual stream. Furthermore, behavioural and neurophysiological measures of weaker suppression predicted more severe autistic symptomatology. The present findings, showing an altered center-surround profile during attentional selection, give an important insight to understand superior visual processing in autism as well as the experiencing of sensory overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ronconi
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy; Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Italy; Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy.
| | - Simone Gori
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy; Department of Human and Social Science, University of Bergamo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Federici
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Maria Devita
- Department of Human and Social Science, University of Bergamo, Italy
| | - Serena Carna
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Maria E Sali
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Luca Casartelli
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Andrea Facoetti
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy; Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS "E. Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy.
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40
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Rokszin AA, Győri-Dani D, Bácsi J, Nyúl LG, Csifcsák G. Tracking changes in spatial frequency sensitivity during natural image processing in school age: an event-related potential study. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 166:664-678. [PMID: 29128609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have shown that behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of processing visual images containing low or high spatial frequency (LSF or HSF) information undergo development after early childhood. However, the maturation of spatial frequency sensitivity during school age has been investigated using abstract stimuli only. The aim of the current study was to assess how LSF and HSF features affect the processing of everyday photographs at the behavioral and electrophysiological levels in children aged 7-15 years and adults. We presented grayscale images containing either animals or vehicles and their luminance-matched modified versions filtered at low or high spatial frequencies. Modulations of classification accuracy, reaction time, and visual event-related potentials (posterior P1 and N1 components) were compared across five developmental groups and three image types. We found disproportionately worse response accuracies for LSF stimuli relative to HSF images in children aged 7 or 8 years, an effect that was accompanied by smaller LSF-evoked P1 amplitudes during this age period. At 7 or 8 years of age, P1 and N1 amplitudes were modulated by HSF and LSF stimuli (P1: HSF > LSF; N1: LSF > HSF), with a gradual shift toward the opposite pattern (P1: LSF > HSF; N1: HSF > LSF) with increasing age. Our results indicate that early cortical processing of both spatial frequency ranges undergo substantial development during school age, with a relative delay of LSF analysis, and underline the utility of our paradigm in tracking the maturation of LSF versus HSF sensitivity in this age group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienn Aranka Rokszin
- Doctoral School of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of Szeged, Petőfi Sándor sgt. 30-34, 6722 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Dóra Győri-Dani
- Department of Applied Pedagogy and Psychology, Institute of Kindergarten and Lower-Primary Education, Juhász Gyula Faculty of Education, University of Szeged, Hattyas sor 10, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - János Bácsi
- Juhász Gyula Elementary School of University of Szeged, Boldogasszony sgt. 8, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - László G Nyúl
- Department of Image Processing and Computer Graphics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Árpád tér 2, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Csifcsák
- Department of Cognitive and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Szeged, Egyetem u. 2, 6722 Szeged, Hungary; Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Huginbakken 32, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
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Yamasaki T, Maekawa T, Fujita T, Tobimatsu S. Connectopathy in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review of Evidence from Visual Evoked Potentials and Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:627. [PMID: 29170625 PMCID: PMC5684146 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show superior performance in processing fine details; however, they often exhibit impairments of gestalt face, global motion perception, and visual attention as well as core social deficits. Increasing evidence has suggested that social deficits in ASD arise from abnormal functional and structural connectivities between and within distributed cortical networks that are recruited during social information processing. Because the human visual system is characterized by a set of parallel, hierarchical, multistage network systems, we hypothesized that the altered connectivity of visual networks contributes to social cognition impairment in ASD. In the present review, we focused on studies of altered connectivity of visual and attention networks in ASD using visual evoked potentials (VEPs), event-related potentials (ERPs), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). A series of VEP, ERP, and DTI studies conducted in our laboratory have demonstrated complex alterations (impairment and enhancement) of visual and attention networks in ASD. Recent data have suggested that the atypical visual perception observed in ASD is caused by altered connectivity within parallel visual pathways and attention networks, thereby contributing to the impaired social communication observed in ASD. Therefore, we conclude that the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of ASD constitutes a “connectopathy.”
