1
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Denisova K. Neurobiology of cognitive abilities in early childhood autism. JCPP ADVANCES 2024; 4:e12214. [PMID: 38827984 PMCID: PMC11143961 DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This perspective considers complexities in the relationship between impaired cognitive abilities and autism from a maturational, developmental perspective, and aims to serve as a helpful guide for the complex and growing investigation of cognitive abilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Low Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and ASD are frequently co-occurring. About 37% of 8-year old children and 48% of 4-year old children diagnosed with ASD also have Intellectual Disability, with IQ below 70. And, low IQ in early infancy, including below 1 year of age, carries a 40% greater chance of receiving ASD diagnosis in early childhood. We consider the evidence that may explain this co-occurrence, including the possibility that high IQ may "rescue" the social communication issues, as well as the possible role of critical periods during growth and development. We consider how early low IQ may subsume a part of a subgroup of individuals with ASD, in particular, those diagnosed with autism in very early childhood, and we provide neurobiological evidence in support of this subtype. Moreover, we distinguish the concept of early low IQ from the delay in speech onset in preschool and school-aged children, based on (i) age and (ii) impairments in both verbal and non-verbal domains. The etiology of these early-diagnosed, early low IQ ASD cases is different from later-diagnosed, average or higher-IQ cases, and from children with speech delay onset. Given recent interest in formulating new subtypes of autism, rather than continuing to conceive of ASD as a spectrum, as well as new subtypes that vary in the degree of severity along the spectrum, we identify gaps in knowledge and directions for future work in this complex and growing area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Denisova
- Division of Math and Natural SciencesDepartment of PsychologyAutism Origins LabCity University of New YorkQueens College and Graduate CenterQueensNew YorkUSA
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2
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Green HL, Shen G, Franzen RE, Mcnamee M, Berman JI, Mowad TG, Ku M, Bloy L, Liu S, Chen YH, Airey M, McBride E, Goldin S, Dipiero MA, Blaskey L, Kuschner ES, Kim M, Konka K, Roberts TPL, Edgar JC. Differential Maturation of Auditory Cortex Activity in Young Children with Autism and Typical Development. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4076-4089. [PMID: 35960416 PMCID: PMC9372967 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05696-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maturation of auditory cortex neural encoding processes was assessed in children with typical development (TD) and autism. Children 6-9 years old were enrolled at Time 1 (T1), with follow-up data obtained ~ 18 months later at Time 2 (T2), and ~ 36 months later at Time 3 (T3). Findings suggested an initial period of rapid auditory cortex maturation in autism, earlier than TD (prior to and surrounding the T1 exam), followed by a period of faster maturation in TD than autism (T1-T3). As a result of group maturation differences, post-stimulus group differences were observed at T1 but not T3. In contrast, stronger pre-stimulus activity in autism than TD was found at all time points, indicating this brain measure is stable across time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Green
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Guannan Shen
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rose E Franzen
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marybeth Mcnamee
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey I Berman
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Theresa G Mowad
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew Ku
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Luke Bloy
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Song Liu
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yu-Han Chen
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Megan Airey
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emma McBride
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sophia Goldin
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marissa A Dipiero
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa Blaskey
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Autism Research, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily S Kuschner
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Autism Research, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mina Kim
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly Konka
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timothy P L Roberts
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Christopher Edgar
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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3
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Sokol DK, Lahiri DK. APPlications of amyloid-β precursor protein metabolites in macrocephaly and autism spectrum disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1201744. [PMID: 37799731 PMCID: PMC10548831 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1201744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolites of the Amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) proteolysis may underlie brain overgrowth in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have found elevated APP metabolites (total APP, secreted (s) APPα, and α-secretase adamalysins in the plasma and brain tissue of children with ASD). In this review, we highlight several lines of evidence supporting APP metabolites' potential contribution to macrocephaly in ASD. First, APP appears early in corticogenesis, placing APP in a prime position to accelerate growth in neurons and glia. APP metabolites are upregulated in neuroinflammation, another potential contributor to excessive brain growth in ASD. APP metabolites appear to directly affect translational signaling pathways, which have been linked to single gene forms of syndromic ASD (Fragile X Syndrome, PTEN, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex). Finally, APP metabolites, and microRNA, which regulates APP expression, may contribute to ASD brain overgrowth, particularly increased white matter, through ERK receptor activation on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/Rho GTPase pathway, favoring myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah K. Sokol
- Department of Neurology, Section of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Debomoy K. Lahiri
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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4
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Nordahl CW. Why do we need sex-balanced studies of autism? Autism Res 2023; 16:1662-1669. [PMID: 37382167 PMCID: PMC10527473 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2971] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Males are diagnosed with autism much more frequently than females, and most research study samples reflect this male predominance. The result is that autistic females are understudied. There is a critical need to increase our understanding of autistic females, both biologically and clinically. The only way to do this is to recruit sex-balanced cohorts in studies so that similarities and differences between males and females can be evaluated in all autism research studies. The purpose of this commentary is to (1) provide historical context about how females came to be under-represented in all research, not just in the field of autism and (2) learn from other areas of health and medicine about the potentially dire consequences of not studying both sexes, and (3) draw attention to the need to recruit sex-balanced cohorts in autism research, particularly in neuroimaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Wu Nordahl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, UC Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
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5
