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Liloia D, Zamfira DA, Tanaka M, Manuello J, Crocetta A, Keller R, Cozzolino M, Duca S, Cauda F, Costa T. Disentangling the role of gray matter volume and concentration in autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analytic investigation of 25 years of voxel-based morphometry research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 164:105791. [PMID: 38960075 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Despite over two decades of neuroimaging research, a unanimous definition of the pattern of structural variation associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has yet to be found. One potential impeding issue could be the sometimes ambiguous use of measurements of variations in gray matter volume (GMV) or gray matter concentration (GMC). In fact, while both can be calculated using voxel-based morphometry analysis, these may reflect different underlying pathological mechanisms. We conducted a coordinate-based meta-analysis, keeping apart GMV and GMC studies of subjects with ASD. Results showed distinct and non-overlapping patterns for the two measures. GMV decreases were evident in the cerebellum, while GMC decreases were mainly found in the temporal and frontal regions. GMV increases were found in the parietal, temporal, and frontal brain regions, while GMC increases were observed in the anterior cingulate cortex and middle frontal gyrus. Age-stratified analyses suggested that such variations are dynamic across the ASD lifespan. The present findings emphasize the importance of considering GMV and GMC as distinct yet synergistic indices in autism research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donato Liloia
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Denisa Adina Zamfira
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Masaru Tanaka
- HUN-REN-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Hungarian Research Network, University of Szeged (HUN-REN-SZTE), Danube Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Jordi Manuello
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Annachiara Crocetta
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Roberto Keller
- Adult Autism Center, DSM Local Health Unit, ASL TO, Turin, Italy
| | - Mauro Cozzolino
- Department of Humanities, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Sergio Duca
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Franco Cauda
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Tommaso Costa
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
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Barón-Mendoza I, Martínez-Marcial M, García-Juárez M, Mejía-Hernández M, Cortés-Sánchez Y, Zamora-Sánchez CJ, García-Rebollar JO, Chavira-Ramírez R, Ordaz-Rosado D, Camacho-Arroyo I, Tecamachalzi-Silvarán MB, Montes-Narváez O, González-Flores O, García-Becerra R, González-Arenas A. Disruptions in reproductive health, sex hormonal profiles, and hypothalamic hormone receptors content in females of the C58/J mouse model of autism. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105593. [PMID: 38909429 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by differences in social communication and interaction, as well as areas of focused interests and/or repetitive behaviors. Recent studies have highlighted a higher prevalence of endocrine and reproductive disturbances among females on the autism spectrum, hinting at potential disruptions within the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary (HPO) axis. This research aims to explore the reproductive health disparities in ASD using an animal model of autism, the C58/J inbred mouse strain, with a focus on reproductive performance and hormonal profiles compared to the C57BL/6J control strain. Our findings revealed that the estrous cycle in C58/J females is disrupted, as evidenced by a lower frequency of complete cycles and a lack of cyclical release of estradiol and progesterone compared to control mice. C58/J females also exhibited poor performance in several reproductive parameters, including reproductive lifespan and fertility index. Furthermore, estrogen receptor alpha content showed a marked decrease in the hypothalamus of C58/J mice. These alterations in the estrous cycle, hormonal imbalances, and reduced reproductive function imply dysregulation in the HPO axis. Additionally, our in-silico study identified a group of genes involved in infertility carrying single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the C58/J strain, which also have human orthologs associated with autism. These findings could offer valuable insights into the molecular underpinnings of neuroendocrine axis disruption and reproductive issues observed in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barón-Mendoza
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Mónica Martínez-Marcial
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Marcos García-Juárez
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Montserrat Mejía-Hernández
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Yesenia Cortés-Sánchez
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Carmen J Zamora-Sánchez
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - Jorge Omar García-Rebollar
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Roberto Chavira-Ramírez
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14080 Ciudad de México, México
| | - David Ordaz-Rosado
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14080 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | | | - Omar Montes-Narváez
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Oscar González-Flores
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Rocío García-Becerra
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Aliesha González-Arenas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
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Rasmussen JM, Wang Y, Graham AM, Fair DA, Posner J, O'Connor TG, Simhan HN, Yen E, Madan N, Entringer S, Wadhwa PD, Buss C. Segmenting hypothalamic subunits in human newborn magnetic resonance imaging data. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26582. [PMID: 38339904 PMCID: PMC10826633 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26582] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Preclinical evidence suggests that inter-individual variation in the structure of the hypothalamus at birth is associated with variation in the intrauterine environment, with downstream implications for future disease susceptibility. However, scientific advancement in humans is limited by a lack of validated methods for the automatic segmentation of the newborn hypothalamus. N = 215 healthy full-term infants with paired T1-/T2-weighted MR images across four sites were considered for primary analyses (mean postmenstrual age = 44.3 ± 3.5 weeks, nmale /nfemale = 110/106). The outputs of FreeSurfer's hypothalamic subunit segmentation tools designed for adults (segFS) were compared against those of a novel registration-based pipeline developed here (segATLAS) and against manually edited segmentations (segMAN) as reference. Comparisons were made using Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSCs) and through expected associations with postmenstrual age at scan. In addition, we aimed to demonstrate the validity of the segATLAS pipeline by testing for the stability of inter-individual variation in hypothalamic volume across the first year of life (n = 41 longitudinal datasets available). SegFS and segATLAS segmentations demonstrated a wide spread in agreement (mean DSC = 0.65 ± 0.14 SD; range = {0.03-0.80}). SegATLAS volumes were more highly correlated with postmenstrual age at scan than segFS volumes (n = 215 infants; RsegATLAS 2 = 65% vs. RsegFS 2 = 40%), and segATLAS volumes demonstrated a higher degree of agreement with segMAN reference segmentations at the whole hypothalamus (segATLAS DSC = 0.89 ± 0.06 SD; segFS DSC = 0.68 ± 0.14 SD) and subunit levels (segATLAS DSC = 0.80 ± 0.16 SD; segFS DSC = 0.40 ± 0.26 SD). In addition, segATLAS (but not segFS) volumes demonstrated stability from near birth to ~1 years age (n = 41; R2 = 25%; p < 10-3 ). These findings highlight segATLAS as a valid and publicly available (https://github.com/jerodras/neonate_hypothalamus_seg) pipeline for the segmentation of hypothalamic subunits using human newborn MRI up to 3 months of age collected at resolutions on the order of 1 mm isotropic. Because the hypothalamus is traditionally understudied due to a lack of high-quality segmentation tools during the early life period, and because the hypothalamus is of high biological relevance to human growth and development, this tool may stimulate developmental and clinical research by providing new insight into the unique role of the hypothalamus and its subunits in shaping trajectories of early life health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerod M. Rasmussen
- Development, Health and Disease Research ProgramUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- New York State Psychiatric InstituteNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Alice M. Graham
- Department of Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandOregonUSA
| | - Damien A. Fair
- Masonic Institute for the Developing BrainUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Jonathan Posner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- New York State Psychiatric InstituteNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Thomas G. O'Connor
- Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuroscience and Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterNew YorkUSA
| | - Hyagriv N. Simhan
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Elizabeth Yen
- Department of PediatricsTufts Medical CenterBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Neel Madan
- Department of RadiologyTufts Medical CenterBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Development, Health and Disease Research ProgramUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Medical PsychologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Pathik D. Wadhwa
- Development, Health and Disease Research ProgramUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human BehaviorUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Development, Health and Disease Research ProgramUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Medical PsychologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
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Haaf R, Brandi ML, Albantakis L, Lahnakoski JM, Henco L, Schilbach L. Peripheral oxytocin levels are linked to hypothalamic gray matter volume in autistic adults: a cross-sectional secondary data analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1380. [PMID: 38228703 PMCID: PMC10791615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50770-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is known to modulate social behavior and cognition and has been discussed as pathophysiological and therapeutic factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An accumulating body of evidence indicates the hypothalamus to be of particular importance with regard to the underlying neurobiology. Here we used a region of interest voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach to investigate hypothalamic gray matter volume (GMV) in autistic (n = 29, age 36.03 ± 11.0) and non-autistic adults (n = 27, age 30.96 ± 11.2). Peripheral plasma OXT levels and the autism spectrum quotient (AQ) were used for correlation analyses. Results showed no differences in hypothalamic GMV in autistic compared to non-autistic adults but suggested a differential association between hypothalamic GMV and OXT levels, such that a positive association was found for the ASD group. In addition, hypothalamic GMV showed a positive association with autistic traits in the ASD group. Bearing in mind the limitations such as a relatively small sample size, a wide age range and a high rate of psychopharmacological treatment in the ASD sample, these results provide new preliminary evidence for a potentially important role of the HTH in ASD and its relationship to the OXT system, but also point towards the importance of interindividual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raoul Haaf
