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Li C, Zhang R, Zhou Y, Li T, Qin R, Li L, Yuan X, Wang L, Wang X. Gray matter asymmetry alterations in children and adolescents with comorbid autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023:10.1007/s00787-023-02323-4. [PMID: 38159135 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02323-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Despite the high coexistence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (ASD + ADHD), the underlying neurobiological basis of this disorder remains unclear. Altered brain structural asymmetries have been verified in ASD and ADHD, respectively, making brain asymmetry a candidate for characterizing this coexisting disorder. Here, we measured the gray matter (GM) volume asymmetry in ASD + ADHD versus ASD without ADHD (ASD-only), ADHD without ASD (ADHD-only), and typically developing controls (TDc). High-resolution T1-weighted data from 48 ASD + ADHD, 63 ASD-only, 32 ADHD-only, and 211 matched TDc were included in our study. We also assessed brain-behavior relationships and the effects of age on GM asymmetry. We found that there were both shared and disorder-specific GM volume asymmetry alterations in ASD + ADHD, ASD-only, and ADHD-only compared with TDc. This finding demonstrates that ASD + ADHD is neither an endophenocopy nor an additive pathology of ASD and ADHD, but an entirely different neuroanatomical pathology. In addition, ASD + ADHD displayed altered GM volume asymmetries in the prefrontal regions responsible for executive function and theory of mind compared with ASD-only. We also found significant effects of age on GM asymmetry. The present study may provide structural insights into the neural basis of ASD + ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Li
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1 Jingba Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Yunna Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Tong Li
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Rui Qin
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Xianshun Yuan
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
| | - Li Wang
- Physical Examination Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
| | - Ximing Wang
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No. 324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
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2
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Wang M, Xu D, Zhang L, Jiang H. Application of Multimodal MRI in the Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3027. [PMID: 37835770 PMCID: PMC10571992 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13193027] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in children. Early diagnosis and intervention can remodel the neural structure of the brain and improve quality of life but may be inaccurate if based solely on clinical symptoms and assessment scales. Therefore, we aimed to analyze multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the existing literature and review the abnormal changes in brain structural-functional networks, perfusion, neuronal metabolism, and the glymphatic system in children with ASD, which could help in early diagnosis and precise intervention. Structural MRI revealed morphological differences, abnormal developmental trajectories, and network connectivity changes in the brain at different ages. Functional MRI revealed disruption of functional networks, abnormal perfusion, and neurovascular decoupling associated with core ASD symptoms. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed abnormal changes in the neuronal metabolites during different periods. Decreased diffusion tensor imaging signals along the perivascular space index reflected impaired glymphatic system function in children with ASD. Differences in age, subtype, degree of brain damage, and remodeling in children with ASD led to heterogeneity in research results. Multimodal MRI is expected to further assist in early and accurate clinical diagnosis of ASD through deep learning combined with genomics and artificial intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaoyan Wang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China; (M.W.); (D.X.)
| | - Dandan Xu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China; (M.W.); (D.X.)
| | - Lili Zhang
- Department of Child Health Care, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Haoxiang Jiang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China; (M.W.); (D.X.)
