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Korom M, Valadez EA, Tottenham N, Dozier M, Spielberg JM. Preliminary examination of the effects of an early parenting intervention on amygdala-orbitofrontal cortex resting-state functional connectivity among high-risk children: A randomized clinical trial. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38247369 PMCID: PMC11260902 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423001669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
We examined the long-term causal effects of an evidence-based parenting program delivered in infancy on children's emotion regulation and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) during middle childhood. Families were referred to the study by Child Protective Services (CPS) as part of a diversion from a foster care program. A low-risk group of families was also recruited. CPS-involved families were randomly assigned to receive the target (Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up, ABC) or a control intervention (Developmental Education for Families, DEF) before infants turned 2. Both interventions were home-based, manualized, and 10-sessions long. During middle childhood, children underwent a 6-min resting-state functional MRI scan. Amygdala seed-based rs-fc analysis was completed with intervention group as the group-level predictor of interest. Fifty-seven children (NABC = 21; NDEF = 17; NCOMP = 19; Mage = 10.02 years, range = 8.08-12.14) were scanned successfully. The DEF group evidenced negative left amygdala↔OFC connectivity, whereas connectivity was near zero in the ABC and comparison groups (ABCvsDEF: Cohen's d = 1.17). ABC may enhance high-risk children's regulatory neurobiology outcomes ∼8 years after the intervention was completed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Korom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Emilio A. Valadez
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Spielberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
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2
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Tuulari JJ, Rajasilta O, Cabral J, Kringelbach ML, Karlsson L, Karlsson H. Maternal prenatal distress exposure negatively associates with the stability of neonatal frontoparietal network. Stress 2024; 27:2275207. [PMID: 37877207 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2275207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal prenatal distress (PD), frequently defined as in utero prenatal stress exposure (PSE) to the developing fetus, influences the developing brain and numerous associations between PSE and brain structure have been described both in neonates and in older children. Previous studies addressing PSE-linked alterations in neonates' brain activity have focused on connectivity analyses from predefined seed regions, but the effects of PSE at the level of distributed functional networks remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of prenatal distress on the spatial and temporal properties of functional networks detected in functional MRI data from 20 naturally sleeping, term-born (age 25.85 ± 7.72 days, 11 males), healthy neonates. First, we performed group level independent component analysis (GICA) to evaluate an association between PD and the identified functional networks. Second, we searched for an association with PD at the level of the stability of functional networks over time using leading eigenvector dynamics analysis (LEiDA). No statistically significant associations were detected at the spatial level for the GICA-derived networks. However, at the dynamic level, LEiDA revealed that maternal PD negatively associated with the stability of a frontoparietal network. These results imply that maternal PD may influence the stability of frontoparietal connections in neonatal brain network dynamics and adds to the cumulating evidence that frontal areas are especially sensitive to PSE. We advocate for early preventive intervention strategies regarding pregnant mothers. Nevertheless, future research venues are required to assess optimal intervention timing and methods for maximum benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology (TCSMT), University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Neurocenter, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Joana Cabral
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku Finland
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3
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Hu Y, Chen H, Li X, Larsen RJ, Sutton BP, Gao W, McElwain NL. Associations between infant amygdala functional connectivity and social engagement following a stressor: A preliminary investigation. Dev Sci 2024; 27:e13418. [PMID: 37340633 PMCID: PMC10730773 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Functional architecture of the infant brain, especially functional connectivity (FC) within the amygdala network and between the amygdala and other networks (i.e., default-mode [DMN] and salience [SAL] networks), provides a neural basis for infant socioemotional functioning. Yet, little is known about the extent to which early within- and between-network amygdala FC are related to infant stress recovery across the first year of life. In this study, we examined associations between amygdala FC (i.e., within-network amygdala connectivity, and between-network amygdala connectivity with the DMN and SAL) at 3 months and infant recovery from a mild social stressor at 3, 6 and 9 months. At 3 months, thirty-five infants (13 girls) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging during natural sleep. Infants and their mothers completed the still-face paradigm at 3, 6, and 9 months, and infant stress recovery was assessed at each time point as the proportion of infant social engagement during the reunion episode. Bivariate correlations indicated that greater positive within-network amygdala FC and greater positive amygdala-SAL FC, but not amygdala-DMN FC, at 3 months predicted lower levels of stress recovery at 3 and 6 months, but were nonsignificant at 9 months. These findings provide preliminary evidence that early functional synchronization within the amygdala network, as well as segregation between the amygdala and the SAL, may contribute to infant stress recovery in the context of infant-mother interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannan Hu
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Haitao Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xiaomei Li
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Ryan J. Larsen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Bradley P. Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nancy L. McElwain
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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4
