1
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Poole D, Grange JA, Milne E. Putting the Spotlight Back Onto the Flanker Task in Autism: Autistic Adults Show Increased Interference from Foils Compared with Non-autistic Adults. J Cogn 2024; 7:46. [PMID: 38799080 PMCID: PMC11122699 DOI: 10.5334/joc.369] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Autistic people may have a less focused spotlight of spatial selective attention than non-autistic people, meaning that distracting stimuli are less effectively suppressed. Previous studies using the flanker task have supported this suggestion with observations of increased congruency effects in autistic participants. However, findings across studies have been mixed, mainly based on research in children and on response time measures, which may be influenced by differences in response strategy between autistic and non-autistic people rather than differences in selective attention. In this pre-registered study, 153 autistic and 147 non-autistic adults completed an online flanker task. The aims of this study were to test whether increased congruency effects replicate in autistic adults and to extend previous work by fitting a computational model of spatial selective attention on the flanker task to the data. Congruency effects were increased in the autistic group. The modelling revealed that the interference time from the foils was increased in the autistic group. This suggests that the activation of the foils was increased, meaning suppression was less effective for autistic participants. There were also differences in non-interference parameters between the groups. The estimate of response caution was increased in the autistic group and the estimate of perceptual efficiency was decreased. Together these findings suggest inefficient suppression, response strategy and perceptual processing all contribute to differences in performance on the flanker task between autistic and non-autistic people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Poole
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
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2
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Sabag M, Geva R. Hyper and hypo attention networks activations affect social development in children with autism spectrum disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:902041. [PMID: 36034110 PMCID: PMC9403843 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.902041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a range of social and non-social attention deficits. To date, most studies assessed the neurological framework or discrete behavioral traits related to one attention network, leaving a gap in the understanding of the developmental cascade affecting the inter-relations among attention networks in ASD in a pervasive manner. We propose a theoretical framework that integrates the behavioral deficits and neurological manifestations through a cohesive developmental prism of attention networks’ activations while assessing their impact on social deficits in children with ASD. Insights arising from the model suggest hyper-and-hypoactivation of posterior attention networks leads to an altered prefrontal anterior attention network weight in ways that conjointly impact social performance in ASD. This perspective on how attention networks develop and interact in ASD may inform future research directions regarding ASD and attention development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Sabag
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Developmental Neuropsychology Lab, The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ronny Geva
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Developmental Neuropsychology Lab, The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- *Correspondence: Ronny Geva,
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3
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Edmunds SR, MacNaughton GA, Rueda MR, Combita LM, Faja S. Beyond group differences: Exploring the preliminary signals of target engagement of an executive function training for autistic children. Autism Res 2022; 15:1261-1273. [PMID: 35481725 PMCID: PMC9322009 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Understanding both for whom and how interventions work is a crucial next step in providing personalized care to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autistic children present with heterogeneity both within core ASD criteria and with respect to co‐occurring mental health challenges, which may affect their ability to benefit from intervention. In a secondary data analysis of a randomized control trial evaluating an executive function (EF) training with 70 7‐ to 11‐year‐old autistic children, we explored: (1) whether co‐occurring attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) features or anxiety features at baseline moderated the extent to which children benefited from the EF training. In other words, we asked, “For whom is training effective?” We also explored: (2) the extent to which changes in a brain‐based measure of target engagement predicted the clinical outcomes of the EF training. This is a step towards asking, “How is training effective?” We found that EF training improved behavioral inhibition only for children with clinically significant co‐occurring ADHD features. Anxiety features, while prevalent, did not moderate EF training efficacy. Finally, for the EF training group only, there was a significant correlation between pre‐to‐post change in an EEG‐based measure of target engagement, N2 incongruent amplitude during a flanker task, and change in repetitive behaviors, a behavioral outcome that was reported in the parent RCT to have improved with training compared to waitlist control. This study provides preliminary evidence that EF training may differentially affect subgroups of autistic children and that changes at the neural level may precede changes in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Edmunds