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Yamada T, Watanabe T, Sasaki Y. Are sleep disturbances a cause or consequence of autism spectrum disorder? Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 77:377-385. [PMID: 36949621 PMCID: PMC10871071 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core symptoms such as atypical social communication, stereotyped behaviors, and restricted interests. One of the comorbid symptoms of individuals with ASD is sleep disturbance. There are two major hypotheses regarding the neural mechanism underlying ASD, i.e., the excitation/inhibition (E/I) imbalance and the altered neuroplasticity hypotheses. However, the pathology of ASD remains unclear due to inconsistent research results. This paper argues that sleep is a confounding factor, thus, must be considered when examining the pathology of ASD because sleep plays an important role in modulating the E/I balance and neuroplasticity in the human brain. Investigation of the E/I balance and neuroplasticity during sleep might enhance our understanding of the neural mechanisms of ASD. It may also lead to the development of neurobiologically informed interventions to supplement existing psychosocial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Yamada
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
| | - Takeo Watanabe
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
| | - Yuka Sasaki
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
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6
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Abi-Dargham A, Moeller SJ, Ali F, DeLorenzo C, Domschke K, Horga G, Jutla A, Kotov R, Paulus MP, Rubio JM, Sanacora G, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Krystal JH. Candidate biomarkers in psychiatric disorders: state of the field. World Psychiatry 2023; 22:236-262. [PMID: 37159365 PMCID: PMC10168176 DOI: 10.1002/wps.21078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of psychiatry is hampered by a lack of robust, reliable and valid biomarkers that can aid in objectively diagnosing patients and providing individualized treatment recommendations. Here we review and critically evaluate the evidence for the most promising biomarkers in the psychiatric neuroscience literature for autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression and bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders. Candidate biomarkers reviewed include various neuroimaging, genetic, molecular and peripheral assays, for the purposes of determining susceptibility or presence of illness, and predicting treatment response or safety. This review highlights a critical gap in the biomarker validation process. An enormous societal investment over the past 50 years has identified numerous candidate biomarkers. However, to date, the overwhelming majority of these measures have not been proven sufficiently reliable, valid and useful to be adopted clinically. It is time to consider whether strategic investments might break this impasse, focusing on a limited number of promising candidates to advance through a process of definitive testing for a specific indication. Some promising candidates for definitive testing include the N170 signal, an event-related brain potential measured using electroencephalography, for subgroup identification within autism spectrum disorder; striatal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures, such as the striatal connectivity index (SCI) and the functional striatal abnormalities (FSA) index, for prediction of treatment response in schizophrenia; error-related negativity (ERN), an electrophysiological index, for prediction of first onset of generalized anxiety disorder, and resting-state and structural brain connectomic measures for prediction of treatment response in social anxiety disorder. Alternate forms of classification may be useful for conceptualizing and testing potential biomarkers. Collaborative efforts allowing the inclusion of biosystems beyond genetics and neuroimaging are needed, and online remote acquisition of selected measures in a naturalistic setting using mobile health tools may significantly advance the field. Setting specific benchmarks for well-defined target application, along with development of appropriate funding and partnership mechanisms, would also be crucial. Finally, it should never be forgotten that, for a biomarker to be actionable, it will need to be clinically predictive at the individual level and viable in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Scott J Moeller
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Farzana Ali
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Christine DeLorenzo
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Centre for Basics in Neuromodulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amandeep Jutla
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roman Kotov
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | - Jose M Rubio
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra-Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research - Northwell, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Zucker Hillside Hospital - Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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7
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Peterson M, Whetten C, Clark AM, Nielsen JA. No difference in extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volumes across neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions in later childhood and adolescence. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:12. [PMID: 37005573 PMCID: PMC10068173 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09477-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While autism spectrum disorder has been associated with various organizational and developmental aberrations in the brain, an increase in extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume has recently garnered attention. A series of studies indicate that an increased volume between the ages of 6 months and 4 years was both predictive of the autism diagnosis and symptom severity regardless of genetic risk for the condition. However, there remains a minimal understanding regarding the specificity of an increased volume of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid to autism. METHODS In the present study, we explored extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volumes in children and adolescents ages 5-21 years with various neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. We hypothesized that an elevated extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume would be found in autism compared with typical development and the other diagnostic group. We tested this hypothesis by employing a cross-sectional dataset of 446 individuals (85 autistic, 60 typically developing, and 301 other diagnosis). An analysis of covariance was used to examine differences in extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volumes between these groups as well as a group by age interaction in extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volumes. RESULTS Inconsistent with our hypothesis, we found no group differences in extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume in this cohort. However, in replication of previous work, a doubling of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume across adolescence was found. Further investigation into the relationship between extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume and cortical thickness suggested that this increase in extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume may be driven by a decrease in cortical thickness. Furthermore, an exploratory analysis found no relationship between extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume and sleep disturbances. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that an increased volume of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid may be limited to autistic individuals younger than 5 years. Additionally, extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid volume does not differ between autistic, neurotypical, and other psychiatric conditions after age 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline Peterson
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | | | - Anne M Clark
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84604, USA
| | - Jared A Nielsen
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84604, USA.
