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Leharanger M, Liu P, Vandromme L, Balédent O. Eye Tracking Post Processing to Detect Visual Artifacts and Quantify Visual Attention under Cognitive Task Activity during fMRI. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:4916. [PMID: 39123963 PMCID: PMC11314996 DOI: 10.3390/s24154916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Determining visual attention during cognitive tasks using activation MRI remains challenging. This study aimed to develop a new eye-tracking (ET) post-processing platform to enhance data accuracy, validate the feasibility of subsequent ET-fMRI applications, and provide tool support. Sixteen volunteers aged 18 to 20 were exposed to a visual temporal paradigm with changing images of objects and faces in various locations while their eye movements were recorded using an MRI-compatible ET system. The results indicate that the accuracy of the data significantly improved after post-processing. Participants generally maintained their visual attention on the screen, with mean gaze positions ranging from 89.1% to 99.9%. In cognitive tasks, the gaze positions showed adherence to instructions, with means ranging from 46.2% to 50%. Temporal consistency assessments indicated prolonged visual tasks can lead to decreased attention during certain tasks. The proposed methodology effectively identified and quantified visual artifacts and losses, providing a precise measure of visual attention. This study offers a robust framework for future work integrating filtered eye-tracking data with fMRI analyses, supporting cognitive neuroscience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Leharanger
- CHIMERE UR 7516, Jules Verne University of Picardy, 80000 Amiens, France (L.V.)
| | - Pan Liu
- CHIMERE UR 7516, Jules Verne University of Picardy, 80000 Amiens, France (L.V.)
- Medical Image Processing Department, Amiens Picardy University Medical Center, 80000 Amiens, France
| | - Luc Vandromme
- CHIMERE UR 7516, Jules Verne University of Picardy, 80000 Amiens, France (L.V.)
| | - Olivier Balédent
- CHIMERE UR 7516, Jules Verne University of Picardy, 80000 Amiens, France (L.V.)
- Medical Image Processing Department, Amiens Picardy University Medical Center, 80000 Amiens, France
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2
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Cohenour T, Dickinson A, Jeste S, Gulsrud A, Kasari C. Patterns of spontaneous neural activity associated with social communication abilities among infants and toddlers showing signs of autism. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:3597-3613. [PMID: 38703054 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16358] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Early disruptions to social communication development, including delays in joint attention and language, are among the earliest markers of autism spectrum disorder (autism, henceforth). Although social communication differences are a core feature of autism, there is marked heterogeneity in social communication-related development among infants and toddlers exhibiting autism symptoms. Neural markers of individual differences in joint attention and language abilities may provide important insight into heterogeneity in autism symptom expression during infancy and toddlerhood. This study examined patterns of spontaneous electroencephalography (EEG) activity associated with joint attention and language skills in 70 community-referred 12- to 23-month-olds with autism symptoms and elevated scores on an autism diagnostic instrument. Data-driven cluster-based permutation analyses revealed significant positive associations between relative alpha power (6-9 Hz) and concurrent response to joint attention skills, receptive language, and expressive language abilities. Exploratory analyses also revealed significant negative associations between relative alpha power and measures of core autism features (i.e., social communication difficulties and restricted/repetitive behaviors). These findings shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying typical and atypical social communication development in emerging autism and provide a foundation for future work examining neural predictors of social communication growth and markers of intervention response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torrey Cohenour
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Abigail Dickinson
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Shafali Jeste
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Amanda Gulsrud
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Connie Kasari
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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3
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Pecukonis M, Gerson J, Gustafson-Alm H, Wood M, Yücel M, Boas D, Tager-Flusberg H. The Neural Bases of Language Processing During Social and Non-Social Contexts: A fNIRS Study of Autistic and Neurotypical Preschool-Aged Children. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4450882. [PMID: 38883761 PMCID: PMC11177967 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4450882/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Background Little is known about how the brains of autistic children process language during real-world "social contexts," despite the fact that challenges with language, communication, and social interaction are core features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods We investigated the neural bases of language processing during social and non-social contexts in a sample of N=20 autistic and N=20 neurotypical (NT) preschool-aged children, 3 to 6 years old. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to measure children's brain response to "live language" spoken by a live experimenter during an in-person social context (i.e., book reading), and "recorded language" played via an audio recording during a non-social context (i.e., screen time). We examined within-group and between-group differences in the strength and localization of brain response to live language and recorded language, as well as correlations between children's brain response and language skills measured by the Preschool Language Scales. Results In the NT group, brain response to live language was greater than brain response to recorded language in the right temporal parietal junction (TPJ). In the ASD group, the strength of brain response did not differ between conditions. The ASD group showed greater brain response to recorded language than the NT group in the right inferior and middle frontal gyrus (IMFG). Across groups, children's language skills were negatively associated with brain response to recorded language in the right IMFG, suggesting that processing recorded language required more cognitive effort for children with lower language skills. Children's language skills were also positively associated with the difference in brain response between conditions in the right TPJ, demonstrating that children who showed a greater difference in brain response to live language versus recorded language had higher language skills. Limitations Findings should be considered preliminary until they are replicated in a larger sample. Conclusions Findings suggest that the brains of NT children, but not autistic children, process language differently during social and non-social contexts. Individual differences in how the brain processes language during social and non-social contexts may help to explain why language skills are so variable across children with and without autism.
