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Danielli E, Simard N, DeMatteo CA, Kumbhare D, Ulmer S, Noseworthy MD. A review of brain regions and associated post-concussion symptoms. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1136367. [PMID: 37602240 PMCID: PMC10435092 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1136367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain is an exceptionally complex organ that is comprised of billions of neurons. Therefore, when a traumatic event such as a concussion occurs, somatic, cognitive, behavioral, and sleep impairments are the common outcome. Each concussion is unique in the sense that the magnitude of biomechanical forces and the direction, rotation, and source of those forces are different for each concussive event. This helps to explain the unpredictable nature of post-concussion symptoms that can arise and resolve. The purpose of this narrative review is to connect the anatomical location, healthy function, and associated post-concussion symptoms of some major cerebral gray and white matter brain regions and the cerebellum. As a non-exhaustive description of post-concussion symptoms nor comprehensive inclusion of all brain regions, we have aimed to amalgamate the research performed for specific brain regions into a single article to clarify and enhance clinical and research concussion assessment. The current status of concussion diagnosis is highly subjective and primarily based on self-report of symptoms, so this review may be able to provide a connection between brain anatomy and the clinical presentation of concussions to enhance medical imaging assessments. By explaining anatomical relevance in terms of clinical concussion symptom presentation, an increased understanding of concussions may also be achieved to improve concussion recognition and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Danielli
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas Simard
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Carol A. DeMatteo
- ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Dinesh Kumbhare
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephan Ulmer
- Neurorad.ch, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael D. Noseworthy
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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2
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Fears NE, Sherrod GM, Blankenship D, Patterson RM, Hynan LS, Wijayasinghe I, Popa DO, Bugnariu NL, Miller HL. Motor differences in autism during a human-robot imitative gesturing task. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 2023; 106:105987. [PMID: 37207496 PMCID: PMC10684312 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2023.105987] [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: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Difficulty with imitative gesturing is frequently observed as a clinical feature of autism. Current practices for assessment of imitative gesturing ability-behavioral observation and parent report-do not allow precise measurement of specific components of imitative gesturing performance, instead relying on subjective judgments. Advances in technology allow researchers to objectively quantify the nature of these movement differences, and to use less socially stressful interaction partners (e.g., robots). In this study, we aimed to quantify differences in imitative gesturing between autistic and neurotypical development during human-robot interaction. METHODS Thirty-five autistic (n = 19) and neurotypical (n = 16) participants imitated social gestures of an interactive robot (e.g., wave). The movements of the participants and the robot were recorded using an infrared motion-capture system with reflective markers on corresponding head and body locations. We used dynamic time warping to quantify the degree to which the participant's and robot's movement were aligned across the movement cycle and work contribution to determine how each joint angle was producing the movements. FINDINGS Results revealed differences between autistic and neurotypical participants in imitative accuracy and work contribution, primarily in the movements requiring unilateral extension of the arm. Autistic individuals imitated the robot less accurately and used less work at the shoulder compared to neurotypical individuals. INTERPRETATION These findings indicate differences in autistic participants' ability to imitate an interactive robot. These findings build on our understanding of the underlying motor control and sensorimotor integration mechanisms that support imitative gesturing in autism which may aid in identifying appropriate intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Fears
- University of North Texas, Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Gabriela M Sherrod
- University of North Texas, Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA; University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | | | - Rita M Patterson
- University of North Texas, Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Linda S Hynan
- University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Dan O Popa
- University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Nicoleta L Bugnariu
- University of North Texas, Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA; University of the Pacific, School of Health Sciences, USA
| | - Haylie L Miller
- University of North Texas, Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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3
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Wang Y, Xu L, Fang H, Wang F, Gao T, Zhu Q, Jiao G, Ke X. Social Brain Network of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characterization of Functional Connectivity and Potential Association with Stereotyped Behavior. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020280. [PMID: 36831823 PMCID: PMC9953760 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To identify patterns of social dysfunction in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), study the potential linkage between social brain networks and stereotyped behavior, and further explore potential targets of non-invasive nerve stimulation to improve social disorders. Methods: Voxel-wise and ROI-wise analysis methods were adopted to explore abnormalities in the functional activity of social-related regions of the brain. Then, we analyzed the relationships between clinical variables and the statistical indicators of social-related brain regions. Results: Compared with the typically developing group, the functional connectivity strength of social-related brain regions with the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, supplementary motor area, paracentral lobule, median cingulum, and paracingulum gyri was significantly weakened in the ASD group (all p < 0. 01). The functional connectivity was negatively correlated with communication, social interaction, communication + social interaction, and the total score of the ADOS scale (r = -0.38, -0.39, -0.40, and -0.3, respectively; all p < 0.01), with social awareness, social cognition, social communication, social motivation, autistic mannerisms, and the total score of the SRS scale (r = -0.32, -0.32, -0.40, -0.30, -0.28, and -0.27, respectively; all p < 0.01), and with the total score of SCQ (r = -0.27, p < 0.01). In addition, significant intergroup differences in clustering coefficients and betweenness centrality were seen across multiple brain regions in the ASD group. Conclusions: The functional connectivity between social-related brain regions and many other brain regions was significantly weakened compared to the typically developing group, and it was negatively correlated with social disorders. Social network dysfunction seems to be related to stereotyped behavior. Therefore, these social-related brain regions may be taken as potential stimulation targets of non-invasive nerve stimulation to improve social dysfunction in children with ASD in the future.
