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Chen B, Jiang L, Lu G, Li Y, Zhang S, Huang X, Xu P, Li F, Yao D. Altered dynamic network interactions in children with ASD during face recognition revealed by time-varying EEG networks. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11170-11180. [PMID: 37750334 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the electrophysiological event-related potential in face processing (e.g. N170) is widely accepted as a face-sensitivity biomarker that is deficient in children with autism spectrum disorders, the time-varying brain networks during face recognition are still awaiting further investigation. To explore the social deficits in autism spectrum disorder, especially the time-varying brain networks during face recognition, the current study analyzed the N170, cortical activity, and time-varying networks under 3 tasks (face-upright, face-inverted, and house-upright) in autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children. The results revealed a smaller N170 amplitude in autism spectrum disorder compared with typically developing, along with decreased cortical activity mainly in occipitotemporal areas. Concerning the time-varying networks, the atypically stronger information flow and brain network connections across frontal, parietal, and temporal regions in autism spectrum disorder were reported, which reveals greater effort was exerted by autism spectrum disorder to obtain comparable performance to the typically developing children, although the amplitude of N170 was still smaller than that of the typically developing children. Different brain activation states and interaction patterns of brain regions during face processing were discovered between autism spectrum disorder and typically developing. These findings shed light on the face-processing mechanisms in children with autism spectrum disorder and provide new insight for understanding the social dysfunction of autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baodan Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Guoqing Lu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 600054, China
| | - Yuqin Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xunan Huang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
- School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Peng Xu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
- Research Unit of Neuro Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 2019RU035, China
- Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fali Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
- Research Unit of Neuro Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 2019RU035, China
| | - Dezhong Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
- Research Unit of Neuro Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 2019RU035, China
- School of Electrical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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2
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Van der Donck S, Hendriks M, Vos S, Op de Beeck H, Boets B. Neural sensitivity to facial identity and facial expression discrimination in adults with autism. Autism Res 2023; 16:2110-2124. [PMID: 37823568 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The fluent processing of faces can be challenging for autistic individuals. Here, we assessed the neural sensitivity to rapid changes in subtle facial cues in 23 autistic men and 23 age and IQ matched non-autistic (NA) controls using frequency-tagging electroencephalography (EEG). In oddball paradigms examining the automatic and implicit discrimination of facial identity and facial expression, base rate images were presented at 6 Hz, periodically interleaved every fifth image with an oddball image (i.e. 1.2 Hz oddball frequency). These distinctive frequency tags for base rate and oddball stimuli allowed direct and objective quantification of the neural discrimination responses. We found no large differences in the neural sensitivity of participants in both groups, not for facial identity discrimination, nor for facial expression discrimination. Both groups also showed a clear face-inversion effect, with reduced brain responses for inverted versus upright faces. Furthermore, sad faces generally elicited significantly lower neural amplitudes than angry, fearful and happy faces. The only minor group difference is the larger involvement of high-level right-hemisphere visual areas in NA men for facial expression processing. These findings are discussed from a developmental perspective, as they strikingly contrast with robust face processing deficits observed in autistic children using identical EEG paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michelle Hendriks
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Unit Brain and Cognition, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuve, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Silke Vos
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hans Op de Beeck
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Unit Brain and Cognition, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuve, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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3
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Zhao J, Ji L, Du S, Gu H, Zhao Q, Chi P, Li X. Working memory impairment in children orphaned by parental HIV/AIDS: An event-related potentials study. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2023; 28:2198-2211. [PMID: 33769161 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2021.1896761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