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Harmata GI, Rhone AE, Kovach CK, Kumar S, Mowla MR, Sainju RK, Nagahama Y, Oya H, Gehlbach BK, Ciliberto MA, Mueller RN, Kawasaki H, Pattinson KT, Simonyan K, Davenport PW, Howard MA, Steinschneider M, Chan AC, Richerson GB, Wemmie JA, Dlouhy BJ. Failure to breathe persists without air hunger or alarm following amygdala seizures. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e172423. [PMID: 37788112 PMCID: PMC10721319 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Postictal apnea is thought to be a major cause of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). However, the mechanisms underlying postictal apnea are unknown. To understand causes of postictal apnea, we used a multimodal approach to study brain mechanisms of breathing control in 20 patients (ranging from pediatric to adult) undergoing intracranial electroencephalography for intractable epilepsy. Our results indicate that amygdala seizures can cause postictal apnea. Moreover, we identified a distinct region within the amygdala where electrical stimulation was sufficient to reproduce prolonged breathing loss persisting well beyond the end of stimulation. The persistent apnea was resistant to rising CO2 levels, and air hunger failed to occur, suggesting impaired CO2 chemosensitivity. Using es-fMRI, a potentially novel approach combining electrical stimulation with functional MRI, we found that amygdala stimulation altered blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activity in the pons/medulla and ventral insula. Together, these findings suggest that seizure activity in a focal subregion of the amygdala is sufficient to suppress breathing and air hunger for prolonged periods of time in the postictal period, likely via brainstem and insula sites involved in chemosensation and interoception. They further provide insights into SUDEP, may help identify those at greatest risk, and may lead to treatments to prevent SUDEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail I.S. Harmata
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Pappajohn Biomedical Institute
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Program
- Department of Psychiatry
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hiroyuki Oya
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute
| | | | | | - Rashmi N. Mueller
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Department of Anesthesia, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | | | - Kyle T.S. Pattinson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paul W. Davenport
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Matthew A. Howard
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Pappajohn Biomedical Institute
| | | | | | - George B. Richerson
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Pappajohn Biomedical Institute
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - John A. Wemmie
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Pappajohn Biomedical Institute
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience
- Department of Psychiatry
- Department of Internal Medicine
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Brian J. Dlouhy
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Pappajohn Biomedical Institute
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Sanders AFP, Harms MP, Kandala S, Marek S, Somerville LH, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M, Thomas KM, Van Essen DC, Yacoub E, Barch DM. Age-related differences in resting-state functional connectivity from childhood to adolescence. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:6928-6942. [PMID: 36724055 PMCID: PMC10233258 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain is active at rest, and spontaneous fluctuations in functional MRI BOLD signals reveal an intrinsic functional architecture. During childhood and adolescence, functional networks undergo varying patterns of maturation, and measures of functional connectivity within and between networks differ as a function of age. However, many aspects of these developmental patterns (e.g. trajectory shape and directionality) remain unresolved. In the present study, we characterised age-related differences in within- and between-network resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and integration (i.e. participation coefficient, PC) in a large cross-sectional sample of children and adolescents (n = 628) aged 8-21 years from the Lifespan Human Connectome Project in Development. We found evidence for both linear and non-linear differences in cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar rsFC, as well as integration, that varied by age. Additionally, we found that sex moderated the relationship between age and putamen integration where males displayed significant age-related increases in putamen PC compared with females. Taken together, these results provide evidence for complex, non-linear differences in some brain systems during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley F P Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael P Harms
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sridhar Kandala
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Scott Marek
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63119, USA
| | - Leah H Somerville
- Department of Psychology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kathleen M Thomas
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - David C Van Essen
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Essa Yacoub
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
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6
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Solis-Urra P, Esteban-Cornejo I, Mora-Gonzalez J, Stillman C, Contreras-Rodriguez O, Erickson KI, Catena A, Ortega FB. Early life factors and hippocampal functional connectivity in children with overweight/obesity. Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e12998. [PMID: 36573637 PMCID: PMC11225616 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated the association of anthropometric neonatal data (birth length and birth weight) and breastfeeding practices (exclusive and any breastfeeding) with hippocampal functional connectivity and its academic implication in children with overweight/obesity. METHODS Ninety six children with overweight/obesity aged 8-11 years (10.01 ± 1.14), from the ActiveBrains project were included in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric neonatal data were collected from birth records, whereas breastfeeding practices were reported by parents. A 3.0 Tesla Siemens Magnetom Tim Trio system was used to acquire T1-weighted and resting-state functional magnetic resonance images. Academic performance was assessed by the Woodcock-Muñoz standardized test. Hippocampal seed-based methods with post-hoc regression analyses were performed. Analyses were considered significant when surpassing Family-Wise Error corrections. RESULTS Birth weight showed a positive association with the connectivity between the hippocampus and the pre- and postcentral gyri, and the cerebellum. In addition, breastfeeding was negatively associated with the connectivity between the hippocampus and the primary motor cortex and the angular gyrus. Any breastfeeding, in turn, showed a positive association with the connectivity between the hippocampus and the middle temporal gyrus. None of the connectivity outcomes related to early life factors was coupled with better academic abilities (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that birth weight at birth and breastfeeding are associated with hippocampal connectivity in children with overweight/obesity. Despite this, how the results relate to academic performance remains a matter of speculation. Our findings suggest that clinicians should recognize the importance early life factors for potentially avoiding consequences on offspring's brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio Solis-Urra
- PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity” Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Nuclear Medicine Services, “Virgen de Las Nieves”, University Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Irene Esteban-Cornejo
- PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity” Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Mora-Gonzalez
- PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity” Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Chelsea Stillman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Oren Contreras-Rodriguez
- Medical Imaging, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IdibGi), and CIBERSAM, Girona, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kirk I. Erickson
- PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity” Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- AdventHealth Research Institute, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Andrés Catena
- School of Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco B. Ortega
- PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity” Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Caballero C, Nook EC, Gee DG. Managing fear and anxiety in development: A framework for understanding the neurodevelopment of emotion regulation capacity and tendency. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105002. [PMID: 36529313 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
How we manage emotional responses to environmental threats is central to mental health, as difficulties regulating threat-related distress can blossom into symptoms of anxiety disorders. Given that anxiety disorders emerge early in the lifespan, it is crucial we understand the multi-level processes that support effective regulation of distress. Scholars have given increased attention to behavioral and neural development of emotion regulation abilities, particularly cognitive reappraisal capacity (i.e., how strongly one can down-regulate negative affect by reinterpreting a situation to change one's emotions). However, this work has not been well integrated with research on regulatory tendency (i.e., how often one spontaneously regulates emotion in daily life). Here, we review research on the development of both emotion regulation capacity and tendency. We then propose a framework for testing hypotheses and eventually constructing a neurodevelopmental model of both dimensions of emotion regulation. Clarifying how the brain supports both effective and frequent regulation of threat-related distress across development is crucial to identifying multi-level signs of dysregulation and developing interventions that support youth mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Caballero
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, Kirtland Hall, 2 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Erik C Nook
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, Kirtland Hall, 2 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, Kirtland Hall, 2 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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8
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Kitt ER, Odriozola P, Gee DG. Extinction Learning Across Development: Neurodevelopmental Changes and Implications for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023; 64:237-256. [PMID: 37532964 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_430] [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] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in extinction learning relate to the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders across the lifespan. While exposure therapy, based on principles of extinction, can be highly effective for treating anxiety, many patients do not show sufficient improvement following treatment. In particular, evidence suggests that exposure therapy does not work sufficiently for up to 40% of children who receive this evidence-based treatment.Importantly, fear learning and extinction, as well as the neural circuitry supporting these processes, undergo dynamic changes across development. An improved understanding of developmental changes in extinction learning and the associated neural circuitry may help to identify targets to improve treatment response in clinically anxious children and adolescents. In this chapter, we provide a brief overview of methods used to study fear learning and extinction in developmental populations. We then review what is currently known about the developmental changes that occur in extinction learning and related neural circuitry. We end this chapter with a discussion of the implications of these neurodevelopmental changes for the characterization and treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola Odriozola
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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9
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Phillips ML. COVID-19 and the Infant Brain: Critical Links Among Prenatal Maternal Distress, Social Support, and Neurodevelopment. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:687-689. [PMID: 36202542 PMCID: PMC9527395 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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10
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Ibrahim K, Kalvin C, Morand-Beaulieu S, He G, Pelphrey KA, McCarthy G, Sukhodolsky DG. Amygdala-prefrontal connectivity in children with maladaptive aggression is modulated by social impairment. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4371-4385. [PMID: 35059702 PMCID: PMC9574236 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is common across childhood-onset psychiatric disorders and is associated with impairments in social cognition and communication. The present study examined whether amygdala connectivity and reactivity during face emotion processing in children with maladaptive aggression are moderated by social impairment. This cross-sectional study included a well-characterized transdiagnostic sample of 101 children of age 8-16 years old with clinically significant levels of aggressive behavior and 32 typically developing children without aggressive behavior. Children completed a face emotion perception task of fearful and calm faces during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Aggressive behavior and social functioning were measured by standardized parent ratings. Relative to controls, children with aggressive behavior showed reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) during implicit emotion processing. In children with aggressive behavior, the association between reduced amygdala-ventrolateral PFC connectivity and greater severity of aggression was moderated by greater social impairment. Amygdala reactivity to fearful faces was also associated with severity of aggressive behavior for children without social deficits but not for children with social deficits. Social impairments entail difficulties in interpreting social cues and enacting socially appropriate responses to frustration or provocation, which increase the propensity for an aggressive response via diminished connectivity between the amygdala and the ventral PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Ibrahim