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3
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Melillo R, Leisman G, Machado C, Machado-Ferrer Y, Chinchilla-Acosta M, Melillo T, Carmeli E. The Relationship between Retained Primitive Reflexes and Hemispheric Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1147. [PMID: 37626503 PMCID: PMC10452103 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13081147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be identified by a general tendency toward a reduction in the expression of low-band, widely dispersed integrative activities, which is made up for by an increase in localized, high-frequency, regionally dispersed activity. The study assessed ASD children and adults all possessing retained primitive reflexes (RPRs) compared with a control group that did not attempt to reduce or remove those RPRs and then examined the effects on qEEG and brain network connectivity. METHODS Analysis of qEEG spectral and functional connectivity was performed, to identify associations with the presence or absence of retained primitive reflexes (RPRs), before and after an intervention based on TENS unilateral stimulation. RESULTS The results point to abnormal lateralization in ASD, including long-range underconnectivity, a greater left-over-right qEEG functional connectivity ratio, and short-range overconnectivity in ASD. CONCLUSIONS Clinical improvement and the absence of RPRs may be linked to variations in qEEG frequency bands and more optimized brain networks, resulting in more developmentally appropriate long-range connectivity links, primarily in the right hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Melillo
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Gerry Leisman
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
- Department of Neurology, University of the Medical Sciences of Havana, Havana 10400, Cuba
| | - Calixto Machado
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana 10400, Cuba
| | - Yanin Machado-Ferrer
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana 10400, Cuba
| | | | - Ty Melillo
- Northeast College of the Health Sciences, Seneca Falls, New York, NY 13148, USA
| | - Eli Carmeli
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
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4
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Butera C, Kaplan J, Kilroy E, Harrison L, Jayashankar A, Loureiro F, Aziz-Zadeh L. The relationship between alexithymia, interoception, and neural functional connectivity during facial expression processing in autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychologia 2023; 180:108469. [PMID: 36610493 PMCID: PMC9898240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neural processing differences of emotional facial expressions, while common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may be related to co-occurring alexithymia and interoceptive processing differences rather than autism per se. Here, we investigate relationships between alexithymia, interoceptive awareness of emotions, and functional connectivity during observation of facial expressions in youth (aged 8-17) with ASD (n = 28) compared to typically developing peers (TD; n = 37). Behaviorally, we found no significant differences between ASD and TD groups in interoceptive awareness of emotions, though alexithymia severity was significantly higher in the ASD group. In the ASD group, increased alexithymia was significantly correlated with lower interoceptive sensation felt during emotion. Using psycho-physiological interaction (PPI) analysis, the ASD group showed higher functional connectivity between the left ventral anterior insula and the left lateral prefrontal cortex than the TD group when viewing facial expressions. Further, alexithymia was associated with reduced left anterior insula-right precuneus connectivity and reduced right dorsal anterior insula-left ventral anterior insula connectivity when viewing facial expressions. In the ASD group, the degree of interoceptive sensation felt during emotion was positively correlated with left ventral anterior insula-right IFG connectivity when viewing facial expressions. However, across all participants, neither alexithymia nor interoceptive awareness of emotions predicted connectivity between emotion-related brain regions when viewing emotional facial expressions. To summarize, we found that in ASD compared to TD: 1) there is stronger connectivity between the insula and lateral prefrontal cortex; and 2) differences in interhemispheric and within left hemisphere connectivity between the insula and other emotion-related brain regions are related to individual differences in interoceptive processing and alexithymia. These results highlight complex relationships between alexithymia, interoception, and brain processing in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Butera
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Jonas Kaplan
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Emily Kilroy
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Laura Harrison
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Aditya Jayashankar
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Fernanda Loureiro
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Lisa Aziz-Zadeh
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
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5
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Desaunay P, Guillery B, Moussaoui E, Eustache F, Bowler DM, Guénolé F. Brain correlates of declarative memory atypicalities in autism: a systematic review of functional neuroimaging findings. Mol Autism 2023; 14:2. [PMID: 36627713 PMCID: PMC9832704 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00525-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The long-described atypicalities of memory functioning experienced by people with autism have major implications for daily living, academic learning, as well as cognitive remediation. Though behavioral studies have identified a robust profile of memory strengths and weaknesses in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), few works have attempted to establish a synthesis concerning their neural bases. In this systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies, we highlight functional brain asymmetries in three anatomical planes during memory processing between individuals with ASD and typical development. These asymmetries consist of greater activity of the left hemisphere than the right in ASD participants, of posterior brain regions-including hippocampus-rather than anterior ones, and presumably of the ventral (occipito-temporal) streams rather than the dorsal (occipito-parietal) ones. These functional alterations may be linked to atypical memory processes in ASD, including the pre-eminence of verbal over spatial information, impaired active maintenance in working memory, and preserved relational memory despite poor context processing in episodic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Desaunay