A large body of literature has established that children orphaned by HIV/AIDS ('AIDS orphans') face numerous challenges, such as parental death, poverty, disrupted school attendance and stigma. All of these early life adversities can have long-lasting effects on brain function, especially the executive functions. Working memory, as one of the most studied aspects of executive functions, is also reported to be impaired in children with early adversity. However, limited data are available regarding how early life adverse events affect the neural dynamic associated with working memory processing in AIDS orphans. This study applied the electroencephalogram (EEG) technique to investigate the working memory process in 81 AIDS orphans and 62 non-orphan controls with n-back tasks. Results from EEG analysis and time-frequency analysis showed that AIDS orphans displayed smaller N2 and larger P2, P3 activation as well as enhanced theta and attenuated alpha band oscillations compared to the controls. The present findings indicated a deficit in working memory process in AIDS orphans and suggested that this deficit might be due to the impairments in attention allocation, detection and classification of stimuli and updating process in working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Zhao
- Institute of Behavior and Psychology, Department of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Lili Ji
- Institute of Behavior and Psychology, Department of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Shunshun Du
- Institute of Behavior and Psychology, Department of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Huang Gu
- Institute of Behavior and Psychology, Department of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Peilian Chi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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4
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Levy EJ, Foss-Feig J, Isenstein EL, Srihari V, Anticevic A, Naples AJ, McPartland JC. Electrophysiological Studies of Reception of Facial Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2022; 9:521-554. [PMID: 36568688 PMCID: PMC9783109 DOI: 10.1007/s40489-021-00260-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SZ) are characterized by difficulty with social cognition and atypical reception of facial communication - a key area in the Research Domain Criteria framework. To identify areas of overlap and dissociation between ASD and SZ, we review studies of event-related potentials (ERP) to faces across ASD and SZ populations, focusing on ERPs implicated in social perception: P100, N170, N250, and P300. There were many inconsistent findings across studies; however, replication was strongest for delayed N170 latency in ASD and attenuated N170 amplitude in SZ. These results highlight the challenges of replicating research findings in heterogeneous clinical populations and the need for transdiagnostic research that continuously quantifies behavior and neural activity across neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Foss-Feig
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | | | - Vinod Srihari
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine
| | - Alan Anticevic
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine
- Department of Psychology, Yale University
- Division of Neurogenetics, Neurocomputation, and Neuroimaging, Yale University School of Medicine
| | - Adam J. Naples
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine
| | - James C. McPartland
- Department of Psychology, Yale University
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine
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5
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Bigelow FJ, Clark GM, Lum JAG, Enticott PG. Moral content influences facial emotion processing development during early-to-middle childhood. Neuropsychologia 2022; 176:108372. [PMID: 36155775 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Facial emotions are often processed in light of moral information, which can assist in predicting and interpreting the intentions of another. Neurophysiological measures of facial emotion processing (FEP) may be sensitive to moral content. Relatively little is known, however, about the relationship between moral content and FEP during early-to-middle childhood, and how this relationship may change across development. Eighty-four children aged 4-12 years completed a task assessing whether child faces primed within the moral harm/care domain influenced face sensitive event-related potentials (ERPs; N170 and LPP). Results demonstrated that N170 amplitude decreased with age for faces primed with positive moral content, whilst LPP amplitude decreased with age for faces primed with negative moral content. Collectively, this suggests that morally relevant content within the harm/care domain is integrated during the early stages of FEP in early-to-middle childhood. Moreover, stronger language ability was positively correlated with the LPP for fearful faces primed with negative moral content. Overall, findings provide novel evidence to suggest that FEP development may be modulated by moral content, and emotion-specific results may be influenced by language. Findings from this research highlight the complex relationship between broader social cognitive skills during child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicity J Bigelow
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Geelong, Australia, 3121.