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8
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Arenella M, Mota NR, Teunissen MWA, Brunner HG, Bralten J. Autism spectrum disorder and brain volume link through a set of mTOR-related genes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023. [PMID: 36922714 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Larger than average head and brain sizes are often observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). ASD and brain volume are both highly heritable, with multiple genetic variants contributing. However, it is unclear whether ASD and brain volume share any genetic mechanisms. Genes from the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway influence brain volume, and variants are found in rare genetic syndromes that include ASD features. Here we investigated whether variants in mTOR-related genes are also associated with ASD and if they constitute a genetic link between large brains and ASD. METHODS We extended our analyses between large heads (macrocephaly) and rare de novo mTOR-related variants in an intellectual disability cohort (N = 2,258). Subsequently using Fisher's exact tests we investigated the co-occurrence of mTOR-related de novo variants and ASD in the de-novo-db database (N = 23,098). We next selected common genetic variants within a set of 96 mTOR-related genes in genome-wide genetic association data of ASD (N = 46,350) to test gene-set association using MAGMA. Lastly, we tested genetic correlation between genome-wide genetic association data of ASD (N = 46,350) and intracranial volume (N = 25,974) globally using linkage disequilibrium score regression as well as mTOR specific by restricting the genetic correlation to the mTOR-related genes using GNOVA. RESULTS Our results show that both macrocephaly and ASD occur above chance level in individuals carrying rare de novo variants in mTOR-related genes. We found a significant mTOR gene-set association with ASD (p = .0029) and an mTOR-stratified positive genetic correlation between ASD and intracranial volume (p = .027), despite the absence of a significant genome-wide correlation (p = .81). CONCLUSIONS This work indicates that both rare and common variants in mTOR-related genes are associated with brain volume and ASD and genetically correlate them in the expected direction. We demonstrate that genes involved in mTOR signalling are potential mediators of the relationship between having a large brain and having ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Arenella
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina R Mota
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mariel W A Teunissen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Han G Brunner
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,GROW School of Development and Oncology, MHENS School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Janita Bralten
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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9
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Bölte S, Neufeld J, Marschik PB, Williams ZJ, Gallagher L, Lai MC. Sex and gender in neurodevelopmental conditions. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:136-159. [PMID: 36747038 PMCID: PMC10154737 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00774-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Health-related conditions often differ qualitatively or quantitatively between individuals of different birth-assigned sexes and gender identities, and/or with different gendered experiences, requiring tailored care. Studying the moderating and mediating effects of sex-related and gender-related factors on impairment, disability, wellbeing and health is of paramount importance especially for neurodivergent individuals, who are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions with uneven sex/gender distributions. Researchers have become aware of the myriad influences that sex-related and gender-related variables have on the manifestations of neurodevelopmental conditions, and contemporary work has begun to investigate the mechanisms through which these effects are mediated. Here we describe topical concepts of sex and gender science, summarize current knowledge, and discuss research and clinical challenges related to autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions. We consider sex and gender in the context of epidemiology, behavioural phenotypes, neurobiology, genetics, endocrinology and neighbouring disciplines. The available evidence supports the view that sex and gender are important contributors to the biological and behavioural variability in neurodevelopmental conditions. Methodological caveats such as frequent conflation of sex and gender constructs, inappropriate measurement of these constructs and under-representation of specific demographic groups (for example, female and gender minority individuals and people with intellectual disabilities) limit the translational potential of research so far. Future research and clinical implementation should integrate sex and gender into next-generation diagnostics, mechanistic investigations and support practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Janina Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
- Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter B Marschik
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
- iDN - interdisciplinary Developmental Neuroscience, Division of Phoniatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Zachary J Williams
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, and Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, and Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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10
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Kim JI, Bang S, Yang JJ, Kwon H, Jang S, Roh S, Kim SH, Kim MJ, Lee HJ, Lee JM, Kim BN. Classification of Preschoolers with Low-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Multimodal MRI Data. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:25-37. [PMID: 34984638 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05368-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Multimodal imaging studies targeting preschoolers and low-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients are scarce. We applied machine learning classifiers to parameters from T1-weighted MRI and DTI data of 58 children with ASD (age 3-6 years) and 48 typically developing controls (TDC). Classification performance reached an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 88.8%, 93.0%, and 83.8%, respectively. The most prominent features were the cortical thickness of the right inferior occipital gyrus, mean diffusivity of the middle cerebellar peduncle, and nodal efficiency of the left posterior cingulate gyrus. Machine learning-based analysis of MRI data was useful in distinguishing low-functioning ASD preschoolers from TDCs. Combination of T1 and DTI improved classification accuracy about 10%, and large-scale multi-modal MRI studies are warranted for external validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Inhyang Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Medical Center, 222-1 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungkyu Bang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ju Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Heejin Kwon
- Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 02722, Republic of Korea
| | - Soomin Jang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwon Roh
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Medical Center, 222-1 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Hyeon Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Medical Center, 222-1 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Jung Kim