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Graduate School, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Marie-Luise Brandi
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Albantakis
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Outpatient and Day Clinic for Disorders of Social Interaction, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Juha M Lahnakoski
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lara Henco
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Outpatient and Day Clinic for Disorders of Social Interaction, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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Noritake A, Ninomiya T, Kobayashi K, Isoda M. Chemogenetic dissection of a prefrontal-hypothalamic circuit for socially subjective reward valuation in macaques. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4372. [PMID: 37474519 PMCID: PMC10359292 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40143-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The value of one's own reward is affected by the reward of others, serving as a source for envy. However, it is not known which neural circuits mediate such socially subjective value modulation. Here, we chemogenetically dissected the circuit from the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) to the lateral hypothalamus (LH) while male macaques were presented with visual stimuli that concurrently signaled the prospects of one's own and others' rewards. We found that functional disconnection between the MPFC and LH rendered animals significantly less susceptible to others' but not one's own reward prospects. In parallel with this behavioral change, inter-areal coordination, as indexed by coherence and Granger causality, decreased primarily in the delta and theta bands. These findings demonstrate that the MPFC-to-LH circuit plays a crucial role in carrying information about upcoming other-rewards for subjective reward valuation in social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Noritake
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Taihei Ninomiya
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Masaki Isoda
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan.
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Barretto-de-Souza L, Joseph SA, Lynch FM, Ng AJ, Crestani CC, Christianson JP. Melanin-concentrating hormone and orexin shape social affective behavior via action in the insular cortex of rat. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023:10.1007/s00213-023-06408-5. [PMID: 37369782 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06408-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE In a social context, individuals are able to detect external information from others and coordinate behavioral responses according to the situation, a phenomenon called social decision-making. Social decision-making is multifaceted, influenced by emotional and motivational factors like stress, sickness, and hunger. However, the neurobiological basis for motivational state competition and interaction is not well known. OBJECTIVE We investigated possible neural mechanisms through which internal states could shape social behavior in a social affective preference (SAP) test. In the SAP test, experimental rats given a choice to interact with naïve or stressed conspecifics exhibit an age-dependent preference to interact with stressed juvenile conspecifics, but avoid stressed adult conspecifics. First, we assessed the effect of food and water deprivation on SAP behavior. Behavior in the SAP test requires the insular cortex, which receives input from the ingestion-related peptides melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and orexin neurons of the lateral hypothalamus (LH). This study aimed to evaluate the role of LH and insular MCH and orexin in SAP test. METHODS SAP tests were conducted in rats that were sated, food and water deprived or allowed 1 h of access to food and water after 14 h of deprivation (relieved condition). Separate cohorts of sated rats received cannula implants for microinjection of drugs to inhibit the LH or to block or stimulate MCH or orexin receptors in the insula prior to SAP tests or social interaction tests. RESULTS Food and water deprivation prior to SAP tests with juvenile rats caused a shift in preference away from the stressed rat toward the naïve juveniles. Pharmacological inhibition of LH with muscimol (100 ng/side) abolished the preference for the juvenile-stressed conspecific, as well as the preference for the adult naïve conspecific. The blockade of MCH receptor 1or orexin receptors in the insular cortex with SNAP94847 (50 μM) or TCS1102 (1 μM), respectively, also abolished the preference for the stressed juvenile conspecific, but only the antagonism of orexin receptors was able to abolish the preference for the adult naïve conspecific. Microinjection of increasing doses (50 or 500 nM) of MCH or orexin-A in the insular cortex increased the interaction time in the one-on-one social interaction test with juvenile conspecifics; however, only the microinjection of orexin-A increased the interaction time with adult naïve conspecifics. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results suggest that lateral hypothalamus peptides shape the direction of social approach or avoidance via actions MCH and orexin neurotransmission in the insular cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Barretto-de-Souza
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Shemar A Joseph
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Francesca M Lynch
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Alexandra J Ng
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Carlos C Crestani
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - John P Christianson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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Del Casale A, Ferracuti S, Alcibiade A, Simone S, Modesti MN, Pompili M. Neuroanatomical correlates of autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 325:111516. [PMID: 35882091 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders correlated to various neuroanatomical modifications. We aimed to identify neuroanatomical changes assessed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through Activation Likelihood Estimate (ALE) meta-analysis. We included 19 peer-reviewed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies that analyzed cortical volume in patients with ASD compared to healthy control subjects (HCs). The between-group analyses comparing subjects with ASD to HCs showed a volumetric reduction of a large cluster in the right brain, including the uncus/amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, and entorhinal cortex, and putamen. The anomalies are primarily found in the right hemisphere, involved in social cognitive function, particularly impaired in ASD. These results correlate with several clinical aspects of ASD. These volumetric alterations can be considered a major correlate of disease in the context of multifactorial etiology. Further studies on brain lateralization in ASD are needed, considering the clinical phenotype variability of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Del Casale
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies; Faculty of Medicine and Psychology; Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
| | - Stefano Ferracuti
- Department of Human Neuroscience; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry; Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | | | - Sara Simone
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology; Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS); Faculty of Medicine and Psychology; Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
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Sader M, Williams JHG, Waiter GD. A meta-analytic investigation of grey matter differences in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2022; 30:560-579. [PMID: 35526083 PMCID: PMC9543727 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent research reports Anorexia Nervosa (AN) to be highly dependent upon neurobiological function. Some behaviours, particularly concerning food selectivity are found in populations with both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and AN, and there is a proportionally elevated number of anorexic patients exhibiting symptoms of ASD. We performed a systematic review of structural MRI literature with the aim of identifying common structural neural correlates common to both AN and ASD. Across 46 ASD publications, a meta‐analysis of volumetric differences between ASD and healthy controls revealed no consistently affected brain regions. Meta‐analysis of 23 AN publications revealed increased volume within the orbitofrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe, and adult‐only AN literature revealed differences within the genu of the anterior cingulate cortex. The changes are consistent with alterations in flexible reward‐related learning and episodic memory reported in neuropsychological studies. There was no structural overlap between ASD and AN. Findings suggest no consistent neuroanatomical abnormality associated with ASD, and evidence is lacking to suggest that reported behavioural similarities between those with AN and ASD are due to neuroanatomical structural similarities. Findings related to neuroanatomical structure in AN/ASD demonstrate overlap and require revisiting. Meta‐analytic findings show structural increase/decrease versus healthy controls (LPFC/MTL/OFC) in AN, but no clusters found in ASD. The neuroanatomy associated with ASD is inconsistent, but findings in AN reflect condition‐related impairment in executive function and sociocognitive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Sader
- Translational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Justin H G Williams
- Translational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Gordon D Waiter
- Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Abdelraouf ER, Rashad H, Kilany A, Zeidan HM, Elhadidy M, Hashish A, Nashaat NH, Metwally FM. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Serotonin Levels in Autistic Children: Do They Differ in Obesity? Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2021.7223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The risk of obesity among autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children is high which could be related to a disorder in their metabolism. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in metabolic control, language behavior, and intellectual development. Serotonin has a role in satiety and energy expenditure.