- Department of Psychology, St. Barnwell College, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.,Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gabrielle A MacNaughton
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - M Rosario Rueda
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), Universidad de Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja, Granada, Spain
| | - Lina M Combita
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), Universidad de Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja, Granada, Spain
| | - Susan Faja
- Department of Psychology, St. Barnwell College, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.,Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Lawler JM, Hruschak J, Aho K, Liu Y, Ip KI, Lajiness‐O’Neill R, Rosenblum KL, Muzik M, Fitzgerald KD. The error-related negativity as a neuromarker of risk or resilience in young children. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02008. [PMID: 33354942 PMCID: PMC7994696 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The error-related negativity (ERN) is a neural response that reflects error monitoring. Contradictorily, an enlarged (more negative) ERN has been cited as both a risk factor and a protective factor, which hinders its utility as a predictive indicator. The aim of the current study was to examine the associations between ERN measured in early childhood with the development of cognitive control (CC), emotion regulation, and internalizing/externalizing symptoms over 1-2 years. METHODS When children were ages 5-7, EEG was collected during a Go/No-Go task. A subset of the original participants (n = 30) were selected based on their baseline ERN in an extreme-case design: half with high-amplitude ERN, matched by age and sex with another group with low-amplitude ERN. RESULTS At follow-up, children in the High-Amplitude group showed better executive function, less self-reported anxiety and depression, less affect dysregulation, more parent-rated CC, less lability/negativity, and fewer parent-reported externalizing problems. Many results held even when accounting for baseline levels. Further, emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between the ERN and both anxiety and externalizing problems, while CC mediated the ERN's relationship with externalizing problems only. CONCLUSIONS These results can inform identification and intervention efforts for children at risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yanni Liu
- University of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
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5
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Cremone-Caira A, Trier K, Sanchez V, Kohn B, Gilbert R, Faja S. Inhibition in developmental disorders: A comparison of inhibition profiles between children with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and comorbid symptom presentation. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:227-243. [PMID: 32972212 PMCID: PMC7854883 DOI: 10.1177/1362361320955107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also have symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ASD and ADHD often experience difficulties with inhibition. This study had the goal of understanding inhibition in children with ASD, ADHD, ASD + ADHD, and children who are typically developing (TD) using tasks that measured several aspects of inhibition. Results indicate that children with ASD + ADHD had greater difficulty inhibiting behavioral responses than TD children. Children with ASD + ADHD also differed from children with ASD and with ADHD in their inhibition of distracting information and strategic slowing of response speed. The four groups did not differ in their avoidance of potential losses. Children with ASD + ADHD exhibit a unique profile of inhibition challenges suggesting they may benefit from targeted intervention matched to their abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Cremone-Caira
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital
- Harvard Medical School
| | | | | | - Brooke Kohn
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital
| | | | - Susan Faja
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital
- Harvard Medical School
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6
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Test-retest reliability of the N2 event-related potential in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 131:406-413. [PMID: 31877490 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The N2 ERP component is used as a biomeasure of executive function in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of the current study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of N2 amplitude in this population. METHODS ERPs were recorded from 7 to 11-year-old children with ASD during Flanker (n = 21) and Go/Nogo tasks (n = 14) administered at two time points separated by approximately three months. Reliability of the N2 component was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS Reliability for mean N2 amplitude obtained during the Flanker task was moderate (congruent: ICC = 0.542, 95% CI [0.173, 0.782]; incongruent: ICC = 0.629, 95% CI [0.276, 0.831]). Similarly, reliability for the Go/Nogo task ranged from moderate to good ('go': ICC = 0.817, 95% CI [0.535, 0.937]; 'nogo': ICC = 0.578, 95% CI [0.075, 0.843]). CONCLUSIONS These findings support the use of N2 amplitude as a biomeasure of executive function in school-aged children with ASD. SIGNIFICANCE This research addresses a critical gap in clinical neurophysiology, as an understanding of the stability and reliability of the N2 component is needed in order to differentiate variance explained by repeated measurement versus targeted treatments and interventions.