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
| | - Bung-Nyun Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-no, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Denisova K, Lin Z. The importance of low IQ to early diagnosis of autism. Autism Res 2023; 16:122-142. [PMID: 36373182 PMCID: PMC9839551 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Some individuals can flexibly adapt to life's changing demands while others, in particular those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), find it challenging. The origin of early individual differences in cognitive abilities, the putative tools with which to navigate novel information in life, including in infants later diagnosed with ASD remains unexplored. Moreover, the role of intelligence quotient (IQ) vis-à-vis core features of autism remains debated. We systematically investigate the contribution of early IQ in future autism outcomes in an extremely large, population-based study of 8000 newborns, infants, and toddlers from the US between 2 and 68 months with over 15,000 cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments, and for whom autism outcomes are ascertained or ruled out by about 2-4 years. This population is representative of subjects involved in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research, mainly on atypical development, in the US. Analyses using predetermined age bins showed that IQ scores are consistently lower in ASD relative to typically developing (TD) children at all ages (p < 0.001), and IQ significantly correlates with social, non-social, and total Calibrated Severity Scores (CSS) on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) (p<0.01). Lower IQ is associated with greater autistic impairments. Note, verbal IQ (VIQ) is no better than the full-scale IQ to predict ASD cases. These findings raise new, compelling questions about potential atypical brain circuitry affecting performance in both verbal and nonverbal abilities and preceding an ASD diagnosis. This study is the first to establish prospectively that low early IQ is a major feature of ASD in early childhood. LAY SUMMARY: The role of IQ scores in autism remains debated. We systematically investigate the contribution of early IQ in an extremely large study of 8,000 children between 2 and 68 months with autism outcomes by about 2-4 years. We show that IQ scores are consistently lower in ASD relative to TD children. This study is the first to establish prospectively that low early IQ is a predictor for ASD diagnosis in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Denisova
- Laboratory of Autism Origins and Mind and Brain Development, Division of Math and Natural Sciences, Department of Psychology, Queens College and Graduate Center City University of New York New York New York USA
| | - Zhichun Lin
- Laboratory of Autism Origins and Mind and Brain Development, Division of Math and Natural Sciences, Department of Psychology, Queens College and Graduate Center City University of New York New York New York USA
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12
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Zielinski BA, Andrews DS, Lee JK, Solomon M, Rogers SJ, Heath B, Nordahl CW, Amaral DG. Sex-dependent structure of socioemotional salience, executive control, and default mode networks in preschool-aged children with autism. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119252. [PMID: 35500808 PMCID: PMC11107798 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The structure of large-scale intrinsic connectivity networks is atypical in adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD or autism). However, the degree to which alterations occur in younger children, and whether these differences vary by sex, is unknown. We utilized structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a sex- and age- matched sample of 122 autistic and 122 typically developing (TD) children (2-4 years old) to investigate differences in underlying network structure in preschool-aged autistic children within three large scale intrinsic connectivity networks implicated in ASD: the Socioemotional Salience, Executive Control, and Default Mode Networks. Utilizing structural covariance MRI (scMRI), we report network-level differences in autistic versus TD children, and further report preliminary findings of sex-dependent differences within network topology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon A Zielinski
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Derek S Andrews
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Joshua K Lee
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Sally J Rogers
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Brianna Heath
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - David G Amaral
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
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13
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Lee JK, Andrews DS, Ozturk A, Solomon M, Rogers S, Amaral DG, Nordahl CW. Altered Development of Amygdala-Connected Brain Regions in Males and Females with Autism. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6145-6155. [PMID: 35760533 PMCID: PMC9351637 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0053-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered amygdala development is implicated in the neurobiology of autism, but little is known about the coordinated development of the brain regions directly connected with the amygdala. Here we investigated the volumetric development of an amygdala-connected network, defined as the set of brain regions with monosynaptic connections with the amygdala, in autism from early to middle childhood. A total of 950 longitudinal structural MRI scans were acquired from 282 children (93 female) with autism and 128 children with typical development (61 female) at up to four time points (mean ages: 39, 52, 64, and 137 months, respectively). Volumes from 32 amygdala-connected brain regions were examined using mixed effects multivariate distance matrix regression. The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 was administered to assess degree of autistic traits and social impairments. The amygdala-connected network exhibited persistent diagnostic differences (p values ≤ 0.03) that increased over time (p values ≤ 0.02). These differences were most prominent in autistics with more impacted social functioning at baseline. This pattern was not observed across regions without monosynaptic amygdala connection. We observed qualitative sex differences. In males, the bilateral subgenual anterior cingulate cortices were most affected, while in females the left fusiform and superior temporal gyri were most affected. In conclusion, (1) autism is associated with widespread alterations to the development of brain regions connected with the amygdala, which were associated with autistic social behaviors; and (2) autistic males and females exhibited different patterns of alterations, adding to a growing body of evidence of sex differences in the neurobiology of autism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Global patterns of development across brain regions with monosynaptic connection to the amygdala differentiate autism from typical development, and are modulated by social functioning in early childhood. Alterations to brain regions within the amygdala-connected network differed in males and females with autism. Results also indicate larger volumetric differences in regions having monosynaptic connection with the amygdala than in regions without monosynaptic connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua K Lee
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Derek S Andrews
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Arzu Ozturk
- Department of Radiology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Sally Rogers
