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Badhe S, Nivins S, Kulkarni P, Jose A, Manek D, Badhe S, Sane H, Gokulchandran N, Badhe P, Sharma A. Abnormal Development of the Corpus Callosum in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An MRI Study. Top Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 33:e0312. [PMID: 38836588 DOI: 10.1097/rmr.0000000000000312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered size in the corpus callosum (CC) has been reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but few studies have investigated younger children. Moreover, knowledge about the age-related changes in CC size in individuals with ASD is limited. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to investigate the age-related size of the CC and compare them with age-matched healthy controls between the ages of 2 and 18 years. METHODS Structural-weighted images were acquired in 97 male patients diagnosed with ASD; published data were used for the control group. The CC was segmented into 7 distinct subregions (rostrum, genu, rostral body, anterior midbody, posterior midbody, isthmus, and splenium) as per Witelson's technique using ITK-SNAP software. We calculated both the total length and volume of the CC as well as the length and height of its 7 subregions. The length of the CC measures was studied as both continuous and categorical forms. For the continuous form, Pearson's correlation was used, while categorical forms were based on age ranges reflecting brain expansion during early postnatal years. Differences in CC measures between adjacent age groups in individuals with ASD were assessed using a Student t-test. Mean and standard deviation scores were compared between ASD and control groups using the Welch t-test. RESULTS Age showed a moderate positive association with the total length of the CC (r = 0.43; Padj = 0.003) among individuals with ASD. Among the subregions, a positive association was observed only in the anterior midbody of the CC (r = 0.41; Padj = 0.01). No association was found between the age and the height of individual subregions or with the total volume of the CC. In comparison with healthy controls, individuals with ASD exhibited shorter lengths and heights of the genu and splenium of the CC across wide age ranges. CONCLUSION Overall, our results highlight a distinct abnormal developmental trajectory of CC in ASD, particularly in the genu and splenium structures, potentially reflecting underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvarna Badhe
- Department of Research and Development, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Regenerative Laboratory, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Samson Nivins
- Department of Research and Development, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Pooja Kulkarni
- Department of Research and Development, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Alitta Jose
- Department of Research and Development, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Divesh Manek
- Department of Radiology, Omega MRI, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; and
| | - Satyendra Badhe
- Department of Research and Development, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Regenerative Laboratory, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Hemangi Sane
- Department of Research and Development, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Nandini Gokulchandran
- Department of Medical Services and Clinical Research, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Prerna Badhe
- Department of Regenerative Laboratory, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Alok Sharma
- Department of Medical Services and Clinical Research, NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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Liu R, Huang ZA, Hu Y, Zhu Z, Wong KC, Tan KC. Attention-Like Multimodality Fusion With Data Augmentation for Diagnosis of Mental Disorders Using MRI. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL NETWORKS AND LEARNING SYSTEMS 2024; 35:7627-7641. [PMID: 36374900 DOI: 10.1109/tnnls.2022.3219551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The globally rising prevalence of mental disorders leads to shortfalls in timely diagnosis and therapy to reduce patients' suffering. Facing such an urgent public health problem, professional efforts based on symptom criteria are seriously overstretched. Recently, the successful applications of computer-aided diagnosis approaches have provided timely opportunities to relieve the tension in healthcare services. Particularly, multimodal representation learning gains increasing attention thanks to the high temporal and spatial resolution information extracted from neuroimaging fusion. In this work, we propose an efficient multimodality fusion framework to identify multiple mental disorders based on the combination of functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging. A multioutput conditional generative adversarial network (GAN) is developed to address the scarcity of multimodal data for augmentation. Based on the augmented training data, the multiheaded gating fusion model is proposed for classification by extracting the complementary features across different modalities. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed model can achieve robust accuracies of 75.1 ± 1.5 %, 72.9 ± 1.1 %, and 87.2 ± 1.5 % for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia, respectively. In addition, the interpretability of our model is expected to enable the identification of remarkable neuropathology diagnostic biomarkers, leading to well-informed therapeutic decisions.
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Huang X, Ming Y, Zhao W, Feng R, Zhou Y, Wu L, Wang J, Xiao J, Li L, Shan X, Cao J, Kang X, Chen H, Duan X. Developmental prediction modeling based on diffusion tensor imaging uncovering age-dependent heterogeneity in early childhood autistic brain. Mol Autism 2023; 14:41. [PMID: 37899464 PMCID: PMC10614412 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-023-00573-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There has been increasing evidence for atypical white matter (WM) microstructure in autistic people, but findings have been divergent. The development of autistic people in early childhood is clouded by the concurrently rapid brain growth, which might lead to the inconsistent findings of atypical WM microstructure in autism. Here, we aimed to reveal the developmental nature of autistic children and delineate atypical WM microstructure throughout early childhood while taking developmental considerations into account. METHOD In this study, diffusion tensor imaging was acquired from two independent cohorts, containing 91 autistic children and 100 typically developing children (TDC), aged 4-7 years. Developmental prediction modeling using support vector regression based on TDC participants was conducted to estimate the WM atypical development index of autistic children. Then, subgroups of autistic children were identified by using the k-means clustering method and were compared to each other on the basis of demographic information, WM atypical development index, and autistic trait by using two-sample t-test. Relationship of the WM atypical development index with age was estimated by using partial correlation. Furthermore, we performed threshold-free cluster enhancement-based two-sample t-test for the group comparison in WM microstructures of each subgroup of autistic children with the rematched subsets of TDC. RESULTS We clustered autistic children into two subgroups according to WM atypical development index. The two subgroups exhibited distinct developmental stages and age-dependent diversity. WM atypical development index was found negatively associated with age. Moreover, an inverse pattern of atypical WM microstructures and different clinical manifestations in the two stages, with subgroup 1 showing overgrowth with low level of autistic traits and subgroup 2 exhibiting delayed maturation with high level of autistic traits, were revealed. CONCLUSION This study illustrated age-dependent heterogeneity in early childhood autistic children and delineated developmental stage-specific difference that ranged from an overgrowth pattern to a delayed pattern. Trial registration This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02807766) on June 21, 2016 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02807766 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Huang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Yating Ming
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Weixing Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Feng
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyue Zhou
- Department of Medical Psychology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijie Wu
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinming Xiao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolong Shan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Cao
- Child Rehabilitation Unit, Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu, 611135, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Kang
- Child Rehabilitation Unit, Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu, 611135, People's Republic of China
| | - Huafu Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xujun Duan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
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Sokol DK, Lahiri DK. APPlications of amyloid-β precursor protein metabolites in macrocephaly and autism spectrum disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1201744. [PMID: 37799731 PMCID: PMC10548831 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1201744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolites of the Amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) proteolysis may underlie brain overgrowth in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have found elevated APP metabolites (total APP, secreted (s) APPα, and α-secretase adamalysins in the plasma and brain tissue of children with ASD). In this review, we highlight several lines of evidence supporting APP metabolites' potential contribution to macrocephaly in ASD. First, APP appears early in corticogenesis, placing APP in a prime position to accelerate growth in neurons and glia. APP metabolites are upregulated in neuroinflammation, another potential contributor to excessive brain growth in ASD. APP metabolites appear to directly affect translational signaling pathways, which have been linked to single gene forms of syndromic ASD (Fragile X Syndrome, PTEN, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex). Finally, APP metabolites, and microRNA, which regulates APP expression, may contribute to ASD brain overgrowth, particularly increased white matter, through ERK receptor activation on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/Rho GTPase pathway, favoring myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah K. Sokol
- Department of Neurology, Section of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Debomoy K. Lahiri
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Cremone IM, Nardi B, Amatori G, Palego L, Baroni D, Casagrande D, Massimetti E, Betti L, Giannaccini G, Dell'Osso L, Carpita B. Unlocking the Secrets: Exploring the Biochemical Correlates of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1600. [PMID: 37371695 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Involving 1 million people a year, suicide represents one of the major topics of psychiatric research. Despite the focus in recent years on neurobiological underpinnings, understanding and predicting suicide remains a challenge. Many sociodemographical risk factors and prognostic markers have been proposed but they have poor predictive accuracy. Biomarkers can provide essential information acting as predictive indicators, providing proof of treatment response and proposing potential targets while offering more assurance than psychological measures. In this framework, the aim of this study is to open the way in this field and evaluate the correlation between blood levels of serotonin, brain derived neurotrophic factor, tryptophan and its metabolites, IL-6 and homocysteine levels and suicidality. Blood samples were taken from 24 adults with autism, their first-degree relatives, and 24 controls. Biochemical parameters were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Suicidality was measured through selected items of the MOODS-SR. Here we confirm the link between suicidality and autism and provide more evidence regarding the association of suicidality with increased homocysteine (0.278) and IL-6 (0.487) levels and decreased tryptophan (-0.132) and kynurenic acid (-0.253) ones. Our results suggest a possible transnosographic association between these biochemical parameters and increased suicide risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Mirko Cremone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Benedetta Nardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Amatori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lionella Palego
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Dario Baroni
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Danila Casagrande
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Enrico Massimetti
- ASST Bergamo Ovest, SSD Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment Service, 24047 Treviglio, Italy
| | - Laura Betti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Liliana Dell'Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Barbara Carpita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Bhalla S, Mehan S. 4-hydroxyisoleucine mediated IGF-1/GLP-1 signalling activation prevents propionic acid-induced autism-like behavioural phenotypes and neurochemical defects in experimental rats. Neuropeptides 2022; 96:102296. [PMID: 36307249 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2022.102296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by a neurotransmitter imbalance that impairs neurodevelopment processes. Autism development is marked by communication difficulties, poor socio-emotional health, and cognitive impairment. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and glucagon-like growth factor-1 (GLP-1) are responsible for regular neuronal growth and homeostasis. Autism progression has been linked to dysregulation of IGF-1/GLP-1 signalling. 4-hydroxyisoleucine (HI), a pharmacologically active amino acid produced from Trigonella foenum graecum, works as an insulin mimic and has neuroprotective properties. The GLP-1 analogue liraglutide (LRG) was employed in our investigation to compare the efficacy of 4-HI in autism prevention. The current study explores the protective effects of 4-HI 50 and 100 mg/kg orally on IGF-1/GLP-1 signalling activation in a PPA-induced experimental model of autism. Propionic acid (PPA) injections to rats by intracerebroventricular (ICV) route for the first 11 days of the experiment resulted in autism-like neurobehavioral, neurochemical, gross morphological, and histopathological abnormalities. In addition, we investigated the dose-dependent neuroprotective effects of 4-HI on the levels of several neurotransmitters and neuroinflammatory cytokines in rat brain homogenate and blood plasma. Neuronal apoptotic and anti-oxidant cellular markers were also studied in blood plasma and brain homogenate samples. Furthermore, the luxol fast blue (LFB) staining results demonstrated significant demyelination in the brains of PPA-induced rats reversed by 4-HI treatment. Rats were assessed for spontaneous locomotor impairments, neuromuscular coordination, stress-like behaviour, learning, and memory to assess neurobehavioral abnormalities. The administration of 4-HI and LRG significantly reversed the behavioural, gross and histological abnormalities in the PPA-treated rat brains. After treatment with 4-HI and LRG, LFB-stained photomicrographs of PPA-treated rats' brains demonstrated the recovery of white matter loss. Our findings indicate that 4-HI protects neurons in rats with autism by enhancing the IGF-1 and GLP-1 protein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonalika Bhalla
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India.