- grid.411149.80000 0004 0472 0160Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen Normandie, 27 rue des compagnons, 14000 Caen, France ,grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France
| | - Bérengère Guillery
- grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France
| | - Edgar Moussaoui
- grid.411149.80000 0004 0472 0160Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen Normandie, 27 rue des compagnons, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France
| | - Dermot M. Bowler
- grid.28577.3f0000 0004 1936 8497Autism Research Group, City University of London, DG04 Rhind Building, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB London, UK
| | - Fabian Guénolé
- grid.411149.80000 0004 0472 0160Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen Normandie, 27 rue des compagnons, 14000 Caen, France ,grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France ,grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076Faculté de Médecine, Pôle des Formation et de Recherche en Santé, Université de Caen Normandie, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen cedex CS, France
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6
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Li M, Wang Y, Tachibana M, Rahman S, Kagitani-Shimono K. Atypical structural connectivity of language networks in autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Autism Res 2022; 15:1585-1602. [PMID: 35962721 PMCID: PMC9546367 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show pervasive and complex language impairments that are closely associated with aberrant structural connectivity of language networks. However, the characteristics of white matter connectivity in ASD have remained inconclusive in previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies. The current meta‐analysis aimed to comprehensively elucidate the abnormality in language‐related white matter connectivity in individuals with ASD. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline databases to identify relevant studies. The standardized mean difference was calculated to measure the pooled difference in DTI metrics in each tract between the ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. The moderating effects of age, sex, language ability, and symptom severity were investigated using subgroup and meta‐regression analysis. Thirty‐three DTI studies involving 831 individuals with ASD and 836 TD controls were included in the meta‐analysis. ASD subjects showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy or higher mean diffusivity across language‐associated tracts than TD controls. These abnormalities tended to be more prominent in the left language networks than in the right. In addition, children with ASD exhibit more pronounced and pervasive disturbances in white matter connectivity than adults. These results support the under‐connectivity hypothesis and demonstrate the widespread abnormal microstructure of language‐related tracts in patients with ASD. Otherwise, white matter abnormalities in the autistic brain could vary depending on the developmental stage and hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yide Wang
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Tachibana
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shafiur Rahman
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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7
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Fu L, Li C, Li Y, Cheng X, Cui X, Jiang J, Ding N, Fang H, Tang T, Ke X. Heritability of abnormalities in limbic networks of autism spectrum disorder children: Evidence from an autism spectrum disorder twin study. Autism Res 2022; 15:628-640. [PMID: 35212461 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Although the limbic system is closely related to emotion and social behaviors, little is known about the integrity of limbic pathways and how genetics influence the anatomical abnormalities of limbic networks in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, we used an ASD twin study design to evaluate the microstructural integrity and autism-related differences in limbic pathways of young children with ASD and to estimate the heritability of limbic tracts microstructure variance. We obtained diffusion tensor imaging scans from 33 pairs of twins with ASD aged 2-9 years and 20 age-matched typically developing children. The ACE model was used to estimate the relative effects of additive genetic factors (A), shared environmental factors (C) and specific environmental factors (E) on the variability of diffusivity measurements. We found a significant decrease in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral fornix and uncinate fasciculus (UF), as well as increased mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) in the bilateral fornix and right UF of ASD children. Correlation analysis showed that FA, MD, and lateralization indices of UF were correlated with autism diagnostic observation schedule scores. The ACE model revealed that genetic effects may drive some of the variability of microstructure in the bilateral fornix, cingulum, and left UF. In conclusion, in children with ASD, there are abnormalities in the white matter microstructure of the limbic system, which is related to the core symptoms; these abnormalities may be related to the relative contribution of genetic and environmental effects on specific tracts. LAY SUMMARY: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children have abnormal white matter structure in limbic system related to ASD symptoms, and genetic factors play an important role in the development of limbic tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyan Fu