AIM: Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the serum levels of BDNF and serotonin in obese compared to non-obese ASD children. The influence of obesity on ASD severity, intellectual, and language development was also investigated.
METHODS: The study included 60 autistic children (Group I: 30 ASD children with obesity and Group II: 30 ASD children without obesity). The serum BDNF and serotonin levels were estimated by ELISA and by high-performance liquid chromatography.
RESULTS: All participants manifested delayed language development. Almost all of them had intellectual disability. The difference between groups regarding ASD severity, language, and intellectual development was non-significant. However, BDNF level in obese group was less than that in the other group while serotonin was higher in the obese group with significant statistical difference.
CONCLUSION: The difference between the groups regarding the levels of BDNF and serotonin, which are involved in the brain development, could be related to obesity. The influence of obesity on ASD severity, intellectual, and language development of ASD children was not distinctive in the participants. The influence of such markers on ASD severity and cognitive performance needs further investigations.
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Noritake A, Ninomiya T, Isoda M. Subcortical encoding of agent-relevant associative signals for adaptive social behavior in the macaque. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:78-87. [PMID: 33609569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Primates are group-living creatures that constantly face the challenges posed by complex social demands. To date, the cortical mechanisms underlying social information processing have been the major focus of attention. However, emerging evidence suggests that subcortical regions also mediate the collection and processing of information from other agents. Here, we review the literature supporting the hypothesis that behavioral variables important for decision-making, i.e., stimulus, action, and outcome, are associated with agent information (self and other) in subcortical regions, such as the amygdala, striatum, lateral hypothalamus, and dopaminergic midbrain nuclei. Such self-relevant and other-relevant associative signals are then integrated into a social utility signal, presumably at the level of midbrain dopamine neurons. This social utility signal allows decision makers to organize their optimal behavior in accordance with social demands. Determining how self-relevant and other-relevant signals might be altered in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders will be fundamental to better understand how social behaviors are dysregulated in disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Noritake
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan
| | - Taihei Ninomiya
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan
| | - Masaki Isoda
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan.
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11
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Morphofunctional Alterations of the Hypothalamus and Social Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10070435. [PMID: 32650534 PMCID: PMC7408098 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10070435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
An accumulating body of evidence indicates a tight relationship between the endocrine system and abnormal social behavior. Two evolutionarily conserved hypothalamic peptides, oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin, because of their extensively documented function in supporting and regulating affiliative and socio-emotional responses, have attracted great interest for their critical implications for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A large number of controlled trials demonstrated that exogenous oxytocin or arginine-vasopressin administration can mitigate social behavior impairment in ASD. Furthermore, there exists long-standing evidence of severe socioemotional dysfunctions after hypothalamic lesions in animals and humans. However, despite the major role of the hypothalamus for the synthesis and release of oxytocin and vasopressin, and the evident hypothalamic implication in affiliative behavior in animals and humans, a rather small number of neuroimaging studies showed an association between this region and socioemotional responses in ASD. This review aims to provide a critical synthesis of evidences linking alterations of the hypothalamus with impaired social cognition and behavior in ASD by integrating results of both anatomical and functional studies in individuals with ASD as well as in healthy carriers of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genetic risk variant for ASD. Current findings, although limited, indicate that morphofunctional anomalies are implicated in the pathophysiology of ASD and call for further investigations aiming to elucidate anatomical and functional properties of hypothalamic nuclei underlying atypical socioemotional behavior in ASD.
