1
|
Dugré JR, Potvin S. Investigating the impact of lumping heterogenous conduct problems: aggression and rule-breaking rely on distinct spontaneous brain activity. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:10.1007/s00787-024-02557-w. [PMID: 39143190 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02557-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that aggression and rule-breaking may have distinct origins. However, grouping these heterogeneous behaviors into a single dimension labelled Conduct Problems (CP) has become the norm rather than the exception. Yet, the neurobiological features that differentiate aggression and rule-breaking remain largely unexplored. Using a large sample of children and adolescents (n = 1360, 6-18 years old), we examined the common and specific brain activity between CP, aggression, and rule-breaking behaviors. Analyses were conducted using fMRI resting-state data from a 10-minute session to explore the correlations between low frequency fluctuations and both broad and fine-grained CP dimensions. The broad CP dimension was associated with deficits in the precentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and tempo-parietal junction. However, only the superior temporal gyrus was shared between aggression and rule-breaking. Activity of the precentral gyrus was mainly associated with rule-breaking, and the temporo-parietal cortex with aggression. More importantly, voxel-wise analyses on fine-grained dimensions revealed additional specific effects that were initially obscured when using a broad CP dimension. Finally, we showed that the findings specific to aggression and rule-breaking may be related to distinct brain networks and mental functions, especially ventral attention/sensorimotor processes and default mode network/social cognitions, respectively. The current study highlights that aggression and rule-breaking may be related to distinct local and distributed neurobiological markers. Overall, using fine-grained dimensions may provide a clearer picture of the role of neurobiological correlates in CP and their invariance across measurement levels. We advocate for adopting a more thorough examination of the lumping/splitting effect across neuroimaging studies on CP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jules Roger Dugré
- School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Faculty of medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, 7331, Hochelaga, Montreal, H1N 3V2, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Maguire K, Warman H, Blumenfeld F, Langdon PE. The relationship between psychopathy and autism: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1375170. [PMID: 38600985 PMCID: PMC11004474 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1375170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and methods The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise research examining the relationship between autism and psychopathy to: (a) better understand the relationship between these two constructs, and (b) describe the clinical manifestation of the two when they co-occur. A systematic search of the literature returned 36 studies. Results Across all ages, autistic individuals and those with elevated autistic traits but no autistic diagnoses appeared to have increased callous and unemotional traits or psychopathy relative to the general population. Several studies evidenced that although both constructs are associated with empathetic dysfunction, the underlying mechanisms differ. In adults, psychopathy/psychopathic traits were associated with diminished affective empathy and intact cognitive empathy, whilst the opposite was seen autistic adults and those with elevated autistic traits. In children, those with autistic traits or a diagnosis of autism had diminished cognitive empathy, but not affective empathy, while the relationship between callous and unemotional traits/psychopathy and empathy amongst children was less clear. The co-occurrence of autism and psychopathy was seen to lead to additional empathic and cognitive impairment, but findings were mixed making it challenging to clearly describe the clinical manifestation. Conclusion There remains a paucity of research investigating the interaction between autism and psychopathy and included studies were characterised by multiple measurement difficulties. Attention should be directed toward developing better methods for identifying psychopathic traits in autistic individuals to advance our understanding of the relationship between autism and psychopathy to allow for the development of appropriate care pathways for this population. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=413672, identifier CRD42023413672.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate Maguire
- School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley Warman
- School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Frances Blumenfeld
- School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter E. Langdon
- Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Worcestershire Health and Care National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Worcester, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tian Y, Xu G, Zhang J, Chen K, Liu S. Nodal properties of the resting-state brain functional network in childhood and adolescence. J Neuroimaging 2023; 33:1015-1023. [PMID: 37735776 DOI: 10.1111/jon.13155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Changes in the topological properties of brain functional network nodes during childhood and adolescence can provide more detailed and intuitive information on the rules of brain development. This study aims to explore the characteristics of nodal attributes in child and adolescent brain functional networks and analyze the correlation between nodal attributes in different brain regions and age. METHODS Forty-two healthy volunteers aged 6-18 years who were right-handed primary and middle school students were recruited, and the subgroup analysis included children (6-12 years, n = 19) and adolescents (13-18 years, n = 23). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner. The topological properties of the functional brain network were analyzed using graph theory. RESULTS Compared with the children group, the degree centrality and nodal efficiency of multiple brain regions in the adolescent group were significantly increased, and the nodal shortest path was reduced (q<0.05, false discovery rate corrected). These brain regions were widely distributed in the whole brain and significantly correlated with age. Compared with the children group, reduced degree centralities were observed in the left dorsolateral fusiform gyrus, left rostral cuneus gyrus, and right medial superior occipital gyrus. CONCLUSION The transmission efficiency of the brain's core network gradually increased, and the subnetwork function gradually improved in children and adolescents with age. The functional development of each brain area in the occipital visual cortex was uneven and there was functional differentiation within the occipital visual cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tian
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Department of Radiology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Gaoqiang Xu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Kuntao Chen
- Department of Radiology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Songjiang Liu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sun S, Yu H, Yu R, Wang S. Functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex underlies processing of emotion ambiguity. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:334. [PMID: 37898626 PMCID: PMC10613296 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02625-w] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Processing facial expressions of emotion draws on a distributed brain network. In particular, judging ambiguous facial emotions involves coordination between multiple brain areas. Here, we applied multimodal functional connectivity analysis to achieve network-level understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual ambiguity in facial expressions. We found directional effective connectivity between the amygdala, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and ventromedial PFC, supporting both bottom-up affective processes for ambiguity representation/perception and top-down cognitive processes for ambiguity resolution/decision. Direct recordings from the human neurosurgical patients showed that the responses of amygdala and dmPFC neurons were modulated by the level of emotion ambiguity, and amygdala neurons responded earlier than dmPFC neurons, reflecting the bottom-up process for ambiguity processing. We further found parietal-frontal coherence and delta-alpha cross-frequency coupling involved in encoding emotion ambiguity. We replicated the EEG coherence result using independent experiments and further showed modulation of the coherence. EEG source connectivity revealed that the dmPFC top-down regulated the activities in other brain regions. Lastly, we showed altered behavioral responses in neuropsychiatric patients who may have dysfunctions in amygdala-PFC functional connectivity. Together, using multimodal experimental and analytical approaches, we have delineated a neural network that underlies processing of emotion ambiguity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sai Sun
- Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University 6-3 Aramaki aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan.
- Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.
| | - Hongbo Yu
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Rongjun Yu
- Department of Management, Marketing, and Information Systems, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tkalcec A, Bierlein M, Seeger-Schneider G, Walitza S, Jenny B, Menks WM, Felhbaum LV, Borbas R, Cole DM, Raschle N, Herbrecht E, Stadler C, Cubillo A. Empathy deficits, callous-unemotional traits and structural underpinnings in autism spectrum disorder and conduct disorder youth. Autism Res 2023; 16:1946-1962. [PMID: 37548142 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Distinct empathy deficits are often described in patients with conduct disorder (CD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) yet their neural underpinnings and the influence of comorbid Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits are unclear. This study compares the cognitive (CE) and affective empathy (AE) abilities of youth with CD and ASD, their potential neuroanatomical correlates, and the influence of CU traits on empathy. Adolescents and parents/caregivers completed empathy questionnaires (N = 148 adolescents, mean age = 15.16 years) and T1 weighted images were obtained from a subsample (N = 130). Group differences in empathy and the influence of CU traits were investigated using Bayesian analyses and Voxel-Based Morphometry with Threshold-Free Cluster Enhancement focusing on regions involved in AE (insula, amygdala, inferior frontal gyrus and cingulate cortex) and CE processes (ventromedial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction, superior temporal gyrus, and precuneus). The ASD group showed lower parent-reported AE and CE scores and lower self-reported CE scores while the CD group showed lower parent-reported CE scores than controls. When accounting for the influence of CU traits no AE deficits in ASD and CE deficits in CD were found, but CE deficits in ASD remained. Across all participants, CU traits were negatively associated with gray matter volumes in anterior cingulate which extends into the mid cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and precuneus. Thus, although co-occurring CU traits have been linked to global empathy deficits in reports and underlying brain structures, its influence on empathy aspects might be disorder-specific. Investigating the subdimensions of empathy may therefore help to identify disorder-specific empathy deficits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Tkalcec
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria Bierlein
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gudrun Seeger-Schneider
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Walitza
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bettina Jenny
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Willeke M Menks
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Psychology of Language Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Lynn V Felhbaum
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reka Borbas
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David M Cole
- Translational Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nora Raschle
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Evelyn Herbrecht
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christina Stadler
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ana Cubillo
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Dell’Osso L, Massoni L, Battaglini S, De Felice C, Nardi B, Amatori G, Cremone IM, Carpita B. Emotional dysregulation as a part of the autism spectrum continuum: a literature review from late childhood to adulthood. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1234518. [PMID: 37791135 PMCID: PMC10544895 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1234518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The concept of emotional dysregulation (ED) has recently gained interest in the scientific literature and is commonly defined as the inability to use the modulatory mechanisms involved in emotion regulation, resulting in a functioning meaningfully below the baseline. Even though the data available are still limited, an increasing number of studies have hypothesized a promoting role for some of the core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the development of ED, in particular being repetitive behaviors, social difficulties and alexythimia. In this framework, the purpose of this study was to review the literature that is currently available about presence and correlates of ED in young adults with autism spectrum conditions as well as to offer some insights about possible implications for illness trajectories. The data reported seems to point to a shared etiology between ED and repetitive/restricted ASD symptoms, with perseveration features serving as the foundation for the inability to control one's emotions. In this context, a neurodevelopmental basis for ED could be consistent with the transnosographic conceptualization of ASD, which hypothesizes a potential neurodevelopmental basis for several psychiatric disorders, whose autistic traits would be the phenotypical presentation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Barbara Carpita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
White SW, Siegle GJ, Kana R, Rothman EF. Pathways to Psychopathology Among Autistic Adults. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2023; 25:315-325. [PMID: 37378790 PMCID: PMC11078254 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-023-01429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Autistic adults frequently require treatment of mental health problems. Increased rates of suicidality and diminished quality of life among autistic people may be partially attributable to psychiatric symptoms. Some risk factors for mental health problems in autistic people are likely the same as risk factors present in neurotypical individuals, but unique factors that are specific to neurodivergent individuals, and some even more specific to autistic people, may exist. Understanding pathways from autism to mental health problems could inform intervention efforts at the individual and societal levels. RECENT FINDINGS We review a growing body of research identifying risk processes across the affective, cognitive, and social domains. Consistent with the principle of equifinality, different processes appear to independently and jointly lead to heightened risk for the onset of mental health problems. Autistic adults frequently utilize mental healthcare services, and experience heightened risk for chronic impairment as a result of mental health problems. Understanding causal and developmental risk processes in autism should inform personalized treatment. We synthesize extant research on these processes and offer suggestions for addressing them therapeutically and societally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan W White