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4
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Venticinque JS, McMillan SJ, Guyer AE. Expanding understanding of adolescent neural sensitivity to peers: Using social information processing theory to generate new lines of research. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 67:101395. [PMID: 38823235 PMCID: PMC11176966 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101395] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of normative heightened sensitivity to peer influence. Individual differences in susceptibility to peers is related to individual differences in neural sensitivity, particularly in brain regions that support an increasingly greater orientation toward peers. Despite these empirically-established patterns, the more specific psychosocial and socio-cognitive factors associated with individual differences in neural sensitivity to peer influence are just beginning to gain research attention. Specific features of the factors that contribute to how adolescents process social information can inform understanding of the psychological and neurobiological processes involved in what renders adolescents to be more or less susceptible to peer influences. In this paper, we (1) review the literature about peer, family, and broader contextual influences on sensitivity to peers' positive and negative behaviors, (2) outline components of social information processing theories, and (3) discuss features of these models from the perspectives and social cognitive development and social neuroscience. We identify gaps in the current literature that need to be addressed in order to gain a more comprehensive view of adolescent neural sensitivity to peer influence. We conclude by suggesting how future neuroimaging studies can adopt components of this social information processing model to generate new lines of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Venticinque
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis 267 Cousteau Pl, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Sarah J McMillan
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis 267 Cousteau Pl, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Amanda E Guyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis 267 Cousteau Pl, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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5
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Piatti A, Van der Paelt S, Warreyn P, Roeyers H. Neural correlates of response to joint attention in 2-to-5-year-olds in relation to ASD and social-communicative abilities: An fNIRS and behavioral study. Autism Res 2024; 17:1106-1125. [PMID: 38780020 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3149] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with life-long challenges with social cognition, and one of its earliest and most common manifestations is atypical joint attention, which is a pivotal skill in social-cognitive and linguistic development. Early interventions for ASD children often focus on training initiation of joint attention (IJA) and response to joint attention bids (RJA), which are important for social communication and cognition. Here, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy and behavioral measures to test typically developing (TD, n = 17) and ASD children (n = 18), to address the relationship between the neural correlates of RJA and social-communicative behavior. Group-level differences were present for RJA-specific activation over right temporal sites, where TD children showed higher levels of activation during RJA than ASD children, whereas the two groups did not differ in the control condition. Correlations between neural activation and behavioral traits suggest that, in ASD children, neural activation during RJA is related to the frequency of RJA behavior when the former is measured over left temporal sites, and to social affect symptoms when considered for right temporal sites. Possible implications of the evidenced correlations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Piatti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sara Van der Paelt
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Petra Warreyn
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Herbert Roeyers
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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6
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Jording M, Hartz A, Vogel DHV, Schulte-Rüther M, Vogeley K. Impaired recognition of interactive intentions in adults with autism spectrum disorder not attributable to differences in visual attention or coordination via eye contact and joint attention. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8297. [PMID: 38594289 PMCID: PMC11004189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58696-2] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Altered nonverbal communication patterns especially with regard to gaze interactions are commonly reported for persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study we investigate and differentiate for the first time the interplay of attention allocation, the establishment of shared focus (eye contact and joint attention) and the recognition of intentions in gaze interactions in adults with ASD compared to control persons. Participants interacted via gaze with a virtual character (VC), who they believed was controlled by another person. Participants were instructed to ascertain whether their partner was trying to interact with them. In fact, the VC was fully algorithm-controlled and showed either interactive or non-interactive gaze behavior. Participants with ASD were specifically impaired in ascertaining whether their partner was trying to interact with them or not as compared to participants without ASD whereas neither the allocation of attention nor the ability to establish a shared focus were affected. Thus, perception and production of gaze cues seem preserved while the evaluation of gaze cues appeared to be impaired. An additional exploratory analysis suggests that especially the interpretation of contingencies between the interactants' actions are altered in ASD and should be investigated more closely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathis Jording