- Address correspondence to Karim Ibrahim, PsyD, Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. ; Denis G. Sukhodolsky, PhD, Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Carla Kalvin
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | | | - George He
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Gregory McCarthy
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Denis G Sukhodolsky
- Address correspondence to Karim Ibrahim, PsyD, Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. ; Denis G. Sukhodolsky, PhD, Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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11
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Gunther KE, Petrie D, Pearce AL, Fuchs BA, Pérez-Edgar K, Keller KL, Geier C. Heterogeneity in PFC-amygdala connectivity in middle childhood, and concurrent interrelations with inhibitory control and anxiety symptoms. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108313. [PMID: 35798067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key brain area in considering adaptive regulatory behaviors. This includes regulatory projections to regions of the limbic system such as the amygdala, where the nature of functional connections may confer lower risk for anxiety disorders. The PFC is also associated with behaviors like executive functioning. Inhibitory control is a behavior encompassed by executive functioning and is generally viewed favorably for adaptive socioemotional development. Yet, some research suggests that high levels of inhibitory control may actually be a risk factor for some maladaptive developmental outcomes, like anxiety disorders. In a sample of 51 children ranging from 7 to 9 years old, we examined resting state functional connectivity between regions of the PFC and the amygdala. We used Subgrouping Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation (S-GIMME) to identify and characterize data-driven subgroups of individuals with similar networks of connectivity between these brain regions. Generated subgroups were collapsed into children characterized by the presence or absence of recovered connections between the PFC and amygdala. For subsets of children with available data (N = 38-44), we then tested whether inhibitory control, as measured by a stop signal task, moderated the relation between these subgroups and child-reported anxiety symptoms. We found an inverse relation between stop-signal reaction times and reported count of anxiety symptoms when covarying for connectivity group, suggesting that greater inhibitory control was actually related to greater anxiety symptoms, but only when accounting for patterns of PFC-amygdala connectivity. These data suggest that there is a great deal of heterogeneity in the nature of functional connections between the PFC and amygdala during this stage of development. The findings also provide support for the notion of high levels of inhibitory control as a risk factor for anxiety, but trait-level biopsychosocial factors may be important to consider in assessing the nature of risk.
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12
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Sumich A, Heym N, Lenzoni S, Hunter K. Gut microbiome-brain axis and inflammation in temperament, personality and psychopathology. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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13
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Wang M, Zeng N, Zheng H, Du X, Potenza MN, Dong GH. Altered effective connectivity from the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex to the laterobasal amygdala mediates the relationship between internet gaming disorder and loneliness. Psychol Med 2022; 52:737-746. [PMID: 32684185 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720002366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual with internet gaming disorder (IGD) often experience a high level of loneliness, and neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that amygdala function is associated with both IGD and loneliness. However, the neurobiological basis underlying these relationships remains unclear. METHODS In the current study, Granger causal analysis was performed to investigate amygdalar subdivision-based resting-state effective connectivity differences between 111 IGD subjects and 120 matched participants with recreational game use (RGUs). We further correlated neuroimaging findings with clinical measures. Mediation analysis was conducted to explore whether amygdalar subdivision-based effective connectivity mediated the relationship between IGD severity and loneliness. RESULTS Compared with RGUs, IGD subjects showed inhibitory effective connections from the left pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) to the left laterobasal amygdala (LBA) and from the right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to the left LBA, as well as an excitatory effective connection from the left middle prefrontal gyrus (MFG) to the right superficial amygdala. Further analyses demonstrated that the left pACC-left LBA effective connection was negatively correlated with both Internet Addiction Test and UCLA Loneliness scores, and it mediated the relationship between the two. CONCLUSION IGD subjects and RGUs showed different connectivity patterns involving amygdalar subdivisions. These findings support a neurobiological mechanism for the relationship between IGD and loneliness, and suggest targets for therapeutic approaches that could be used to treat IGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wang
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, PR, China
| | - Ningning Zeng
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, PR, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR, China
| | - Xiaoxia Du
- Department of Physics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, PR, China
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry and Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Guang-Heng Dong
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, PR, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR, China
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14
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Wilder L, Semendeferi K. Infant Brain Development and Plasticity from an Evolutionary Perspective. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-76000-7_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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15
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Qi T, Schaadt G, Friederici AD. Associated functional network development and language abilities in children. Neuroimage 2021; 242:118452. [PMID: 34358655 PMCID: PMC8463838 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