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4
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Klöbl M, Prillinger K, Diehm R, Doganay K, Lanzenberger R, Poustka L, Plener P, Konicar L. Individual brain regulation as learned via neurofeedback is related to affective changes in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2023; 17:6. [PMID: 36635760 PMCID: PMC9837918 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00549-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotions often play a role in neurofeedback (NF) regulation strategies. However, investigations of the relationship between the induced neuronal changes and improvements in affective domains are scarce in electroencephalography-based studies. Thus, we extended the findings of the first study on slow cortical potential (SCP) NF in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by linking affective changes to whole-brain activity during rest and regulation. METHODS Forty-one male adolescents with ASD were scanned twice at rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Between scans, half underwent NF training, whereas the other half received treatment as usual. Furthermore, parents reported on their child's affective characteristics at each measurement. The NF group had to alternatingly produce negative and positive SCP shifts during training and was additionally scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging while applying their developed regulation strategies. RESULTS No significant treatment group-by-time interactions in affective or resting-state measures were found. However, we found increases of resting activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and right inferior temporal gyrus as well as improvements in affective characteristics over both groups. Activation corresponding to SCP differentiation in these regions correlated with the affective improvements. A further correlation was found for Rolandic operculum activation corresponding to positive SCP shifts. There were no significant correlations with the respective achieved SCP regulation during NF training. CONCLUSION SCP NF in ASD did not lead to superior improvements in neuronal or affective functioning compared to treatment as usual. However, the affective changes might be related to the individual strategies and their corresponding activation patterns as indicated by significant correlations on the whole-brain level. Trial registration This clinical trial was registered at drks.de (DRKS00012339) on 20th April, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Prillinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Diehm
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kamer Doganay
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Paul Plener
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lilian Konicar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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5
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Shen Y, Zhang C, Cui S, Wang R, Cai H, Zhao W, Zhu J, Yu Y. Transcriptional substrates underlying functional connectivity profiles of subregions within the human sensorimotor cortex. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:5562-5578. [PMID: 35899321 PMCID: PMC9704778 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The human sensorimotor cortex has multiple subregions showing functional commonalities and differences, likely attributable to their connectivity profiles. However, the molecular substrates underlying such connectivity profiles are unclear. Here, transcriptome-neuroimaging spatial correlation analyses were performed between transcriptomic data from the Allen human brain atlas and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of 24 fine-grained sensorimotor subregions from 793 healthy subjects. Results showed that rsFC of six sensorimotor subregions were associated with expression measures of six gene sets that were specifically expressed in brain tissue. These sensorimotor subregions could be classified into the polygenic- and oligogenic-modulated subregions, whose rsFC were related to gene sets diverging on their numbers (hundreds vs. dozens) and functional characteristics. First, the former were specifically expressed in multiple types of neurons and immune cells, yet the latter were not specifically expressed in any cortical cell types. Second, the former were preferentially expressed during the middle and late stages of cortical development, while the latter showed no preferential expression during any stages. Third, the former were prone to be enriched for general biological functions and pathways, but the latter for specialized biological functions and pathways. Fourth, the former were enriched for neuropsychiatric disorders, whereas this enrichment was absent for the latter. Finally, although the identified genes were commonly associated with sensorimotor behavioral processes, the polygenic-modulated subregions associated genes were additionally related to vision and dementia. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional homogeneity and heterogeneity of the human sensorimotor cortex from the perspective of underlying genetic architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Shen
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Cun Zhang
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Shunshun Cui
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Huanhuan Cai
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Wenming Zhao
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Jiajia Zhu
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina,Research Center of Clinical Medical ImagingHefeiAnhui ProvinceChina,Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational MedicineHefeiChina
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6
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Melillo R, Leisman G, Machado C, Machado-Ferrer Y, Chinchilla-Acosta M, Kamgang S, Melillo T, Carmeli E. Retained Primitive Reflexes and Potential for Intervention in Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurol 2022; 13:922322. [PMID: 35873782 PMCID: PMC9301367 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.922322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide evidence to support the contention that many aspects of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are related to interregional brain functional disconnectivity associated with maturational delays in the development of brain networks. We think a delay in brain maturation in some networks may result in an increase in cortical maturation and development in other networks, leading to a developmental asynchrony and an unevenness of functional skills and symptoms. The paper supports the close relationship between retained primitive reflexes and cognitive and motor function in general and in ASD in particular provided to indicate that the inhibition of RPRs can effect positive change in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Melillo
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Gerry Leisman
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neurology, University of the Medical Sciences of Havana, Havana, Cuba
| | - Calixto Machado
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yanin Machado-Ferrer
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba
| | | | - Shanine Kamgang
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ty Melillo
- Northeast College of the Health Sciences, Seneca Falls, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eli Carmeli
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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7
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Bhat AN, Boulton AJ, Tulsky DS. A further study of relations between motor impairment and social communication, cognitive, language, functional impairments, and repetitive behavior severity in children with ASD using the SPARK study dataset. Autism Res 2022; 15:1156-1178. [PMID: 35357764 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Motor impairments are pervasive and persistent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) throughout childhood and adolescence. Based on recent studies examining motor impairments in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years (i.e., SPARK study sample), 87-88% of this population is at-risk for a motor impairment, these problems persisted until 15 years, and related to their core (social communication skills and repetitive behaviors [RBs]) and comorbid (language, cognitive, and functional) impairments. Persistent motor impairments extending into adolescence/adulthood could negatively impact their independent daily living skills, physical fitness/activity levels, and physical/mental health. While multiple studies have examined relations between motor dimensions and core/comorbid impairments in young children with ASD, few studies have examined such relations in school-age children/adolescents with ASD. This paper conducts a further multidimensional study of which motor domains (i.e., gross-motor including visuo-motor or multilimb coordination/planning, fine motor [FM] or general coordination [GC] skills) best distinguish subgroups of school-age children/adolescents with ASD and help predict core and comorbid impairments after accounting for age and sex. Visuomotor, FM and certain GC skills were better at explaining variations in/predicting social communication impairments whereas FM skills were slightly better at explaining variations in/predicting RB severity. Multilimb coordination/planning and FM skills explained variations in/predicted cognitive delays whereas visuomotor and FM skills explained variations in and better predicted language delays. All three motor dimensions explained variations in/predicted functional delays. This study provides further evidence for inclusion of motor impairments within the ASD definition (criteria or specifiers). LAY SUMMARY: Gross-motor skills were related to social communication and functional delays of children with ASD (visuomotor skills related to language delays and multilimb coordination/planning skills related to cognitive delays). Fine-motor skills were related to repetitive behavior severity, language, cognitive, and functional delays in ASD. Diagnosticians should recommend systematic motor screening, further evaluations, and treatments for children at-risk for and diagnosed with ASD. Motor advocacy and enhanced public/clinical community awareness is needed to fulfill the unmet motor needs of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana N Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Aaron J Boulton