| | - Gillian M Clark
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Geelong, Australia, 3121
| | - Jarrad A G Lum
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Geelong, Australia, 3121
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Geelong, Australia, 3121
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6
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Zhao Q, Guo Q, Shi Z, Cai Z, Zhang L, Li D, Chen Q, Du J, Wang K, Zhang L. Promoting gaze toward the eyes of emotional faces in individuals with high autistic traits using group cognitive behavioral therapy: An eye-tracking study. J Affect Disord 2022; 306:115-123. [PMID: 35304234 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with subclinical autistic traits exhibit a pattern of eye avoidance similar to that of typical autism. Our study aimed to test the efficacy of group cognitive behavioral therapy (G-CBT) in promoting gaze toward the eye area of facial expressions, specifically orienting to emotional faces, in individuals with high autistic traits (high AT). METHODS Twenty-six high AT individuals and 30 low AT individuals participated. High AT individuals were assigned to eight sessions of G-CBT intervention. Eye-tracking measurements were acquired before and after treatment. RESULTS We observed the following: (a) the eye avoidance in high AT individuals was prominent for all facial expressions in relative to low AT individuals; (b) G-CBT primarily improved gaze toward the eyes of happy and fearful faces but not for neutral face expressions in high AT individuals; (c) after 8 sessions of G-CBT, the fixation time on the eyes of emotional faces improved significantly. For happy faces, the fixation time on the eyes of faces was markedly increased in epochs between 500 ms and 1000 ms after the face onset; for fearful faces, the improvement in participants existed between about 1000 ms and 1500 ms after the face appeared. LIMITATION Our results may not be generalized to other patients with ASD. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that G-CBT significantly promotes gaze toward the eyes of emotional faces in high AT individuals. These results are encouraging, and suggest that the emotional face processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might stand to benefit from similar psychotherapeutic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Zhao
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Qianhui Guo
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Zhulin Shi
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Zhu Cai
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, The School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, China
| | - Dandan Li
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Qiuyu Chen
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jinmei Du
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, The School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230032, China; Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei 230032, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
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7
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Webb SJ, Emerman I, Sugar C, Senturk D, Naples AJ, Faja S, Benton J, Borland H, Carlos C, Levin AR, McAllister T, Santhosh M, Bernier RA, Chawarska K, Dawson G, Dziura J, Jeste S, Kleinhans N, Murias M, Sabatos-DeVito M, Shic F, McPartland JC. Identifying Age Based Maturation in the ERP Response to Faces in Children With Autism: Implications for Developing Biomarkers for Use in Clinical Trials. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:841236. [PMID: 35615454 PMCID: PMC9126041 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.841236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent proposals have suggested the potential for neural biomarkers to improve clinical trial processes in neurodevelopmental conditions; however, few efforts have identified whether chronological age-based adjustments will be necessary (as used in standardized behavioral assessments). Event-related potentials (ERPs) demonstrate early differences in the processing of faces vs. objects in the visual processing system by 4 years of age and age-based improvement (decreases in latency) through adolescence. Additionally, face processing has been proposed to be related to social skills as well as autistic social-communication traits. While previous reports suggest delayed latency in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), extensive individual and age based heterogeneity exists. In this report, we utilize a sample of 252 children with ASD and 118 children with typical development (TD), to assess the N170 and P100 ERP component latencies (N170L and P100L, respectively), to upright faces, the face specificity effect (difference between face and object processing), and the inversion effect (difference between face upright and inverted processing) in relation to age. First, linear mixed models (LMMs) were fitted with fixed effect of age at testing and random effect of participant, using all available data points to characterize general age-based development in the TD and ASD groups. Second, LMM models using only the TD group were used to calculate age-based residuals in both groups. The purpose of residualization was to assess how much variation in ASD participants could be accounted for by chronological age-related changes. Our data demonstrate that the N170L and P100L responses to upright faces appeared to follow a roughly linear relationship with age. In the ASD group, the distribution of the age-adjusted residual values suggest that ASD participants were more likely to demonstrate slower latencies than would be expected for a TD child of the same age, similar to what has been identified using unadjusted values. Lastly, using age-adjusted values for stratification, we found that children who demonstrated slowed age-adjusted N170L had lower verbal and non-verbal IQ and worse face memory. These data suggest that age must be considered in assessing the N170L and P100L response to upright faces as well, and these adjusted values may be used to stratify children within the autism spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Jane Webb
- Center on Child Health, Behavior, & Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Iris Emerman
- Center on Child Health, Behavior, & Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Catherine Sugar
- Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Damla Senturk
- Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Adam J. Naples
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Susan Faja
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jessica Benton