- Center for Youth Development and Intervention, Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Greg J Siegle
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rajesh Kana
- Center for Innovative Research in Autism, Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Emily F Rothman
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sun S, Yu H, Yu R, Wang S. Functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex underlies processing of emotion ambiguity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.24.525116. [PMID: 36747862 PMCID: PMC9900805 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.24.525116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Processing facial expressions of emotion draws on a distributed brain network. In particular, judging ambiguous facial emotions involves coordination between multiple brain areas. Here, we applied multimodal functional connectivity analysis to achieve network-level understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual ambiguity in facial expressions. We found directional effective connectivity between the amygdala, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and ventromedial PFC, supporting both bottom-up affective processes for ambiguity representation/perception and top-down cognitive processes for ambiguity resolution/decision. Direct recordings from the human neurosurgical patients showed that the responses of amygdala and dmPFC neurons were modulated by the level of emotion ambiguity, and amygdala neurons responded earlier than dmPFC neurons, reflecting the bottom-up process for ambiguity processing. We further found parietal-frontal coherence and delta-alpha cross-frequency coupling involved in encoding emotion ambiguity. We replicated the EEG coherence result using independent experiments and further showed modulation of the coherence. EEG source connectivity revealed that the dmPFC top-down regulated the activities in other brain regions. Lastly, we showed altered behavioral responses in neuropsychiatric patients who may have dysfunctions in amygdala-PFC functional connectivity. Together, using multimodal experimental and analytical approaches, we have delineated a neural network that underlies processing of emotion ambiguity. Significance Statement A large number of different brain regions participate in emotion processing. However, it remains elusive how these brain regions interact and coordinate with each other and collectively encode emotions, especially when the task requires orchestration between different brain areas. In this study, we employed multimodal approaches that well complemented each other to comprehensively study the neural mechanisms of emotion ambiguity. Our results provided a systematic understanding of the amygdala-PFC network underlying emotion ambiguity with fMRI-based connectivity, EEG coordination of cortical regions, synchronization of brain rhythms, directed information flow of the source signals, and latency of single-neuron responses. Our results further shed light on neuropsychiatric patients who have abnormal amygdala-PFC connectivity.
Collapse
|
9
|
Ji Q, Li SJ, Zhao JB, Xiong Y, Du XH, Wang CX, Lu LM, Tan JY, Zhu ZR. Genetic and neural mechanisms of sleep disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder: a review. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1079683. [PMID: 37200906 PMCID: PMC10185750 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1079683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of sleep disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is very high. Sleep disorders can exacerbate the development of ASD and impose a heavy burden on families and society. The pathological mechanism of sleep disorders in autism is complex, but gene mutations and neural abnormalities may be involved. Methods In this review, we examined literature addressing the genetic and neural mechanisms of sleep disorders in children with ASD. The databases PubMed and Scopus were searched for eligible studies published between 2013 and 2023. Results Prolonged awakenings of children with ASD may be caused by the following processes. Mutations in the MECP2, VGAT and SLC6A1 genes can decrease GABA inhibition on neurons in the locus coeruleus, leading to hyperactivity of noradrenergic neurons and prolonged awakenings in children with ASD. Mutations in the HRH1, HRH2, and HRH3 genes heighten the expression of histamine receptors in the posterior hypothalamus, potentially intensifying histamine's ability to promote arousal. Mutations in the KCNQ3 and PCDH10 genes cause atypical modulation of amygdala impact on orexinergic neurons, potentially causing hyperexcitability of the hypothalamic orexin system. Mutations in the AHI1, ARHGEF10, UBE3A, and SLC6A3 genes affect dopamine synthesis, catabolism, and reuptake processes, which can elevate dopamine concentrations in the midbrain. Secondly, non-rapid eye movement sleep disorder is closely related to the lack of butyric acid, iron deficiency and dysfunction of the thalamic reticular nucleus induced by PTCHD1 gene alterations. Thirdly, mutations in the HTR2A, SLC6A4, MAOA, MAOB, TPH2, VMATs, SHANK3, and CADPS2 genes induce structural and functional abnormalities of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and amygdala, which may disturb REM sleep. In addition, the decrease in melatonin levels caused by ASMT, MTNR1A, and MTNR1B gene mutations, along with functional abnormalities of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, may lead to abnormal sleep-wake rhythm transitions. Conclusion Our review revealed that the functional and structural abnormalities of sleep-wake related neural circuits induced by gene mutations are strongly correlated with sleep disorders in children with ASD. Exploring the neural mechanisms of sleep disorders and the underlying genetic pathology in children with ASD is significant for further studies of therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Ji
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Si-Jia Li
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun-Bo Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yun Xiong
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Du
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chun-Xiang Wang
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li-Ming Lu
- College of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing-Yao Tan
- College of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhi-Ru Zhu
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhi-Ru Zhu,