During childhood, the brain is gradually converging to the efficient functional architecture observed in adults. How the brain's functional architecture evolves with age, particularly in young children, is however, not well understood. We examined the functional connectivity of the core language regions, in association with cortical growth and language abilities, in 175 young children in the age range of 4 to 9 years. We analyzed the brain's developmental changes using resting-state functional and T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging data. The results showed increased functional connectivity strength with age between the pars triangularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus and left temporoparietal regions (cohen's d = 0.54, CI: 0.24 - 0.84), associated with children's language abilities. Stronger functional connectivity between bilateral prefrontal and temporoparietal regions was associated with better language abilities regardless of age. In addition, the stronger functional connectivity between the left inferior frontal and temporoparietal regions was associated with larger surface area and thinner cortical thickness in these regions, which in turn was associated with superior language abilities. Thus, using functional and structural brain indices, coupled with behavioral measures, we elucidate the association of functional language network development, language ability, and cortical growth, thereby adding to our understanding of the neural basis of language acquisition in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Qi
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Gesa Schaadt
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Education and Psychology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angela D Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Emerging Evidence for Putative Neural Networks and Antecedents of Pediatric Anxiety in the Fetal, Neonatal, and Infant Periods. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:672-680. [PMID: 33518264 PMCID: PMC8087150 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in youth and are associated with profound individual impairment and public health costs. Research shows that clinically significant anxiety symptoms manifest in preschool-aged children, and correlates of anxiety symptoms are observable in infancy. Yet, predicting who is at risk for developing anxiety remains an enduring challenge. Predictive biomarkers of anxiety are needed before school age when anxiety symptoms typically consolidate into diagnostic profiles. Increasing evidence indicates that early neural measures implicated in anxiety and anxious temperament may be incorporated with traditional measures of behavioral risk (i.e., behavioral inhibition) to provide more robust classification of pediatric anxiety problems. This review examines the phenomenology of anxiety disorders in early life, highlighting developmental research that interrogates the putative neurocircuitry of pediatric anxiety. First, we discuss enduring challenges in identifying and predicting risk for pediatric anxiety. Second, we summarize emerging evidence for putative neural antecedents and networks underlying risk for pediatric anxiety in the fetal, neonatal, and infant periods that represent novel potential avenues for risk identification and prediction. We focus on evidence examining the importance of early amygdala and extended amygdala circuitry development to the emergence of anxiety. Finally, we discuss the utility of integrating developmental psychopathology and neuroscience to facilitate future research and clinical work.
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17
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Turesky TK, Vanderauwera J, Gaab N. Imaging the rapidly developing brain: Current challenges for MRI studies in the first five years of life. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 47:100893. [PMID: 33341534 PMCID: PMC7750693 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid and widespread changes in brain anatomy and physiology in the first five years of life present substantial challenges for developmental structural, functional, and diffusion MRI studies. One persistent challenge is that methods best suited to earlier developmental stages are suboptimal for later stages, which engenders a trade-off between using different, but age-appropriate, methods for different developmental stages or identical methods across stages. Both options have potential benefits, but also biases, as pipelines for each developmental stage can be matched on methods or the age-appropriateness of methods, but not both. This review describes the data acquisition, processing, and analysis challenges that introduce these potential biases and attempts to elucidate decisions and make recommendations that would optimize developmental comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted K Turesky
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jolijn Vanderauwera
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique De Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique De Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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Gaffrey MS, Barch DM, Luby JL, Petersen SE. Amygdala Functional Connectivity Is Associated With Emotion Regulation and Amygdala Reactivity in 4- to 6-Year-Olds. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 60:176-185. [PMID: 32119912 PMCID: PMC7483219 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emotion dysregulation has been suggested to be a potent risk factor for multiple psychiatric conditions. Altered amygdala-prefrontal cortex (PFC) connectivity has been consistently linked to emotion dysregulation. Recent data indicate that amygdala-PFC functional connectivity undergoes a prolonged period of development, with amygdala reactivity during early childhood potentially shaping this unfolding process. Little is known about the relationships between amygdala-PFC functional connectivity, amygdala reactivity, and emotion regulation during early childhood. This information is likely critical for understanding early emotion dysregulation as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. The current study examined the relationships between amygdala functional connectivity, amygdala reactivity, and emotion regulation in preschoolers. METHOD A total of 66 medication-naive 4- to 6-year-olds participated in a study where resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and parent-reported child emotion regulation ability data were collected. fMRI data collected during a face viewing task was also available for 24 children. RESULTS Right amygdala-medial PFC (mPFC) functional connectivity was positively associated with child emotion regulation ability and negatively associated with child negative affect and right amygdala reactivity to facial expressions of emotion. Right amygdala-mPFC functional connectivity also statistically mediated the relationship between heightened right amygdala reactivity and elevated child negative affect. CONCLUSION Study findings suggest that amygdala-mPFC functional connectivity during early childhood, and its relationships with amygdala reactivity and emotion regulation during this highly sensitive developmental period, may play an important role in early emotional development. These results inform the neurodevelopmental biology of emotion regulation and its potential relationship with risk for psychopathology.