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Center for Health Assessment Research and Translation, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - David S Tulsky
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Center for Health Assessment Research and Translation, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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8
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Takahashi E, Allan N, Peres R, Ortug A, van der Kouwe AJW, Valli B, Ethier E, Levman J, Baumer N, Tsujimura K, Vargas-Maya NI, McCracken TA, Lee R, Maunakea AK. Integration of structural MRI and epigenetic analyses hint at linked cellular defects of the subventricular zone and insular cortex in autism: Findings from a case study. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1023665. [PMID: 36817099 PMCID: PMC9935943 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1023665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication and repetitive, restrictive behaviors, features supported by cortical activity. Given the importance of the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventrical to cortical development, we compared molecular, cellular, and structural differences in the SVZ and linked cortical regions in specimens of ASD cases and sex and age-matched unaffected brain. Methods We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tractography on ex vivo postmortem brain samples, which we further analyzed by Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS), Flow Cytometry, and RT qPCR. Results Through MRI, we observed decreased tractography pathways from the dorsal SVZ, increased pathways from the posterior ventral SVZ to the insular cortex, and variable cortical thickness within the insular cortex in ASD diagnosed case relative to unaffected controls. Long-range tractography pathways from and to the insula were also reduced in the ASD case. FACS-based cell sorting revealed an increased population of proliferating cells in the SVZ of ASD case relative to the unaffected control. Targeted qPCR assays of SVZ tissue demonstrated significantly reduced expression levels of genes involved in differentiation and migration of neurons in ASD relative to the control counterpart. Finally, using genome-wide DNA methylation analyses, we identified 19 genes relevant to neurological development, function, and disease, 7 of which have not previously been described in ASD, that were significantly differentially methylated in autistic SVZ and insula specimens. Conclusion These findings suggest a hypothesis that epigenetic changes during neurodevelopment alter the trajectory of proliferation, migration, and differentiation in the SVZ, impacting cortical structure and function and resulting in ASD phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emi Takahashi
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nina Allan
- Epigenomics Research Program, Department of Anatomy, Institute for Biogenesis Research, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Rafael Peres
- Epigenomics Research Program, Department of Anatomy, Institute for Biogenesis Research, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Alpen Ortug
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Andre J W van der Kouwe
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Briana Valli
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Ethier
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jacob Levman
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada
| | - Nicole Baumer
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Keita Tsujimura
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nauru Idalia Vargas-Maya
- Epigenomics Research Program, Department of Anatomy, Institute for Biogenesis Research, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Trevor A McCracken
- Epigenomics Research Program, Department of Anatomy, Institute for Biogenesis Research, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Rosa Lee
- Epigenomics Research Program, Department of Anatomy, Institute for Biogenesis Research, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Alika K Maunakea
- Epigenomics Research Program, Department of Anatomy, Institute for Biogenesis Research, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
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9
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Hau J, S Kohli J, Shryock I, Kinnear MK, Schadler A, Müller RA, Carper RA. Supplementary and Premotor Aspects of the Corticospinal Tract Show Links with Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Middle-Aged Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3962-3972. [PMID: 33791751 PMCID: PMC8258444 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show motor impairment into adulthood and risk decline during aging, but little is known about brain changes in aging adults with ASD. Few studies of ASD have directly examined the corticospinal tract (CST)-the major descending pathway in the brain responsible for voluntary motor behavior-outside its primary motor (M1) connections. In 26 middle-aged adults with ASD and 26 age-matched typical comparison participants, we used diffusion imaging to examine the microstructure and volume of CST projections from M1, dorsal premotor (PMd), supplementary motor area (SMA), and primary somatosensory (S1) cortices with respect to age. We also examined relationships between each CST sub-tract (-cst), motor skills, and autism symptoms. We detected no significant group or age-related differences in tracts extending from M1 or other areas. However, sub-tracts of the CST extending from secondary (but not primary) motor areas were associated with core autism traits. Increased microstructural integrity of left PMd-cst and SMA-cst were associated with less-severe restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) in the ASD group. These findings suggest that secondary motor cortical areas, known to be involved in selecting motor programs, may be implicated in cognitive motor processes underlying RRB in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Hau
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Jiwandeep S Kohli
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ian Shryock
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Mikaela K Kinnear
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Adam Schadler
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ruth A Carper
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
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10
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Lahti K, Parkkola R, Jääsaari P, Haataja L, Saunavaara V. The impact of susceptibility correction on diffusion metrics in adolescents. Pediatr Radiol 2021; 51:1471-1480. [PMID: 33893847 PMCID: PMC8266789 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-021-05000-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diffusion tensor imaging is a widely used imaging method of brain white matter, but it is prone to imaging artifacts. The data corrections can affect the measured values. OBJECTIVE To explore the impact of susceptibility correction on diffusion metrics. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cohort of 27 healthy adolescents (18 boys, 9 girls, mean age 12.7 years) underwent 3-T MRI, and we collected two diffusion data sets (anterior-posterior). The data were processed both with and without susceptibility artifact correction. We derived fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity and histogram data of fiber length distribution from both the corrected and uncorrected data, which were collected from the corpus callosum, corticospinal tract and cingulum bilaterally. RESULTS Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values significantly differed when comparing the pathways in all measured tracts. The fractional anisotropy values were lower and the mean diffusivity values higher in the susceptibility-corrected data than in the uncorrected data. We found a significant difference in total tract length in the corpus callosum and the corticospinal tract. CONCLUSION This study indicates that susceptibility correction has a significant effect on measured fractional anisotropy, and on mean diffusivity values and tract lengths. To receive reliable and comparable results, the correction should be used systematically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katri Lahti
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, P.O. Box 52, 20521, Turku, Finland.
- Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Päivi Jääsaari
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Leena Haataja
- Children's Hospital, and Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Virva Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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11
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Altered Cerebellum Spontaneous Activity in Juvenile Autism Spectrum Disorders Associated with Clinical Traits. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:2497-2504. [PMID: 34184142 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05167-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. The associations between the cerebellum and clinical traits remain unclear. We performed amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis to explore the associations between spontaneous brain activity and clinical traits. 361 juvenile ASD patients were included from the ABIDEII database. In the ASD group, the mean ALFF values of cerebellum 4 5 were correlated with SRS awareness and communication. The mean ALFF values of cerebellum 6 and vermis 4 5 were both positively correlated with SRS total, awareness, communication, and motivation. In contrast, the mean ALFF values of vermis 1 2 were negatively correlated with SRS total, awareness, and mannerisms. Our study suggests a role of the cerebellum in functional impairments in ASD.