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - David G Amaral
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
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14
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Seng GJ, Lai MC, Goh JOS, Tseng WYI, Gau SSF. Gray matter volume alteration is associated with insistence on sameness and cognitive flexibility in autistic youth. Autism Res 2022; 15:1209-1221. [PMID: 35491911 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are hallmark characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies suggest that insistence on sameness (IS) characterized as higher-order RRBs may be a promising subgrouping variable for ASD. Cognitive inflexibility may underpin IS behaviors. However, the neuroanatomical correlates of IS and associated cognitive functions remain unclear. We analyzed data from 140 autistic youth and 124 typically developing (TD) youth (mean age = 15.8 years). Autistic youth were stratified by median-split based on three current IS items in the autism diagnostic interview-revised into two groups (high, HIS, n = 70, and low, LIS, n = 70). Differences in cognitive flexibility were assessed by the Cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery (CANTAB). T1-weighted brain structural images were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify differences in gray matter (GM) volume among the three groups. GM volume of regions showing group differences was then correlated with cognitive flexibility. The HIS group showed decreased GM volumes in the left supramarginal gyrus compared to the LIS group and increased GM volumes in the vermis VIII and left cerebellar lobule VIII compared to TD individuals. We did not find significant correlations between regional GM volumes and extra-dimensional shift errors. IS may be a unique RRB component and a potentially valuable stratifier of ASD. However, the neurocognitive underpinnings require further clarification. LAY SUMMARY: The present study found parietal, temporal and cerebellar gray matter volume alterations in autistic youth with greater insistence on sameness. The findings suggest that insistence on sameness may be a useful feature to parse the heterogeneity of the autism spectrum yet further research investigating the underlying neurocognitive mechanism is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Jye Seng
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital & College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital & College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,The Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joshua Oon Soo Goh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yih Issac Tseng
- College of Medicine, Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital & College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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15
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Shao E, Chang CW, Li Z, Yu X, Ho K, Zhang M, Wang X, Simms J, Lo I, Speckart J, Holtzman J, Yu GQ, Roberson ED, Mucke L. TAU ablation in excitatory neurons and postnatal TAU knockdown reduce epilepsy, SUDEP, and autism behaviors in a Dravet syndrome model. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabm5527. [PMID: 35476595 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abm5527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular accumulation of TAU aggregates is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases. However, global genetic reduction of TAU is beneficial also in models of other brain disorders that lack such TAU pathology, suggesting a pathogenic role of nonaggregated TAU. Here, conditional ablation of TAU in excitatory, but not inhibitory, neurons reduced epilepsy, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, overactivation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, brain overgrowth (megalencephaly), and autism-like behaviors in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome, a severe epileptic encephalopathy of early childhood. Furthermore, treatment with a TAU-lowering antisense oligonucleotide, initiated on postnatal day 10, had similar therapeutic effects in this mouse model. Our findings suggest that excitatory neurons are the critical cell type in which TAU has to be reduced to counteract brain dysfunctions associated with Dravet syndrome and that overall cerebral TAU reduction could have similar benefits, even when initiated postnatally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Shao
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Che-Wei Chang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Zhiyong Li
- Alzheimer's Disease Center, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Xinxing Yu
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Ho
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Michelle Zhang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jeffrey Simms
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Iris Lo
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jessica Speckart
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Julia Holtzman
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Gui-Qiu Yu
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Alzheimer's Disease Center, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lennart Mucke
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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16
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Pathophysiological Heterogeneity of the BBSOA Neurodevelopmental Syndrome. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081260. [PMID: 35455940 PMCID: PMC9024734 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and maturation of the human brain is regulated by highly coordinated developmental events, such as neural cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Any impairment of these interconnected multi-factorial processes can affect brain structure and function and lead to distinctive neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we review the pathophysiology of the Bosch–Boonstra–Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS; OMIM 615722; ORPHA 401777), a recently described monogenic neurodevelopmental syndrome caused by the haploinsufficiency of NR2F1 gene, a key transcriptional regulator of brain development. Although intellectual disability, developmental delay and visual impairment are arguably the most common symptoms affecting BBSOAS patients, multiple additional features are often reported, including epilepsy, autistic traits and hypotonia. The presence of specific symptoms and their variable level of severity might depend on still poorly characterized genotype–phenotype correlations. We begin with an overview of the several mutations of NR2F1 identified to date, then further focuses on the main pathological features of BBSOAS patients, providing evidence—whenever possible—for the existing genotype–phenotype correlations. On the clinical side, we lay out an up-to-date list of clinical examinations and therapeutic interventions recommended for children with BBSOAS. On the experimental side, we describe state-of-the-art in vivo and in vitro studies aiming at deciphering the role of mouse Nr2f1, in physiological conditions and in pathological contexts, underlying the BBSOAS features. Furthermore, by modeling distinct NR2F1 genetic alterations in terms of dimer formation and nuclear receptor binding efficiencies, we attempt to estimate the total amounts of functional NR2F1 acting in developing brain cells in normal and pathological conditions. Finally, using the NR2F1 gene and BBSOAS as a paradigm of monogenic rare neurodevelopmental disorder, we aim to set the path for future explorations of causative links between impaired brain development and the appearance of symptoms in human neurological syndromes.