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bonthrone AF, Chew A, Bhroin MN, Rech FM, Kelly CJ, Christiaens D, Pietsch M, Tournier JD, Cordero-Grande L, Price A, Egloff A, Hajnal JV, Pushparajah K, Simpson J, David Edwards A, Rutherford MA, Nosarti C, Batalle D, Counsell SJ. Neonatal frontal-limbic connectivity is associated with externalizing behaviours in toddlers with Congenital Heart Disease. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103153. [PMID: 35987179 PMCID: PMC9403726 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairments. The neonatal antecedents of impaired behavioural development are unknown. 43 infants with CHD underwent presurgical brain diffusion-weighted MRI [postmenstrual age at scan median (IQR) = 39.29 (38.71-39.71) weeks] and a follow-up assessment at median age of 22.1 (IQR 22.0-22.7) months in which parents reported internalizing and externalizing problem scores on the Child Behaviour Checklist. We constructed structural brain networks from diffusion-weighted MRI and calculated edge-wise structural connectivity as well as global and local brain network features. We also calculated presurgical cerebral oxygen delivery, and extracted perioperative variables, socioeconomic status at birth and a measure of cognitively stimulating parenting. Lower degree in the right inferior frontal gyrus (partial ρ = -0.687, p < 0.001) and reduced connectivity in a frontal-limbic sub-network including the right inferior frontal gyrus were associated with higher externalizing problem scores. Externalizing problem scores were unrelated to neonatal clinical course or home environment. However, higher internalizing problem scores were associated with earlier surgery in the neonatal period (partial ρ = -0.538, p = 0.014). Our results highlight the importance of frontal-limbic networks to the development of externalizing behaviours and provide new insights into early antecedents of behavioural impairments in CHD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra F Bonthrone
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Chew
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Megan Ní Bhroin
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems Group, Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Francesca Morassutti Rech
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher J Kelly
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Daan Christiaens
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT/PSI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maximilian Pietsch
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Department for Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - J-Donald Tournier
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lucilio Cordero-Grande
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid & CIBER-BBN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anthony Price
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexia Egloff
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joseph V Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kuberan Pushparajah
- Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Paediatric Cardiology Department, Evelina London Children's Healthcare, London, UK
| | - John Simpson
- Paediatric Cardiology Department, Evelina London Children's Healthcare, London, UK
| | - A David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mary A Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dafnis Batalle
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Department for Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sands G. Neurodiversity in emergency medicine training: A double-edged sword? Emerg Med Australas 2022; 34:616-617. [PMID: 35818783 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.14043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
12
|
Bogdanova OV, Bogdanov VB, Pizano A, Bouvard M, Cazalets JR, Mellen N, Amestoy A. The Current View on the Paradox of Pain in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:910824. [PMID: 35935443 PMCID: PMC9352888 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.910824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which affects 1 in 44 children and may cause severe disabilities. Besides socio-communicational difficulties and repetitive behaviors, ASD also presents as atypical sensorimotor function and pain reactivity. While chronic pain is a frequent co-morbidity in autism, pain management in this population is often insufficient because of difficulties in pain evaluation, worsening their prognosis and perhaps driving higher mortality rates. Previous observations have tended to oversimplify the experience of pain in autism as being insensitive to painful stimuli. Various findings in the past 15 years have challenged and complicated this dogma. However, a relatively small number of studies investigates the physiological correlates of pain reactivity in ASD. We explore the possibility that atypical pain perception in people with ASD is mediated by alterations in pain perception, transmission, expression and modulation, and through interactions between these processes. These complex interactions may account for the great variability and sometimes contradictory findings from the studies. A growing body of evidence is challenging the idea of alterations in pain processing in ASD due to a single factor, and calls for an integrative view. We propose a model of the pain cycle that includes the interplay between the molecular and neurophysiological pathways of pain processing and it conscious appraisal that may interfere with pain reactivity and coping in autism. The role of social factors in pain-induced response is also discussed. Pain assessment in clinical care is mostly based on subjective rather than objective measures. This review clarifies the strong need for a consistent methodology, and describes innovative tools to cope with the heterogeneity of pain expression in ASD, enabling individualized assessment. Multiple measures, including self-reporting, informant reporting, clinician-assessed, and purely physiological metrics may provide more consistent results. An integrative view on the regulation of the pain cycle offers a more robust framework to characterize the experience of pain in autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olena V. Bogdanova
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Volodymyr B. Bogdanov
- Laboratoire EA 4136 – Handicap Activité Cognition Santé HACS, Collège Science de la Sante, Institut Universitaire des Sciences de la Réadaptation, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Adrien Pizano
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Centre Hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Bordeaux, France
| | - Manuel Bouvard
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Centre Hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jean-Rene Cazalets
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Nicholas Mellen
- Department of Neurology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Anouck Amestoy