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19
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Gee DG. Caregiving influences on emotional learning and regulation: Applying a sensitive period model. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020; 36:177-184. [PMID: 33718534 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Early caregiving experiences play a central role in shaping corticolimbic development and emotional learning and regulation. Given dynamic changes in corticolimbic maturation, the effects of caregiving experiences are likely to depend on the developmental timing of exposure. Cross-species evidence has identified timing-related differences in the effects of caregiving adversity. However, the extent to which developmental differences in associations between caregiving adversity and corticolimbic circuitry align with a sensitive period model has remained unclear. Converging evidence from studies of caregiver deprivation points to a sensitive period for caregiving influences on corticolimbic circuitry and emotional development during infancy. By contrast, differential associations between maltreatment and corticolimbic circuitry at specific ages in childhood and adolescence may reflect experience-dependent mechanisms of plasticity. Delineating sensitive periods of development and the precise experience-related mechanisms by which caregiving experiences influence corticolimbic development is essential for refining conceptual models and understanding risk and resilience following early adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G Gee
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511
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20
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Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 46:100877. [PMID: 33220629 PMCID: PMC7689043 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-human animal research shows stress alters amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) connectivity. It is unclear how prenatal stress may alter human infant connectivity. Prenatal stress was associated with decreased amygdala–mPFC functional connectivity. Prenatal stress was associated with increased amygdala–mPFC structural connectivity. This work provides insight into how stress contributes to neurodevelopmental risk.
Stressful experiences are linked to neurodevelopment. There is growing interest in the role of stress in the connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a circuit that subserves automatic emotion regulation. However, the specific timing and mechanisms that underlie the association between stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity are unclear. Many factors, including variations in fetal exposure to maternal stress, appear to affect early developing brain circuitry. However, few studies have examined the associations of stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity in early life, when the brain is most plastic and sensitive to environmental influence. In this longitudinal pilot study, we characterized the association between prenatal stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity in young infants (approximately age 5 weeks). A final sample of 33 women who provided data on preconception and prenatal stress during their pregnancy returned with their offspring for a magnetic resonance imaging scan session, which enabled us to characterize amygdala–mPFC structural and functional connectivity as a function of prenatal stress. Increased prenatal stress was associated with decreased functional connectivity and increased structural connectivity between the amygdala and mPFC. These results provide insight into the influence of prenatal maternal stress on the early development of this critical regulatory circuitry.
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21
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Hansen HA, Li J, Saygin ZM. Adults vs. neonates: Differentiation of functional connectivity between the basolateral amygdala and occipitotemporal cortex. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237204. [PMID: 33075046 PMCID: PMC7571669 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala, a subcortical structure known for social and emotional processing, consists of multiple subnuclei with unique functions and connectivity patterns. Tracer studies in adult macaques have shown that the basolateral subnuclei differentially connect to parts of visual cortex, with stronger connections to anterior regions and weaker connections to posterior regions; infant macaques show robust connectivity even with posterior visual regions. Do these developmental differences also exist in the human amygdala, and are there specific functional regions that undergo the most pronounced developmental changes in their connections with the amygdala? To address these questions, we explored the functional connectivity (from resting-state fMRI data) of the basolateral amygdala to occipitotemporal cortex in human neonates scanned within one week of life and compared the connectivity patterns to those observed in young adults. Specifically, we calculated amygdala connectivity to anterior-posterior gradients of the anatomically-defined occipitotemporal cortex, and also to putative occipitotemporal functional parcels, including primary and high-level visual and auditory cortices (V1, A1, face, scene, object, body, high-level auditory regions). Results showed a decreasing gradient of functional connectivity to the occipitotemporal cortex in adults-similar to the gradient seen in macaque tracer studies-but no such gradient was observed in neonates. Further, adults had stronger connections to high-level functional regions associated with face, body, and object processing, and weaker connections to primary sensory regions (i.e., A1, V1), whereas neonates showed the same amount of connectivity to primary and high-level sensory regions. Overall, these results show that functional connectivity between the amygdala and occipitotemporal cortex is not yet differentiated in neonates, suggesting a role of maturation and experience in shaping these connections later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather A. Hansen
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jin Li
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Zeynep M. Saygin
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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22
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Ciarrusta J, Dimitrova R, McAlonan G. Early maturation of the social brain: How brain development provides a platform for the acquisition of social-cognitive competence. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2020; 254:49-70. [PMID: 32859293 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Across the last century psychology has provided a lot of insight about social-cognitive competence. Recognizing facial expressions, joint attention, discrimination of cues and experiencing empathy are just a few examples of the social skills humans acquire from birth to adolescence. However, how very early brain maturation provides a platform to support the attainment of highly complex social behavior later in development remains poorly understood. Magnetic Resonance Imaging provides a safe means to investigate the typical and atypical maturation of regions of the brain responsible for social cognition in as early as the perinatal period. Here, we first review some technical challenges and advances of using functional magnetic resonance imaging on developing infants to then describe current knowledge on the development of diverse systems associated with social function. We will then explain how these characteristics might differ in infants with genetic or environmental risk factors, who are vulnerable to atypical neurodevelopment. Finally, given the rapid early development of systems necessary for social skills, we propose a new framework to investigate sensitive time windows of development when neural substrates might be more vulnerable to impairment due to a genetic or environmental insult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Ciarrusta