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17
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Denier N, Steinberg G, van Elst LT, Bracht T. The role of head circumference and cerebral volumes to phenotype male adults with autism spectrum disorder. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2460. [PMID: 35112511 PMCID: PMC8933748 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been repeatedly associated with enlargements of head circumference in children with ASD. However, it is unclear if these enlargements persist into adulthood. This is the first study to investigate head circumference in a large sample of adults with ASD. METHODS We apply a fully automated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based measurement approach to compute head circumference by combining 3D and 2D image processing. Head circumference was compared between male adults with ASD (n = 120) and healthy male controls (n = 136), from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database. To explain which brain alterations drive our results, secondary analyses were performed for 10 additional morphological brain metrics. RESULTS ASD subjects showed an increase in head circumference (p = .0018). In addition, ASD patients had increased ventricular surface area (SA) (p = .0013). Intracranial volume, subarachnoidal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume, and gray matter volume explained 50% of head circumference variance. Using a linear support vector machine, we gained an ASD classification accuracy of 73% (sensitivity 92%, specificity 68%) using head circumference and brain-morphological metrics as input features. Head circumference, ventricular SA, ventricular CSF volume, and ventricular asymmetry index contributed to 85% of feature weighting relevant for classification. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that head circumference increases in males with ASD persist into adulthood. Results may be driven by morphological alterations of ventricular CSF. The presented approach for an automated head circumference measurement allows for the retrospective investigation of large MRI datasets in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklaus Denier
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gerrit Steinberg
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Bracht
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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18
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Zhao HC, Lv R, Zhang GY, He LM, Cai XT, Sun Q, Yan CY, Bao XY, Lv XY, Fu B. Alterations of Prefrontal-Posterior Information Processing Patterns in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:768219. [PMID: 35173572 PMCID: PMC8841879 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.768219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by different levels of repetitive and stereotypic behavior as well as deficits in social interaction and communication. In this current study, we explored the changes in cerebral neural activities in ASD. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there exists a dysfunction of interactive information processing between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions in ASD. We investigated the atypical connectivity and information flow between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions in ASD utilizing the entropy connectivity (a kind of directional connectivity) method. Eighty-nine patients with ASD and 94 typical developing (TD) teenagers participated in this study. Two-sample t-tests revealed weakened interactive entropy connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions. This result indicates that there exists interactive prefrontal-posterior underconnectivity in ASD, and this disorder might lead to less prior knowledge being used and updated. Our proposals highlighted that aforementioned atypical change might accelerate the deoptimization of brain networks in ASD.