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Centre Hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Pôle Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Bordeaux, France
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Nakua H, Hawco C, Forde NJ, Jacobs GR, Joseph M, Voineskos AN, Wheeler AL, Lai MC, Szatmari P, Kelley E, Liu X, Georgiades S, Nicolson R, Schachar R, Crosbie J, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP, Arnold PD, Ameis SH. Cortico-amygdalar connectivity and externalizing/internalizing behavior in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:1963-1979. [PMID: 35469103 PMCID: PMC9232404 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02483-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Background Externalizing and internalizing behaviors contribute to clinical impairment in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Although associations between externalizing or internalizing behaviors and cortico-amygdalar connectivity have been found in clinical and non-clinical pediatric samples, no previous study has examined whether similar shared associations are present across children with different NDDs. Methods Multi-modal neuroimaging and behavioral data from the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders (POND) Network were used. POND participants aged 6–18 years with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), as well as typically developing children (TDC) with T1-weighted, resting-state fMRI or diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and parent-report Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) data available, were analyzed (total n = 346). Associations between externalizing or internalizing behavior and cortico-amygdalar structural and functional connectivity indices were examined using linear regressions, controlling for age, gender, and image-modality specific covariates. Behavior-by-diagnosis interaction effects were also examined. Results No significant linear associations (or diagnosis-by-behavior interaction effects) were found between CBCL-measured externalizing or internalizing behaviors and any of the connectivity indices examined. Post-hoc bootstrapping analyses indicated stability and reliability of these null results. Conclusions The current study provides evidence towards an absence of a shared linear relationship between internalizing or externalizing behaviors and cortico-amygdalar connectivity properties across a transdiagnostic sample of children with different primary NDD diagnoses and TDC. Different methodological approaches, including incorporation of multi-dimensional behavioral data (e.g., task-based fMRI) or clustering approaches may be needed to clarify complex brain-behavior relationships relevant to externalizing/internalizing behaviors in heterogeneous clinical NDD populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00429-022-02483-0.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajer Nakua
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Colin Hawco
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Natalie J Forde
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Grace R Jacobs
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael Joseph
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Aristotle N Voineskos
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anne L Wheeler
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Szatmari
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Kelley
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Xudong Liu
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Rob Nicolson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Russell Schachar
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Crosbie
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul D Arnold
- The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ibrahim K, Noble S, He G, Lacadie C, Crowley MJ, McCarthy G, Scheinost D, Sukhodolsky DG. Large-scale functional brain networks of maladaptive childhood aggression identified by connectome-based predictive modeling. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:985-999. [PMID: 34690348 PMCID: PMC9035467 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01317-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Disruptions in frontoparietal networks supporting emotion regulation have been long implicated in maladaptive childhood aggression. However, the association of connectivity between large-scale functional networks with aggressive behavior has not been tested. The present study examined whether the functional organization of the connectome predicts severity of aggression in children. This cross-sectional study included a transdiagnostic sample of 100 children with aggressive behavior (27 females) and 29 healthy controls without aggression or psychiatric disorders (13 females). Severity of aggression was indexed by the total score on the parent-rated Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire. During fMRI, participants completed a face emotion perception task of fearful and calm faces. Connectome-based predictive modeling with internal cross-validation was conducted to identify brain networks that predicted aggression severity. The replication and generalizability of the aggression predictive model was then tested in an independent sample of children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Connectivity predictive of aggression was identified within and between networks implicated in cognitive control (medial-frontal, frontoparietal), social functioning (default mode, salience), and emotion processing (subcortical, sensorimotor) (r = 0.31, RMSE = 9.05, p = 0.005). Out-of-sample replication (p < 0.002) and generalization (p = 0.007) of findings predicting aggression from the functional connectome was demonstrated in an independent sample of children from the ABCD study (n = 1791; n = 1701). Individual differences in large-scale functional networks contribute to variability in maladaptive aggression in children with psychiatric disorders. Linking these individual differences in the connectome to variation in behavioral phenotypes will advance identification of neural biomarkers of maladaptive childhood aggression to inform targeted treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karim Ibrahim
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Stephanie Noble
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - George He
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cheryl Lacadie
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael J Crowley
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Dustin Scheinost