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Lukito S, Norman L, Carlisi C, Radua J, Hart H, Simonoff E, Rubia K. Comparative meta-analyses of brain structural and functional abnormalities during cognitive control in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Psychol Med 2020; 50:894-919. [PMID: 32216846 PMCID: PMC7212063 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720000574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have abnormalities in frontal, temporal, parietal and striato-thalamic networks. It is unclear to what extent these abnormalities are distinctive or shared. This comparative meta-analysis aimed to identify the most consistent disorder-differentiating and shared structural and functional abnormalities. METHODS Systematic literature search was conducted for whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of cognitive control comparing people with ASD or ADHD with typically developing controls. Regional gray matter volume (GMV) and fMRI abnormalities during cognitive control were compared in the overall sample and in age-, sex- and IQ-matched subgroups with seed-based d mapping meta-analytic methods. RESULTS Eighty-six independent VBM (1533 ADHD and 1295 controls; 1445 ASD and 1477 controls) and 60 fMRI datasets (1001 ADHD and 1004 controls; 335 ASD and 353 controls) were identified. The VBM meta-analyses revealed ADHD-differentiating decreased ventromedial orbitofrontal (z = 2.22, p < 0.0001) but ASD-differentiating increased bilateral temporal and right dorsolateral prefrontal GMV (zs ⩾ 1.64, ps ⩽ 0.002). The fMRI meta-analyses of cognitive control revealed ASD-differentiating medial prefrontal underactivation but overactivation in bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortices and precuneus (zs ⩾ 1.04, ps ⩽ 0.003). During motor response inhibition specifically, ADHD relative to ASD showed right inferior fronto-striatal underactivation (zs ⩾ 1.14, ps ⩽ 0.003) but shared right anterior insula underactivation. CONCLUSIONS People with ADHD and ASD have mostly distinct structural abnormalities, with enlarged fronto-temporal GMV in ASD and reduced orbitofrontal GMV in ADHD; and mostly distinct functional abnormalities, which were more pronounced in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Lukito
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Luke Norman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- The Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christina Carlisi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Imaging of Mood- and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heledd Hart
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emily Simonoff
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Katya Rubia
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Representation of distinct reward variables for self and other in primate lateral hypothalamus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:5516-5524. [PMID: 32094192 PMCID: PMC7071915 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917156117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation is affected by rewards to both oneself and others. Which brain regions separately monitor self-rewards and other-rewards? It has been thought that higher-order, neocortical regions, such as the medial prefrontal cortex, monitor behavioral information in agent-selective manners. Here, we show that a subcortical region called the lateral hypothalamus (LH), an evolutionarily old structure in the vertebrate brain, also contains agent-specific reward information and further integrates it into a subjective reward value. This other-reward–dependent value signal is causally used for adaptive behavior, because deactivation of LH cells totally eliminates the motivational impact of other-rewards. Our findings indicate that the LH is an integral component of social brain networks and shapes socially motivated behavior via functional coordination with neocortical regions. The lateral hypothalamus (LH) has long been implicated in maintaining behavioral homeostasis essential for the survival of an individual. However, recent evidence suggests its more widespread roles in behavioral coordination, extending to the social domain. The neuronal and circuit mechanisms behind the LH processing of social information are unknown. Here, we show that the LH represents distinct reward variables for “self” and “other” and is causally involved in shaping socially motivated behavior. During a Pavlovian conditioning procedure incorporating ubiquitous social experiences where rewards to others affect one’s motivation, LH cells encoded the subjective value of self-rewards, as well as the likelihood of self- or other-rewards. The other-reward coding was not a general consequence of other’s existence, but a specific effect of other’s reward availability. Coherent activity with and top-down information flow from the medial prefrontal cortex, a hub of social brain networks, contributed to signal encoding in the LH. Furthermore, deactivation of LH cells eliminated the motivational impact of other-rewards. These results indicate that the LH constitutes a subcortical node in social brain networks and shapes one’s motivation by integrating cortically derived, agent-specific reward information.
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Wilczyński KM, Zasada I, Siwiec A, Janas-Kozik M. Differences in oxytocin and vasopressin levels in individuals suffering from the autism spectrum disorders vs general population - a systematic review. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2019; 15:2613-2620. [PMID: 31571878 PMCID: PMC6750159 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s207580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interactions, communication, and the presence of stereotyped, repetitive behaviors. Oxytocin (OXT) and arginine-vasopressin are neuropeptides produced in hypothalamus and they are related to processing emotions and social behavior. In the light of a growing number of scientific reports related to this issue, the two neurohormones started to be linked with the basis of neurodevelopmental disorders, including the ASD. The aim of this study was a systematic review of previous studies regarding the differences in OXT and vasopressin levels in ASD and neurotypical persons. MATERIALS AND METHODS Literature review focused on publications in the last 10 years located via the MEDLINE/PubMed database as well as the Google Scholar browser. Selection was made by assumptive criteria of inclusion and exclusion. RESULTS From the 487 studies qualified to the initial abstract analysis, 12 met the six inclusion criteria and were included in the full-text review. CONCLUSION Currently, available study reports still do not provide unequivocal answers as to the differences in concentrations of those neuropeptides between children with ASD and neurotypical control. Therefore, it is necessary to continue the research taking into account necessity of proper homogenization of study groups, utilization of objective and quantifiable tools for ASD diagnosis and broadening the range of biochemical and molecular factors analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof M Wilczyński
- Clinical Ward of Developmental Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- John Paul II’s Pediatric Centre in Sosnowiec, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Ida Zasada
- Clinical Ward of Developmental Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- John Paul II’s Pediatric Centre in Sosnowiec, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Andrzej Siwiec
- John Paul II’s Pediatric Centre in Sosnowiec, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Janas-Kozik
- Clinical Ward of Developmental Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- John Paul II’s Pediatric Centre in Sosnowiec, Sosnowiec, Poland
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15
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Roberts BL, Bennett BJ, Bennett CM, Carroll JM, Dalbøge LS, Hall C, Hassouneh W, Heppner KM, Kirigiti MA, Lindsley SR, Tennant KG, True CA, Whittle A, Wolf AC, Roberts CT, Tang-Christensen M, Sleeman MW, Cowley MA, Grove KL, Kievit P. Reelin is modulated by diet-induced obesity and has direct actions on arcuate proopiomelanocortin neurons. Mol Metab 2019; 26:18-29. [PMID: 31230943 PMCID: PMC6667498 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Reelin (RELN) is a large glycoprotein involved in synapse maturation and neuronal organization throughout development. Deficits in RELN signaling contribute to multiple psychological disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Nutritional stress alters RELN expression in brain regions associated with these disorders; however, the involvement of RELN in the neural circuits involved in energy metabolism is unknown. The RELN receptors apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2) and very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) are involved in lipid metabolism and expressed in the hypothalamus. Here we explored the involvement of RELN in hypothalamic signaling and the impact of diet-induced obesity (DIO) on this system. Methods Adult male mice were fed a chow diet or maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12–16 weeks. HFD-fed DIO mice exhibited decreased ApoER2 and VLDLR expression and increased RELN protein in the hypothalamus. Electrophysiology was used to determine the mechanism by which the central fragment of RELN (CF-RELN) acts on arcuate nucleus (ARH) satiety-promoting proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and the impact of DIO on this circuitry. Results CF-RELN exhibited heterogeneous presynaptic actions on inhibitory inputs onto ARH-POMC-EGFP neurons and consistent postsynaptic actions. Additionally, central administration of CF-RELN caused a significant increase in ARH c-Fos expression and an acute decrease in food intake and body weight. Conclusions We conclude that RELN signaling is modulated by diet, that RELN is involved in synaptic signaling onto ARH-POMC neurons, and that altering central CF-RELN levels can impact food intake and body weight. Diet-induced obesity alters reelin protein levels and expression of ApoER2 and VLDLR. Reelin has direct, but divergent actions on GABAergic inputs onto POMC neurons. Central administration of reelin protein decreases food intake and body weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Roberts
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Baylin J Bennett
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Camdin M Bennett
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Julie M Carroll
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | | | - Colin Hall
- Obesity Research Center, Novo Nordisk, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Wafa Hassouneh
- Obesity Research Center, Novo Nordisk, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | | | - Melissa A Kirigiti
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Sarah R Lindsley