- Center on Child Health, Behavior, & Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Heather Borland
- Center on Child Health, Behavior, & Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Carter Carlos
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - April R. Levin
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Takumi McAllister
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Megha Santhosh
- Center on Child Health, Behavior, & Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Raphael A. Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Geraldine Dawson
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - James Dziura
- Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Shafali Jeste
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Natalia Kleinhans
- Center on Human Development and Disabilities, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Michael Murias
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maura Sabatos-DeVito
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Frederick Shic
- Center on Child Health, Behavior, & Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
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8
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Bigelow FJ, Clark GM, Lum JAG, Enticott PG. Facial emotion processing and language during early-to-middle childhood development: An event related potential study. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 53:101052. [PMID: 34954666 PMCID: PMC8717415 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.101052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial emotion processing (FEP) is critical to social cognitive ability. Developmentally, FEP rapidly improves in early childhood and continues to be fine-tuned throughout middle childhood and into adolescence. Previous research has suggested that language plays a role in the development of social cognitive skills, including non-verbal emotion recognition tasks. Here we investigated whether language is associated with specific neurophysiological indicators of FEP. One hundred and fourteen children (4-12 years) completed a language assessment and a FEP task including stimuli depicting anger, happiness, fear, and neutrality. EEG was used to record key event related potentials (ERPs; P100, N170, LPP at occipital and parietal sites separately) previously shown to be sensitive to faces and facial emotion. While there were no main effects of language, the P100 latency to negative expressions appeared to increase with language, while LPP amplitude increased with language for negative and neutral expressions. These findings suggest that language is linked to some early physiological indicators of FEP, but this is dependent on the facial expression. Future studies should explore the role of language in later stages of neural processing, with a focus on processes localised to ventromedial prefrontal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicity J Bigelow
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Gillian M Clark
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jarrad A G Lum
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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9
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McPartland JC, Lerner MD, Bhat A, Clarkson T, Jack A, Koohsari S, Matuskey D, McQuaid GA, Su WC, Trevisan DA. Looking Back at the Next 40 Years of ASD Neuroscience Research. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:4333-4353. [PMID: 34043128 PMCID: PMC8542594 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05095-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During the last 40 years, neuroscience has become one of the most central and most productive approaches to investigating autism. In this commentary, we assemble a group of established investigators and trainees to review key advances and anticipated developments in neuroscience research across five modalities most commonly employed in autism research: magnetic resonance imaging, functional near infrared spectroscopy, positron emission tomography, electroencephalography, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Broadly, neuroscience research has provided important insights into brain systems involved in autism but not yet mechanistic understanding. Methodological advancements are expected to proffer deeper understanding of neural circuitry associated with function and dysfunction during the next 40 years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew D Lerner
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Anjana Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Tessa Clarkson
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Allison Jack
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Sheida Koohsari
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Goldie A McQuaid
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Wan-Chun Su
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
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10
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Bigelow FJ, Clark GM, Lum JAG, Enticott PG. The development of neural responses to emotional faces: A review of evidence from event-related potentials during early and middle childhood. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 51:100992. [PMID: 34329806 PMCID: PMC8339225 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial emotion processing (FEP) develops throughout childhood and provides crucial social information necessary for the interpretation and prediction of others' behaviour. This systematic review, which includes a meta-regression component, sought to explore the development of FEP event-related potentials (P100, N170, and late positive potential [LPP]) in children aged three to twelve years. Thirty-four studies, representing data from 1511 children, were included in the review. The combination of meta-regression and systematic review suggest that P100 amplitude decreases with increasing age in response to emotional facial stimuli. P100 latency may show a gradual decrease around the age of ten. In terms of the N170, it is suggested that amplitude follows a non-linear trend with age, and latency may decrease in early childhood before plateauing during middle childhood. Of note, review of the literature indicates that substantial methodological differences and high levels of heterogeneity exist. We suggest future research considers these results within the context of emotion-specific development, whilst also acknowledging how this may relate to individual social functioning skills across early-to-middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicity J Bigelow
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Gillian M Clark