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12
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Supekar K, Ryali S, Mistry P, Menon V. Aberrant dynamics of cognitive control and motor circuits predict distinct restricted and repetitive behaviors in children with autism. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3537. [PMID: 34112791 PMCID: PMC8192778 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23822-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a defining clinical feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). RRBs are highly heterogeneous with variable expression of circumscribed interests (CI), insistence of sameness (IS) and repetitive motor actions (RM), which are major impediments to effective functioning in individuals with ASD; yet, the neurobiological basis of CI, IS and RM is unknown. Here we evaluate a unified functional brain circuit model of RRBs and test the hypothesis that CI and IS are associated with aberrant cognitive control circuit dynamics, whereas RM is associated with aberrant motor circuit dynamics. Using task-free fMRI data from 96 children, we first demonstrate that time-varying cross-network interactions in cognitive control circuit are significantly reduced and inflexible in children with ASD, and predict CI and IS symptoms, but not RM symptoms. Furthermore, we show that time-varying cross-network interactions in motor circuit are significantly greater in children with ASD, and predict RM symptoms, but not CI or IS symptoms. We confirmed these results using cross-validation analyses. Moreover, we show that brain-clinical symptom relations are not detected with time-averaged functional connectivity analysis. Our findings provide neurobiological support for the validity of RRB subtypes and identify dissociable brain circuit dynamics as a candidate biomarker for a key clinical feature of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaustubh Supekar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Srikanth Ryali
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Percy Mistry
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vinod Menon
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Neuroscience Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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13
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Tang G, Chen P, Chen G, Zhong S, Gong J, Zhong H, Ye T, Chen F, Wang J, Luo Z, Qi Z, Jia Y, Wang Y, Huang L. Inflammation is correlated with abnormal functional connectivity in unmedicated bipolar depression: an independent component analysis study of resting-state fMRI. Psychol Med 2021; 52:1-11. [PMID: 33602352 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172100009x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation might play a role in bipolar disorder (BD), but it remains unclear the relationship between inflammation and brain structural and functional abnormalities in patients with BD. In this study, we focused on the alterations of functional connectivity (FC), peripheral pro-inflammatory cytokines and their correlations to investigate the role of inflammation in FC in BD depression. METHODS In this study, 42 unmedicated patients with BD II depression and 62 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Resting-state-functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in all participants and independent component analysis was used. Serum levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured in all participants. Correlation between FC values and IL-6 and IL-8 levels in BD was calculated. RESULTS Compared with the HCs, BD II patients showed decreased FC in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) implicating the limbic network and the right precentral gyrus implicating the somatomotor network. BD II showed increased IL-6 (p = 0.039), IL-8 (p = 0.002) levels. Moreover, abnormal FC in the right precentral gyrus were inversely correlated with the IL-8 (r = -0.458, p = 0.004) levels in BD II. No significant correlation was found between FC in the left OFC and cytokines levels. CONCLUSIONS Our findings that serum IL-8 levels are associated with impaired FC in the right precentral gyrus in BD II patients suggest that inflammation might play a crucial role in brain functional abnormalities in BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guixian Tang
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Pan Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Guanmao Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Shuming Zhong
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - JiaYing Gong
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Department of Radiology, Six Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou510655, China
| | - Hui Zhong
- Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Tao Ye
- Clinical Laboratory Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Jurong Wang
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Zhenye Luo
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Zhangzhang Qi
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Yanbin Jia
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
| | - Li Huang
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
- Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China
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14
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You Y, Correas A, Jao Keehn RJ, Wagner LC, Rosen BQ, Beaton LE, Gao Y, Brocklehurst WT, Fishman I, Müller RA, Marinkovic K. MEG Theta during Lexico-Semantic and Executive Processing Is Altered in High-Functioning Adolescents with Autism. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1116-1130. [PMID: 33073290 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa279] [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] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have revealed atypical activation during language and executive tasks in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the spatiotemporal stages of processing associated with these dysfunctions remain poorly understood. Using an anatomically constrained magnetoencephalography approach, we examined event-related theta oscillations during a double-duty lexical decision task that combined demands on lexico-semantic processing and executive functions. Relative to typically developing peers, high-functioning adolescents with ASD had lower performance accuracy on trials engaging selective semantic retrieval and cognitive control. They showed an early overall theta increase in the left fusiform cortex followed by greater activity in the left-lateralized temporal (starting at ~250 ms) and frontal cortical areas (after ~450 ms) known to contribute to language processing. During response preparation and execution, the ASD group exhibited elevated theta in the anterior cingulate cortex, indicative of greater engagement of cognitive control. Simultaneously increased activity in the ipsilateral motor cortex may reflect a less lateralized and suboptimally organized motor circuitry. Spanning early sensory-specific and late response selection stages, the higher event-related theta responsivity in ASD may indicate compensatory recruitment to offset inefficient lexico-semantic retrieval under cognitively demanding conditions. Together, these findings provide further support for atypical language and executive functions in high-functioning ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi You
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Angeles Correas
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - R Joanne Jao Keehn
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Laura C Wagner
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Burke Q Rosen
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lauren E Beaton
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Yangfeifei Gao
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | | | - Inna Fishman
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ksenija Marinkovic
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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15
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Bhat AN. Motor Impairment Increases in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder as a Function of Social Communication, Cognitive and Functional Impairment, Repetitive Behavior Severity, and Comorbid Diagnoses: A SPARK Study Report. Autism Res 2021; 14:202-219. [PMID: 33300285 PMCID: PMC8176850 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Eighty-seven percent of a large sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for motor impairment (Bhat, Physical Therapy, 2020, 100, 633-644). In spite of the high prevalence for motor impairment in children with ASD, it is not considered among the diagnostic criteria or specifiers within DSM-V. In this article, we analyzed the SPARK study dataset (n = 13,887) to examine associations between risk for motor impairment using the Developmental Coordination Disorder-Questionnaire (DCD-Q), social communication impairment using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), repetitive behavior severity using the Repetitive Behaviors Scale - Revised (RBS-R), and parent-reported categories of cognitive, functional, and language impairments. Upon including children with ASD with cognitive impairments, 88.2% of the SPARK sample was at risk for motor impairment. The relative risk ratio for motor impairment in children with ASD was 22.2 times greater compared to the general population and that risk further increased up to 6.2 with increasing social communication (5.7), functional (6.2), cognitive (3.8), and language (1.6) impairments as well as repetitive behavior severity (5.0). Additionally, the magnitude of risk for motor impairment (fine- and gross-motor) increased with increasing severity of all impairment types with medium to large effects. These findings highlight the multisystem nature of ASD, the need to recognize motor impairments as one of the diagnostic criteria or specifiers for ASD, and the need for appropriate motor screening and assessment of children with ASD. Interventions must address not only the social communication and cognitive/behavioral challenges of children with ASD but also their motor function and participation. LAY ABSTRACT: Eighty-eight percent of the SPARK sample of children with ASD were at risk for motor impairment. The relative risk for motor impairment was 22.2 times greater in children with ASD compared to the general population and the risk increased with more social communication, repetitive behavior, cognitive, and functional impairment. It is important to recognize motor impairments as one of the diagnostic criteria or specifiers for ASD and there is a need to administer appropriate motor screening, assessment, and interventions in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana N Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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16