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Makris G, Agorastos A, Chrousos GP, Pervanidou P. Stress System Activation in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:756628. [PMID: 35095389 PMCID: PMC8793840 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.756628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mission of the human stress system is the maintenance of homeostasis in the presence of real or perceived, acute or chronic stressors. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are the stress system-related neuroendocrine pathways. There is abundant evidence that children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may exhibit atypical function within the HPA axis and the ANS both at the resting state and during the presence of social and/or non-social stressors. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date summary of the findings regarding stress system alterations in children and adolescents with ASD. We focus on the variations of stress hormones circadian rhythms, specifically cortisol and alpha-amylase (i.e., a surrogate index of epinephrine/norepinephrine secretion), and on the alterations of stress system responsivity to different stressors. Also, we present imaging and immunological findings that have been associated with stress system dysregulation in children and adolescents with ASD. Finally, we review the pivotal role of HPA axis-ANS coordination, the developmental trajectory of the stress system in ASD, and the possible role of early life stress in the dysregulation of the stress system demonstrated in children and adolescents with ASD. This synthesis will hopefully provide researchers with a foundation for an integrated approach to future research into stress system variations in children and adolescents with ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerasimos Makris
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- *Correspondence: Gerasimos Makris,
| | - Agorastos Agorastos
- Department of Psychiatry II, Division of Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George P. Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kim A, Rader SL, Fernandez TV, Vandekar SN, Lewis AS. Leveraging aggression risk gene expression in the developing and adult human brain to guide future precision interventions. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2680-2682. [PMID: 33046832 PMCID: PMC8039055 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00903-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahra Kim
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Sarah L. Rader
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | | | - Simon N. Vandekar
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Alan S. Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA,Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Corresponding author: Alan S. Lewis, MD, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 465 21st Ave S., MRBIII Room 6140B, Nashville, TN 37240, Phone: 615-875-4027, Fax: 615-343-4622,
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) over the Left Dorsal Lateral Prefrontal Cortex in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Neural Plast 2021; 2021:6627507. [PMID: 34257640 PMCID: PMC8245257 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6627507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been applied to relieve symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this prospective, parallel, single-blinded, randomized study, we investigate the modulation effect of three-week tDCS treatment at the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in children with ASD. 47 children with ASD were enrolled, and 40 (20 in each group) completed the study. The primary outcomes are Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R). We found that children with ASD can tolerate three-week tDCS treatment with no serious adverse events detected. A within-group comparison showed that real tDCS, but not sham tDCS, can significantly reduce the scores of CARS, Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), and general impressions in CARS (15th item). Real tDCS produced significant score reduction in the CSHQ and in CARS general impressions when compared to the effects of sham tDCS. The pilot study suggests that three-week left DLPFC tDCS is well-tolerated and may hold potential in relieving some symptoms in children with ASD.
Collapse
|
18
|
Assessing Irritability in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using the Affective Reactivity Index. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:1496-1507. [PMID: 32734421 PMCID: PMC7855357 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04627-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Irritability is an impairing problem in children with ASD that may be associated with other behavioral and emotional concerns. The Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) is a parent-rated measure of irritability widely used in children with mood disorders, however, its utility in children with ASD remains unclear. In this study, we examined ARI parent ratings in children with ASD and contributions of parent-rated anxiety and noncompliance to irritability measured by the ARI. Participants included 81 children with ASD, aged 8-16 years. Results suggest that both anxiety and noncompliance contribute to irritability, but that anxiety only contributes to irritability in the absence of noncompliance. Further, the ARI is likely to be a useful measure of irritability in children with ASD.
Collapse
|
19
|
Morová M, Kršková L. Autistic-like traits in laboratory rodents exposed to phthalic acid esters during early development - an animal model of autism? Physiol Res 2021; 70:345-361. [PMID: 33982578 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phthalates are chemical substances that are widely used to provide flexibility and durability to plastic materials. They leach from products in which they are mixed and reach living organisms. Results from experimental studies suggest that exposure to phthalates can have a negative impact on an individual's neuronal system and behavior. In this regard, exposure during early ontogenesis seems to be particularly dangerous due to the extensive growth and development of body structures and functions. Disruption during this critical time can result in alterations of behavior and the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Various animal models have been used to elucidate the pathogenesis of this disease. They are fundamental for research, and although the translation of results to humans is difficult, new animal models are being developed. The aim of this review is to summarize laboratory rodent studies in which early developmental phthalate exposure resulted in brain alterations and autistic-like behavioral traits. We also discuss the possibility of using early developmental phthalate exposure in rodents to create a new animal model of autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Morová
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava 4, Slovak Republic.