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Yamasaki
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Department of Neurology, Minkodo Minohara Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Maekawa
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takako Fujita
- Department of Pediatrics, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Shozo Tobimatsu
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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Priming Facial Gender and Emotional Valence: The Influence of Spatial Frequency on Face Perception in ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:927-946. [PMID: 28070789 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-3017-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) performed two priming experiments in which they implicitly processed a prime stimulus, containing high and/or low spatial frequency information, and then explicitly categorized a target face either as male/female (gender task) or as positive/negative (Valence task). Adolescents with ASD made more categorization errors than typically developing adolescents. They also showed an age-dependent improvement in categorization speed and had more difficulties with categorizing facial expressions than gender. However, in neither of the categorization tasks, we found group differences in the processing of coarse versus fine prime information. This contradicted our expectations, and indicated that the perceptual differences between adolescents with and without ASD critically depended on the processing time available for the primes.
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Burt A, Hugrass L, Frith-Belvedere T, Crewther D. Insensitivity to Fearful Emotion for Early ERP Components in High Autistic Tendency Is Associated with Lower Magnocellular Efficiency. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:495. [PMID: 29075185 PMCID: PMC5643484 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Low spatial frequency (LSF) visual information is extracted rapidly from fearful faces, suggesting magnocellular involvement. Autistic phenotypes demonstrate altered magnocellular processing, which we propose contributes to a decreased P100 evoked response to LSF fearful faces. Here, we investigated whether rapid processing of fearful facial expressions differs for groups of neurotypical adults with low and high scores on the Autistic Spectrum Quotient (AQ). We created hybrid face stimuli with low and high spatial frequency filtered, fearful, and neutral expressions. Fearful faces produced higher amplitude P100 responses than neutral faces in the low AQ group, particularly when the hybrid face contained a LSF fearful expression. By contrast, there was no effect of fearful expression on P100 amplitude in the high AQ group. Consistent with evidence linking magnocellular differences with autistic personality traits, our non-linear VEP results showed that the high AQ group had higher amplitude K2.1 responses than the low AQ group, which is indicative of less efficient magnocellular recovery. Our results suggest that magnocellular LSF processing of a human face may be the initial visual cue used to rapidly and automatically detect fear, but that this cue functions atypically in those with high autistic tendency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelaide Burt
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Laila Hugrass
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tash Frith-Belvedere
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Crewther
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Peters JC, Kemner C. Facial expressions perceived by the adolescent brain: Towards the proficient use of low spatial frequency information. Biol Psychol 2017; 129:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Black MH, Chen NT, Iyer KK, Lipp OV, Bölte S, Falkmer M, Tan T, Girdler S. Mechanisms of facial emotion recognition in autism spectrum disorders: Insights from eye tracking and electroencephalography. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:488-515. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Revised: 05/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Peters JC, Kemner C. Proficient use of low spatial frequencies facilitates face memory but shows protracted maturation throughout adolescence. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2017; 179:61-67. [PMID: 28732282 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Face perception is characterized by configural processing, which depends on visual information in the low spatial frequency (LSF) ranges. However, it is unclear whether LSF content is equally important for face memory. The present study investigated how face information in the low and high SF range plays a role in the configural encoding of faces for short-term and long-term recall. Moreover, we examined how SF-dependent face memorization develops in female adolescence, by comparing children (9-10-year-olds), adolescents (12-13-year-olds and 15-16-year-olds), and young adults (21-32-year-olds). Results show that similar to face perception, delayed face recognition was consistently facilitated by LSF content. However, only adults were able to adequately employ configural LSF cues for short-term recall, analogous to the slow maturation of LSF-driven configural face perception reported by previous studies. Moreover, the insensitivity to face inversion of early adolescents revealed their inadequate use of configural face cues regardless of SF availability, corroborating previous reports on an adolescent "dip" in face recognition. Like face perception, face recognition has a protracted maturational course. In (female) adolescence, sensitivity to configural LSF cues is developed, which aids not only configural face perception but also face memorization.