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment and Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ralica Dimitrova
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment and Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Grainne McAlonan
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment and Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
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23
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Tuulari JJ, Kataja EL, Leppänen JM, Lewis JD, Nolvi S, Häikiö T, Lehtola SJ, Hashempour N, Saunavaara J, Scheinin NM, Korja R, Karlsson L, Karlsson H. Newborn left amygdala volume associates with attention disengagement from fearful faces at eight months. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100839. [PMID: 32836078 PMCID: PMC7451600 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
After 5 months of age, infants begin to prioritize attention to fearful over other facial expressions. One key proposition is that amygdala and related early-maturing subcortical network, is important for emergence of this attentional bias - however, empirical data to support these assertions are lacking. In this prospective longitudinal study, we measured amygdala volumes from MR images in 65 healthy neonates at 2-5 weeks of gestation corrected age and attention disengagement from fearful vs. non-fearful facial expressions at 8 months with eye tracking. Overall, infants were less likely to disengage from fearful than happy/neutral faces, demonstrating an age-typical bias for fear. Left, but not right, amygdala volume (corrected for intracranial volume) was positively associated with the likelihood of disengaging attention from fearful faces to a salient lateral distractor (r = .302, p = .014). No association was observed with the disengagement from neutral or happy faces in equivalent conditions (r = .166 and .125, p = .186 and .320, respectively). These results are the first to link the amygdala volume with the emerging perceptual vigilance for fearful faces during infancy. They suggest a link from the prenatally defined variability in the amygdala size to early postnatal emotional and social traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jetro J Tuulari
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK (Sigrid Juselius Fellowship), United Kingdom.
| | - Eeva-Leena Kataja
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland; Infant Cognition Laboratory, Center for Child Health Research, School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Finland
| | - Jukka M Leppänen
- Infant Cognition Laboratory, Center for Child Health Research, School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Finland
| | - John D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Saara Nolvi
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Tuomo Häikiö
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Lehtola
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Niloofar Hashempour
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Child Psychiatry, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
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24
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Faghiri A, Stephen JM, Wang YP, Wilson TW, Calhoun VD. Brain Development Includes Linear and Multiple Nonlinear Trajectories: A Cross-Sectional Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Brain Connect 2020; 9:777-788. [PMID: 31744324 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2018.0641] [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] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of brain structure have shown that the cortex matures in both a linear and nonlinear manner depending on the time window and specific region studied. In addition, it has been shown that socioeconomic status can impact brain development throughout childhood. However, very few studies have evaluated these patterns using functional measures. To this end, in this study we used cross-sectional resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 368 subjects, age 3-21 years, to examine the linear and nonlinear development of brain connectivity. We employed a clustering approach to characterize these developmental patterns into different linear and nonlinear groups. Our results showed that functional brain development exhibits multiple types of linear and nonlinear patterns, and assuming that brain connectivity values reach a stable state after a specific age might be misleading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashkan Faghiri
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | - Yu-Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.,Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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25
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Tottenham N. Early Adversity and the Neotenous Human Brain. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:350-358. [PMID: 31399257 PMCID: PMC6935437 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human brain development is optimized to learn from environmental cues. The protracted development of the cortex and its connections with subcortical targets has been argued to permit more opportunity for acquiring complex behaviors. This review uses the example of amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex circuitry development to illustrate a principle of human development-namely, that the extension of the brain's developmental timeline allows for the (species-expected) collaboration between child and parent in co-construction of the human brain. The neurobiology underlying affective learning capitalizes on this protracted timeline to develop a rich affective repertoire in adulthood. Humans are afforded this luxuriously slow development in part by the extended period of caregiving provided by parents, and parents aid in scaffolding the process of maturation during childhood. Just as adequate caregiving is a potent effector of brain development, so is adverse caregiving, which is the largest environmental risk factor for adult mental illness. There are large individual differences in neurobiological outcomes following caregiving adversity, indicating that these pathways are probabilistic, rather than deterministic, and prolonged plasticity in human brain development may also allow for subsequent amelioration by positive experiences. The extant research indicates that the development of mental health cannot be considered without consideration of children in the context of their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York.