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Brenner RG, Smyser CD, Lean RE, Kenley JK, Smyser TA, Cyr PEP, Shimony JS, Barch DM, Rogers CE. Microstructure of the Dorsal Anterior Cingulum Bundle in Very Preterm Neonates Predicts the Preterm Behavioral Phenotype at 5 Years of Age. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:433-442. [PMID: 32828528 PMCID: PMC8064762 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cingulum bundle (CB), specifically the dorsal anterior portion of the CB, plays an important role in psychiatric illnesses; however, its role during early development is unclear. This study investigated whether neonatal white matter microstructure in the CB and its subregions is associated with subsequent preterm behavioral phenotype symptoms (internalizing, inattention, and social deficits) in very preterm (VPT) children. METHODS Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained on a 3T scanner in 138 sleeping nonsedated neonates: 55 full-term neonates (gestational age ≥ 36 weeks) and 83 VPT neonates (gestational age < 30 weeks). The CB was tracked using probabilistic tractography and split into anterior and posterior portions. When children were 5 years of age, parents (n = 80) and teachers (n = 63) of VPT children completed questionnaires of preterm behavioral phenotype symptoms. Linear regression models were used to relate measures of neonatal CB microstructure and childhood preterm behavioral phenotype symptoms (n = 56 parent report, n = 45 teacher report). RESULTS Mean diffusivity in the anterior and posterior CB was increased in VPT neonates compared with full-term neonates. Increased fractional anisotropy and decreased mean diffusivity in the right anterior CB, but not in the posterior CB, were related to increased preterm behavioral phenotype symptoms in VPT children as reported by parents and teachers. CONCLUSIONS Aberrations in the anterior portion of the right CB may underlie the early development of the preterm behavioral phenotype. This finding provides the foundation for future mechanistic and therapeutic investigations into the role of the anterior cingulum in the development of psychopathology in VPT infants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G Brenner
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Mallinckrot Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Rachel E Lean
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jeanette K Kenley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Tara A Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Peppar E P Cyr
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joshua S Shimony
- Mallinckrot Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Mallinckrot Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Nakajima R, Kinoshita M, Okita H, Liu Z, Nakada M. Preserving Right Pre-motor and Posterior Prefrontal Cortices Contribute to Maintaining Overall Basic Emotion. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:612890. [PMID: 33664659 PMCID: PMC7920969 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.612890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Basic emotions such as happiness, sadness, and anger are universal, regardless of the human species, and are governed by specific brain regions. A recent report revealed that mentalizing, which is the ability to estimate other individuals’ emotional states via facial expressions, can be preserved with the help of awake surgery. However, it is still questionable whether we can maintain the ability to understand others’ emotions by preserving the positive mapping sites of intraoperative assessment. Here, we demonstrated the cortical regions related to basic emotions via awake surgery for patients with frontal glioma and investigated the usefulness of functional mapping in preserving basic emotion. Of the 56 consecutive patients with right cerebral hemispheric glioma who underwent awake surgery at our hospital, intraoperative assessment of basic emotion could be successfully performed in 22 patients with frontal glioma and were included in our study. During surgery, positive responses were found in 18 points in 12 patients (54.5%). Of these, 15 points from 11 patients were found at the cortical level, mainly the premotor and posterior part of the prefrontal cortices. Then, we focused on cortical 15 positive mappings with 40 stimulations and investigated the types of emotions that showed errors by every stimulation. There was no specific rule for the region-emotional type, which was beyond our expectations. In the postoperative acute phase, the test score of basic emotion declined in nine patients, and of these, it decreased under the cut-off value (Z-score ≤ −1.65) in three patients. Although the total score declined significantly just after surgery (p = 0.022), it recovered within 3 months postoperatively. Our study revealed that through direct electrical stimulation (DES), the premotor and posterior parts of the prefrontal cortices are related to various kinds of basic emotion, but not a single one. When the region with a positive mapping site is preserved during operation, basic emotion function might be maintained although it declines transiently after surgery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riho Nakajima
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Masashi Kinoshita
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Okita
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Zhanwen Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Nakada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Chiola S, Napan KL, Wang Y, Lazarenko RM, Armstrong CJ, Cui J, Shcheglovitov A. Defective AMPA-mediated synaptic transmission and morphology in human neurons with hemizygous SHANK3 deletion engrafted in mouse prefrontal cortex. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4670-4686. [PMID: 33558651 PMCID: PMC8349370 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01023-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Genetic abnormalities in synaptic proteins are common in individuals with autism; however, our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms disrupted by these abnormalities is limited. SHANK3 is a postsynaptic scaffolding protein of excitatory synapses that has been found mutated or deleted in most patients with 22q13 deletion syndrome and about 2% of individuals with idiopathic autism and intellectual disability. Here, we generated CRISPR/Cas9-engineered human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) with complete hemizygous SHANK3 deletion (SHANK3+/-), which is the most common genetic abnormality in patients, and investigated the synaptic and morphological properties of SHANK3-deficient PSC-derived cortical neurons engrafted in the mouse prefrontal cortex. We show that human PSC-derived neurons integrate into the mouse cortex by acquiring appropriate cortical layer identities and by receiving and sending anatomical projections from/to multiple different brain regions. We also demonstrate that SHANK3-deficient human neurons have reduced AMPA-, but not NMDA- or GABA-mediated synaptic transmission and exhibit impaired dendritic arbors and spines, as compared to isogenic control neurons co-engrafted in the same brain region. Together, this study reveals specific synaptic and morphological deficits caused by SHANK3 hemizygosity in human cortical neurons at different developmental stages under physiological conditions and validates the use of co-engrafted control and mutant human neurons as a new platform for studying connectivity deficits in genetic neurodevelopmental disorders associated with autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Chiola
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Departments of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Kandy L. Napan
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Departments of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Yueqi Wang