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong General Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Li
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiwen Cui
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiying Jiang
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ning Ding
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Fang
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianyu Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Ke
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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8
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Kim D, Lee JY, Jeong BC, Ahn JH, Kim JI, Lee ES, Kim H, Lee HJ, Han CE. Overconnectivity of the right Heschl's and inferior temporal gyrus correlates with symptom severity in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:2314-2329. [PMID: 34529363 PMCID: PMC9292809 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported varying findings regarding the association of brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with overconnectivity, underconnectivity, or both. Despite the emerging understanding that ASD is a developmental disconnection syndrome, very little is known about structural brain networks in preschool‐aged children with low‐functioning ASD. We aimed to investigate the structural brain connectivity of low‐functioning ASD using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory to examine alterations in different brain network topologies and identify any correlations with the clinical severity of ASD in preschool‐aged children. Fifty‐two preschool‐aged children (28 with ASD and 24 with typical development) were included in the analysis. Graph‐based network analysis was performed to examine the global and local structural brain networks. Nodal network measures exhibited increased nodal strength in the right Heschl's gyrus, which was positively associated with all autistic clinical symptoms (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and Childhood Autism Rating Scale [CARS]). The nodal strength of the right inferior temporal gyrus showed a moderate correlation with the CARS score. Using network‐based statistics, we identified a subnetwork with increased connections encompassing the right Heschl's gyrus and the right inferior temporal gyrus in preschool‐aged children with ASD. The asymmetric value in the inferior temporal gyrus exhibited right dominance of nodal strength in children with ASD compared to that in typically developing children. Our findings support the theory of aberrant brain growth and overconnectivity as the underlying mechanism of ASD and provides new insights into potential regional biomarkers that can detect low‐functioning ASD in preschool‐aged children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daegyeom Kim
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Young Lee
- Clinical Research Institute of Developmental Medicine, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong Chang Jeong
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for Artificial Intelligence Smart Convergence Technology, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja-Hye Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Johanna Inhyang Kim
- Clinical Research Institute of Developmental Medicine, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Soo Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Department of Child Psychotherapy, Hanyang University Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Clinical Research Institute of Developmental Medicine, Seoul Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol E Han
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for Artificial Intelligence Smart Convergence Technology, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
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9
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Bisiacchi P, Cainelli E. Structural and functional brain asymmetries in the early phases of life: a scoping review. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:479-496. [PMID: 33738578 PMCID: PMC8843922 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02256-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Asymmetry characterizes the brain in both structure and function. Anatomical asymmetries explain only a fraction of functional variability in lateralization, with structural and functional asymmetries developing at different periods of life and in different ways. In this work, we perform a scoping review of the cerebral asymmetries in the first brain development phases. We included all English-written studies providing direct evidence of hemispheric asymmetries in full-term neonates, foetuses, and premature infants, both at term post-conception and before. The final analysis included 57 studies. The reviewed literature shows large variability in the used techniques and methodological procedures. Most structural studies investigated the temporal lobe, showing a temporal planum more pronounced on the left than on the right (although not all data agree), a morphological asymmetry already present from the 29th week of gestation. Other brain structures have been poorly investigated, and the results are even more discordant. Unlike data on structural asymmetries, functional data agree with each other, identifying a leftward dominance for speech stimuli and an overall dominance of the right hemisphere in all other functional conditions. This generalized dominance of the right hemisphere for all conditions (except linguistic stimuli) is in line with theories stating that the right hemisphere develops earlier and that its development is less subject to external influences because it sustains functions necessary to survive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Bisiacchi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, 35121, Padova, Italy. .,Padova Neuroscience Centre, PNC, Padova, Italy.