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Eroğlu Y, Baykara M, Perçinel Yazici İ, Utku Yazici K, Kürşad Poyraz A. Evaluation of the corpus callosum using magnetic resonance imaging histogram analysis in autism spectrum disorder. Neuroradiol J 2022; 35:751-757. [PMID: 35523430 PMCID: PMC9626850 DOI: 10.1177/19714009221097507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histogram analysis is a texture analysis method that can be used in medical images. Quantitative values of the intensity of images can be obtained with histogram analysis. It aimed to evaluate corpus callosum in magnetic resonance images (MRIs) using histogram analysis of pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to compare them with healthy controls. METHODS This study included 29 children with ASD and 29 healthy children with normal brain MRI. High-resolution three-dimensional turbo field echo images were obtained with a 1.5 T scanner device for brain magnetic resonance imaging. On the corpus callosum in the sagittal T1-weighted images obtained, mean gray level density (mean), the standard deviation, median, minimum, maximum, entropy, variance, skewness, kurtosis, uniformity, size % L, size % M, size % U, and percentile parameters were measured. RESULTS In ASD patients, mean, standard deviation, maximum, median, variance, entropy, 25%, 75%, 90%, 97%, and 99% values were found to be lower than the control group, and size % U value was higher. In addition, the corpus callosum area was significantly lower in the ASD compared to the controls. CONCLUSION According to our study, corpus callosum of patients with ASD showed differences compared to healthy controls by histogram analysis, even though they were seen as normal in brain MRI. We think that histogram analysis can be used to evaluate possibly affected areas of brain in ASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeşim Eroğlu
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Radiology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Murat Baykara
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Radiology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - İpek Perçinel Yazici
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Kemal Utku Yazici
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Kürşad Poyraz
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Radiology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
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Li S, Tang Z, Jin N, Yang Q, Liu G, Liu T, Hu J, Liu S, Wang P, Hao J, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Li J, Wang X, Li Z, Wang Y, Yang B, Ma L. Uncovering Brain Differences in Preschoolers and Young Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder using Deep Learning. Int J Neural Syst 2022; 32:2250044. [DOI: 10.1142/s0129065722500447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Nickel K, Perlov E, Reisert M, Runge K, Friedel E, Denzel D, Ebert D, Endres D, Domschke K, Tebartz van Elst L, Maier S. Altered transcallosal fiber count and volume in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 322:111464. [PMID: 35220205 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
An altered pattern of information processing has been hypothesized in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by enhanced local network connectivity and reduced long-distance communication. Previous findings of impaired white matter integrity in the genu and the body of the corpus callosum already indicated reduced long-distance connectivity in patients with ASD. However, it remained unclear how this reduced white matter integrity affects the structural connectivity of the corresponding brain areas. To this end, we analyzed magnetic resonance images (MRI) from 30 participants with high-functioning ASD and 30 typically developed individuals using a global tracking approach to estimate the fiber count and volume of the transcallosal fiber tracts of the five corpus callosum subsections. A reduced fiber count and fiber volume in the anterior subsection of the corpus callosum was detected, supporting the hypothesis of reduced long-distance connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Nickel
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Evgeniy Perlov
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Luzerner Psychiatrie, Hospital St. Urban, St. Urban, Switzerland
| | - Marco Reisert
- Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kimon Runge
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Evelyn Friedel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Denzel
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dieter Ebert
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dominique Endres
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Basics in Neuromodulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon Maier
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Sader M, Williams JHG, Waiter GD. A meta-analytic investigation of grey matter differences in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2022; 30:560-579. [PMID: 35526083 PMCID: PMC9543727 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent research reports Anorexia Nervosa (AN) to be highly dependent upon neurobiological function. Some behaviours, particularly concerning food selectivity are found in populations with both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and AN, and there is a proportionally elevated number of anorexic patients exhibiting symptoms of ASD. We performed a systematic review of structural MRI literature with the aim of identifying common structural neural correlates common to both AN and ASD. Across 46 ASD publications, a meta‐analysis of volumetric differences between ASD and healthy controls revealed no consistently affected brain regions. Meta‐analysis of 23 AN publications revealed increased volume within the orbitofrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe, and adult‐only AN literature revealed differences within the genu of the anterior cingulate cortex. The changes are consistent with alterations in flexible reward‐related learning and episodic memory reported in neuropsychological studies. There was no structural overlap between ASD and AN. Findings suggest no consistent neuroanatomical abnormality associated with ASD, and evidence is lacking to suggest that reported behavioural similarities between those with AN and ASD are due to neuroanatomical structural similarities. Findings related to neuroanatomical structure in AN/ASD demonstrate overlap and require revisiting. Meta‐analytic findings show structural increase/decrease versus healthy controls (LPFC/MTL/OFC) in AN, but no clusters found in ASD. The neuroanatomy associated with ASD is inconsistent, but findings in AN reflect condition‐related impairment in executive function and sociocognitive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Sader
- Translational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Justin H G Williams
- Translational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Gordon D Waiter
- Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Ma L, Liu M, Xue K, Ye C, Man W, Cheng M, Liu Z, Zhu D, Liu F, Wang J. Abnormal regional spontaneous brain activities in white matter in patients with autism spectrum disorder. Neuroscience 2022; 490:1-10. [PMID: 35218886 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are accompanied by alterations of spontaneous brain activity in gray matter. However, whether the alterations of spontaneous brain activity exist in white matter remains largely unclear. In this study, 88 ASD patients and 87 typical controls (TCs) were included and regional homogeneity (ReHo) was calculated to characterize spontaneous brain activity in white matter. Voxel-wise two-sample t-tests were performed to investigate ReHo alterations, and cluster-level analyses were conducted to examine structural-functional coupling changes. Compared with TCs, the ASD group showed significantly decreased ReHo in the left superior corona radiata and left posterior limb of internal capsule, and decreased ReHo in the left anterior corona radiata with a trend level of significance. In addition, significantly weaker structural-functional coupling was observed in the left superior corona radiata and left posterior limb of internal capsule in ASD patients. Taken together, these findings highlighted abnormalities of white matter's regional spontaneous brain activity in ASD, which may provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ma
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Mengge Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Kaizhong Xue
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Caihua Ye
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Weiqi Man
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Meng Cheng
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Zhixuan Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
| | - Junping Wang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
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12
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Wang H, Ma ZH, Xu LZ, Yang L, Ji ZZ, Tang XZ, Liu JR, Li X, Cao QJ, Liu J. Developmental brain structural atypicalities in autism: a voxel-based morphometry analysis. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:7. [PMID: 35101065 PMCID: PMC8805267 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00443-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies have shown atypicalities in structural brain changes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while a noticeable discrepancy in their results indicates the necessity of conducting further researches. METHODS The current study investigated the atypical structural brain features of autistic individuals who aged 6-30 years old. A total of 52 autistic individuals and 50 age-, gender-, and intelligence quotient (IQ)-matched typically developing (TD) individuals were included in this study, and were assigned into three based cohorts: childhood (6-12 years old), adolescence (13-18 years old), and adulthood (19-30 years old). Analyses of whole-brain volume and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) on the sMRI data were conducted. RESULTS No significant difference was found in the volumes of whole-brain, gray matter, and white matter between the autism and TD groups in the three age-based cohorts. For VBM analyses, the volumes of gray matter in the right superior temporal gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule in the autism group (6-12 years old) were smaller than those in the TD group; the gray matter volume in the left inferior parietal lobule in the autism group (13-18 years old) was larger than that in the TD group; the gray matter volume in the right middle occipital gyrus in the autism group (19-30 years old) was larger than that in the TD group, and the gray matter volume in the left posterior cingulate gyrus in the autism group was smaller than that in the TD group. CONCLUSION Autistic individuals showed different atypical regional gray matter volumetric changes in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood compared to their TD peers, indicating that it is essential to consider developmental stages of the brain when exploring brain structural atypicalities in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zeng-Hui Ma
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ling-Zi Xu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhao-Zheng Ji
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xin-Zhou Tang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jing-Ran Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xue Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Qing-Jiu Cao
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Jing Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
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13