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7
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Meyer A, Hajcak G. A review examining the relationship between individual differences in the error-related negativity and cognitive control. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 144:7-13. [PMID: 31362030 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, USA
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8
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Mies GW, Moors P, Sonuga-Barke EJ, van der Oord S, Wiersema JR, Scheres A, Lemiere J, Danckaerts M. A Pilot Study of Behavioral, Physiological, and Subjective Responses to Varying Mental Effort Requirements in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Front Psychol 2019; 9:2769. [PMID: 30687201 PMCID: PMC6336710 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is presumed to involve mental effort application difficulties. To test this assumption, we manipulated task difficulty and measured behavioral, as well as subjective and psychophysiological indices of effort. Methods: Fifteen adolescent ADHD boys and 16 controls performed two tasks. First, subjective estimates and behavioral and pupillary measures of effort were recorded across five levels of N-back task difficulties. Second, effort discounting was assessed. In the latter, participants made repeated choices between performing a difficult N-back task for a high reward versus an easier N-back task for a smaller reward. Results: Increasing task difficulty led to similar deteriorations in performance for both groups – although ADHD participants performed more poorly at all difficulty levels than controls. While ADHD and control participants rated the tasks equally difficult and discounted effort similarly, those with ADHD displayed slightly different pupil dilation patterns with increasing task difficulty. Conclusion: The behavioral results did not provide evidence for mental effort problems in adolescent boys with ADHD. The subtle physiological effects, however, suggest that adolescents with ADHD may allocate effort in a different way than controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabry W Mies
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Pieter Moors
- Laboratory for Experimental Psychology, Department of Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Edmund J Sonuga-Barke
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Saskia van der Oord
- Department of Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan R Wiersema
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anouk Scheres
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jurgen Lemiere
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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9
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Liao YC, Guo NW, Chen SJ, Tsai HF, Fang JH, Chen JJ, Su BY. The Significance of Impulsive Error in Children With ADHD. Clin EEG Neurosci 2018; 49:295-301. [PMID: 29161891 DOI: 10.1177/1550059417742297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A deficit of inhibition ability is a neuropsychological problem in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We investigated whether in children who made impulsive error (IE), less error-related negativity (ERN) would correlate with poorer executive attention functions (EAFs). Ninety children (49 with ADHD and 41 without ADHD) were investigated by a 4-minute simple reaction time task and simultaneous electroencephalogram. When they made IE, the ERN in response-locked event-related potential (ERP) was defined as error awareness. The average area under curve of ERN in the control group with IEs was used as the proper criterion for regrouping the children with ADHD into 2 groups: ADHD children with enough ERN (ADHD-enough ERN) and those with less ERN (ADHD-less ERN). EAFs from Comprehensive Nonverbal Attention Test were used as objective indices, and behavioral questionnaires were used as subjective indices and statistically analyzed within ADHD groups. Forty-eight percent of the children made IEs. ADHD(n = 31, 63%) was significantly more than in the control group (n = 12, 29%; P < .001). The ADHD group had significantly less ERN than did the control group while making IE, especially at frontal and central electrodes ( P < .01). Both ADHD-less ERN and ADHD-enough ERN groups had poorer subjective EAFs on questionnaires. Only the ADHD-less ERN group had significant poorer objective EAFs on the Comprehensive Nonverbal Attention Test than did the ADHD without IE. We conclude that investigating the IE and ERN of IE in children with ADHD might help to differentiate subtypes of ADHD with different neuropsychological abilities, and the possibility that ADHD-less ERN children might be confirmed a meaningful subgroup that needs close follow-up, treatments different from standard, or both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chi Liao
- 1 Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan.,2 Jainan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Wen Guo
- 1 Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Jhih-Hong Fang
- 5 Department of BioMedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Jin Chen
- 5 Department of BioMedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
| | - Bei-Yi Su
- 1 Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
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10
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Lo SL. A meta-analytic review of the event-related potentials (ERN and N2) in childhood and adolescence: Providing a developmental perspective on the conflict monitoring theory. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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11