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26
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Gilmore JH. Maternal Depression and Structural Covariance of the Amygdala in Early Childhood. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:936-937. [PMID: 31699301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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27
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DeMayo MM, Young LJ, Hickie IB, Song YJC, Guastella AJ. Circuits for social learning: A unified model and application to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:388-398. [PMID: 31560922 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Early life social experiences shape neural pathways in infants to develop lifelong social skills. This review presents the first unified circuit-based model of social learning that can be applied to early life social development, drawing together unique human developmental milestones, sensitive learning periods, and behavioral and neural scaffolds. Circuit domains for social learning are identified governing Activation, Integration, Discrimination, Response and Reward (AIDRR) to sculpt and drive human social learning. This unified model can be used to identify social delays earlier in development. We propose social impairments observed in Autism Spectrum Disorder are underpinned by early mistimed sensitive periods in brain development and alterations in amygdala development to disrupt the AIDRR circuits. This model directs how interventions can target neural circuits for social development and be applied early in life. To illustrate, the role of oxytocin and its use as an intervention is explored. The AIDRR model shifts focus away from delivering broad treatments based only on diagnostic classifications, to specifying and targeting the relevant circuits, at the right time of development, to optimize social learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena M DeMayo
- Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia.
| | - Larry J Young
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Ian B Hickie
- Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia.
| | - Yun Ju C Song
- Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia.
| | - Adam J Guastella
- Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2050, Australia.
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28
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Odriozola P, Dajani DR, Burrows CA, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Goodman E, Baez AC, Tottenham N, Uddin LQ, Gee DG. Atypical frontoamygdala functional connectivity in youth with autism. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 37:100603. [PMID: 30581125 PMCID: PMC6570504 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex underlies socioemotional functioning, a core domain of impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although frontoamygdala circuitry undergoes dynamic changes throughout development, little is known about age-related changes in frontoamygdala networks in ASD. Here we characterize frontoamygdala resting-state FC in a cross-sectional sample (ages 7–25) of 58 typically developing (TD) individuals and 53 individuals with ASD. Contrary to hypotheses, individuals with ASD did not show different age-related patterns of frontoamygdala FC compared with TD individuals. However, overall group differences in frontoamygdala FC were observed. Specifically, relative to TD individuals, individuals with ASD showed weaker frontoamygdala FC between the right basolateral (BL) amygdala and the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). These findings extend prior work to a broader developmental range in ASD, and indicate ASD-related differences in frontoamygdala FC that may underlie core socioemotional impairments in children and adolescents with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Odriozola
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
| | - Dina R Dajani
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | | | | | - Emma Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Adriana C Baez
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami FL, 33136, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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29
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Gee DG, Bath KG, Johnson CM, Meyer HC, Murty VP, van den Bos W, Hartley CA. Neurocognitive Development of Motivated Behavior: Dynamic Changes across Childhood and Adolescence. J Neurosci 2018; 38:9433-9445. [PMID: 30381435 PMCID: PMC6209847 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1674-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to anticipate and respond appropriately to the challenges and opportunities present in our environments is critical for adaptive behavior. Recent methodological innovations have led to substantial advances in our understanding of the neurocircuitry supporting such motivated behavior in adulthood. However, the neural circuits and cognitive processes that enable threat- and reward-motivated behavior undergo substantive changes over the course of development, and these changes are less well understood. In this article, we highlight recent research in human and animal models demonstrating how developmental changes in prefrontal-subcortical neural circuits give rise to corresponding changes in the processing of threats and rewards from infancy to adulthood. We discuss how these developmental trajectories are altered by experiential factors, such as early-life stress, and highlight the relevance of this research for understanding the developmental onset and treatment of psychiatric disorders characterized by dysregulation of motivated behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520,
| | - Kevin G Bath
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | - Carolyn M Johnson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Heidi C Meyer
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Vishnu P Murty
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
| | - Wouter van den Bos
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, and
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