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Arne Hartz
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - David H V Vogel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Schulte-Rüther
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine - University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprechts-Karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Ding K, Li C, Li Y, Li H. Partner's emotions are associated with preschoolers' prefrontal activation under joint attention: An fNIRS evidence. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14398. [PMID: 37486036 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14398] [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: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Emotions and joint attention are highly associated and mutually influenced during preschool, the critical period for early emotional and cognitive development. However, few studies have explored the neuropsychological mechanism of joint attention with preschoolers and their partners under different emotions. This study has examined the prefrontal activation under a comprehensive emotional joint attention task in 45 preschoolers (25 boys, Mage = 58 ± 9.02 months) to compare the different influences of partners' positive, neutral, and negative emotions. Analysis of the functional near-infrared spectroscopy data indicated that the participants' prefrontal activation triggered by joint attention in positive and negative emotions was significantly higher than in neutral emotions. Moreover, their brain synchronization intensity was significantly higher in positive emotions of joint attention than in negative emotions. These findings advance our understanding of the neural mechanism of early childhood emotional processing under joint attention and provide a neural perspective to explain the effects of different emotions on preschoolers' social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanjiang Li
- College of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanwei Li
- College of Preschool Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China
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8
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Costa-Cordella S, Soto-Icaza P, Borgeaud K, Grasso-Cladera A, Malberg NT. Towards a comprehensive approach to mentalization-based treatment for children with autism: integrating attachment, neurosciences, and mentalizing. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1259432. [PMID: 38098626 PMCID: PMC10719951 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1259432] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed based on socio-communicative difficulties, which are believed to result from deficits in mentalizing, mainly evidenced by alterations in recognizing and responding to the mental states of others. In recent years, efforts have been made to develop mentalization-based treatment (MBT) models for this population. These models focus on enhancing individuals' ability to understand and reflect on their own mental states, as well as those of others. However, MBT approaches for people with ASD are limited by their existing theoretical background, which lacks a strong foundation grounded in neuroscience-based evidence properly integrated with attachment, and mentalizing. These are crucial aspects for understanding psychological processes in autism, and as such, they play a pivotal role in shaping the development of tailored and effective therapeutic strategies for this specific population. In this paper we review evidence related to the neurobiological, interpersonal, and psychological dimensions of autism and their implications for mentalizing processes. We also review previous mentalization-based frameworks on the psychosis continuum to provide a comprehensive understanding of attachment, neurobiology, and mentalization domains in therapeutic approaches for autism. After presenting a synthesis of the literature, we offer a set of clinical strategies for the work with children with autism. Finally, we provide recommendations to advance the field towards more robust models that can serve as a basis for evidence-based therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanella Costa-Cordella
- Centro de Estudios en Psicología Clínica y Psicoterapia, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Estudios en Neurociencia y Neuropsicología Humana, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Depression and Personality Research (MIDAP), Santiago, Chile
| | - Patricia Soto-Icaza
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia Social y Neuromodulación (neuroCICS), Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (CICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Aitana Grasso-Cladera
- Centro de Estudios en Neurociencia y Neuropsicología Humana, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
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Ding K, Wang H, Li C, Li H. Decreased frontal lobe complexity in left-behind children during joint attention: a fNIRS study with multivariable and multiscale sample entropy analysis. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10949-10958. [PMID: 37727984 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad341] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Human brain development is shaped by experiences, especially during preschool, the critical period for cognitive and socioemotional development. This study employed the functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy technique to explore the neural differences between left-behind children (LBC) and non-left-behind children (NLBC) on joint attention. Through collecting brain image data of 50 children (26 boys, aged 65.08 ± 6.28 months) and conducting multivariable and multiscale sample entropy (MMSE) analysis, the present study found that: (i) LBC showed lower brain complexity than NLBC in right prefrontal cortex; (ii) all participants demonstrated higher brain complexity in responding to joint attention conditions, compared to initiating joint attention ones; (iii) their brain complexity during joint attention was negatively associated with their emotional abilities. The findings advance our understanding of early brain development in LBC by providing evidence for the neural process characteristics of joint attention. Implications for early intervention to promote their brain development are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuanjiang Li