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Zhao HC, Lv R, Zhang GY, He LM, Cai XT, Sun Q, Yan CY, Bao XY, Lv XY, Fu B. Alterations of Prefrontal-Posterior Information Processing Patterns in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:768219. [PMID: 35173572 PMCID: PMC8841879 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.768219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by different levels of repetitive and stereotypic behavior as well as deficits in social interaction and communication. In this current study, we explored the changes in cerebral neural activities in ASD. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there exists a dysfunction of interactive information processing between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions in ASD. We investigated the atypical connectivity and information flow between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions in ASD utilizing the entropy connectivity (a kind of directional connectivity) method. Eighty-nine patients with ASD and 94 typical developing (TD) teenagers participated in this study. Two-sample t-tests revealed weakened interactive entropy connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions. This result indicates that there exists interactive prefrontal-posterior underconnectivity in ASD, and this disorder might lead to less prior knowledge being used and updated. Our proposals highlighted that aforementioned atypical change might accelerate the deoptimization of brain networks in ASD.
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14
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Loomba N, Beckerson ME, Ammons CJ, Maximo JO, Kana RK. Corpus callosum size and homotopic connectivity in Autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2021; 313:111301. [PMID: 34022542 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
By examining how morphology of the corpus callosum (CC) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may affect functional communication across hemispheres, we hope to provide new insights into the structure-function relationship in the brain. We used a sample of 94 participants from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database (55 typically-developing (TD) and 39 with ASD). The CC was segmented into five sub-regions (anterior, mid-anterior, central, mid-posterior, posterior) using FreeSurfer software, which were further examined for group differences. The total volume and specific sub-region volumes of the CC, and interhemispheric (homotopic) functional connectivity were calculated, along with the relationship between volume and connectivity. These measures were correlated with social ability assessed by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). The central sub-region of CC was significantly smaller in ASD, although there was no group difference in total CC volume. ASD participants also showed stronger homotopic connectivity in the superior frontal gyrus. SRS scores were negatively correlated with the CC central sub-region volumes in ASD. The findings of this study add to the body of research showing morphological differences in the CC in ASD as well as connectivity differences. The absence of a significant relationship between structure and homotopic functional connectivity aligns with previous findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niharika Loomba
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Meagan E Beckerson
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States; Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Carla J Ammons
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jose O Maximo
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavior Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States; Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States.
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15
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Uccelli NA, Codagnone MG, Traetta ME, Levanovich N, Rosato Siri MV, Urrutia L, Falasco G, Vázquez S, Pasquini JM, Reinés AG. Neurobiological substrates underlying corpus callosum hypoconnectivity and brain metabolic patterns in the valproic acid rat model of autism spectrum disorder. J Neurochem 2021; 159:128-144. [PMID: 34081798 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Atypical connectivity between brain regions and altered structure of the corpus callosum (CC) in imaging studies supports the long-distance hypoconnectivity hypothesis proposed for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this study was to unveil the CC ultrastructural and cellular changes employing the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of ASD. Male Wistar rats were exposed to VPA (450 mg/kg i.p.) or saline (control) during gestation (embryonic day 10.5), and maturation, exploration, and social behavior were subsequently tested. Myelin content, ultrastructure, and oligodendroglial lineage were studied in the CC at post-natal days 15 (infant) and 36 (juvenile). As a functional outcome, brain metabolic activity was determined by positron emission tomography. Concomitantly with behavioral deficits in juvenile VPA rats, the CC showed reduced myelin basic protein, conserved total number of axons, reduced percentage of myelinated axons, and aberrant and less compact arrangements of myelin sheath ultrastructure. Mature oligodendrocytes decreased and oligodendrocyte precursors increased in the absence of astrogliosis or microgliosis. In medial prefrontal and somatosensory cortices of juvenile VPA rats, myelin ultrastructure and oligodendroglial lineage were preserved. VPA animals exhibited global brain hypometabolism and local hypermetabolism in brain regions relevant for ASD. In turn, the CC of infant VPA rats showed reduced myelin content but preserved oligodendroglial lineage. Our findings indicate that CC hypomyelination is established during infancy and prior to oligodendroglial pattern alterations, which suggests that axon-oligodendroglia communication could be compromised in VPA animals. Thus, CC hypomyelination may underlie white matter alterations and contribute to atypical patterns of connectivity and metabolism found in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nonthué Alejandra Uccelli
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN) Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martín Gabriel Codagnone
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN) Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marianela Evelyn Traetta
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN) Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nadia Levanovich
- Fundación para la lucha contra las enfermedades neurológicas de la infancia (FLENI), Centro de Imágenes Moleculares (CIM), Escobar, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Rosato Siri
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológica (IQUIFIB) Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leandro Urrutia
- Fundación para la lucha contra las enfermedades neurológicas de la infancia (FLENI), Centro de Imágenes Moleculares (CIM), Escobar, Argentina
| | - Germán Falasco
- Fundación para la lucha contra las enfermedades neurológicas de la infancia (FLENI), Centro de Imágenes Moleculares (CIM), Escobar, Argentina
| | - Silvia Vázquez
- Fundación para la lucha contra las enfermedades neurológicas de la infancia (FLENI), Centro de Imágenes Moleculares (CIM), Escobar, Argentina
| | - Juana María Pasquini
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológica (IQUIFIB) Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Analía Gabriela Reinés
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN) Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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16
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Yao S, Becker B, Kendrick KM. Reduced Inter-hemispheric Resting State Functional Connectivity and Its Association With Social Deficits in Autism. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:629870. [PMID: 33746796 PMCID: PMC7969641 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.629870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an early onset developmental disorder which persists throughout life and is increasing in prevalence over the last few decades. Given its early onset and variable cognitive and emotional functional impairments, it is generally challenging to assess ASD individuals using task-based behavioral and functional MRI paradigms. Consequently, resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) has become a key approach for examining ASD-associated neural alterations and revealed functional alterations in large-scale brain networks relative to typically developing (TD) individuals, particularly those involved in social-cognitive and affective processes. Recent progress suggests that alterations in inter-hemispheric resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between regions in the 2 brain hemispheres, particularly homotopic ones, may be of great importance. Here we have reviewed neuroimaging studies examining inter-hemispheric rsFC abnormities in ASD and its associations with symptom severity. As an index of inter-hemispheric functional connectivity, we have additionally reviewed previous studies on corpus callosum (CC) volumetric and fiber changes in ASD. There are converging findings on reduced inter-hemispheric (including homotopic) rsFC in large-scale brain networks particularly in posterior hubs of the default mode network, reduced volumes in the anterior and posterior CC, and on decreased FA and increased MD or RD across CC subregions. Associations between the strength of inter-hemispheric rsFC and social impairments in ASD together with their classification performance in distinguishing ASD subjects from TD controls across ages suggest that the strength of inter-hemispheric rsFC may be a more promising biomarker for assisting in ASD diagnosis than abnormalities in either brain wide rsFC or brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxia Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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17
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Martin LA, Hsu FW, Herd B, Gregg M, Sample H, Kaplan J. Executive functions in agenesis of the corpus callosum: Working memory and sustained attention in the BTBR inbred mouse strain. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01933. [PMID: 33300691 PMCID: PMC7821616 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) is characterized by the congenital partial or complete absence of the corpus callosum. Several strains of mice have been reported to carry AgCC, with the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf /J (BTBR) inbred mouse strain consistently showing a complete absence of the corpus callosum, as well as a variable reduction in the size of the hippocampal commissure. While much research has focused on the social deficits of the BTBR strain, little research on its cognitive behavior has been conducted. The goal of our study was to compare two facets of executive functioning, spatial working memory, and sustained attention between the BTBR and C57BL/6J (B6) strains. METHODS Spatial working memory was measured utilizing a delayed matching-to-position (DMTP) task and sustained attention was measured utilizing an operant task in which mice were trained to distinguish signal and nonsignal events. RESULTS Both the BTBR and B6 mice demonstrated a predictable decline in performance on the DMTP task as the delay interval increased and predictable increase in performance on the sustained attention task as the duration of the signal event increased. Although no significant differences were found between strains on the performance of these tasks, there was a significant difference in learning the association between lever pressing and food reward. Histological investigation confirmed the complete absence of commissural fibers from the corpus callosum, but also the hippocampal commissure, counter to a previous study. CONCLUSION The results suggest spatial working memory and sustained attention are unaffected by the absence of these commissural fibers alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren A Martin