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jarrad A G Lum
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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11
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Samaey C, Van der Donck S, van Winkel R, Boets B. Facial Expression Processing Across the Autism-Psychosis Spectra: A Review of Neural Findings and Associations With Adverse Childhood Events. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:592937. [PMID: 33281648 PMCID: PMC7691238 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.592937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and primary psychosis are classified as distinct neurodevelopmental disorders, yet they display overlapping epidemiological, environmental, and genetic components as well as endophenotypic similarities. For instance, both disorders are characterized by impairments in facial expression processing, a crucial skill for effective social communication, and both disorders display an increased prevalence of adverse childhood events (ACE). This narrative review provides a brief summary of findings from neuroimaging studies investigating facial expression processing in ASD and primary psychosis with a focus on the commonalities and differences between these disorders. Individuals with ASD and primary psychosis activate the same brain regions as healthy controls during facial expression processing, albeit to a different extent. Overall, both groups display altered activation in the fusiform gyrus and amygdala as well as altered connectivity among the broader face processing network, probably indicating reduced facial expression processing abilities. Furthermore, delayed or reduced N170 responses have been reported in ASD and primary psychosis, but the significance of these findings is questioned, and alternative frequency-tagging electroencephalography (EEG) measures are currently explored to capture facial expression processing impairments more selectively. Face perception is an innate process, but it is also guided by visual learning and social experiences. Extreme environmental factors, such as adverse childhood events, can disrupt normative development and alter facial expression processing. ACE are hypothesized to induce altered neural facial expression processing, in particular a hyperactive amygdala response toward negative expressions. Future studies should account for the comorbidity among ASD, primary psychosis, and ACE when assessing facial expression processing in these clinical groups, as it may explain some of the inconsistencies and confound reported in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Samaey
- Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ruud van Winkel
- Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- University Psychiatric Center (UPC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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12
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Shephard E, Milosavljevic B, Mason L, Elsabbagh M, Tye C, Gliga T, Jones EJ, Charman T, Johnson MH. Neural and behavioural indices of face processing in siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A longitudinal study from infancy to mid-childhood. Cortex 2020; 127:162-179. [PMID: 32200288 PMCID: PMC7254063 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Impaired face processing is proposed to play a key role in the early development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to be an endophenotypic trait which indexes genetic risk for the disorder. However, no published work has examined the development of face processing abilities from infancy into the school-age years and how they relate to ASD symptoms in individuals with or at high-risk for ASD. In this novel study we investigated neural and behavioural measures of face processing at age 7 months and again in mid-childhood (age 7 years) as well as social-communication and sensory symptoms in siblings at high (n = 42) and low (n = 35) familial risk for ASD. In mid-childhood, high-risk siblings showed atypical P1 and N170 event-related potential correlates of face processing and, for high-risk boys only, poorer face and object recognition ability compared to low-risk siblings. These neural and behavioural atypicalities were associated with each other and with higher social-communication and sensory symptoms in mid-childhood. Additionally, more atypical neural correlates of object (but not face) processing in infancy were associated with less right-lateralised (more atypical) N170 amplitudes and greater social-communication problems in mid-childhood. The implications for models of face processing in ASD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Shephard
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
| | - Bosiljka Milosavljevic
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Luke Mason
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
| | - Mayada Elsabbagh
- Montreal Neurology Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Canada
| | - Charlotte Tye
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Teodora Gliga
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, UK; University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Emily Jh Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Mark H Johnson
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, UK; Department of Psychology, Cambridge University, UK
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13
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Van der Donck S, Dzhelyova M, Vettori S, Thielen H, Steyaert J, Rossion B, Boets B. Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation EEG Reveals Reduced Neural Sensitivity to Fearful Faces in Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:4658-4673. [PMID: 31468275 PMCID: PMC6813754 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04172-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We objectively quantified the neural sensitivity of school-aged boys with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to detect briefly presented fearful expressions by combining fast periodic visual stimulation with frequency-tagging electroencephalography. Images of neutral faces were presented at 6 Hz, periodically interleaved with fearful expressions at 1.2 Hz oddball rate. While both groups equally display the face inversion effect and mainly rely on information from the mouth to detect fearful expressions, boys with ASD generally show reduced neural responses to rapid changes in expression. At an individual level, fear discrimination responses predict clinical status with an 83% accuracy. This implicit and straightforward approach identifies subtle deficits that remain concealed in behavioral tasks, thereby opening new perspectives for clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Milena Dzhelyova