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Thompson A, Shahidiani A, Fritz A, O’Muircheartaigh J, Walker L, D’Almeida V, Murphy C, Daly E, Murphy D, Williams S, Deoni S, Ecker C. Age-related differences in white matter diffusion measures in autism spectrum condition. Mol Autism 2020; 11:36. [PMID: 32423424 PMCID: PMC7236504 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00325-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is accompanied by developmental differences in brain anatomy and connectivity. White matter differences in ASC have been widely studied with diffusion imaging but results are heterogeneous and vary across the age range of study participants and varying methodological approaches. To characterize the neurodevelopmental trajectory of white matter maturation, it is necessary to examine a broad age range of individuals on the autism spectrum and typically developing controls, and investigate age × group interactions. METHODS Here, we employed a spatially unbiased tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) approach to examine age-related differences in white matter connectivity in a sample of 41 individuals with ASC, and 41 matched controls between 7-17 years of age. RESULTS We found significant age-related differences between the ASC and control group in widespread brain regions. This included age-related differences in the uncinate fasciculus, corticospinal tract, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, anterior thalamic radiation, superior longitudinal fasciculus and forceps major. Measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) were significantly positively associated with age in both groups. However, this relationship was significantly stronger in the ASC group relative to controls. Measures of radial diffusivity (RD) were significantly negatively associated with age in both groups, but this relationship was significantly stronger in the ASC group relative to controls. LIMITATIONS The generalisability of our findings is limited by the restriction of the sample to right-handed males with an IQ > 70. Furthermore, a longitudinal design would be required to fully investigate maturational processes across this age group. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our findings suggest that autistic males have an altered trajectory of white matter maturation relative to controls. Future longitudinal analyses are required to further characterize the extent and time course of these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Thompson
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Developmental Change & Plasticity Lab, Department of Psychology & Language Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London, WC1H 0AP UK
| | - Asal Shahidiani
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Anne Fritz
- The Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), Psychology and Human Development, UCL, London, UK
| | - Jonathan O’Muircheartaigh
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, St. Thomas’ Hospital, King’s College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Lindsay Walker
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Childrens Hospital, Providence, RI USA
- Pediatrics and Radiology, Warren Alpert medical school, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Vera D’Almeida
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Clodagh Murphy
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Declan Murphy
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Steve Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Sean Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Childrens Hospital, Providence, RI USA
- Pediatrics and Radiology, Warren Alpert medical school, Brown University, Providence, USA
- Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Discovery & Tools at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA
| | - Christine Ecker
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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17
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Fu L, Wang Y, Fang H, Xiao X, Xiao T, Li Y, Li C, Wu Q, Chu K, Xiao C, Ke X. Longitudinal Study of Brain Asymmetries in Autism and Developmental Delays Aged 2–5 Years. Neuroscience 2020; 432:137-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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18
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Linke AC, Kinnear MK, Kohli JS, Fong CH, Lincoln AJ, Carper RA, Müller RA. Impaired motor skills and atypical functional connectivity of the sensorimotor system in 40- to 65-year-old adults with autism spectrum disorders. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 85:104-112. [PMID: 31732217 PMCID: PMC6948185 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in fine and gross motor function, coordination, and balance in early development are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). It is unclear whether these deficits persist into adulthood and whether they may be exacerbated by additional motor problems that often emerge in typical aging. We assessed motor skills and used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to study intrinsic functional connectivity of the sensorimotor network in 40- to 65-year-old adults with ASDs (n = 17) and typically developing matched adults (n = 19). Adults with ASDs scored significantly lower on assessments of motor skills compared with an age-matched group of typical control adults. In addition, functional connectivity of the sensorimotor system was reduced and the pattern of connectivity was more heterogeneous in adults with ASDs. A negative correlation between functional connectivity of the motor system and motor skills, however, was only found in the typical control group. Findings suggest behavioral impairment and atypical brain organization of the motor system in middle-age adults with ASDs, accompanied by pronounced heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Carola Linke
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mikaela Kelsey Kinnear
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jiwandeep Singh Kohli
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Christopher Hilton Fong
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Alan John Lincoln
- The Department of Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ruth Anna Carper
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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19
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20
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Functional and structural asymmetry in primary motor cortex in Asperger syndrome: a navigated TMS and imaging study. Brain Topogr 2019; 32:504-518. [PMID: 30949863 PMCID: PMC6477009 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-019-00704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Motor functions are frequently impaired in Asperger syndrome (AS). In this study, we examined the motor cortex structure and function using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and correlated the results with the box and block test (BBT) of manual dexterity and physical activity in eight boys with AS, aged 8–11 years, and their matched controls. With nTMS, we found less focused cortical representation areas of distinct hand muscles in AS. There was hemispheric asymmetry in the motor maps, silent period duration and active MEP latency in the AS group, but not in controls. Exploratory VBM analysis revealed less gray matter in the left postcentral gyrus, especially in the face area, and less white matter in the precentral area in AS as compared to controls. On the contrary, in the right leg area, subjects with AS displayed an increased density of gray matter. The structural findings of the left hemisphere correlated negatively with BBT score in controls, whereas the structure of the right hemisphere in the AS group correlated positively with motor function as assessed by BBT. These preliminary functional (neurophysiological and behavioral) findings are indicative of asymmetry, and co-existing structural alterations may reflect the motor impairments causing the deteriorations in manual dexterity and other motor functions commonly encountered in children with AS.