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Fang-Wei Hsu
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Brooke Herd
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Michael Gregg
- Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Sample
- Center for Next-Gen Precision Diagnostics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jason Kaplan
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Coatesville, PA, USA
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18
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Chen T, Chen Y, Yuan M, Gerstein M, Li T, Liang H, Froehlich T, Lu L. The Development of a Practical Artificial Intelligence Tool for Diagnosing and Evaluating Autism Spectrum Disorder: Multicenter Study. JMIR Med Inform 2020; 8:e15767. [PMID: 32041690 PMCID: PMC7244998 DOI: 10.2196/15767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with an unknown etiology. Early diagnosis and intervention are key to improving outcomes for patients with ASD. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) has been widely used in clinics to facilitate the diagnosis of brain diseases such as brain tumors. However, sMRI is less frequently used to investigate neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as ASD, owing to the subtle, if any, anatomical changes of the brain. Objective This study aimed to investigate the possibility of identifying structural patterns in the brain of patients with ASD as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis and evaluation of ASD in clinics. Methods We developed a novel 2-level histogram-based morphometry (HBM) classification framework in which an algorithm based on a 3D version of the histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) was used to extract features from sMRI data. We applied this framework to distinguish patients with ASD from healthy controls using 4 datasets from the second edition of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange, including the ETH Zürich (ETH), NYU Langone Medical Center: Sample 1, Oregon Health and Science University, and Stanford University (SU) sites. We used a stratified 10-fold cross-validation method to evaluate the model performance, and we applied the Naive Bayes approach to identify the predictive ASD-related brain regions based on classification contributions of each HOG feature. Results On the basis of the 3D HOG feature extraction method, our proposed HBM framework achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of >0.75 in each dataset, with the highest AUC of 0.849 in the ETH site. We compared the 3D HOG algorithm with the original 2D HOG algorithm, which showed an accuracy improvement of >4% in each dataset, with the highest improvement of 14% (6/42) in the SU site. A comparison of the 3D HOG algorithm with the scale-invariant feature transform algorithm showed an AUC improvement of >18% in each dataset. Furthermore, we identified ASD-related brain regions based on the sMRI images. Some of these regions (eg, frontal gyrus, temporal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, postcentral gyrus, precuneus, caudate, and hippocampus) are known to be implicated in ASD in prior neuroimaging literature. We also identified less well-known regions that may play unrecognized roles in ASD and be worth further investigation. Conclusions Our research suggested that it is possible to identify neuroimaging biomarkers that can distinguish patients with ASD from healthy controls based on the more cost-effective sMRI images of the brain. We also demonstrated the potential of applying data-driven artificial intelligence technology in the clinical setting of neurological and psychiatric disorders, which usually harbor subtle anatomical changes in the brain that are often invisible to the human eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- School of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,School of Information Technology, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Ye Chen
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Mengxue Yuan
- School of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mark Gerstein
- Program in Neurodevelopment and Regeneration, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Tingyu Li
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Chongqing, China.,Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China.,China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiying Liang
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tanya Froehlich
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Long Lu
- School of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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19
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Yasuno F, Makinodan M, Takahashi M, Matsuoka K, Yoshikawa H, Kitamura S, Ishida R, Kishimoto N, Miyasaka T, Kichikawa K, Kishimoto T. Microstructural Anomalies Evaluated by Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging Are Related to Deficits in Facial Emotional Recognition via Perceptual-Binding Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:729-740. [PMID: 32048810 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The integration of visual features is important for recognizing objects as a coherent whole, a key domain of difficulty in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We tested the hypothesis that ASD patients exhibit difficulties in facial emotional recognition via perceptual binding difficulties due to weak coherence. We assessed 18 ASD and 27 typically developing individuals for their ability to identify emotional expressions from faces in pictures moving behind a narrow vertical and horizontal slit. In this task, only a single local piece of facial information was provided at any one time through the slit. Using a voxel-based analysis of neurite-orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), we examined the relationship between NODDI index values at each voxel and the behavioral performance of ASD patients in the slit-viewing paradigm. ASD patients demonstrated impaired recognition of facial emotional expression only in horizontal slit-viewing. This deficit was associated with deficits in communication ability. Voxel-based analysis revealed significant negative correlations between behavioral deficits in horizontal slit-viewing and NODDI index values in clusters including the ventral occipital complex region, superior temporal/parietal association areas, and forceps major of the corpus callosum. Our results indicated deficits for the first time in perceptual integration of facial expression across hemispheres in ASD patients due to microstructural disturbances in the corpus callosum and areas related to viewing of the human face. This may underscore the difficulties faced by ASD patients in understanding the emotions of other people, contributing to impairments in communication ability in ASD patients. Autism Res 2020, 13: 729-740. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: We assessed ASD and typically developing individuals for their ability to identify emotional expressions from faces in pictures moving behind a narrow vertical and horizontal slit. ASD patients demonstrated impaired recognition of facial emotional expression only in horizontal slit-viewing. Voxel-based analysis revealed significant negative correlations between behavioral deficits and NODDI index values in clusters including the corpus callosum. Our results indicated deficits in perceptual integration of facial expression across hemispheres in ASD patients potentially resulting from microstructural disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiko Yasuno
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Masato Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Kiwamu Matsuoka
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | | | | | - Rio Ishida
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Naoko Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
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Braden BB, Riecken C. Thinning Faster? Age-Related Cortical Thickness Differences in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2019; 64:31-38. [PMID: 32565887 PMCID: PMC7304569 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the course of the last 30 years, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses have increased, thus identifying a large group of aging individuals with ASD. Currently, little is known regarding how aging will affect these individual's neuroanatomy, compared to the neurotypical (NT) population. Because of the anatomical overlap of ASD-related cortical pathology and age-related cortical thinning, both following an anterior-to-posterior severity gradient, we hypothesize adults with ASD will show larger age-related cortical thinning than NT adults. METHODS We analyzed cortical measurements using available data from the multi-site Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange I (ABIDE I; n=282) and our own cohort of middle-age to older adults with and without ASD (n=47) mostly available in ABIDE II (n=35). We compared correlations between cortical measures and age in right-handed adults with ASD (n=157) and similar NT adults (n = 172), controlling for IQ and site. Participants were 18 to 64 years of age (mean=29.8 years; median=26 years). RESULTS We found significant differences between diagnosis groups in the relationship between age and cortical thickness for areas of left frontal lobe (pars opercularis), temporal lobe (inferior gyrus, middle gyrus, banks of the superior temporal sulcus, and entorhinal cortex), parietal lobe (inferior gyrus), and lateral occipital lobe. For all areas, adults with ASD showed a greater negative correlation between age and cortical thickness than NT adults. CONCLUSION As hypothesized, adults with ASD demonstrated exacerbated age-related cortical thinning, compared to NT adults. These differences were the largest and most extensive in the left temporal lobe. Future longitudinal work is warranted to investigate whether differences in brain age trajectories will translate to unique behavioral needs in older adults with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Blair Braden
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, 976 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281
| | - Cory Riecken
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, 976 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281
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21