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19
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Calderoni S. Sex/gender differences in children with autism spectrum disorder: A brief overview on epidemiology, symptom profile, and neuroanatomy. J Neurosci Res 2022; 101:739-750. [PMID: 35043482 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental conditions whose shared core features are impairments in social interaction and communication as well as restricted patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The significant and consistent male preponderance in ASD prevalence has historically affected the scientific knowledge of autism in females as regards, inter alia, the clinical presentation, the genetic architecture, and the structural brain underpinnings. Indeed, females with ASD are under-investigated as samples recruited for clinical research typically reflect the strong male bias of the disorder. In the last years, the study of the various aspects of sex/gender (s/g) differences in ASD is gaining increased clinical and research interest resulting in a growing number of investigations on this topic. Here, I review and discuss evidence emerged from epidemiological, clinical, and neuroimaging studies in the last decade focusing on s/g differences in children with ASD. These studies are the prerequisites for the development of assessment and treatment practices which take into consideration s/g differences in ASD. Ultimately, a better understanding of s/g differences aims at improving healthcare for both ASD males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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20
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Nordahl CW, Andrews DS, Dwyer P, Waizbard-Bartov E, Restrepo B, Lee JK, Heath B, Saron C, Rivera SM, Solomon M, Ashwood P, Amaral DG. The Autism Phenome Project: Toward Identifying Clinically Meaningful Subgroups of Autism. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:786220. [PMID: 35110990 PMCID: PMC8801875 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.786220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most universally accepted facts about autism is that it is heterogenous. Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have a wide range of behavioral presentations and a variety of co-occurring medical and mental health conditions. The identification of more homogenous subgroups is likely to lead to a better understanding of etiologies as well as more targeted interventions and treatments. In 2006, we initiated the UC Davis MIND Institute Autism Phenome Project (APP) with the overarching goal of identifying clinically meaningful subtypes of autism. This ongoing longitudinal multidisciplinary study now includes over 400 children and involves comprehensive medical, behavioral, and neuroimaging assessments from early childhood through adolescence (2-19 years of age). We have employed several strategies to identify sub-populations within autistic individuals: subgrouping by neural, biological, behavioral or clinical characteristics as well as by developmental trajectories. In this Mini Review, we summarize findings to date from the APP cohort and describe progress made toward identifying meaningful subgroups of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Wu Nordahl
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Derek Sayre Andrews
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Patrick Dwyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Einat Waizbard-Bartov
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Bibiana Restrepo
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Joshua K. Lee
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Brianna Heath
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Clifford Saron
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Susan M. Rivera
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Paul Ashwood
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - David G. Amaral
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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21
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Beversdorf DQ, Anagnostou E, Hardan A, Wang P, Erickson CA, Frazier TW, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. Editorial: Precision medicine approaches for heterogeneous conditions such as autism spectrum disorders (The need for a biomarker exploration phase in clinical trials - Phase 2m). Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1079006. [PMID: 36741580 PMCID: PMC9893852 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1079006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David Q Beversdorf
- Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences, William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Antonio Hardan
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Paul Wang
- Clinical Research Associates LLC, Simons Foundation, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Craig A Erickson
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Thomas W Frazier
- Department of Psychology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,NewYork-Presbyterian Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York, NY, United States
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22
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Kim D, Lee JY, Jeong BC, Ahn JH, Kim JI, Lee ES, Kim H, Lee HJ, Han CE. Overconnectivity of the right Heschl's and inferior temporal gyrus correlates with symptom severity in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:2314-2329. [PMID: 34529363 PMCID: PMC9292809 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported varying findings regarding the association of brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with overconnectivity, underconnectivity, or both. Despite the emerging understanding that ASD is a developmental disconnection syndrome, very little is known about structural brain networks in preschool‐aged children with low‐functioning ASD. We aimed to investigate the structural brain connectivity of low‐functioning ASD using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory to examine alterations in different brain network topologies and identify any correlations with the clinical severity of ASD in preschool‐aged children. Fifty‐two preschool‐aged children (28 with ASD and 24 with typical development) were included in the analysis. Graph‐based network analysis was performed to examine the global and local structural brain networks. Nodal network measures exhibited increased nodal strength in the right Heschl's gyrus, which was positively associated with all autistic clinical symptoms (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and Childhood Autism Rating Scale [CARS]). The nodal strength of the right inferior temporal gyrus showed a moderate correlation with the CARS score. Using network‐based statistics, we identified a subnetwork with increased connections encompassing the right Heschl's gyrus and the right inferior temporal gyrus in preschool‐aged children with ASD. The asymmetric value in the inferior temporal gyrus exhibited right dominance of nodal strength in children with ASD compared to that in typically developing children. Our findings support the theory of aberrant brain growth and overconnectivity as the underlying mechanism of ASD and provides new insights into potential regional biomarkers that can detect low‐functioning ASD in preschool‐aged children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daegyeom Kim
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Young Lee
- Clinical Research Institute of Developmental Medicine, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong Chang Jeong
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for Artificial Intelligence Smart Convergence Technology, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja-Hye Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Johanna Inhyang Kim
- Clinical Research Institute of Developmental Medicine, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Soo Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Department of Child Psychotherapy, Hanyang University Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Clinical Research Institute of Developmental Medicine, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol E Han
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for Artificial Intelligence Smart Convergence Technology, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
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23
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Floris DL, Andrews DS. Differences in Degree and Form. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:851-853. [PMID: 34507628 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea L Floris
- Methods of Plasticity Research, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Donders Center for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department for Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Derek S Andrews
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