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21
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Lin CW, Lin HY, Lo YC, Chen YJ, Hsu YC, Chen YL, Tseng WYI, Gau SSF. Alterations in white matter microstructure and regional volume are related to motor functions in boys with autism spectrum disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:76-83. [PMID: 30452942 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered inter-regional structural connectivity related to higher cognitive functions has been commonly reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, whether these alterations similarly involve cortico-cerebellar motor circuitries remains largely elusive. METHODS Using a cross-modality approach accounting for in-scanner motion levels, we investigated white matter (WM) properties in motor circuits of 55 boys with ASD (aged 8-18 years) and 68 age-matched typically developing boys. Regional WM volumes in the primary motor, supplementary motor, somatosensory, and cerebellar areas were investigated using voxel-based morphometry. Diffusion spectrum imaging tractography was used to estimate WM integrity of the corticospinal, cortico-ponto-cerebellar (including fronto-ponto-cerebellar and parieto-ponto-cerebellar), and dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical tracts. The reaction time test in the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery was used to assess motor performances. RESULTS Boys with ASD had shorter movement time, increased WM volumes in the left somatosensory area, but decreased generalized fractional anisotropy value in the left parieto-ponto-cerebellar tract, compared to controls. A positive correlation between movement time and microstructural properties of the left parieto-ponto-cerebellar tract was found in boys with ASD. CONCLUSIONS As the first study to demonstrate altered WM properties in the left somatosensory area, and its descending pathway connecting to the cerebellum in ASD, current results may highlight a potential new target of interventions for motor performance in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wei Lin
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Yuan Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lo
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jen Chen
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chin Hsu
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lung Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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22
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Chen Y, Meng Z, Zhang Z, Zhu Y, Gao R, Cao X, Tan L, Wang Z, Zhang H, Li Y, Fan Q. The right thalamic glutamate level correlates with functional connectivity with right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex/middle occipital gyrus in unmedicated obsessive-compulsive disorder: A combined fMRI and 1H-MRS study. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2019; 53:207-218. [PMID: 30354192 DOI: 10.1177/0004867418806370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The imbalance in neurotransmitter and neuronal metabolite concentration within cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit contributes to obsessive-compulsive disorder's (OCD) onset. Previous studies showed that glutamate mediated upregulation of resting-state activity in healthy people. However, there have been few studies investigating the correlational features between functional and neurochemical alterations in OCD. METHODS We utilize a combined resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) approach to investigate the altered functional connectivity (FC) in association with glutamatergic dysfunction in OCD pathophysiology. Three regions of interest are investigated, i.e., medial prefrontal cortex and bilateral thalamus, for seed-based whole-brain FC analysis as well as MRS data acquisition. There are 23 unmedicated adult OCD patients and 23 healthy controls recruited for brain FC analysis. Among them, 12 OCD and 8 controls are performed MRS data acquisition. RESULTS Besides abnormal FC within CSTC circuit, we also find altered FCs in large-scale networks outside CSTC circuit, including occipital area and limbic and motor systems. The decreased FC between right thalamus and right middle occipital gyrus (MOG) is correlated with glutamatergic signal within right thalamus in OCD patients. Moreover, the FC between right thalamus and right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is associated with glutamate level in right thalamus, specifically in patient's group. Finally, the FC between right thalamus and right MOG is correlated with patient's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) compulsion and total scores, while the right thalamic glutamatergic signal is associated with YBOCS-compulsion score. CONCLUSION Our findings showed that the coupled intrinsic functional-biochemical alterations existed both within CSTC circuit and from CSTC to occipital lobe in OCD pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Chen
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,2 Department of Developmental Behavioral Pediatric and Children Healthcare, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyu Meng
- 3 School of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Medical Imaging Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zongfeng Zhang
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yajing Zhu
- 3 School of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Medical Imaging Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Gao
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Cao
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Tan
- 4 Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyin Zhang
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Li
- 3 School of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Medical Imaging Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Fan
- 1 Rehabilitation Department, Shanghai Mental Health Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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23
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Tomasi D, Volkow ND. Reduced Local and Increased Long-Range Functional Connectivity of the Thalamus in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:573-585. [PMID: 29300843 PMCID: PMC6319176 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is hypothesized that brain network abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reflect local overconnectivity and long-range underconnectivity. However, this is not a consistent finding in recent studies, which could reflect the developmental nature and the heterogeneity of ASD. Here, we tested 565 ASD and 602 neurotypical (NT) males, and 91 ASD and 233 NT females using local functional connectivity density (lFCD) mapping and seed-voxel correlation analyses to assess how local and long-range connectivities differ in ASD. Compared with NT males, ASD males had lower and weaker age-related increases in thalamic lFCD, which were associated with symptoms of autism. Post-hoc seed-voxel correlation analyses for the thalamus cluster revealed stronger connectivity with auditory, somatosensory, motoric, and interoceptive cortices for ASD than for NT, both in males and in females, which decreased with age in both ASD and NT. These results document the disruption of local thalamic connectivity and dysregulation of thalamo-cortical networks, which might contribute to perceptual, motoric, and interoceptive impairments, and are also consistent with a developmental delay in functional connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dardo Tomasi
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, USA
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24
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Morgan BR, Ibrahim GM, Vogan VM, Leung RC, Lee W, Taylor MJ. Characterization of Autism Spectrum Disorder across the Age Span by Intrinsic Network Patterns. Brain Topogr 2019; 32:461-471. [PMID: 30659389 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-019-00697-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by abnormal functional organization of brain networks, which may underlie the cognitive and social impairments observed in affected individuals. The present study characterizes unique intrinsic connectivity within- and between- neural networks in children through to adults with ASD, relative to controls. Resting state fMRI data were analyzed in 204 subjects, 102 with ASD and 102 age- and sex-matched controls (ages 7-40 years), acquired on a single scanner. ASD was assessed using the autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS). BOLD correlations were calculated between 47 regions of interest, spanning seven resting state brain networks. Partial least squares (PLS) analyses evaluated the association between connectivity patterns and ASD diagnosis as well as ASD severity scores. PLS demonstrated dissociable connectivity patterns in those with ASD, relative to controls. Similar patterns were observed in the whole cohort and in a subgroup analysis of subjects under 18 years of age. Greater inter-network connectivity was seen in ASD with greater intra-network connectivity in controls. In conclusion, stronger inter-network and weaker intra-network resting state-fMRI BOLD correlations characterize ASD and may differentiate control and ASD cohorts. These findings are relevant to understanding ASD as a disruption of network topology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Morgan
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
| | - George M Ibrahim
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vanessa M Vogan
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.,Applied Psychology and Human Development, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rachel C Leung
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.,Departments of Medical Imaging and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wayne Lee
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.,Departments of Medical Imaging and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Maximo JO, Kana RK. Aberrant "deep connectivity" in autism: A cortico-subcortical functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging study. Autism Res 2019; 12:384-400. [PMID: 30624021 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The number of studies examining functional brain networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has risen over the last decade and has characterized ASD as a disorder of altered brain connectivity. However, these studies have focused largely on cortical structures, and only a few studies have examined cortico-subcortical connectivity in regions like thalamus and basal ganglia in ASD. The goal of this study was to characterize the functional connectivity between cortex and subcortical regions in ASD using the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE-II). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were used from 168 typically developing (TD) and 138 ASD participants across different sites from the ABIDE II dataset. Functional connectivity of basal ganglia and thalamus to unimodal and supramodal networks was examined in this study. Overconnectivity (ASD > TD) was found between unimodal (except for medial visual network) and subcortical regions, and underconnectivity (TD > ASD) was found between supramodal (except for default mode and dorsal attention networks) and subcortical regions; positive correlations between ASD phenotype and unimodal-subcortical connectivity were found and negative ones with supramodal-subcortical connectivity. These findings suggest that brain networks heavily involved in sensory processing had higher connectivity with subcortical regions, whereas those involved in higher-order thinking showed decreased connectivity in ASD. In addition, brain-behavior correlations indicated a relationship between ASD phenotype and connectivity. Thus, differences in cortico-subcortical connectivity may have a significant impact on basic and higher-order cognitive processes in ASD. Autism Res 2019, 12: 384-400 © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: This study focused on examining the functional connectivity (synchronization of brain activity across regions) of two types of brain networks (unimodal and supramodal) with subcortical areas (thalamus and basal ganglia) in children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how this relates to ASD phenotype. ASD participants showed overconnectivity in unimodal networks and underconnectivity in supramodal networks. These findings provide new insights into cortico-subcortical connections between basic sensory and high-order cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose O Maximo