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Katherine G Tennant
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Cadence A True
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Andrew Whittle
- Obesity Research Center, Novo Nordisk, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Anitra C Wolf
- Obesity Research Center, Novo Nordisk, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Charles T Roberts
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | | | - Mark W Sleeman
- Department of Physiology, Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael A Cowley
- Department of Physiology, Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin L Grove
- Obesity Research Center, Novo Nordisk, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Paul Kievit
- Division of Cardiometabolic Health, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
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16
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Fu Z, Tu Y, Di X, Du Y, Sui J, Biswal BB, Zhang Z, de Lacy N, Calhoun VD. Transient increased thalamic-sensory connectivity and decreased whole-brain dynamism in autism. Neuroimage 2019; 190:191-204. [PMID: 29883735 PMCID: PMC6281849 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with social communication deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors and is characterized by large-scale atypical subcortical-cortical connectivity, including impaired resting-state functional connectivity between thalamic and sensory regions. Previous studies have typically focused on the abnormal static connectivity in ASD and overlooked potential valuable dynamic patterns in brain connectivity. However, resting-state brain connectivity is indeed highly dynamic, and abnormalities in dynamic brain connectivity have been widely identified in psychiatric disorders. In this study, we investigated the dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) between 51 intrinsic connectivity networks in 170 individuals with ASD and 195 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls using independent component analysis and a sliding window approach. A hard clustering state analysis and a fuzzy meta-state analysis were conducted respectively, for the exploration of local and global aberrant dynamic connectivity patterns in ASD. We examined the group difference in dFNC between thalamic and sensory networks in each functional state and group differences in four high-dimensional dynamic measures. The results showed that compared with TD controls, individuals with ASD show an increase in transient connectivity between hypothalamus/subthalamus and some sensory networks (right postcentral gyrus, bi paracentral lobule, and lingual gyrus) in certain functional states, and diminished global meta-state dynamics of the whole-brain functional network. In addition, these atypical dynamic patterns are significantly associated with autistic symptoms indexed by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. These converging results support and extend previous observations regarding hyperconnectivity between thalamic and sensory regions and stable whole-brain functional configuration in ASD. Dynamic brain connectivity may serve as a potential biomarker of ASD and further investigation of these dynamic patterns might help to advance our understanding of behavioral differences in this complex neurodevelopmental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zening Fu
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yiheng Tu
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin Di
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Yuhui Du
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA; School of Computer & Information Technology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jing Sui
- Brainnetome Center and National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bharat B Biswal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - N de Lacy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - V D Calhoun
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Conway F, Brown AS. Maternal Immune Activation and Related Factors in the Risk of Offspring Psychiatric Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:430. [PMID: 31316403 PMCID: PMC6611212 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) at the time of gestation has been linked to increased risk of neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders. Animal and human models have been used to evaluate the relationship between MIA and these outcomes. Given that each of these two disciplines of study have their benefits and limitations, a translational perspective is expected to illuminate more than by the use of any single approach. In this article, we discuss this translational framework and explore how it may be enhanced by the utilization of epigenetic studies and by investigating the microbiome. In this perspectives piece, we focus on the impact of epidemiologic studies, animal models, and preclinical studies in the literature on MIA as well as the potential for greater integration between fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Conway
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alan S Brown
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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18
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Basil P, Li Q, Gui H, Hui TCK, Ling VHM, Wong CCY, Mill J, McAlonan GM, Sham PC. Prenatal immune activation alters the adult neural epigenome but can be partly stabilised by a n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:125. [PMID: 29967385 PMCID: PMC6028639 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0167-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
An unstable epigenome is implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. This is important because the epigenome is potentially modifiable. We have previously reported that adult offspring exposed to maternal immune activation (MIA) prenatally have significant global DNA hypomethylation in the hypothalamus. However, what genes had altered methylation state, their functional effects on gene expression and whether these changes can be moderated, have not been addressed. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing (NGS) for methylome profiling in a MIA rodent model of neurodevelopmental disorders. We assessed whether differentially methylated regions (DMRs) affected the chromatin state by mapping known DNase I hypersensitivity sites (DHSs), and selected overlapping genes to confirm a functional effect of MIA on gene expression using qPCR. Finally, we tested whether methylation differences elicited by MIA could be limited by post-natal dietary (omega) n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation. These experiments were conducted using hypothalamic brain tissue from 12-week-old offspring of mice injected with viral analogue PolyI:C on gestation day 9 of pregnancy or saline on gestation day 9. Half of the animals from each group were fed a diet enriched with n-3 PUFA from weaning (MIA group, n = 12 units, n = 39 mice; Control group, n = 12 units, n = 38 mice). The results confirmed our previous finding that adult offspring exposed to MIA prenatally had significant global DNA hypomethylation. Furthermore, genes linked to synaptic plasticity were over-represented among differentially methylated genes following MIA. More than 80% of MIA-induced hypomethylated sites, including those affecting chromatin state and MECP2 binding, were stabilised by the n-3 PUFA intervention. MIA resulted in increased expression of two of the 'top five' genes identified from an integrated analysis of DMRs, DHSs and MECP2 binding sites, namely Abat (t = 2.46, p < 0.02) and Gnas9 (t = 2.96, p < 0.01), although these changes were not stabilised by dietary intervention. Thus, prenatal MIA exposure impacts upon the epigenomic regulation of gene pathways linked to neurodevelopmental conditions; and many of the changes can be attenuated by a low-cost dietary intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Basil
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China ,0000 0001 2160 926Xgrid.39382.33Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China ,State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Hongsheng Gui
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Tomy C. K. Hui
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Vicki H. M. Ling
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Chloe C. Y. Wong
- 0000 0001 2322 6764grid.13097.3cMRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Jonathan Mill
- 0000 0001 2322 6764grid.13097.3cMRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK ,0000 0004 1936 8024grid.8391.3University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, St Luke’s Campus, Magdalen Street, Exeter, EX1 2LU UK
| | - Grainne M. McAlonan
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China ,0000 0001 2322 6764grid.13097.3cDepartment of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Pak-Chung Sham
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Centre for Genomic Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Placental H3K27me3 establishes female resilience to prenatal insults. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2555. [PMID: 29967448 PMCID: PMC6028627 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04992-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although sex biases in disease presentation are well documented, the mechanisms mediating vulnerability or resilience to diseases are unknown. In utero insults are more likely to produce detrimental health outcomes for males versus females. In our mouse model of prenatal stress, male offspring experience long-term dysregulation of body weight and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal stress axis dysfunction, endophenotypes of male-biased neurodevelopmental disorders. Placental function is critical for healthy fetal development, and we previously showed that sex differences in placental O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) mediate the effects of prenatal stress on neurodevelopmental programming. Here we show that one mechanism whereby sex differences in OGT confer variation in vulnerability to prenatal insults is by establishing sex-specific trophoblast gene expression patterns and via regulation of the canonically repressive epigenetic modification, H3K27me3. We demonstrate that high levels of H3K27me3 in the female placenta create resilience to the altered hypothalamic programming associated with prenatal stress exposure. Sex differences in placental O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) activity mediate the effects of prenatal stress on neurodevelopmental programming. Here authors provide evidence that OGT confers variation in vulnerability to prenatal insults by establishing sex-specific trophoblast gene expression via regulation of H3K27me3.