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Processing of Facial Expressions in Autism: a Systematic Review of EEG/ERP Evidence. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-017-0112-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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48
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Abstract
While most typically developing (TD) participants have a coarse-to-fine processing style, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) seem to be less globally and more locally biased when processing visual information. The stimulus-specific spatial frequency content might be directly relevant to determine this temporal hierarchy of visual information processing in people with and without ASD. We implemented a semantic priming task in which (in)congruent coarse and/or fine spatial information preceded target categorization. Our results indicated that adolescents with ASD made more categorization errors than TD adolescents and needed more time to process the prime stimuli. Simultaneously, however, our findings argued for a processing advantage in ASD, when the prime stimulus contains detailed spatial information and presentation time permits explicit visual processing.
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Soares SC, Maior RS, Isbell LA, Tomaz C, Nishijo H. Fast Detector/First Responder: Interactions between the Superior Colliculus-Pulvinar Pathway and Stimuli Relevant to Primates. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:67. [PMID: 28261046 PMCID: PMC5314318 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Primates are distinguished from other mammals by their heavy reliance on the visual sense, which occurred as a result of natural selection continually favoring those individuals whose visual systems were more responsive to challenges in the natural world. Here we describe two independent but also interrelated visual systems, one cortical and the other subcortical, both of which have been modified and expanded in primates for different functions. Available evidence suggests that while the cortical visual system mainly functions to give primates the ability to assess and adjust to fluid social and ecological environments, the subcortical visual system appears to function as a rapid detector and first responder when time is of the essence, i.e., when survival requires very quick action. We focus here on the subcortical visual system with a review of behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that demonstrates its sensitivity to particular, often emotionally charged, ecological and social stimuli, i.e., snakes and fearful and aggressive facial expressions in conspecifics. We also review the literature on subcortical involvement during another, less emotional, situation that requires rapid detection and response-visually guided reaching and grasping during locomotion-to further emphasize our argument that the subcortical visual system evolved as a rapid detector/first responder, a function that remains in place today. Finally, we argue that investigating deficits in this subcortical system may provide greater understanding of Parkinson's disease and Autism Spectrum disorders (ASD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra C. Soares
- Department of Education and Psychology, CINTESIS.UA, University of AveiroAveiro, Portugal
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstituteStockholm, Sweden
- William James Research Center, Instituto Superior de Psicologia AplicadaLisbon, Portugal
| | - Rafael S. Maior
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstituteStockholm, Sweden
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Primate Center, Institute of Biology, University of BrasíliaBrasília, Brazil
| | - Lynne A. Isbell
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Tomaz
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Primate Center, Institute of Biology, University of BrasíliaBrasília, Brazil
- Ceuma University, Neuroscience Research CoordinationSão Luis, Brazil
| | - Hisao Nishijo
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of ToyamaToyama, Japan
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Enhanced Fine-Form Perception Does Not Contribute to Gestalt Face Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170239. [PMID: 28146575 PMCID: PMC5287487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show superior performance in processing fine detail, but often exhibit impaired gestalt face perception. The ventral visual stream from the primary visual cortex (V1) to the fusiform gyrus (V4) plays an important role in form (including faces) and color perception. The aim of this study was to investigate how the ventral stream is functionally altered in ASD. Visual evoked potentials were recorded in high-functioning ASD adults (n = 14) and typically developing (TD) adults (n = 14). We used three types of visual stimuli as follows: isoluminant chromatic (red/green, RG) gratings, high-contrast achromatic (black/white, BW) gratings with high spatial frequency (HSF, 5.3 cycles/degree), and face (neutral, happy, and angry faces) stimuli. Compared with TD controls, ASD adults exhibited longer N1 latency for RG, shorter N1 latency for BW, and shorter P1 latency, but prolonged N170 latency, for face stimuli. Moreover, a greater difference in latency between P1 and N170, or between N1 for BW and N170 (i.e., the prolongation of cortico-cortical conduction time between V1 and V4) was observed in ASD adults. These findings indicate that ASD adults have enhanced fine-form (local HSF) processing, but impaired color processing at V1. In addition, they exhibit impaired gestalt face processing due to deficits in integration of multiple local HSF facial information at V4. Thus, altered ventral stream function may contribute to abnormal social processing in ASD.
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