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Sokol DK, Maloney B, Westmark CJ, Lahiri DK. Novel Contribution of Secreted Amyloid-β Precursor Protein to White Matter Brain Enlargement in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:165. [PMID: 31024350 PMCID: PMC6469489 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The most replicated neuroanatomical finding in autism is the tendency toward brain overgrowth, especially in younger children. Research shows that both gray and white matter are enlarged. Proposed mechanisms underlying brain enlargement include abnormal inflammatory and neurotrophic signals that lead to excessive, aberrant dendritic connectivity via disrupted pruning and cell adhesion, and enlargement of white matter due to excessive gliogenesis and increased myelination. Amyloid-β protein precursor (βAPP) and its metabolites, more commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), are also dysregulated in autism plasma and brain tissue samples. This review highlights findings that demonstrate how one βAPP metabolite, secreted APPα, and the ADAM family α-secretases, may lead to increased brain matter, with emphasis on increased white matter as seen in autism. sAPPα and the ADAM family α-secretases contribute to the anabolic, non-amyloidogenic pathway, which is in contrast to the amyloid (catabolic) pathway known to contribute to Alzheimer disease. The non-amyloidogenic pathway could produce brain enlargement via genetic mechanisms affecting mRNA translation and polygenic factors that converge on molecular pathways (mitogen-activated protein kinase/MAPK and mechanistic target of rapamycin/mTOR), promoting neuroinflammation. A novel mechanism linking the non-amyloidogenic pathway to white matter enlargement is proposed: α-secretase and/or sAPPα, activated by ERK receptor signaling activates P13K/AKt/mTOR and then Rho GTPases favoring myelination via oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) activation of cofilin. Applying known pathways in AD to autism should allow further understanding and provide options for new drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah K. Sokol
- Pediatrics Section, Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Bryan Maloney
- Indiana Alzheimers Disease Center, Department of Psychiatry, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Cara J. Westmark
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Debomoy K. Lahiri
- Indiana Alzheimers Disease Center, Department of Psychiatry, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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22
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Nomi JS, Molnar-Szakacs I, Uddin LQ. Insular function in autism: Update and future directions in neuroimaging and interventions. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:412-426. [PMID: 30381235 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The insular cortex, hidden within the lateral sulcus of the human brain, participates in a range of cognitive, affective, and sensory functions. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition affecting all of these functional domains, has increasingly been linked with atypical activation and connectivity of the insular cortices. Here we review the latest research linking atypical insular function to a range of behaviors characteristic of ASD, with an emphasis on neuroimaging findings in the domains of social cognition and executive function. We summarize some of the recent work linking the insula to interventions in autism, including oxytocin-based pharmacological treatments and music therapy. We suggest that future directions likely to yield significant insights into insular pathology in ASD include the analysis of the dynamics of this brain region. We also conclude that more basic research is necessary on the use of oxytocin pharmacotherapy, and larger studies addressing participant heterogeneity are needed on the use of music therapy in ASD. Long-term studies are needed to ascertain sustained effects of these interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Nomi
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | | | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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23
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Lucibello S, Verdolotti T, Giordano FM, Lapenta L, Infante A, Piludu F, Tartaglione T, Chieffo D, Colosimo C, Mercuri E, Battini R. Brain morphometry of preschool age children affected by autism spectrum disorder: Correlation with clinical findings. Clin Anat 2018; 32:143-150. [DOI: 10.1002/ca.23252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Lucibello
- Pediatric Neurology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - T. Verdolotti
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - F. M. Giordano
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - L. Lapenta
- Pediatric Neurology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - A. Infante
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - F. Piludu
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - T. Tartaglione
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
- Catholic University of Sacred Heart; Rome Italy
| | - D. Chieffo
- Pediatric Neurology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
| | - C. Colosimo
- Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
- Catholic University of Sacred Heart; Rome Italy
| | - E. Mercuri
- Pediatric Neurology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
- Catholic University of Sacred Heart; Rome Italy
| | - R. Battini
- Pediatric Neurology Unit; Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCSS; Rome Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine; University of Pisa; Pisa Italy
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24
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Mann C, Bletsch A, Andrews D, Daly E, Murphy C, Murphy D, Ecker C. The effect of age on vertex-based measures of the grey-white matter tissue contrast in autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2018; 9:49. [PMID: 30302187 PMCID: PMC6167902 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0232-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Histological evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by a reduced integrity of the grey-white matter boundary. This has also recently been confirmed by a structural neuroimaging study in vivo reporting significantly reduced grey-white matter tissue contrast (GWC) in adult individuals (18–42 years of age) with ASD relative to typically developing (TD) controls. However, it remains unknown whether the neuroanatomical differences in ASD at the grey-white matter boundary are stable across development or are age-dependent. Methods Here, we examined differences in the neurodevelopmental trajectories of GWC in a cross-sectional sample of 77 male ASD individuals and 76 typically developing (TD) controls across childhood and early adulthood (from 7 to 25 years). Results Using nested model comparisons, we first established that the developmental trajectory of GWC is complex in many regions across the cortex and includes linear and non-linear effects of age. Second, while ASD individuals have significantly reduced GWC overall, these differences are age-dependent and are most prominent during childhood (< 15 years). Conclusions Taken together, our findings suggest that differences in GWC in ASD are unlikely to reflect atypical grey matter cytoarchitecture alone, but may also represent other aspects of the cortical architecture such as age-dependent variability in myelin integrity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0232-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Mann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anke Bletsch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Derek Andrews
- 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Eileen Daly
- 3Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Clodagh Murphy
- 3Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | | | - Declan Murphy
- 3Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Christine Ecker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,3Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE5 8AF UK
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25
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Maier S, Tebartz van Elst L, Perlov E, Düppers AL, Nickel K, Fangmeier T, Endres D, Riedel A. Cortical properties of adults with autism spectrum disorder and an IQ>100. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2018; 279:8-13. [PMID: 30031235 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies on cortical volume and thickness measures in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show inconsistent results. We acquired structural magnetic resonance images of 30 individuals with ASD and individually matched controls and extracted surface-based and deformation-based morphometry measures. All participants had an IQ>100. Neither surface-based cortical thickness nor deformation based gyrification measures differed significantly across groups. Significant decreases but no increases of the gyrification index and sulcus depth could only be observed in the ASD group before correcting for multiple comparisons. This finding suggests that possible cortical anomalies in ASD are either weak or, given the heterogeneity of findings in earlier studies, might only apply to small ASD-subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Maier
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany; Freiburg Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany.
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany; Freiburg Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
| | - Evgeniy Perlov
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany; Luzerner Psychiatrie, Hospital St. Urban, Schafmattstrasse 1, CH-4915 St. Urban, Switzerland
| | - Ansgard Lena Düppers
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
| | - Kathrin Nickel
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
| | - Thomas Fangmeier
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany; Freiburg Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
| | - Dominique Endres
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany; Freiburg Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
| | - Andreas Riedel
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany; Freiburg Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 5, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
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26
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Dickinson A, DiStefano C, Lin YY, Scheffler AW, Senturk D, Jeste SS. Interhemispheric alpha-band hypoconnectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder. Behav Brain Res 2018; 348:227-234. [PMID: 29689375 PMCID: PMC5993636 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Diverse genetic and environmental etiologies converge onto circuit level brain dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), manifesting at a macroscopic level as aberrant neural connectivity. Previous studies have described atypical patterns of decreased short range and increased long range connectivity in ASD [1 ]. However, it remains unclear whether group level features of circuit dysfunction are consistently present across the range of cognitive function seen in the autism spectrum. The dynamics of neural oscillations in the alpha range (6-12 Hz) are exquisitely sensitive to healthy development of functional and structural connectivity. Alpha-band coherence, measured with high temporal-precision electroencephalography (EEG) therefore represents an ideal tool for studying neural connectivity in developmental populations. Here we examined spontaneous alpha phase coherence in a heterogeneous sample of 59 children with ASD and 39 age matched typically developing children. Using a data driven approach, we conducted an unbiased examination of all possible atypical connectivity patterns across all cortical regions. Long-range hypoconnectivity was present in children with ASD compared to typically developing children, with temporal interhemispheric connectivity showing the largest difference between the two groups. Decreased long range alpha coherence distinguishes a heterogeneous group of ASD children from typically developing children. Interhemispheric temporal hypoconnectivity represents a fundamental functional difference in children with ASD across a wide cognitive and age range that may reflect white matter disturbances or increased signal variability at temporal sites in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Dickinson
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, University of California, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, 760 Westwood Plaza, Suite A7-452 Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States.