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Cui T, Wang PP, Liu S, Zhang X. P300 amplitude and latency in autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 26:177-190. [PMID: 27299750 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-016-0880-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an early onset neurodevelopmental disorder. Evidence suggests that ASD patients have abnormalities in information processing. Event-related potential (ERP) technique can directly record brain neural activity in real time. P300 is a positive ERP component which can measure the neuroelectrophysiological characteristics of human beings and has the potential to discover the pathological mechanism of ASD. However, P300 studies on ASD patients are incongruent and the disparities may be caused by several factors. By searching PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases, a meta-analysis of P300 component difference between ASD group and typically developed (TD) control group was conducted. Results of amplitude and latency of P3b and P3a from included studies were synthesized. Random effect model was chosen and standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated. Subgroup analysis was used to identify the source of heterogeneity and to test the effect of different experiment factors. A total of 407 ASD patients and 457 TD controls from 32 studies were included in this analysis. Reduced amplitude of P3b was found in ASD group (SMD = -0.505, 95 % CI -0.873, -0.138) compared with TD group, but no difference of P3b latency, P3a amplitude, or P3a latency was found between groups. Subgroup analysis showed that oddball paradigm elicited attenuated P3b amplitude in Pz electrode among ASD subjects. This meta-analysis suggests ASD patients have abnormalities in P300 component, which may represent for deficits in cognition, attention orientation and working memory processing, particularly in the decision-making processing condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingkai Cui
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Peizhong Peter Wang
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - Shengxin Liu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300070, China.
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12
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Faja S, Clarkson T, Webb SJ. Neural and behavioral suppression of interfering flankers by children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychologia 2016; 93:251-261. [PMID: 27825750 PMCID: PMC5154614 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Electrophysiological responses, accuracy and reaction time were recorded while 7-11-year-olds with typical development (TYP; N=30) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N=19) inhibited conflicting information. Relative to the TYP group, children with ASD had larger decrements in accuracy for incongruent trials and were slower. In terms of neural responses, N2 mean amplitude was greater overall for children with ASD relative to TYP children. N2 neural responses related to a behavioral measure of inhibition and cognitive flexibility for TYP children, whereas it related to suppression of interfering information and maintenance of accurate responding for the children with ASD. Results suggest children with ASD recruit more neural resources and perform worse when inhibiting conflicting information relative to TYP peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Faja
- Boston Children's Hospital, Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Tessa Clarkson
- Boston Children's Hospital, Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sara Jane Webb
- University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356560, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1900 99thth Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
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13
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Dunlop WA, Enticott PG, Rajan R. Speech Discrimination Difficulties in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Are Likely Independent of Auditory Hypersensitivity. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:401. [PMID: 27555814 PMCID: PMC4977299 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), characterized by impaired communication skills and repetitive behaviors, can also result in differences in sensory perception. Individuals with ASD often perform normally in simple auditory tasks but poorly compared to typically developed (TD) individuals on complex auditory tasks like discriminating speech from complex background noise. A common trait of individuals with ASD is hypersensitivity to auditory stimulation. No studies to our knowledge consider whether hypersensitivity to sounds is related to differences in speech-in-noise discrimination. We provide novel evidence that individuals with high-functioning ASD show poor performance compared to TD individuals in a speech-in-noise discrimination task with an attentionally demanding background noise, but not in a purely energetic noise. Further, we demonstrate in our small sample that speech-hypersensitivity does not appear to predict performance in the speech-in-noise task. The findings support the argument that an attentional deficit, rather than a perceptual deficit, affects the ability of individuals with ASD to discriminate speech from background noise. Finally, we piloted a novel questionnaire that measures difficulty hearing in noisy environments, and sensitivity to non-verbal and verbal sounds. Psychometric analysis using 128 TD participants provided novel evidence for a difference in sensitivity to non-verbal and verbal sounds, and these findings were reinforced by participants with ASD who also completed the questionnaire. The study was limited by a small and high-functioning sample of participants with ASD. Future work could test larger sample sizes and include lower-functioning ASD participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A. Dunlop
- Neuroscience Program Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash UniversityMelbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter G. Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin UniversityGeelong, VIC, Australia
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash UniversityMelbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ramesh Rajan
- Neuroscience Program Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash UniversityMelbourne, VIC, Australia
- Ear Sciences Institute of AustraliaPerth, WA, Australia
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14