- Institute of Research in Psychological Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, Université de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Sofie Vettori
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hella Thielen
- Department of Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Rossion
- Institute of Research in Psychological Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, Université de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, CRAN, Nancy, France
- Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Service de Neurologie, Nancy, France
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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14
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Leung RC, Pang EW, Brian JA, Taylor MJ. Happy and Angry Faces Elicit Atypical Neural Activation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:1021-1030. [PMID: 31171500 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant impairments in social interactions and communication. The ability to accurately perceive and interpret emotional faces is critical to successful social interactions. However, few studies have investigated the spatiotemporal profile of the neural mechanisms underlying emotional face processing in ASD, particularly in children. The current study fills this important gap. METHODS Participants were 55 children: 28 children with ASD (mean age = 9.5 ± 1.3 years) and 27 control children (mean age = 8.5 ± 1.3 years). All children completed an implicit emotional face task while magnetoencephalography was recorded. We examined spatiotemporal differences between the groups in neural activation during implicit processing of emotional faces. RESULTS Within-group analyses demonstrated greater right middle temporal (300-375 ms) and superior temporal (300-400 ms) activation to angry faces than to happy faces in control children, while children with ASD showed greater activation from 250 to 500 ms to happy faces than to angry faces across frontal and temporal regions. Between-group analyses demonstrated that children with ASD showed similar patterns of late (425-500 ms) posterior cingulate and thalamic underactivity to both angry and happy faces relative to control children, suggesting general atypical processing of emotional information. CONCLUSIONS Atypical posterior cingulate cortex and thalamus recruitment in children with ASD to emotional faces suggests poor modulation of toggling between the default mode network and task-based processing. Increased neural activity to happy faces compared with angry faces in children with ASD suggests reduced salience or immature response to anger, which in turn could contribute to deficits in social cognition in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Leung
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Elizabeth W Pang
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica A Brian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Autism Research Centre, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Bayet L, Behrendt HF, Cataldo JK, Westerlund A, Nelson CA. Recognition of facial emotions of varying intensities by three-year-olds. Dev Psychol 2018; 54:2240-2247. [PMID: 30335429 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Early facial emotion recognition is hypothesized to be critical to later social functioning. However, relatively little is known about the typical intensity thresholds for recognizing facial emotions in preschoolers, between 2 and 4 years of age. This study employed a behavioral sorting task to examine the recognition of happy, fearful, and angry expressions of varying intensity in a large sample of 3-year-old children (N = 208). Thresholds were similar for all expressions; accuracy, however, was significantly lower for fear. Fear and anger expressions above threshold were significantly more confused with one another than with other expressions. In contrast, neutral faces were significantly more often interpreted as happy than as angry or fearful. These results provide a comparison point for future studies of early facial emotion recognition in typical and atypical populations of children in this age group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Bayet
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital
| | | | - Julia K Cataldo
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital
| | | | - Charles A Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital
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16
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Xie W, McCormick SA, Westerlund A, Bowman LC, Nelson CA. Neural correlates of facial emotion processing in infancy. Dev Sci 2018; 22:e12758. [PMID: 30276933 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In the present study we examined the neural correlates of facial emotion processing in the first year of life using ERP measures and cortical source analysis. EEG data were collected cross-sectionally from 5- (N = 49), 7- (N = 50), and 12-month-old (N = 51) infants while they were viewing images of angry, fearful, and happy faces. The N290 component was found to be larger in amplitude in response to fearful and happy than angry faces in all posterior clusters and showed largest response to fear than the other two emotions only over the right occipital area. The P400 and Nc components were found to be larger in amplitude in response to angry than happy and fearful faces over central and frontal scalp. Cortical source analysis of the N290 component revealed greater cortical activation in the right fusiform face area in response to fearful faces. This effect started to emerge at 5 months and became well established at 7 months, but it disappeared at 12 months. The P400 and Nc components were primarily localized to the PCC/Precuneus where heightened responses to angry faces were observed. The current results suggest the detection of a fearful face in infants' brain can happen shortly (~200-290 ms) after the stimulus onset, and this process may rely on the face network and develop substantially between 5 to 7 months of age. The current findings also suggest the differential processing of angry faces occurred later in the P400/Nc time window, which recruits the PCC/Precuneus and is associated with the allocation of infants' attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanze Xie
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah A McCormick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Alissa Westerlund
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lindsay C Bowman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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