- College of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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10
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Ding K, Wang H, Wang Q, Li H, Li C. Inhibitory control associated with the neural mechanism of joint attention in preschoolers: An fNIRS evidence. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 192:53-61. [PMID: 37597695 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.08.006] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Joint attention (JA) is fundamental to the development of children's social functioning; both its response and initiation are closely related to executive function (EF), but the relationship between JA and EF has been relatively rarely studied. The present study aimed to investigate the between-condition differences in brain activation and synchronization of JA under four conditions: (1) stranger-Initiating Joint Attention (Stranger-IJA); (2) teacher-Initiating Joint Attention (Teacher-IJA); (3) stranger-Responding to Joint Attention (Stranger-RJA); and (4) teacher-Responding to Joint Attention (Teacher-RJA). It also aimed to explore the relationships between neuroimaging data and children's inhibitory control levels. To address these two goals, the present study employed 41 (aged 58.61 ± 8.64 months, 24 boys) preschool children through behavioral and functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging assessment to measure children's EF and brain function under JA, respectively. The results revealed that: (1) a significantly higher prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation was triggered in IJA than RJA; (2) a significantly higher brain activation was triggered in JA with a stranger than with a teacher; (3) a significantly higher index of synchronization asymmetry was evoked in the left and right PFC during interaction with the teacher than with the stranger; and (4) preschoolers' brain activation and synchronization were correlated with their inhibitory control level. The findings advance our understanding of preschoolers' social cognitive development with a biological aspect, offer an opportunity to understand the potential risk of the neural disorder in preschoolers, and provide a basis and insight for preventing neural developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China; Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Chuanjiang Li
- College of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
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11
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Birkeneder SL, Bullen J, McIntyre N, Zajic MC, Lerro L, Solomon M, Sparapani N, Mundy P. The Construct Validity of the Childhood Joint Attention Rating Scale (C-JARS) in School-Aged Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06051-1. [PMID: 37480436 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06051-1] [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] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Preliminary evidence from the Childhood Joint Attention Rating Scale (C-JARS; Mundy et al., 2017) suggests symptoms related to diminished joint attention and the spontaneous sharing of experience with others can be assessed with a parent-report measure in children and adolescents with autism. This study was designed to expand on the previous study by examining the validity of both a Social Symptom (SS) and a Prosocial (PS) scale of the C-JARS in a study of school-aged autistic children (n = 89) with and without co-occurring intellectual disability (ID), as well as an age matched neurotypical sample (n = 62). Results indicated that both C-JARS scales were sensitive and specific with respect to identifying the diagnostic status of the children. In addition, the PS scale was sensitive to differences in cognitive abilities (IQ) and sex differences in the autism group. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that joint attention and spontaneous sharing of experience symptoms are not only characteristic of preschool children with autism but may also constitute a developmentally continuous dimension of the social phenotype of autism that can be measured in school-aged children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy L Birkeneder
- School of Education and the MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Jennifer Bullen
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Nancy McIntyre
- Communication Sciences and Disorder, University of Central Florida, 12805 Pegasus Drive, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Matthew C Zajic
- Teachers College, Health and Behavior Studies, Columbia University, 525 W. 120th Street, Box 223, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Lindsay Lerro
- The Swain Center, Santa Rosa, 795 Farmers Lane, Suite 23, Santa Rosa, CA, 95405, USA
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Nicole Sparapani
- School of Education and the MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Peter Mundy
- School of Education and the MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
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12
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Mundy P. Research on social attention in autism and the challenges of the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework. Autism Res 2023; 16:697-712. [PMID: 36932883 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
The fuzzy nature of categories of psychopathology, such as autism, leads to significant research challenges. Alternatively, focusing research on the study of a common set of important and well-defined psychological constructs across psychiatric conditions may make the fundamental etiological processes of psychopathology easier to discern and treat (Cuthbert, 2022). The development of the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework is designed to guide this new research approach (Insel et al., 2010). However, progress in research may be expected to continually refine and reorganize the understanding of the specifics of these mental processes (Cuthbert & Insel, 2013). Moreover, knowledge gleaned from the study of both normative and atypical development can be mutually informative in the evolution of our understanding of these fundamental processes. A case in point is the study of social attention. This Autism 101 commentary provides an educational summary of research over the last few decades indicates that social attention is major construct in the study of human social-cognitive development, autism and other forms of psychopathology. The commentary also describes how this research can inform the Social Process dimension of the RDoC framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mundy