| | - Charlotte DiStefano
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, University of California, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, 760 Westwood Plaza, Suite A7-452 Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
| | - Yin-Ying Lin
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, University of California, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, 760 Westwood Plaza, Suite A7-452 Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
| | - Aaron Wolfe Scheffler
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA School of Public Health, Room 21-254C, CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
| | - Damla Senturk
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA School of Public Health, Room 21-254C, CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
| | - Shafali Spurling Jeste
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, University of California, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, 760 Westwood Plaza, Suite A7-452 Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
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27
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Zhang W, Groen W, Mennes M, Greven C, Buitelaar J, Rommelse N. Revisiting subcortical brain volume correlates of autism in the ABIDE dataset: effects of age and sex. Psychol Med 2018; 48:654-668. [PMID: 28745267 DOI: 10.1017/s003329171700201x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by substantial clinical, etiological and neurobiological heterogeneity. Despite this heterogeneity, previous imaging studies have highlighted the role of specific cortical and subcortical structures in ASD and have forwarded the notion of an ASD specific neuroanatomy in which abnormalities in brain structures are present that can be used for diagnostic classification approaches. METHOD A large (N = 859, 6-27 years, IQ 70-130) multi-center structural magnetic resonance imaging dataset was examined to specifically test ASD diagnostic effects regarding (sub)cortical volumes. RESULTS Despite the large sample size, we found virtually no main effects of ASD diagnosis. Yet, several significant two- and three-way interaction effects of diagnosis by age by gender were found. CONCLUSION The neuroanatomy of ASD does not exist, but is highly age and gender dependent. Implications for approaches of stratification of ASD into more homogeneous subtypes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Zhang
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - W Groen
- Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - M Mennes
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - C Greven
- Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - J Buitelaar
- Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - N Rommelse
- Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
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28
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Hatfield TR, Brown RF, Giummarra MJ, Lenggenhager B. Autism spectrum disorder and interoception: Abnormalities in global integration? AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2017; 23:212-222. [DOI: 10.1177/1362361317738392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Research over the past three decades has seen a revived interest in the way the human body—and the way in which it is perceived—interacts with aspects of our experience. Consequently, interoception (i.e. the perception of physiological feedback from the body) has recently been shown to be associated with a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and affective functions, making it broadly relevant to the study of autism spectrum disorder. Although limited qualitative accounts and empirical studies suggest that individuals with autism spectrum disorder encounter abnormalities when perceiving and integrating physiological feedback from their bodies, other studies have suggested that people with/without autism spectrum disorder do not differ in interoceptive ability after accounting for alexithymia. In this article, we discuss the newly recognized importance of interoception in autism spectrum disorder with a focus on how deficits in the perception of bodily feedback might relate to the core features and co-occuring psychopathology of autism spectrum disorder. Finally, a new integrated theory is advanced which posits that people with autism spectrum disorder may experience a reduced capacity to integrate interoceptive information that may result in a narrow attentional bodily focus and reduced motivational and behavioral drives.
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29
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Braden BB, Smith CJ, Thompson A, Glaspy TK, Wood E, Vatsa D, Abbott AE, McGee SC, Baxter LC. Executive function and functional and structural brain differences in middle-age adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2017; 10:1945-1959. [PMID: 28940848 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
There is a rapidly growing group of aging adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who may have unique needs, yet cognitive and brain function in older adults with ASD is understudied. We combined functional and structural neuroimaging and neuropsychological tests to examine differences between middle-aged men with ASD and matched neurotypical (NT) men. Participants (ASD, n = 16; NT, n = 17) aged 40-64 years were well-matched according to age, IQ (range: 83-131), and education (range: 9-20 years). Middle-age adults with ASD made more errors on an executive function task (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) but performed similarly to NT adults on tests of delayed verbal memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) and local visual search (Embedded Figures Task). Independent component analysis of a functional MRI working memory task (n-back) completed by most participants (ASD = 14, NT = 17) showed decreased engagement of a cortico-striatal-thalamic-cortical neural network in older adults with ASD. Structurally, older adults with ASD had reduced bilateral hippocampal volumes, as measured by FreeSurfer. Findings expand our understanding of ASD as a lifelong condition with persistent cognitive and functional and structural brain differences evident at middle-age. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1945-1959. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY We compared cognitive abilities and brain measures between 16 middle-age men with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 17 typical middle-age men to better understand how aging affects an older group of adults with ASD. Men with ASD made more errors on a test involving flexible thinking, had less activity in a flexible thinking brain network, and had smaller volume of a brain structure related to memory than typical men. We will follow these older adults over time to determine if aging changes are greater for individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Blair Braden
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | | | - Amiee Thompson
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Tyler K Glaspy
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Emily Wood
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Divya Vatsa
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Angela E Abbott
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Samuel C McGee
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Leslie C Baxter
- Department of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
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30
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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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31
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Payne C, Cirilli L, Bachevalier J. An MRI study of the corpus callosum in monkeys: Developmental trajectories and effects of neonatal hippocampal and amygdala lesions. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:495-506. [PMID: 28369850 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study provides the first characterization of early developmental trajectories of corpus callosum (CC) segments in rhesus macaques using noninvasive MRI techniques and assesses long-term effects of neonatal amygdala or hippocampal lesions on CC morphometry. In Experiment 1, 10 monkeys (5 males) were scanned at 1 week-2 years of age; eight additional infants (4 males) were scanned once at 1-4 weeks of age. The first 8 months showed marked growth across all segments, with sustained, albeit slower, growth through 24 months. Males and females had comparable patterns of CC maturation overall, but exhibited slight differences in the anterior and posterior segments, with greater increases in the isthmus for males and greater increases in the rostrum for females. The developmental changes are likely a consequence of varying degrees of axonal myelination, redirection, and pruning. In Experiment 2, animals with neonatal lesions of the amygdala (n = 6; 3 males) or hippocampus (n = 6; 4 males) were scanned at 1.5 years post-surgery and compared to scans of six control animals from Experiment 1. Whereas amygdala damage yielded larger rostral and posterior body segments, hippocampal damage yielded larger rostrum and isthmus. These differences demonstrate that early perturbations to one medial temporal lobe structure may produce extensive and long-lasting repercussions in other brain areas. The current findings emphasize the complexity of neural circuitry putatively subserving neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and Williams syndrome, which are each characterized by malformations and dysfunction of complex neural networks that include regions of the medial temporal lobe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa Payne
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Laetitia Cirilli
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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32
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Giuliano A, Saviozzi I, Brambilla P, Muratori F, Retico A, Calderoni S. The effect of age, sex and clinical features on the volume of Corpus Callosum in pre-schoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a case-control study. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 47:568-578. [PMID: 28112456 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has identified volume alterations of the corpus callosum (CC) in subjects with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, to date very few investigations have been conducted on pre-school-age ASD children. This study aims to compare the volume of CC and its sub-regions between pre-schoolers with ASD and controls (CON) and to examine their relationship to demographic and clinical variables (sex, age, non-verbal IQ -NVIQ-, expressive non-echolalic language, emotional and behavioural problems, and autism severity). The volume of CC of 40 pre-schoolers with ASD (20 males and 20 females; mean age: 49 ± 12 months; mean NVIQ: 73 ± 22) and 40 sex-, age-, and NVIQ-matched CON subjects (20 M and 20 F; mean age: 49 ± 14 months; mean NVIQ: 73 ± 23) were quantified applying the FreeSurfer automated parcellation software on Magnetic Resonance images. No significant volumetric differences in CC total volume and in its sub-regions between ASD and CON were found using total brain volume as a covariate. Analogously, absence of CC volumetric differences was evident when boys and girls with ASD were compared with their matched controls. The CC total volume of younger ASD male subjects was found significantly larger with respect to matched CON, which is consistent with the atypical growth trajectory widely reported in these young children. The CC total volume was negatively correlated with autism severity, whereas no association between CC volume and other clinical variables was detected. If replicated, the indirect relationship between CC volume and autism severity suggests the involvement of CC in core ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Giuliano
- Physics Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Pisa Division, National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Psychiatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Filippo Muratori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Retico
- Pisa Division, National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
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33
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Ecker C, Schmeisser MJ, Loth E, Murphy DG. Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Humans. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY, EMBRYOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY 2017; 224:27-48. [PMID: 28551749 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-52498-6_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition that is associated with differences in brain anatomy and connectivity. Yet, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin the atypical developmental of the brain in ASD remain poorly understood. Here, we review the findings of in vivo neuroimaging studies examining the time course of atypical brain development in ASD and relate the different neurodevelopmental stages that are atypical in ASD to the known neurobiological mechanisms that drive the maturation of the typically developing brain. In particular, we focus on the notion of 'early brain overgrowth' in ASD, which may lead to differences in the formation of the brain's micro- and macro-circuitry. Moreover, we attempt to link the in vivo reports describing differences in brain anatomy and connectivity on the macroscopic level to the increasing number of post-mortem studies examining the neural architecture of the brain in ASD on the microscopic level. In addition, we discuss future directions and outstanding questions in this particular field of research and highlight the need for establishing the link between micro- and macro-pathology in the same set of individuals with ASD based on advances in genetic, molecular and imaging techniques. In combination, these may proof to be invaluable for patient stratification and the development of novel pharmacotherapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Ecker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK.