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
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26
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Müller RA, Fishman I. Brain Connectivity and Neuroimaging of Social Networks in Autism. Trends Cogn Sci 2018; 22:1103-1116. [PMID: 30391214 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Impairments in social communication (SC) predominate among the core diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Neuroimaging has revealed numerous findings of atypical activity and connectivity of 'social brain' networks, yet no consensus view on crucial developmental causes of SC deficits has emerged. Aside from methodological challenges, the deeper problem concerns the clinical label of ASD. While genetic studies have not comprehensively explained the causes of nonsyndromic ASDs, they highlight that the clinical label encompasses many etiologically different disorders. The question of how potential causes and etiologies converge onto a comparatively narrow set of SC deficits remains. Only neuroimaging designs searching for subtypes within ASD cohorts (rather than conventional group level designs) can provide translationally informative answers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, SDSU Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Inna Fishman
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, SDSU Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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27
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Moseley RL, Pulvermüller F. What can autism teach us about the role of sensorimotor systems in higher cognition? New clues from studies on language, action semantics, and abstract emotional concept processing. Cortex 2018; 100:149-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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28
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Marrus N, Eggebrecht AT, Todorov A, Elison JT, Wolff JJ, Cole L, Gao W, Pandey J, Shen MD, Swanson MR, Emerson RW, Klohr CL, Adams CM, Estes AM, Zwaigenbaum L, Botteron KN, McKinstry RC, Constantino JN, Evans AC, Hazlett HC, Dager SR, Paterson SJ, Schultz RT, Styner MA, Gerig G, Schlaggar BL, Piven J, Pruett JR. Walking, Gross Motor Development, and Brain Functional Connectivity in Infants and Toddlers. Cereb Cortex 2018; 28:750-763. [PMID: 29186388 PMCID: PMC6057546 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Infant gross motor development is vital to adaptive function and predictive of both cognitive outcomes and neurodevelopmental disorders. However, little is known about neural systems underlying the emergence of walking and general gross motor abilities. Using resting state fcMRI, we identified functional brain networks associated with walking and gross motor scores in a mixed cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort of infants at high and low risk for autism spectrum disorder, who represent a dimensionally distributed range of motor function. At age 12 months, functional connectivity of motor and default mode networks was correlated with walking, whereas dorsal attention and posterior cingulo-opercular networks were implicated at age 24 months. Analyses of general gross motor function also revealed involvement of motor and default mode networks at 12 and 24 months, with dorsal attention, cingulo-opercular, frontoparietal, and subcortical networks additionally implicated at 24 months. These findings suggest that changes in network-level brain-behavior relationships underlie the emergence and consolidation of walking and gross motor abilities in the toddler period. This initial description of network substrates of early gross motor development may inform hypotheses regarding neural systems contributing to typical and atypical motor outcomes, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders associated with motor dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Adam T Eggebrecht
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Alexandre Todorov
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455,USA
| | - Jason J Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology,University of Minnesota, 56 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lyndsey Cole
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,University of Pennsylvania, Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104,USA
| | - Mark D Shen
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Meghan R Swanson
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Robert W Emerson
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Cheryl L Klohr
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Chloe M Adams
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Annette M Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, 1701 NE Columbia Rd., Seattle, WA 98195-7920, USA
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, 1E1 Walter Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre (WMC), 8440 112 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2B7
| | - Kelly N Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Robert C McKinstry
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - John N Constantino
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Alan C Evans
- McConnell Brain Imaging Center, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University St, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4
| | - Heather C Hazlett
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 1410 NE Campus Parkway, Seattle, WA 98195,USA
| | - Sarah J Paterson
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1801 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19122,USA
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,University of Pennsylvania, Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104,USA
| | - Martin A Styner
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Guido Gerig
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, 6 Metro Tech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | | | - Bradley L Schlaggar
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110,USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - John R Pruett
- Department of Psychiatry,Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
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29
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Abbott AE, Linke AC, Nair A, Jahedi A, Alba LA, Keown CL, Fishman I, Müller RA. Repetitive behaviors in autism are linked to imbalance of corticostriatal connectivity: a functional connectivity MRI study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:32-42. [PMID: 29177509 PMCID: PMC5793718 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsx129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of repetitive behaviors (RBs) in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), ranging from cognitive to motor characteristics, remain unknown. We assessed RB symptomatology in 50 ASD and 52 typically developing (TD) children and adolescents (ages 8-17 years), examining intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of corticostriatal circuitry, which is important for reward-based learning and integration of emotional, cognitive and motor processing, and considered impaired in ASDs. Connectivity analyses were performed for three functionally distinct striatal seeds (limbic, frontoparietal and motor). Functional connectivity with cortical regions of interest was assessed for corticostriatal circuit connectivity indices and ratios, testing the balance of connectivity between circuits. Results showed corticostriatal overconnectivity of limbic and frontoparietal seeds, but underconnectivity of motor seeds. Correlations with RBs were found for connectivity between the striatal motor seeds and cortical motor clusters from the whole-brain analysis, and for frontoparietal/limbic and motor/limbic connectivity ratios. Division of ASD participants into high (n = 17) and low RB subgroups (n = 19) showed reduced frontoparietal/limbic and motor/limbic circuit ratios for high RB compared to low RB and TD groups in the right hemisphere. Results suggest an association between RBs and an imbalance of corticostriatal iFC in ASD, being increased for limbic, but reduced for frontoparietal and motor circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Abbott
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
| | - Annika C Linke
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
| | - Aarti Nair
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Afrooz Jahedi
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University
| | - Laura A Alba
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
| | - Christopher L Keown
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Inna Fishman
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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30
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Atypical structural and functional motor networks in autism. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:207-248. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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31
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Duan X, Chen H, He C, Long Z, Guo X, Zhou Y, Uddin LQ, Chen H. Resting-state functional under-connectivity within and between large-scale cortical networks across three low-frequency bands in adolescents with autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 79:434-441. [PMID: 28779909 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although evidence is accumulating that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with disruption of functional connections between and within brain networks, it remains largely unknown whether these abnormalities are related to specific frequency bands. To address this question, network contingency analysis was performed on brain functional connectomes obtained from 213 adolescent participants across nine sites in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) multisite sample, to determine the disrupted connections between and within seven major cortical networks in adolescents with ASD at Slow-5, Slow-4 and Slow-3 frequency bands and further assess whether the aberrant intra- and inter-network connectivity varied as a function of ASD symptoms. Overall under-connectivity within and between large-scale intrinsic networks in ASD was revealed across the three frequency bands. Specifically, decreased connectivity strength within the default mode network (DMN), between DMN and visual network (VN), ventral attention network (VAN), and between dorsal attention network (DAN) and VAN was observed in the lower frequency band (slow-5, slow-4), while decreased connectivity between limbic network (LN) and frontal-parietal network (FPN) was observed in the higher frequency band (slow-3). Furthermore, weaker connectivity within and between specific networks correlated with poorer communication and social interaction skills in the slow-5 band, uniquely. These results demonstrate intrinsic under-connectivity within and between multiple brain networks within predefined frequency bands in ASD, suggesting that frequency-related properties underlie abnormal brain network organization in the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujun Duan
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China.
| | - Heng Chen
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Changchun He
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Zhiliang Long
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Xiaonan Guo
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Yuanyue Zhou
- Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, United States
| | - Huafu Chen
- Key laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China.