- School of Education, Department of Psychiatry and the MIND Institute, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, USA
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13
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Hours C, Recasens C, Baleyte JM. ASD and ADHD Comorbidity: What Are We Talking About? Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:837424. [PMID: 35295773 PMCID: PMC8918663 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.837424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the scientific literature, 50 to 70% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also present with comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). From a clinical perspective, this high rate of comorbidity is intriguing. What is the real significance of this dual diagnosis? Is ADHD in fact always present in such cases? Might the attentional impairment reported among our ASD patients actually be a distinct trait of their ASD-namely, impaired joint attention-rather than an ADHD attention deficit? Could their agitation be the consequence of this joint attention impairment or related to a physical restlessness etiologically very different from the agitation typical of ADHD? The neurobiological reality of ASD-ADHD comorbidity is a subject of debate, and amphetamine-based treatment can have paradoxical or undesirable effects in the ASD population. Consequently, does a dual diagnosis, notwithstanding its currency in the literature, prevent us from shedding sufficient light on major physiopathologic questions raised by the clinical picture of ASD?
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Hours
- Service universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre hospitalier Intercomunal de Créteil, Créteil, France
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14
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Soto-Icaza P, Beffara-Bret B, Vargas L, Aboitiz F, Billeke P. Differences in cortical processing of facial emotions in broader autism phenotype. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262004. [PMID: 35041646 PMCID: PMC8765621 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous condition that affects face perception. Evidence shows that there are differences in face perception associated with the processing of low spatial frequency (LSF) and high spatial frequency (HSF) of visual stimuli between non-symptomatic relatives of individuals with autism (broader autism phenotype, BAP) and typically developing individuals. However, the neural mechanisms involved in these differences are not fully understood. Here we tested whether face-sensitive event related potentials could serve as neuronal markers of differential spatial frequency processing, and whether these potentials could differentiate non-symptomatic parents of children with autism (pASD) from parents of typically developing children (pTD). To this end, we performed electroencephalographic recordings of both groups of parents while they had to recognize emotions of face pictures composed of the same or different emotions (happiness or anger) presented in different spatial frequencies. We found no significant differences in the accuracy between groups but lower amplitude modulation in the Late Positive Potential activity in pASD. Source analysis showed a difference in the right posterior part of the superior temporal region that correlated with ASD symptomatology of the child. These results reveal differences in brain processing of recognition of facial emotion in BAP that could be a precursor of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Soto-Icaza
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia Social y Neuromodulación, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | | | | | - Francisco Aboitiz
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias Cognitivas, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Billeke
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia Social y Neuromodulación, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
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15
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Jia H, Wu X, Wu Z, Wang E. Aberrant dynamic minimal spanning tree parameters within default mode network in patients with autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:860348. [PMID: 36186871 PMCID: PMC9524021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.860348] [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: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The altered functional connectivity (FC) level and its temporal characteristics within certain cortical networks, such as the default mode network (DMN), could provide a possible explanatory framework for Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the current study, we hypothesized that the topographical organization along with its temporal dynamics of the autistic brain measured by temporal mean and variance of complex network measures, respectively, were significantly altered, which may further explain the autistic symptom severity in patients with ASD. To validate these hypotheses, the precise FCs between DMN regions at each time point were calculated using the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) project. Then, the minimal spanning tree (MST) technique was applied to construct a time-varying complex network of DMN. By analyzing the temporal mean and variance of MST parameters and their relationship with autistic symptom severity, we found that in persons with ASD, the information exchange efficiencies between cortical regions within DMN were significantly lower and more volatile compared with those in typical developing participants. Moreover, these alterations within DMN were closely associated with the autistic symptom severity of the ASD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Jia
- Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Xiangci Wu
- Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Zhiyu Wu
- Huaxian People's Hospital of Henan Province, Anyang, China
| | - Enguo Wang
- Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,School of Psychology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
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16
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Ji Y, Xu M, Liu X, Dai Y, Zhou L, Li F, Zhang L. Temporopolar volumes are associated with the severity of social impairment and language development in children with autism spectrum disorder with developmental delay. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1072272. [PMID: 36532174 PMCID: PMC9751401 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1072272] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental delay (DD; ASD + DD) have more severe clinical symptoms than those with ASD without DD (ASD-only). However, little is known about the underlying neuroimaging mechanisms. The aim of this study was to explore the volumetric difference between patients with ASD + DD and ASD-only and investigate the relationship between brain alterations and clinical manifestations. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 184 children with ASD aged 2-6 years were included in this study, who were divided into two groups according to their cognitive development: ASD + DD and ASD-only. Clinical symptoms and language development were assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and the Putonghua Communicative Development Inventory. Of the 184 children, 60 age-matched males (30 ASD + DD and 30 ASD-only patients) with high-resolution structural neuroimaging scans were included for further voxel-based morphometry analysis to examine the relationship between clinical symptoms and gray matter volumes. RESULTS The ASD + DD group had higher CARS and ADOS scores, lower gesture scores, and poorer performance in "responding to joint attention" (RJA) and "initiating joint attention" than the ASD-only group. Larger gray matter volumes in the temporal poles of the right and left middle temporal gyri were associated with the co-occurrence of DD in patients with ASD. Moreover, temporopolar volumes were correlated with CARS and ADOS scores, gesture scores, and RJA ability. Pre-language development significantly mediated the relationship between temporopolar volumes and both CARS and ADOS scores; RJA ability, but not gesture development, contributed to this mediating effect. CONCLUSION In this study, we found that temporopolar volumes were enlarged in patients with ASD who had comorbid DD, and these patients showed an association between symptom severity and language ability during the pre-language stage. Offering early interventions focused on RJA and the temporal pole may help improve clinical symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Ji
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingyu Xu
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care, Brain and Behavioral Research Unit of Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory for Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care, Brain and Behavioral Research Unit of Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory for Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Dai
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care, Brain and Behavioral Research Unit of Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory for Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care, Brain and Behavioral Research Unit of Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory for Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingli Zhang
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care, Brain and Behavioral Research Unit of Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory for Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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17
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Kotila A, Tohka J, Kauppi JP, Gabbatore I, Mäkinen L, Hurtig TM, Ebeling HE, Korhonen V, Kiviniemi VJ, Loukusa S. Neural-level associations of non-verbal pragmatic comprehension in young Finnish autistic adults. Int J Circumpolar Health 2021; 80:1909333. [PMID: 34027832 PMCID: PMC8158210 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2021.1909333] [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: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This video-based study examines the pragmatic non-verbal comprehension skills and corresponding neural-level findings in young Finnish autistic adults, and controls. Items from the Assessment Battery of Communication (ABaCo) were chosen to evaluate the comprehension of non-verbal communication. Inter-subject correlation (ISC) analysis of the functional magnetic resonance imaging data was used to reveal the synchrony of brain activation across participants during the viewing of pragmatically complex scenes of ABaCo videos. The results showed a significant difference between the ISC maps of the autistic and control groups in tasks involving the comprehension of non-verbal communication, thereby revealing several brain regions where correlation of brain activity was greater within the control group. The results suggest a possible weaker modulation of brain states in response to the pragmatic non-verbal communicative situations in autistic participants. Although there was no difference between the groups in behavioural responses to ABaCo items, there was more variability in the accuracy of the responses in the autistic group. Furthermore, mean answering and reaction times correlated with the severity of autistic traits. The results indicate that even if young autistic adults may have learned to use compensatory resources in their communicative-pragmatic comprehension, pragmatic processing in naturalistic situations still requires additional effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aija Kotila
- Faculty of Humanities, Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jussi Tohka