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24
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Mo K, Sadoway T, Bonato S, Ameis SH, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP, Taylor MJ, Lai MC. Sex/gender differences in the human autistic brains: A systematic review of 20 years of neuroimaging research. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102811. [PMID: 34509922 PMCID: PMC8436080 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Our current understanding of autism is largely based on clinical experiences and research involving male individuals given the male-predominance in prevalence and the under-inclusion of female individuals due to small samples, co-occurring conditions, or simply being missed for diagnosis. There is a significantly biased 'male lens' in this field with autistic females insufficiently understood. We therefore conducted a systematic review to examine how sex and gender modulate brain structure and function in autistic individuals. Findings from the past 20 years are yet to converge on specific brain regions/networks with consistent sex/gender-modulating effects. Despite at least three well-powered studies identifying specific patterns of significant sex/gender-modulation of autism-control differences, many other studies are likely underpowered, suggesting a critical need for future investigation into sex/gender-based heterogeneity with better-powered designs. Future research should also formally investigate the effects of gender, beyond biological sex, which is mostly absent in the current literature. Understanding the roles of sex and gender in the development of autism is an imperative step to extend beyond the 'male lens' in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Mo
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Tara Sadoway
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sarah Bonato
- Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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25
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Lainhart JE. Sex Differences in Cerebral Development in Autism. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:278-280. [PMID: 34384526 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Elizabeth Lainhart
- Department of Psychiatry and the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
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26
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van Eijk L, Zietsch BP. Testing the extreme male brain hypothesis: Is autism spectrum disorder associated with a more male-typical brain? Autism Res 2021; 14:1597-1608. [PMID: 34008924 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more common in males than females and has been linked to male-typical behavior. Accordingly, the "Extreme Male Brain" hypothesis suggests that ASD is associated with an exaggeratedly male-typical brain. To test this hypothesis, we derived a data-driven measure of individual differences along a male-female dimension based on sex differences in subcortical brain shape (i.e., brain maleness) by training our algorithm on two population samples (Queensland Twin IMaging study and Human Connectome Project; combined N = 2153). We then applied this algorithm to two clinical datasets (Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange I and II; ASD N = 1060; neurotypical controls N = 1166) to obtain a brain maleness score for each individual, representing maleness of their brain on a male-female continuum. Consistent with the Extreme Male Brain hypothesis, we found a higher mean brain maleness score in the ASD group than in controls (d = 0.20 [0.12-0.29]), parallel to higher scores for control males than control females (d = 1.17 [1.05-1.29]). Further, brain maleness was positively associated with autistic symptoms. We tested the possibility this finding was driven by the ASD group's larger brains than controls (d = 0.17 [0.08-0.25]), given that males had larger brains than females (d = 0.96 [0.84-1.07]). Indeed, after adjusting for differences in brain size, the brain maleness difference between the ASD group and controls disappeared, and no association with autistic symptoms remained (after controlling for multiple comparisons), suggesting greater maleness of the autistic brain is driven by brain size. Brain maleness may be influenced by the same factors that influence brain size. LAY SUMMARY: A popular theory proposes that individuals with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have an "extreme male brain", but this has not been subject to rigorous, direct tests. We developed a measure of individual differences along a male-female dimension and then derived this measure for 1060 individuals with ASD and 1166 neurotypical controls. Individuals with ASD had slightly more male-type brains. However, this difference is accounted for by males and individuals with ASD having relatively larger brains than females and controls, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza van Eijk
- Department of Psychology, College of Healthcare Sciences, Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Douglas, Queensland, Australia.,The Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO, Herston, Queensland, Australia.,Centre for Psychology and Evolution, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brendan P Zietsch
- Centre for Psychology and Evolution, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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27
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Constantino JN, Charman T, Jones EJH. Clinical and Translational Implications of an Emerging Developmental Substructure for Autism. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2021; 17:365-389. [PMID: 33577349 PMCID: PMC9014692 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-110503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A vast share of the population-attributable risk for autism relates to inherited polygenic risk. A growing number of studies in the past five years have indicated that inherited susceptibility may operate through a finite number of early developmental liabilities that, in various permutations and combinations, jointly predict familial recurrence of the convergent syndrome of social communication disability that defines the condition. Here, we synthesize this body of research to derive evidence for a novel developmental substructure for autism, which has profound implications for ongoing discovery efforts to elucidate its neurobiological causes, and to inform future clinical and biomarker studies, early interventions, and personalized approaches to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- John N Constantino
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA;
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Centre for Brain & Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
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28
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Larrigan S, Shah S, Fernandes A, Mattar P. Chromatin Remodeling in the Brain-a NuRDevelopmental Odyssey. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094768. [PMID: 33946340 PMCID: PMC8125410 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During brain development, the genome must be repeatedly reconfigured in order to facilitate neuronal and glial differentiation. A host of chromatin remodeling complexes facilitates this process. At the genetic level, the non-redundancy of these complexes suggests that neurodevelopment may require a lexicon of remodelers with different specificities and activities. Here, we focus on the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex. We review NuRD biochemistry, genetics, and functions in neural progenitors and neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Larrigan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (S.L.); (S.S.); (A.F.)
- Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI), Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Sujay Shah
- Department of Cell and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (S.L.); (S.S.); (A.F.)
- Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI), Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Alex Fernandes
- Department of Cell and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (S.L.); (S.S.); (A.F.)
- Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI), Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Pierre Mattar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (S.L.); (S.S.); (A.F.)
- Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI), Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Correspondence:
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29
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To eat, or not to eat, that is the question: Neural stem cells escape phagocytosis in autism with macrocephaly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2104888118. [PMID: 33883269 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2104888118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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