| | - Elisa Cainelli
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, 35121, Padova, Italy
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10
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Yin Y, Xu S, Li C, Li M, Liu M, Yan J, Lan Z, Zhan W, Jiang G, Tian J. Association of Reduced Tract Integrity with Social Communication Deficits in Preschool Autism Children: A Tract-Based Spatial Statistics Study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021; 17:2003-2010. [PMID: 34168457 PMCID: PMC8219119 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s306596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To analyze the changes in white matter tracts in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the correlation between these changes and social communication deficits. METHODS Diffuse tensor imaging was used to assess white matter integrity using tract-based spatial statistics in a sample of 50 right-handed children with ASD aged 2-6 years vis a reference sample of 46 typically developing children aged 2-6 years. We then correlated these significant different fiber tracts between groups with communication and social interaction scores using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised Assessment (ADI-R) Scale. RESULTS We observed decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in tracts including the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), the splenium of the corpus callosum (splCC), the left corticospinal tracts, and the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) in children with ASD. Specifically, there was reduced white matter integrity of these tracts in the left cerebral hemisphere. In addition, we found that the decreased FA of left SLF and ILF was negatively associated with the ADI-R scores in children with ASD. CONCLUSION The structural integrity of some white matter tracts in the five-level anatomical model for the social communication was reduced. The reduced integrity white matter that we observed primarily in the left cerebral hemisphere may be a neural substrate of social communication deficits in preschool children with ASD, and we speculate that the reduction is associated with the severity of social interaction. The reduced FA of the splCC might be a substantial biomarker for children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yin
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shoujun Xu
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengchen Liu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhao Yan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihong Lan
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenfeng Zhan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guihua Jiang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Junzhang Tian
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
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11
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Trujillo Villarreal LA, Cárdenas-Tueme M, Maldonado-Ruiz R, Reséndez-Pérez D, Camacho-Morales A. Potential role of primed microglia during obesity on the mesocorticolimbic circuit in autism spectrum disorder. J Neurochem 2020; 156:415-434. [PMID: 32902852 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disease which involves functional and structural defects in selective central nervous system (CNS) regions that harm function and individual ability to process and respond to external stimuli. Individuals with ASD spend less time engaging in social interaction compared to non-affected subjects. Studies employing structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging reported morphological and functional abnormalities in the connectivity of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway between the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in response to social stimuli, as well as diminished medial prefrontal cortex in response to visual cues, whereas stronger reward system responses for the non-social realm (e.g., video games) than social rewards (e.g., approval), associated with caudate nucleus responsiveness in ASD children. Defects in the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway have been modulated in transgenic murine models using D2 dopamine receptor heterozygous (D2+/-) or dopamine transporter knockout mice, which exhibit sociability deficits and repetitive behaviors observed in ASD phenotypes. Notably, the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway is modulated by systemic and central inflammation, such as primed microglia, which occurs during obesity or maternal overnutrition. Therefore, we propose that a positive energy balance during obesity/maternal overnutrition coordinates a systemic and central inflammatory crosstalk that modulates the dopaminergic neurotransmission in selective brain areas of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway. Here, we will describe how obesity/maternal overnutrition may prime microglia, causing abnormalities in dopamine neurotransmission of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway, postulating a possible immune role in the development of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A- Trujillo Villarreal
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México.,Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Marcela Cárdenas-Tueme
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Roger Maldonado-Ruiz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México.,Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Diana Reséndez-Pérez
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Alberto Camacho-Morales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México.,Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
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12
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Wu X, Li W, Zheng Y. Recent Progress on Relevant microRNAs in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165904. [PMID: 32824515 PMCID: PMC7460584 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose pathogenesis is unclear and is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. The microRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of single-stranded non-coding RNA with 20-22 nucleotides, which normally inhibit their target mRNAs at a post-transcriptional level. miRNAs are involved in almost all biological processes and are closely related to ASD and many other diseases. In this review, we summarize relevant miRNAs in ASD, and analyze dysregulated miRNAs in brain tissues and body fluids of ASD patients, which may contribute to the pathogenesis and diagnosis of ASD.
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