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jukka-Pekka Kauppi
- Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ilaria Gabbatore
- Faculty of Humanities, Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Leena Mäkinen
- Faculty of Humanities, Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Tuula M. Hurtig
- Clinic of Child Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital and PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry, University of Oulu
| | - Hanna E. Ebeling
- Clinic of Child Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital and PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Vesa Korhonen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital and Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Vesa J. Kiviniemi
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital and Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Oulu Functional NeuroImaging-lab, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Soile Loukusa
- Faculty of Humanities, Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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18
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Hartz A, Guth B, Jording M, Vogeley K, Schulte-Rüther M. Temporal Behavioral Parameters of On-Going Gaze Encounters in a Virtual Environment. Front Psychol 2021; 12:673982. [PMID: 34421731 PMCID: PMC8377250 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To navigate the social world, humans heavily rely on gaze for non-verbal communication as it conveys information in a highly dynamic and complex, yet concise manner: For instance, humans utilize gaze effortlessly to direct and infer the attention of a possible interaction partner. Many traditional paradigms in social gaze research though rely on static ways of assessing gaze interaction, e.g., by using images or prerecorded videos as stimulus material. Emerging gaze contingent paradigms, in which algorithmically controlled virtual characters can respond flexibly to the gaze behavior of humans, provide high ecological validity. Ideally, these are based on models of human behavior which allow for precise, parameterized characterization of behavior, and should include variable interactive settings and different communicative states of the interacting agents. The present study provides a complete definition and empirical description of a behavioral parameter space of human gaze behavior in extended gaze encounters. To this end, we (i) modeled a shared 2D virtual environment on a computer screen in which a human could interact via gaze with an agent and simultaneously presented objects to create instances of joint attention and (ii) determined quantitatively the free model parameters (temporal and probabilistic) of behavior within this environment to provide a first complete, detailed description of the behavioral parameter space governing joint attention. This knowledge is essential to enable the modeling of interacting agents with a high degree of ecological validity, be it for cognitive studies or applications in human-robot interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Hartz
- Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Center, Jülich, Germany.,Translational Brain Research, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Björn Guth
- Translational Brain Research, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mathis Jording
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Center, Jülich, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Center, Jülich, Germany
| | - Martin Schulte-Rüther
- Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Center, Jülich, Germany.,Translational Brain Research, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Center, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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19
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Kruppa JA, Reindl V, Gerloff C, Oberwelland Weiss E, Prinz J, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Konrad K, Schulte-Rüther M. Brain and motor synchrony in children and adolescents with ASD-a fNIRS hyperscanning study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:103-116. [PMID: 32685971 PMCID: PMC7812623 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-to-brain synchrony has been proposed as an important mechanism underlying social interaction. While first findings indicate that it may be modulated in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no study to date has investigated the influence of different interaction partners and task characteristics. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning, we assessed brain-to-brain synchrony in 41 male typically developing (TD) children (8-18 years; control sample), as well as 18 children with ASD and age-matched TD children (matched sample), while performing cooperative and competitive tasks with their parents and an adult stranger. Dyads were instructed either to respond jointly in response to a target (cooperation) or to respond faster than the other player (competition). Wavelet coherence was calculated for oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin brain signals. In the control sample, a widespread enhanced coherence was observed for parent-child competition, and a more localized coherence for parent-child cooperation in the frontopolar cortex. While behaviorally, children with ASD showed a lower motor synchrony than children in the TD group, no significant group differences were observed on the neural level. In order to identify biomarkers for typical and atypical social interactions in the long run, more research is needed to investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of reduced synchrony in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana A Kruppa
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Reindl
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Eileen Oberwelland Weiss
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Julia Prinz
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Martin Schulte-Rüther
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
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20