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Kathuria A, Nowosiad P, Jagasia R, Aigner S, Taylor RD, Andreae LC, Gatford NJF, Lucchesi W, Srivastava DP, Price J. Stem cell-derived neurons from autistic individuals with SHANK3 mutation show morphogenetic abnormalities during early development. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:735-746. [PMID: 28948968 PMCID: PMC5822449 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Shank3 is a structural protein found predominantly at the postsynaptic density. Mutations in the SHANK3 gene have been associated with risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from control individuals and from human donors with ASD carrying microdeletions of SHANK3. In addition, we used Zinc finger nucleases to generate isogenic SHANK3 knockout human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines. We differentiated pluripotent cells into either cortical or olfactory placodal neurons. We show that patient-derived placodal neurons make fewer synapses than control cells. Moreover, patient-derived cells display a developmental phenotype: young postmitotic neurons have smaller cell bodies, more extensively branched neurites, and reduced motility compared with controls. These phenotypes were mimicked by SHANK3-edited ES cells and rescued by transduction with a Shank3 expression construct. This developmental phenotype is not observed in the same iPSC lines differentiated into cortical neurons. Therefore, we suggest that SHANK3 has a critical role in neuronal morphogenesis in placodal neurons and that early defects are associated with ASD-associated mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kathuria
- Cells & Behavior Unit, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - P Nowosiad
- Cells & Behavior Unit, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - R Jagasia
- CNS Discovery/F-Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - S Aigner
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine School of Medicine University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - R D Taylor
- Developmental Neurobiology/New Hunt’s House Guy’s Campus, King’s College London, London, UK,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - L C Andreae
- Developmental Neurobiology/New Hunt’s House Guy’s Campus, King’s College London, London, UK,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - N J F Gatford
- Cells & Behavior Unit, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - W Lucchesi
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - D P Srivastava
- Cells & Behavior Unit, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - J Price
- Cells & Behavior Unit, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK,Division of Advanced Therapies, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Hertfordshire, UK,Cells & Behavior Unit, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK. E-mail:
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Ganglberger F, Kaczanowska J, Penninger JM, Hess A, Bühler K, Haubensak W. Predicting functional neuroanatomical maps from fusing brain networks with genetic information. Neuroimage 2017; 170:113-120. [PMID: 28877513 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional neuroanatomical maps provide a mesoscale reference framework for studies from molecular to systems neuroscience and psychiatry. The underlying structure-function relationships are typically derived from functional manipulations or imaging approaches. Although highly informative, these are experimentally costly. The increasing amount of publicly available brain and genetic data offers a rich source that could be mined to address this problem computationally. Here, we developed an algorithm that fuses gene expression and connectivity data with functional genetic meta data and exploits cumulative effects to derive neuroanatomical maps related to multi-genic functions. We validated the approach by using public available mouse and human data. The generated neuroanatomical maps recapture known functional anatomical annotations from literature and functional MRI data. When applied to multi-genic meta data from mouse quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies and human neuropsychiatric databases, this method predicted known functional maps underlying behavioral or psychiatric traits. Taken together, genetically weighted connectivity analysis (GWCA) allows for high throughput functional exploration of brain anatomy in silico. It maps functional genetic associations onto brain circuitry for refining functional neuroanatomy, or identifying trait-associated brain circuitry, from genetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna Kaczanowska
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Josef M Penninger
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Hess
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Fahrstrasse 17, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Katja Bühler
- VRVis Research Center, Donau-City Strasse 11, 1220, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Wulf Haubensak
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
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Gray matter abnormalities in pediatric autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis with signed differential mapping. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 26:933-945. [PMID: 28233073 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-017-0964-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The gray matter abnormalities revealed by magnetic resonance imaging are inconsistent, especially in pediatric individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (age < 18 years old), a phenomenon possibly related to the core pathophysiology of ASD. The purpose of our meta-analysis was to identify and map the specific gray matter abnormalities in pediatric ASD individuals thereby exploring the potential effects of clinical and demographic characteristics of these gray matter changes. A systematic search was conducted to identify voxel-based morphometry studies in pediatric individuals with ASD. The effect-size signed differential mapping method was used to quantitatively estimate the regional gray matter abnormalities in pediatric ASD individuals. Meta-regression was used to examine the associations among age, gender, intelligence quotient, symptom severity and gray matter changes. Fifteen studies including 364 pediatric individuals with ASD (male = 282, age = 10.3 ± 4.4 years) and 377 healthy controls (male = 289, age = 10.5 ± 4.2 years) were included. Pediatric ASD individuals showed significant gray matter increases in the right angular gyrus, left superior and middle frontal gyrus, left precuneus, left inferior occipital gyrus and right inferior temporal gyrus, most of which involving the default mode network, and decreases in the left cerebellum and left postcentral gyrus. The meta-regression analysis showed that the repetitive behavior scores of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised were positively associated with increased gray matter volumes in the right angular gyrus. Increased rather than decreased gray matter volume, especially involving the angular gyrus and prefrontal cortex may be the core pathophysiology in the early course of ASD.