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Omura K, Kusumoto K. Sex differences in neurophysiological responses are modulated by attentional aspects of impulse control. Brain Cogn 2016; 100:49-59. [PMID: 26473554 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2015.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The amplitudes of the N2 and P3 components of event-related potentials (ERPs) may be influenced by personality traits such as impulsivity, and male/female differences may also have an effect. However, few studies have assessed the interaction between personality traits and the sex of the subject in these components. Therefore, in this study we evaluated sex differences in the amplitudes of the N2 and P3 ERP components during a continuous performance task, and their relation to impulse control. Twenty-seven healthy participants were asked to perform an AX-type continuous performance task, also known as a Go/Nogo task, during electroencephalographic recording. Participants then completed the Barratt impulsiveness scale (version 11; BIS-11), and the effortful control (EC) scale to self-report personality measures related to impulse control. We found that in the Nogo condition, males showed significantly larger N2 amplitudes than females in the frontal area. Interestingly, Nogo-N2 amplitudes were positively correlated with BIS-attentional subscale scores, but were negatively correlated with EC-attentional subscale scores, and both correlations were observed only in males. These results suggest that attentional aspects of impulse control modulate Nogo-N2 amplitude only in males. This modulatory effect may be related to a sex-specific inhibitory control mechanism acting during early stimulus evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazufumi Omura
- Faculty of Education, Art and Science, Yamagata University, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata 990-8560, Japan.
| | - Kenji Kusumoto
- Faculty of Education, Art and Science, Yamagata University, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata 990-8560, Japan
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15
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Craig F, Margari F, Legrottaglie AR, Palumbi R, de Giambattista C, Margari L. A review of executive function deficits in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2016; 12:1191-202. [PMID: 27274255 PMCID: PMC4869784 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s104620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive dysfunction has been shown to be a promising endophenotype in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This article reviewed 26 studies that examined executive function comparing ASD and/or ADHD children. In light of findings from this review, the ASD + ADHD group appears to share impairment in both flexibility and planning with the ASD group, while it shares the response inhibition deficit with the ADHD group. Conversely, deficit in attention, working memory, preparatory processes, fluency, and concept formation does not appear to be distinctive in discriminating from ASD, ADHD, or ASD + ADHD group. On the basis of neurocognitive endophenotype, the common co-occurrence of executive function deficits seems to reflect an additive comorbidity, rather than a separate condition with distinct impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Craig
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Margari
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Anna R Legrottaglie
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Palumbi
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Concetta de Giambattista
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Lucia Margari
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
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16
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Van Cauwenberge V, Sonuga-Barke EJS, Hoppenbrouwers K, Van Leeuwen K, Wiersema JR. "Turning down the heat": Is poor performance of children with ADHD on tasks tapping "hot" emotional regulation caused by deficits in "cool" executive functions? RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2015; 47:199-207. [PMID: 26444927 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2015.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Emotional dysregulation in daily life is very common in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is however not clear whether this reflects a specific deficit or that it may be the result of generic executive function (EF) deficits. The current study addresses this question by means of an emotional working memory (WM) task with 2 memory load conditions and four possible backgrounds (blank screen, neutral, positive or negative picture), which was administered to 38 typically developing children and 29 children with ADHD. Children responded slower on trials when negative pictures were presented at the background versus when neutral pictures were presented, indicating an emotional interference effect; however crucially, groups did not differ in this respect. Reaction times were also slower on trials with a neutral picture as background versus trials without a picture, with children with ADHD showing an enhanced interference effect. There was a main effect of WM load on performance, but it did not interact with interference or group effects. To summarize, the findings indicate a generic interference control deficit in the children with ADHD in the current sample, while they could not provide support for an emotional interference deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Van Cauwenberge
- Ghent University, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Edmund J S Sonuga-Barke
- Ghent University, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; University of Southampton, School of Psychology, Shackleton Building (B44), Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | - Karel Hoppenbrouwers
- KU Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Kapucijnenvoer 35 blok d - bus 7001, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Karla Van Leeuwen
- KU Leuven, Department of Parenting and Special Education, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32 - bus 3765, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Jan R Wiersema