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32
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Chenausky KV, Norton AC, Schlaug G. Auditory-Motor Mapping Training in a More Verbal Child with Autism. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:426. [PMID: 28928645 PMCID: PMC5591323 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We tested the effect of Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT), a novel, intonation-based treatment for spoken language originally developed for minimally verbal (MV) children with autism, on a more-verbal child with autism. We compared this child’s performance after 25 therapy sessions with that of: (1) a child matched on age, autism severity, and expressive language level who received 25 sessions of a non-intonation-based control treatment Speech Repetition Therapy (SRT); and (2) a matched pair of MV children (one of whom received AMMT; the other, SRT). We found a significant Time × Treatment effect in favor of AMMT for number of Syllables Correct and Consonants Correct per stimulus for both pairs of children, as well as a significant Time × Treatment effect in favor of AMMT for number of Vowels Correct per stimulus for the more-verbal pair. Magnitudes of the difference in post-treatment performance between AMMT and SRT, adjusted for Baseline differences, were: (a) larger for the more-verbal pair than for the MV pair; and (b) associated with very large effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 1.3) in the more-verbal pair. Results hold promise for the efficacy of AMMT for improving spoken language production in more-verbal children with autism as well as their MV peers and suggest hypotheses about brain function that are testable in both correlational and causal behavioral-imaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen V Chenausky
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, United States
| | - Andrea C Norton
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, United States
| | - Gottfried Schlaug
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, United States
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33
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Fitzgerald J, Leemans A, Kehoe E, O'Hanlon E, Gallagher L, McGrath J. Abnormal fronto-parietal white matter organisation in the superior longitudinal fasciculus branches in autism spectrum disorders. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 47:652-661. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry; School of Medicine; Trinity College Dublin; Dublin Ireland
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience; Trinity College Dublin; Lloyd Building Dublin Ireland
| | - Alexander Leemans
- Image Sciences Institute; University Medical Center Utrecht; Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth Kehoe
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience; Trinity College Dublin; Lloyd Building Dublin Ireland
| | - Erik O'Hanlon
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience; Trinity College Dublin; Lloyd Building Dublin Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Dublin Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry; School of Medicine; Trinity College Dublin; Dublin Ireland
- Linndara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service; Dublin Ireland
| | - Jane McGrath
- Department of Psychiatry; School of Medicine; Trinity College Dublin; Dublin Ireland
- Linndara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service; Dublin Ireland
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Blanken LME, Muetzel RL, Jaddoe VWV, Verhulst FC, van der Lugt A, Tiemeier H, White T. White matter microstructure in children with autistic traits. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2017; 263:127-134. [PMID: 28384486 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is thought to arise from aberrant development of connections in the brain. Previous studies have identified differences in white matter microstructure in children with ASD, offering support to such hypotheses. While ASD is thought to represent the severe end of a spectrum of traits, there are no studies evaluating white matter microstructure in relation to autistic traits in children from the general population. In a population-based sample of 604 6-to-10 year-old children, we assessed the relation between a continuous measure of autistic traits and white matter microstructure, using both probabilistic tractography and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). Using the TBSS approach, a cluster in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) was identified where autistic traits negatively associated with fractional anisotropy (FA). In addition, two clusters of lower axial diffusion were identified; one in the corpus callosum and another in the corticospinal tract. Part of the findings remained when excluding children with ASD and were paralleled with similar, trend-level differences in 19 children with ASD, compared to matched controls. This study showed localized associations between autistic traits on a continuum and white matter microstructure, which could indicate a continuum of the neurobiology along the spectrum of autistic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M E Blanken
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank C Verhulst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Caeyenberghs K, Taymans T, Wilson PH, Vanderstraeten G, Hosseini H, van Waelvelde H. Neural signature of developmental coordination disorder in the structural connectome independent of comorbid autism. Dev Sci 2016; 19:599-612. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Caeyenberghs
- School of Psychology; Faculty of Health Sciences; Australian Catholic University; Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences; Monash Biomedical Imaging lab; Monash University; Australia
| | - Tom Taymans
- Department of Physical Therapy and Motor Rehabilitation; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; University of Ghent; Belgium
| | - Peter H. Wilson
- School of Psychology; Faculty of Health Sciences; Australian Catholic University; Australia
| | - Guy Vanderstraeten
- Department of Physical Therapy and Motor Rehabilitation; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; University of Ghent; Belgium
| | - Hadi Hosseini
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; School of Medicine; Stanford University; USA
| | - Hilde van Waelvelde
- Department of Physical Therapy and Motor Rehabilitation; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; University of Ghent; Belgium
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36
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Crippa A, Del Vecchio G, Busti Ceccarelli S, Nobile M, Arrigoni F, Brambilla P. Cortico-Cerebellar Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Do We Know So Far? Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:20. [PMID: 26941658 PMCID: PMC4763031 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is renowned to be a connectivity disorder and a condition characterized by cerebellar involvement, the connectivity between the cerebellum and other cortical brain regions is particularly underexamined. Indeed, converging evidence has recently suggested that the cerebellum could play a key role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD, since cerebellar anomalies have been consistently reported in ASD from the molecular to the behavioral level, and damage to the cerebellum early in development has been linked with signs of autistic features. In addition, current data have shown that the cerebellum is a key structure not only for sensory-motor control, but also for "higher functions," such as social cognition and emotion, through its extensive connections with cortical areas. The disruption of these circuits could be implicated in the wide range of autistic symptoms that the term "spectrum" connotes. In this review, we present and discuss the recent findings from imaging studies that investigated cortico-cerebellar connectivity in people with ASD. The literature is still too limited to allow for definitive conclusions; however, this brief review reveals substantial areas for future studies, underlining currently unmet research perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Crippa
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria Nobile
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Albese con Cassano, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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