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Carlisi CO, Norman LJ, Lukito SS, Radua J, Mataix-Cols D, Rubia K. Comparative Multimodal Meta-analysis of Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 82:83-102. [PMID: 27887721 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share inhibitory control deficits possibly underlying poor control over stereotyped and repetitive and compulsive behaviors, respectively. However, it is unclear whether these symptom profiles are mediated by common or distinct neural profiles. This comparative multimodal meta-analysis assessed shared and disorder-specific neuroanatomy and neurofunction of inhibitory functions. METHODS A comparative meta-analysis of 62 voxel-based morphometry and 26 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of inhibitory control was conducted comparing gray matter volume and activation abnormalities between patients with ASD (structural MRI: 911; fMRI: 188) and OCD (structural MRI: 928; fMRI: 247) and control subjects. Multimodal meta-analysis compared groups across voxel-based morphometry and fMRI. RESULTS Both disorders shared reduced function and structure in the rostral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex including the anterior cingulate. OCD patients had a disorder-specific increase in structure and function of left basal ganglia (BG) and insula relative to control subjects and ASD patients, who had reduced right BG and insula volumes versus OCD patients. In fMRI, ASD patients showed disorder-specific reduced left dorsolateral-prefrontal activation and reduced posterior cingulate deactivation, whereas OCD patients showed temporoparietal underactivation. CONCLUSIONS The multimodal comparative meta-analysis shows shared and disorder-specific abnormalities. Whereas the rostrodorsomedial prefrontal cortex was smaller in structure and function in both disorders, this was concomitant with increased structure and function in BG and insula in OCD patients, but a reduction in ASD patients, presumably reflecting a disorder-specific frontostriatoinsular dysregulation in OCD in the form of poor frontal control over overactive BG, and a frontostriatoinsular maldevelopment in ASD with reduced structure and function in this network. Disorder-differential mechanisms appear to drive overlapping phenotypes of inhibitory control abnormalities in patients with ASD and OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina O Carlisi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Luke J Norman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steve S Lukito
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Mataix-Cols
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katya Rubia
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Inui T, Kumagaya S, Myowa-Yamakoshi M. Neurodevelopmental Hypothesis about the Etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:354. [PMID: 28744208 PMCID: PMC5504094 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous models or hypotheses of autism spectral disorder (ASD) failed to take into full consideration the chronological and causal developmental trajectory, leading to the emergence of diverse phenotypes through a complex interaction between individual etiologies and environmental factors. Those phenotypes include persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction (criteria A in DSM-5), and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (criteria B in DSM-5). In this article, we proposed a domain-general model that can explain criteria in DSM-5 based on the assumption that the same etiological mechanism would trigger the various phenotypes observed in different individuals with ASD. In the model, we assumed the following joint causes as the etiology of autism: (1) Hypoplasia of the pons in the brainstem, occurring immediately following neural tube closure; and (2) Deficiency in the GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) developmental switch during the perinatal period. Microstructural abnormalities of the pons directly affect both the structural and functional development of the brain areas strongly connected to it, especially amygdala. The impairment of GABA switch could not only lead to the deterioration of inhibitory processing in the neural network, but could also cause abnormal cytoarchitecture. We introduced a perspective that atypical development in both brain structure and function can give full explanation of diverse phenotypes and pathogenetic mechanism of ASD. Finally, we discussed about neural mechanisms underlying the phenotypic characteristics of ASD that are not described in DSM-5 but should be considered as important foundation: sleep, global precedence, categorical perception, intelligence, interoception and motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshio Inui
- Department of Psychology, Otemon Gakuin UniversityOsaka, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Kumagaya
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of TokyoTokyo, Japan
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Prenatal lipopolysaccharide induces hypothalamic dopaminergic hypoactivity and autistic-like behaviors: Repetitive self-grooming and stereotypies. Behav Brain Res 2017; 331:25-29. [PMID: 28526515 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous investigations by our group have shown that prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which mimics infection by gram-negative bacteria, induces social, cognitive, and communication deficits. For a complete screening of autistic-like behaviors, the objective of this study was to evaluate if our rat model also induces restricted and repetitive stereotyped behaviors. Thus, we studied the self-grooming microstructure. We also studied the neurochemistry of hypothalamus and frontal cortex, which are brain areas related to autism to better understand central mechanisms involved in our model. Prenatal LPS exposure on gestational day 9.5 increased the head washing episodes (frequency and time), as well as the total self-grooming. However, body grooming, paw/leg licking, tail/genital grooming, and circling behavior/tail chasing did not vary significantly among the groups. Moreover, prenatal LPS induced dopaminergic hypoactivity (HVA metabolite and turnover) in the hypothalamus. Therefore, our rat model induced restricted and repetitive stereotyped behaviors and the other main symptoms of autism experimentally studied in rodent models and also found in patients. The hypothalamic dopaminergic impairments seem to be associated with the autistic-like behaviors.
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A Volumetric and Functional Connectivity MRI Study of Brain Arginine-Vasopressin Pathways in Autistic Children. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:130-142. [PMID: 28258508 PMCID: PMC5360858 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0109-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of brain-derived arginine-vasopressin (AVP) systems may be involved in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Certain regions such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus are known to contain either AVP neurons or terminals and may play an important role in regulating complex social behaviors. The present study was designed to investigate the concomitant changes in autistic behaviors, circulating AVP levels, and the structure and functional connectivity (FC) of specific brain regions in autistic children compared with typically developing children (TDC) aged from 3 to 5 years. The results showed: (1) children with ASD had a significantly increased volume in the left amygdala and left hippocampus, and a significantly decreased volume in the bilateral hypothalamus compared to TDC, and these were positively correlated with plasma AVP level. (2) Autistic children had a negative FC between the left amygdala and the bilateral supramarginal gyri compared to TDC. The degree of the negative FC between amygdala and supramarginal gyrus was associated with a higher score on the clinical autism behavior checklist. (3) The degree of negative FC between left amygdala and left supramarginal gyrus was associated with a lowering of the circulating AVP concentration in boys with ASD. (4) Autistic children showed a higher FC between left hippocampus and right subcortical area compared to TDC. (5) The circulating AVP was negatively correlated with the visual and listening response score of the childhood autism rating scale. These results strongly suggest that changes in structure and FC in brain regions containing AVP may be involved in the etiology of autism.
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27
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Vanya M, Szucs S, Vetro A, Bartfai G. The potential role of oxytocin and perinatal factors in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders - review of the literature. Psychiatry Res 2017; 247:288-290. [PMID: 27974283 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by: social and communication impairments, and by restricted repetitive behaviors. The aim of the present paper is to review abnormalities of oxytocin (OXT) and related congenital malformations in ASD. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database up to 2016 for articles related to the pathomechanism of ASD, abnormalities of OXT and the OXT polymorphism in ASD. The pathomechanism of ASD has yet to be. The development of ASD is suggested to be related to abnormalities of the oxytocin-arginin-vasopressin system. Previous results suggest that OXT and arginine vasopressin (AVP) may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda Vanya
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary; KF TFK Health Research and Health Promotion Research Group, Kecskemet, Hungary.