- Ghent University, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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17
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Logan DM, Hill KR, Larson MJ. Cognitive control of conscious error awareness: error awareness and error positivity (Pe) amplitude in moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Front Hum Neurosci 2015. [PMID: 26217212 PMCID: PMC4493384 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor awareness has been linked to worse recovery and rehabilitation outcomes following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (M/S TBI). The error positivity (Pe) component of the event-related potential (ERP) is linked to error awareness and cognitive control. Participants included 37 neurologically healthy controls and 24 individuals with M/S TBI who completed a brief neuropsychological battery and the error awareness task (EAT), a modified Stroop go/no-go task that elicits aware and unaware errors. Analyses compared between-group no-go accuracy (including accuracy between the first and second halves of the task to measure attention and fatigue), error awareness performance, and Pe amplitude by level of awareness. The M/S TBI group decreased in accuracy and maintained error awareness over time; control participants improved both accuracy and error awareness during the course of the task. Pe amplitude was larger for aware than unaware errors for both groups; however, consistent with previous research on the Pe and TBI, there were no significant between-group differences for Pe amplitudes. Findings suggest possible attention difficulties and low improvement of performance over time may influence specific aspects of error awareness in M/S TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin M Logan
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University Provo, UT, USA
| | - Kyle R Hill
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University Provo, UT, USA
| | - Michael J Larson
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University Provo, UT, USA ; Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University Provo, UT, USA
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18
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Weinberg A, Dieterich R, Riesel A. Error-related brain activity in the age of RDoC: A review of the literature. Int J Psychophysiol 2015; 98:276-299. [PMID: 25746725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Revised: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The ability to detect and respond to errors is critical to successful adaptation to a changing environment. The error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential (ERP) component, is a well-validated neural response to errors and reflects the error monitoring activity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Additionally, the ERN is implicated in several processes key to adaptive functioning. Abnormalities in error-related brain activity have been linked to multiple forms of psychopathology and individual differences. As such, the component is likely to be useful in NIMH's Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative to establish biologically-meaningful dimensions of psychological dysfunction, and currently appears as a unit of measurement in three RDoC domains: Positive Valence Systems, Negative Valence Systems, and Cognitive Systems. In this review paper, we introduce the ERN and discuss evidence related to its psychometric properties, as well as important task differences. Following this, we discuss evidence linking the ERN to clinically diverse forms of psychopathology, as well as the implications of one unit of measurement appearing in multiple RDoC dimensions. And finally, we discuss important future directions, as well as research pathways by which the ERN might be leveraged to track the ways in which dysfunctions in multiple neural systems interact to influence psychological well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Weinberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
| | - Raoul Dieterich
- Clinical Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Riesel
- Clinical Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
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19
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Ramchurn A, de Fockert JW, Mason L, Darling S, Bunce D. Intraindividual reaction time variability affects P300 amplitude rather than latency. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:557. [PMID: 25120458 PMCID: PMC4114286 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural correlates of intraindividual response variability were investigated in a serial choice reaction time (CRT) task. Reaction times (RTs) from the faster and slower portions of the RT distribution for the task were separately aggregated and associated P300 event-related potentials computed. Independent behavioral measures of executive function and IQ were also recorded. Across frontal, fronto-central, central, centro-parietal and parietal scalp regions, P300 amplitudes were significantly greater for faster relative to slower behavioral responses. However, P300 peak amplitude latencies did not differ according to the speed of the behavioral RT. Importantly, controlling for select independent measures of executive function attenuated shared variance in P300 amplitude for faster and slower trials. The findings suggest that P300 amplitude rather than latency is associated with the speed of behavioral RTs, and the possibility that fluctuations in executive control underlie variability in speeded responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusha Ramchurn
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of LondonLondon, Greater London, UK
| | - Jan W. de Fockert
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of LondonLondon, Greater London, UK
| | - Luke Mason
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of LondonLondon, Greater London, UK
| | - Stephen Darling
- Division of Psychology and Sociology, Queen Margaret UniversityEdinburgh, UK
| | - David Bunce
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of LeedsLeeds, UK
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