| | - Michael J Schmeisser
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Division of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Eva Loth
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - Declan G Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
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34
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Ecker C, Andrews D, Dell'Acqua F, Daly E, Murphy C, Catani M, Thiebaut de Schotten M, Baron-Cohen S, Lai MC, Lombardo MV, Bullmore ET, Suckling J, Williams S, Jones DK, Chiocchetti A, Murphy DGM. Relationship Between Cortical Gyrification, White Matter Connectivity, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cereb Cortex 2016; 26:3297-309. [PMID: 27130663 PMCID: PMC4898679 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, which is accompanied by differences in gray matter neuroanatomy and white matter connectivity. However, it is unknown whether these differences are linked or reflect independent aetiologies. Using a multimodal neuroimaging approach, we therefore examined 51 male adults with ASD and 48 neurotypical controls to investigate the relationship between gray matter local gyrification (lGI) and white matter diffusivity in associated fiber tracts. First, ASD individuals had a significant increase in gyrification around the left pre- and post-central gyrus. Second, white matter fiber tracts originating and/or terminating in the cluster of increased lGI had a significant increase in axial diffusivity. This increase in diffusivity was predominantly observed in tracts in close proximity to the cortical sheet. Last, we demonstrate that the increase in lGI was significantly correlated with increased diffusivity of short tracts. This relationship was not significantly modulated by a main effect of group (i.e., ASD), which was more closely associated with gray matter gyrification than white matter diffusivity. Our findings suggest that differences in gray matter neuroanatomy and white matter connectivity are closely linked, and may reflect common rather than distinct aetiological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ecker
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - D Andrews
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - F Dell'Acqua
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - E Daly
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - C Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - M Catani
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - M Thiebaut de Schotten
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - S Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 8AH, UK
| | - M C Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 8AH, UK Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre or Addiction and Mental Health and The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1H4, Canada Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan 100, R.O.C
| | - M V Lombardo
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 8AH, UK Department of Psychology and Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - E T Bullmore
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - J Suckling
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - S Williams
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - D K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 5HQ, UK
| | - A Chiocchetti
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - D G M Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK
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35
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Ismail MMT, Keynton RS, Mostapha MMMO, ElTanboly AH, Casanova MF, Gimel'farb GL, El-Baz A. Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder with Structural and Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Survey. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:211. [PMID: 27242476 PMCID: PMC4862981 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities have emerged as powerful means that facilitate non-invasive clinical diagnostics of various diseases and abnormalities since their inception in the 1980s. Multiple MRI modalities, such as different types of the sMRI and DTI, have been employed to investigate facets of ASD in order to better understand this complex syndrome. This paper reviews recent applications of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to study autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Main reported findings are sometimes contradictory due to different age ranges, hardware protocols, population types, numbers of participants, and image analysis parameters. The primary anatomical structures, such as amygdalae, cerebrum, and cerebellum, associated with clinical-pathological correlates of ASD are highlighted through successive life stages, from infancy to adulthood. This survey demonstrates the absence of consistent pathology in the brains of autistic children and lack of research investigations in patients under 2 years of age in the literature. The known publications also emphasize advances in data acquisition and analysis, as well as significance of multimodal approaches that combine resting-state, task-evoked, and sMRI measures. Initial results obtained with the sMRI and DTI show good promise toward the early and non-invasive ASD diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa M. T. Ismail
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Robert S. Keynton
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | | | - Ahmed H. ElTanboly
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Manuel F. Casanova
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Sciences, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Ayman El-Baz
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
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36
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Jumah F, Ghannam M, Jaber M, Adeeb N, Tubbs RS. Neuroanatomical variation in autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive review. Clin Anat 2016; 29:454-65. [PMID: 27004599 DOI: 10.1002/ca.22717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in socialization, communication, and behavior. Many investigators have described the anatomical abnormalities in autistic brains, in an attempt to correlate them with the manifestations of ASD. Herein, we reviewed all the available literature about the neuroanatomical findings in ASD available via "PubMed" and "Google Scholar." References found in review articles were also searched manually. There was substantial discrepancy throughout the literature regarding the reported presence and significance of neuroanatomical findings in ASD, and this is thoroughly discussed in the present review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fareed Jumah
- Department of Neuroscience, an-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine
| | - Malik Ghannam
- Department of Neuroscience, an-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine
| | - Mohammad Jaber
- Department of Neuroscience, an-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine
| | - Nimer Adeeb
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - R Shane Tubbs
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada.,Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington
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37
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Benítez-Burraco A, Murphy E. The Oscillopathic Nature of Language Deficits in Autism: From Genes to Language Evolution. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:120. [PMID: 27047363 PMCID: PMC4796018 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders involving a number of deficits to linguistic cognition. The gap between genetics and the pathophysiology of ASD remains open, in particular regarding its distinctive linguistic profile. The goal of this article is to attempt to bridge this gap, focusing on how the autistic brain processes language, particularly through the perspective of brain rhythms. Due to the phenomenon of pleiotropy, which may take some decades to overcome, we believe that studies of brain rhythms, which are not faced with problems of this scale, may constitute a more tractable route to interpreting language deficits in ASD and eventually other neurocognitive disorders. Building on recent attempts to link neural oscillations to certain computational primitives of language, we show that interpreting language deficits in ASD as oscillopathic traits is a potentially fruitful way to construct successful endophenotypes of this condition. Additionally, we will show that candidate genes for ASD are overrepresented among the genes that played a role in the evolution of language. These genes include (and are related to) genes involved in brain rhythmicity. We hope that the type of steps taken here will additionally lead to a better understanding of the comorbidity, heterogeneity, and variability of ASD, and may help achieve a better treatment of the affected populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elliot Murphy
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College LondonLondon, UK
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38
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Hanaie R, Mohri I, Kagitani-Shimono K, Tachibana M, Matsuzaki J, Hirata I, Nagatani F, Watanabe Y, Fujita N, Taniike M. White matter volume in the brainstem and inferior parietal lobule is related to motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder: A voxel-based morphometry study. Autism Res 2016; 9:981-92. [PMID: 26808675 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have reported poor motor performance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the underlying brain mechanisms remain unclear. Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that abnormalities of the white matter (WM) are related to the features of ASD. In this study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigate which WM regions correlate with motor performance in children with ASD, and whether the WM volume in those brain regions differed between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children. The subjects included 19 children with ASD and 20 TD controls. Motor performance was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (M-ABC 2). Children with ASD showed poorer motor performance than did the controls. There was a significant positive correlation between the total test score on the M-ABC 2 and the volume of WM in the brainstem and WM adjacent to the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). In addition, compared with the TD controls, children with ASD had a decreased volume of WM in the brainstem and adjacent to the left intraparietal sulcus, which is close to the SMG. These findings suggest that structural changes in the WM in the brainstem and left inferior parietal lobule may contribute to poor motor performance in children with ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 981-992. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuzo Hanaie
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ikuko Mohri
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masaya Tachibana
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Junko Matsuzaki
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ikuko Hirata
- Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Fumiyo Nagatani
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Watanabe
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Norihiko Fujita
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masako Taniike
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. .,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. .,Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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39
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has a strong genetic basis, and is heterogeneous in its etiopathogenesis and clinical presentation. Neuroimaging studies, in concert with neuropathological and clinical research, have been instrumental in delineating trajectories of development in children with ASD. Structural neuroimaging has revealed ASD to be a disorder with general and regional brain enlargement, especially in the frontotemporal cortices, while functional neuroimaging studies have highlighted diminished connectivity, especially between frontal-posterior regions. The diverse and specific neuroimaging findings may represent potential neuroendophenotypes, and may offer opportunities to further understand the etiopathogenesis of ASD, predict treatment response, and lead to the development of new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajneesh Mahajan
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research (CNIR), Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Stewart H. Mostofsky
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research (CNIR), Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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40
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Wolff JJ, Gerig G, Lewis JD, Soda T, Styner MA, Vachet C, Botteron KN, Elison JT, Dager SR, Estes AM, Hazlett HC, Schultz RT, Zwaigenbaum L, Piven J. Altered corpus callosum morphology associated with autism over the first 2 years of life. Brain 2015; 138:2046-58. [PMID: 25937563 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awv118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous brain imaging studies indicate that the corpus callosum is smaller in older children and adults with autism spectrum disorder. However, there are no published studies examining the morphological development of this connective pathway in infants at-risk for the disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 270 infants at high familial risk for autism spectrum disorder and 108 low-risk controls at 6, 12 and 24 months of age, with 83% of infants contributing two or more data points. Fifty-seven children met criteria for ASD based on clinical-best estimate diagnosis at age 2 years. Corpora callosa were measured for area, length and thickness by automated segmentation. We found significantly increased corpus callosum area and thickness in children with autism spectrum disorder starting at 6 months of age. These differences were particularly robust in the anterior corpus callosum at the 6 and 12 month time points. Regression analysis indicated that radial diffusivity in this region, measured by diffusion tensor imaging, inversely predicted thickness. Measures of area and thickness in the first year of life were correlated with repetitive behaviours at age 2 years. In contrast to work from older children and adults, our findings suggest that the corpus callosum may be larger in infants who go on to develop autism spectrum disorder. This result was apparent with or without adjustment for total brain volume. Although we did not see a significant interaction between group and age, cross-sectional data indicated that area and thickness differences diminish by age 2 years. Regression data incorporating diffusion tensor imaging suggest that microstructural properties of callosal white matter, which includes myelination and axon composition, may explain group differences in morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Wolff