| | - Szabina Szucs
- Division of Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Paediatrics, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Agnes Vetro
- Division of Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Paediatrics, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gyorgy Bartfai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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28
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Yang X, Si T, Gong Q, Qiu L, Jia Z, Zhou M, Zhao Y, Hu X, Wu M, Zhu H. Brain gray matter alterations and associated demographic profiles in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2016; 50:741-53. [PMID: 26769980 DOI: 10.1177/0004867415623858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that children with autism spectrum disorder are accompanied by specific anatomical alterations. However, the anatomical abnormalities in adults with autism spectrum disorder are poorly understood. This study was aimed to identify the neuroanatomical substrates underlying the pathophysiology of adults with autism spectrum disorder. We also investigated the relationship between neuroanatomical alterations and clinical and demographic characteristics. METHODS A total of 13 datasets were enrolled, of which 12 studies compared whole-brain differences of 382 adult patients with autism and 393 healthy control subjects. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively estimate regional gray matter volume abnormalities in individuals with autism using the effect-size signed differential mapping. RESULTS The voxel-wise meta-analysis revealed that relative to controls, adults with autism spectrum disorder had significantly increased gray matter volume in the middle temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus and parahippocampal gyrus, and reduced gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex and cerebellum. Variations in gray matter volume were significantly associated with the mean age and mean total IQ score of the patients, as well as with the percentage of male patients with autism. CONCLUSION These findings confirmed that the neuroanatomical alterations in the fronto-temporal cortices, limbic system and cerebellum in adult individuals with autism were different from the children and young adolescent's autism. The effects of demographic characteristics on the brain morphological changes allow us to further clarify the neurobiological mechanisms and developmental trajectory in adult population with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Yang
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianjing Si
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Department of Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lihua Qiu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Department of Radiology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, China
| | - Zhiyun Jia
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mi Zhou
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China
| | - Youjin Zhao
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Wu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyan Zhu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Azmitia EC, Saccomano ZT, Alzoobaee MF, Boldrini M, Whitaker-Azmitia PM. Persistent Angiogenesis in the Autism Brain: An Immunocytochemical Study of Postmortem Cortex, Brainstem and Cerebellum. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:1307-18. [PMID: 26667147 PMCID: PMC4836621 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2672-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the current work, we conducted an immunocytochemical search for markers of ongoing neurogenesis (e.g. nestin) in auditory cortex from postmortem sections of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and age-matched control donors. We found nestin labeling in cells of the vascular system, indicating blood vessels plasticity. Evidence of angiogenesis was seen throughout superior temporal cortex (primary auditory cortex), fusiform cortex (face recognition center), pons/midbrain and cerebellum in postmortem brains from ASD patients but not control brains. We found significant increases in both nestin and CD34, which are markers of angiogenesis localized to pericyte cells and endothelial cells, respectively. This labeling profile is indicative of splitting (intussusceptive), rather than sprouting, angiogenesis indicating the blood vessels are in constant flux rather than continually expanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- E C Azmitia
- Departments of Biology and Psychiatry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Z T Saccomano
- Departments of Biology and Psychiatry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - M F Alzoobaee
- Departments of Biology and Psychiatry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - M Boldrini
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - P M Whitaker-Azmitia
- Departments of Psychology Program in Integrative Neuroscience, and Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
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Štefánik P, Olexová L, Kršková L. Increased sociability and gene expression of oxytocin and its receptor in the brains of rats affected prenatally by valproic acid. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 131:42-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Clustering autism: using neuroanatomical differences in 26 mouse models to gain insight into the heterogeneity. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:118-25. [PMID: 25199916 PMCID: PMC4426202 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a heritable disorder, with over 250 associated genes identified to date, yet no single gene accounts for >1-2% of cases. The clinical presentation, behavioural symptoms, imaging and histopathology findings are strikingly heterogeneous. A more complete understanding of autism can be obtained by examining multiple genetic or behavioural mouse models of autism using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based neuroanatomical phenotyping. Twenty-six different mouse models were examined and the consistently found abnormal brain regions across models were parieto-temporal lobe, cerebellar cortex, frontal lobe, hypothalamus and striatum. These models separated into three distinct clusters, two of which can be linked to the under and over-connectivity found in autism. These clusters also identified previously unknown connections between Nrxn1α, En2 and Fmr1; Nlgn3, BTBR and Slc6A4; and also between X monosomy and Mecp2. With no single treatment for autism found, clustering autism using neuroanatomy and identifying these strong connections may prove to be a crucial step in predicting treatment response.
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32
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Seneff S, Swanson N, Li C. Aluminum and Glyphosate Can Synergistically Induce Pineal Gland Pathology: Connection to Gut Dysbiosis and Neurological Disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.4236/as.2015.61005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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33
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Holle D, Obermann M. Cluster headache and the hypothalamus: causal relationship or epiphenomenon? Expert Rev Neurother 2014; 11:1255-63. [DOI: 10.1586/ern.11.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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34
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Wang J, Qin W, Liu B, Wang D, Zhang Y, Jiang T, Yu C. Variant in OXTR gene and functional connectivity of the hypothalamus in normal subjects. Neuroimage 2013; 81:199-204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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35
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Ramsey JM, Guest PC, Broek JA, Glennon JC, Rommelse N, Franke B, Rahmoune H, Buitelaar JK, Bahn S. Identification of an age-dependent biomarker signature in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Mol Autism 2013; 4:27. [PMID: 23915542 PMCID: PMC3751071 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-4-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental conditions with symptoms manifesting before the age of 3, generally persisting throughout life and affecting social development and communication. Here, we have investigated changes in protein biomarkers in blood during childhood and adolescent development. Methods We carried out a multiplex immunoassay profiling analysis of serum samples from 37 individuals with a diagnosis of ASD and their matched, non-affected siblings, aged between 4 and 18 years, to identify molecular pathways affected over the course of ASDs. Results This analysis revealed age-dependent differences in the levels of 12 proteins involved in inflammation, growth and hormonal signaling. Conclusions These deviations in age-related molecular trajectories provide further insight into the progression and pathophysiology of the disorder and, if replicated, may contribute to better classification of ASD individuals, as well as to improved treatment and prognosis. The results also underline the importance of stratifying and analyzing samples by age, especially in ASD and potentially other developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Ramsey
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QT, UK.
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Integrative approaches utilizing oxytocin to enhance prosocial behavior: from animal and human social behavior to autistic social dysfunction. J Neurosci 2013; 32:14109-17. [PMID: 23055480 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3327-12.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is as high as 1 in 100 individuals and is a heavy burden to society. Thus, identifying causes and treatments is imperative. Here, we briefly review the topics covered in our 2012 Society for Neuroscience Mini-Symposium entitled "Integrative Approaches Using Oxytocin to Enhance Prosocial Behavior: From Animal and Human Social Behavior to ASD's Social Dysfunction." This work is not meant to be a comprehensive review of oxytocin and prosocial behavior. Instead, we wish to share the newest findings on the effects of oxytocin on social behavior, the brain, and the social dysfunction of ASD at the molecular, genetic, systemic, and behavior levels, in varied subjects ranging from animal models to humans suffering from autism for the purpose of promoting further study for developing the clinical use of oxytocin in treating ASD.
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Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H. Neural mechanisms of social risk for psychiatric disorders. Nat Neurosci 2012; 15:663-8. [PMID: 22504349 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mental health and social life are intimately inter-related, as demonstrated by the frequent social deficits of psychiatric patients and the increased rate of psychiatric disorders in people exposed to social environmental adversity. Here, we review emerging evidence that combines epidemiology, social psychology and neuroscience to bring neural mechanisms of social risk factors for mental illness into focus. In doing so, we discuss existing evidence on the effects of common genetic risk factors in social neural pathways and outline the need for integrative approaches to identify the converging mechanisms of social environmental and genetic risk in brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
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Tost H, Kolachana B, Verchinski BA, Bilek E, Goldman AL, Mattay VS, Weinberger DR, Meyer-Lindenberg A. Neurogenetic effects of OXTR rs2254298 in the extended limbic system of healthy Caucasian adults. Biol Psychiatry 2011; 70:e37-9; author reply e41-2. [PMID: 21872215 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.06.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2011] [Accepted: 06/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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