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Departments of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA ,grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Roman M. Lazarenko
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Departments of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Celeste J. Armstrong
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Departments of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Jun Cui
- grid.41891.350000 0001 2156 6108Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT USA
| | - Aleksandr Shcheglovitov
- Departments of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Department of Adult Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Amygdala-Prefrontal Structural Connectivity Mediates the Relationship between Prenatal Depression and Behavior in Preschool Boys. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6969-6977. [PMID: 32788182 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0481-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal depression is common, underrecognized, and undertreated. It has negative consequences on child behavior and brain development, yet the relationships among prenatal depression, child behavior, and children's brain structure remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether altered brain connectivity mediates relationships between prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and child behavior. This study included 54 human mother-child pairs. Mothers completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and 3 months postpartum. Their children had diffusion MRI at age 4.1 ± 0.8 years, and children's behavior was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist within 6 months of their MRI scan. Structural brain connectivity of the amygdala, fornix, uncinate fasciculus, and cingulum was assessed using fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity and analyzed with maternal prenatal depressive symptoms as well as child behavior. Third trimester maternal Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores were positively associated with mean diffusivity in the amygdala-frontal tract and the cingulum, controlling for postpartum depression. Externalizing behavior had a sex interaction in the amygdala-frontal pathway; weaker connectivity (lower fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity) was associated with worse behavior in boys. Amygdala-frontal connectivity mediated the relationship between third trimester depressive symptoms and child externalizing behavior in males. These findings suggest that altered brain structure is a mechanism via which prenatal depressive symptoms can impact child behavior, highlighting the importance of both recognition and intervention in prenatal depression.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding how prenatal maternal depression impacts child behavior is critical for appropriately treating prenatal maternal mental health problems and improving child outcomes. Here, we show white matter changes in young children exposed to maternal prenatal depressive symptoms. Children of mothers with worse depressive symptoms had weaker white matter connectivity between areas related to emotional processing. Furthermore, connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex mediated the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and externalizing behavior in boys, showing that altered brain structure is a possible mechanism via which maternal prenatal depression impacts children's behavior. This provides important information for understanding why children of depressed mothers may be more vulnerable to depression themselves and may help shape future guidelines on maternal prenatal care.
Collapse
|
24
|
Seo M, Anderson G. Gut-Amygdala Interactions in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Developmental Roles via regulating Mitochondria, Exosomes, Immunity and microRNAs. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 25:4344-4356. [PMID: 31692435 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666191105102545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have long been conceived as developmental disorder. A growing body of data highlights a role for alterations in the gut in the pathoetiology and/or pathophysiology of ASD. Recent work shows alterations in the gut microbiome to have a significant impact on amygdala development in infancy, suggesting that the alterations in the gut microbiome may act to modulate not only amygdala development but how the amygdala modulates the development of the frontal cortex and other brain regions. METHODS This article reviews wide bodies of data pertaining to the developmental roles of the maternal and foetal gut and immune systems in the regulation of offspring brain development. RESULTS A number of processes seem to be important in mediating how genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors interact in early development to regulate such gut-mediated changes in the amygdala, wider brain functioning and inter-area connectivity, including via regulation of microRNA (miR)-451, 14-3-3 proteins, cytochrome P450 (CYP)1B1 and the melatonergic pathways. As well as a decrease in the activity of monoamine oxidase, heightened levels of in miR-451 and CYP1B1, coupled to decreased 14-3-3 act to inhibit the synthesis of N-acetylserotonin and melatonin, contributing to the hyperserotonemia that is often evident in ASD, with consequences for mitochondria functioning and the content of released exosomes. These same factors are likely to play a role in regulating placental changes that underpin the association of ASD with preeclampsia and other perinatal risk factors, including exposure to heavy metals and air pollutants. Such alterations in placental and gut processes act to change the amygdala-driven biological underpinnings of affect-cognitive and affect-sensory interactions in the brain. CONCLUSION Such a perspective readily incorporates previously disparate bodies of data in ASD, including the role of the mu-opioid receptor, dopamine signaling and dopamine receptors, as well as the changes occurring to oxytocin and taurine levels. This has a number of treatment implications, the most readily applicable being the utilization of sodium butyrate and melatonin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moonsang Seo
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - George Anderson
- CRC Scotland & London, Eccleston Square, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Kana RK, Hudac CM, White SW. Developmental Considerations of Comorbidity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Need for Science Across Multiple Units of Analysis. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:1016-1017. [PMID: 31812222 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
| | - Caitlin M Hudac
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Center for Youth Development and Intervention, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| | - Susan W White
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Center for Youth Development and Intervention, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Hendouei F, Sanjari Moghaddam H, Mohammadi MR, Taslimi N, Rezaei F, Akhondzadeh S. Resveratrol as adjunctive therapy in treatment of irritability in children with autism: A double‐blind and placebo‐controlled randomized trial. J Clin Pharm Ther 2019; 45:324-334. [DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.13076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Hendouei
- Psychiatric Research Center Roozbeh Hospital Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Reza Mohammadi
- Psychiatric Research Center Roozbeh Hospital Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Negin Taslimi
- Psychiatric Research Center Roozbeh Hospital Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Farzin Rezaei
- Qods Hospital Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences Sanandaj Iran
| | - Shahin Akhondzadeh
- Psychiatric Research Center Roozbeh Hospital Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| |
Collapse
|