- 1 Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Guido Gerig
- 2 Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - John D Lewis
- 3 Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Takahiro Soda
- 4 Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA 5 Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Martin A Styner
- 5 Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA 6 Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Clement Vachet
- 2 Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kelly N Botteron
- 7 Department of Psychiatry, Washington University at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- 8 Institute for Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stephen R Dager
- 9 Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Annette M Estes
- 10 Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Heather C Hazlett
- 5 Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA 6 Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robert T Schultz
- 11 Centre for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- 12 Department of Paediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
| | - Joseph Piven
- 5 Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA 6 Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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41
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Neuroimaging in autism spectrum disorder: brain structure and function across the lifespan. Lancet Neurol 2015; 14:1121-34. [PMID: 25891007 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00050-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, in-vivo MRI studies have provided many invaluable insights into the neural substrates underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is now known to be associated with neurodevelopmental variations in brain anatomy, functioning, and connectivity. These systems-level features of ASD pathology seem to develop differentially across the human lifespan so that the cortical abnormalities that occur in children with ASD differ from those noted at other stages of life. Thus, investigation of the brain in ASD poses particular methodological challenges, which must be addressed to enable the comparison of results across studies. Novel analytical approaches are also being developed to facilitate the translation of findings from the research to the clinical setting. In the future, the insights provided by human neuroimaging studies could contribute to biomarker development for ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and to new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
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Osipowicz K, Bosenbark DD, Patrick KE. Cortical Changes Across the Autism Lifespan. Autism Res 2015; 8:379-85. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karol Osipowicz
- Department of Psychology, 3201 Chestnut Street; Drexel University; Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Danielle D. Bosenbark
- Department of Psychology, 3201 Chestnut Street; Drexel University; Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Kristina E. Patrick
- Department of Psychology, 3201 Chestnut Street; Drexel University; Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19104
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Anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analysis of grey and white matter anomalies in autism spectrum disorders. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2014; 7:525-36. [PMID: 25844306 PMCID: PMC4375647 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by impairments in social communication and restrictive, repetitive behaviors. While behavioral symptoms are well-documented, investigations into the neurobiological underpinnings of ASD have not resulted in firm biomarkers. Variability in findings across structural neuroimaging studies has contributed to difficulty in reliably characterizing the brain morphology of individuals with ASD. These inconsistencies may also arise from the heterogeneity of ASD, and wider age-range of participants included in MRI studies and in previous meta-analyses. To address this, the current study used coordinate-based anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis of 21 voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies examining high-functioning individuals with ASD, resulting in a meta-analysis of 1055 participants (506 ASD, and 549 typically developing individuals). Results consisted of grey, white, and global differences in cortical matter between the groups. Modeled anatomical maps consisting of concentration, thickness, and volume metrics of grey and white matter revealed clusters suggesting age-related decreases in grey and white matter in parietal and inferior temporal regions of the brain in ASD, and age-related increases in grey matter in frontal and anterior-temporal regions. White matter alterations included fiber tracts thought to play key roles in information processing and sensory integration. Many current theories of pathobiology ASD suggest that the brains of individuals with ASD may have less-functional long-range (anterior-to-posterior) connections. Our findings of decreased cortical matter in parietal-temporal and occipital regions, and thickening in frontal cortices in older adults with ASD may entail altered cortical anatomy, and neurodevelopmental adaptations.
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Neuropathology of the Anterior Midcingulate Cortex in Young Children With Autism. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2014; 73:891-902. [DOI: 10.1097/nen.0000000000000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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Brain volumetric correlates of autism spectrum disorder symptoms in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101130. [PMID: 24979066 PMCID: PMC4076257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms frequently occur in subjects with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While there is evidence that both ADHD and ASD have differential structural correlates, no study to date has investigated these structural correlates within a framework that robustly accounts for the phenotypic overlap between the two disorders. The presence of ASD symptoms was measured by the parent-reported Children’s Social and Behavioural Questionnaire (CSBQ) in ADHD subjects (n = 180), their unaffected siblings (n = 118) and healthy controls (n = 146). ADHD symptoms were assessed by a structured interview (K-SADS-PL) and the Conners’ ADHD questionnaires. Whole brain T1-weighted MPRAGE images were acquired and the structural MRI correlates of ASD symptom scores were analysed by modelling ASD symptom scores against white matter (WM) and grey matter (GM) volumes using mixed effects models which controlled for ADHD symptom levels. ASD symptoms were significantly elevated in ADHD subjects relative to both controls and unaffected siblings. ASD scores were predicted by the interaction between WM and GM volumes. Increasing ASD score was associated with greater GM volume. Equivocal results from previous structural studies in ADHD and ASD may be due to the fact that comorbidity has not been taken into account in studies to date. The current findings stress the need to account for issues of ASD comorbidity in ADHD.
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Abnormal Corpus Callosum Connectivity, Socio-communicative Deficits, and Motor Deficits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. J Autism Dev Disord 2014; 44:2209-20. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2096-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Maximo JO, Cadena EJ, Kana RK. The implications of brain connectivity in the neuropsychology of autism. Neuropsychol Rev 2014; 24:16-31. [PMID: 24496901 PMCID: PMC4059500 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-014-9250-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been associated with atypical brain functioning. Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) studies examining neural networks in autism have seen an exponential rise over the last decade. Such investigations have led to the characterization of autism as a distributed neural systems disorder. Studies have found widespread cortical underconnectivity, local overconnectivity, and mixed results suggesting disrupted brain connectivity as a potential neural signature of autism. In this review, we summarize the findings of previous fcMRI studies in autism with a detailed examination of their methodology, in order to better understand its potential and to delineate the pitfalls. We also address how a multimodal neuroimaging approach (incorporating different measures of brain connectivity) may help characterize the complex neurobiology of autism at a global level. Finally, we also address the potential of neuroimaging-based markers in assisting neuropsychological assessment of autism. The quest for a neural marker for autism is still ongoing, yet new findings suggest that aberrant brain connectivity may be a promising candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose O. Maximo
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Elyse J. Cadena
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Rajesh K. Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Abstract
Over the past decade, human neuroimaging studies have provided invaluable insights into the neural substrates that underlie autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although observations from multiple neuroimaging approaches converge in suggesting that changes in brain structure, functioning and connectivity are associated with ASD, the neurobiology of this disorder is complex, and considerable aetiological and phenotypic heterogeneity exists among individuals on the autism spectrum. Characterization of the neurobiological alterations that underlie ASD and development of novel pharmacotherapies for ASD, therefore, requires multidisciplinary collaboration. Consequently, pressure is growing to combine neuroimaging data with information provided by other disciplines to translate research findings into clinically useful biomarkers. So far, however, neuroimaging studies in patients with ASD have mainly been conducted in isolation, and the low specificity of neuroimaging measures has hindered the development of biomarkers that could aid clinical trials and/or facilitate patient identification. Novel approaches to acquiring and analysing data on brain characteristics are currently being developed to overcome these inherent limitations, and to integrate neuroimaging into translational research. Here, we discuss promising new studies of cortical pathology in patients with ASD, and outline how the novel insights thereby obtained could inform diagnosis and treatment of ASD in the future.
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Abdel Razek A, Mazroa J, Baz H. Assessment of white matter integrity of autistic preschool children with diffusion weighted MR imaging. Brain Dev 2014; 36:28-34. [PMID: 23398955 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2013.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2012] [Revised: 12/23/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The purpose was to assess white matter integrity of autistic preschool children with diffusion weighted MR imaging. Prospective study was carried on 19 autistic children (mean age 55.2ms, IQ of 86.5) and 10 sex, age and IQ matched control (mean age 53.2ms, IQ 84.5). The childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), social age and language age were calculated. Patients and controls underwent diffusion weighted MR imaging of the brain with b factor of 0, 500 and 1000s/mm(2). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value at different regions of the white matter were calculated and correlated with CARS, social age and language age. There were significant differences at the ADC value of the white matter between autistic and control children at genu (P=0.043), splenium (P=0.003) of the corpus callosum, frontal white matter (P=0.015) and temporal white matter (P=0.020). There was positive correlation of CARS score with ADC value of the genu (r=0.63, P=0.001), splenium (r=0.59, P=0.005), frontal white matter (r=0.81, P=0.001) and temporal white matter (r=0.74, P=0.001). The social age well correlated with ADC value of the frontal white matter (r=0.81, P=0.001) and language age well correlated with ADC value of the temporal white matter (r=0.78, P=0.001). We concluded that ADC value can be helpful in assessment of integrity of the white matter in autistic preschool children and well correlated with CARS score, social age and language age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Abdel Razek
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Jehan Mazroa
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Hemmat Baz
- Phonetic Unit, ENT Department, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt
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O’Keefe N, Lindell AK. Reduced interhemispheric interaction in non-autistic individuals with normal but high levels of autism traits. Brain Cogn 2013; 83:183-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Revised: 08/09/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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