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Pan Y, Cheng X. Two-Person Approaches to Studying Social Interaction in Psychiatry: Uses and Clinical Relevance. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:301. [PMID: 32390881 PMCID: PMC7193689 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interaction is ubiquitous in human society. The two-person approach-a new, powerful tool to study information exchange and social behaviors-aims to characterize the behavioral dynamics and neural mechanisms of real-time social interactions. In this review, we discuss the benefits of two-person approaches compared to those for conventional, single-person approaches. We describe measures and paradigms that model social interaction in three dimensions (3-D), including eye-to-eye, body-to-body, and brain-to-brain relationships. We then discuss how these two-person measures and paradigms are used in psychiatric conditions (e.g., autism, mood disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and psychotherapy). Furthermore, the advantages of a two-person approach (e.g., dual brain stimulation, multi-person neurofeedback) in clinical interventions are described. Finally, we discuss the methodological and translational challenges surrounding the application of two-person approaches in psychiatry, as well as prospects for future two-/multi-person studies. We conclude that two-person approaches serve as useful additions to the range of behavioral and neuroscientific methods available to assess social interaction in psychiatric settings, for both diagnostic techniques and complementary interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Pan
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiaojun Cheng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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21
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Jording M, Hartz A, Bente G, Schulte-Rüther M, Vogeley K. Inferring Interactivity From Gaze Patterns During Triadic Person-Object-Agent Interactions. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1913. [PMID: 31496976 PMCID: PMC6712091 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Observing others' gaze informs us about relevant matters in the environment. Humans' sensitivity to gaze cues and our ability to use this information to focus our own attention is crucial to learning, social coordination, and survival. Gaze can also be a deliberate social signal which captures and directs the gaze of others toward an object of interest. In the current study, we investigated whether the intention to actively communicate one's own attentional focus can be inferred from the dynamics of gaze alone. We used a triadic gaze interaction paradigm based on the recently proposed classification of attentional states and respective gaze patterns in person-object-person interactions, the so-called "social gaze space (SGS)." Twenty-eight participants interacted with a computer controlled virtual agent while they assumed to interact with a real human. During the experiment, the virtual agent engaged in various gaze patterns which were determined by the agent's attentional communicative state, as described by the concept of SGS. After each interaction, participants were asked to judge whether the other person was trying to deliberately interact with them. Results show that participants were able to infer the communicative intention solely from the agent's gaze behavior. The results substantiate claims about the pivotal role of gaze in social coordination and relationship formation. Our results further reveal that social expectations are reflected in differential responses to the displayed gaze patterns and may be crucial for impression formation during gaze-based interaction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to document the experience of interactivity in continuous and contingent triadic gaze interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathis Jording
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Arne Hartz
- JARA-BRAIN, Aachen, Germany.,Translational Brain Research in Psychiatry and Neurology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gary Bente
- Department of Communication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Martin Schulte-Rüther
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN, Aachen, Germany.,Translational Brain Research in Psychiatry and Neurology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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22
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Social Impairments in Mental Disorders: Recent Developments in Studying the Mechanisms of Interactive Behavior. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY IN EUROPE 2019. [DOI: 10.32872/cpe.v1i2.33143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most mental disorders are associated with impairments in social functioning. Paradigms developed to study social functioning in laboratory settings mostly put participants in a detached observer point of view. However, some phenomena are inherently interactive and studying full-blown reciprocal interactions may be indispensable to understand social deficits in psychopathology.
We conducted a narrative review on recent developments in the field of experimental clinical psychology and clinical social neuroscience that employs a second-person approach to studying social impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Personality Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), and Schizophrenia.
Recent developments in methodological, analytical, and technical approaches, such as dual eye-tracking, mobile eye-tracking, live video-feed, hyperscanning, or motion capture allow for a more ecologically valid assessment of social functioning. In individuals with ASD, these methods revealed reduced sensitivity to the presence of a real interaction partner as well as diminished behavioral and neural synchronicity with interaction partners. Initial evidence suggests that interactive paradigms might be a powerful tool to reveal reduced interpersonal sensitivity in Personality Disorders and increased interpersonal sensitivity in individuals with SAD.
A shift towards adapting a second-person account has clearly benefitted research on social interaction in psychopathology. Several studies showed profound differences in behavioral and neural measures during actual social interactions, as compared to engaging participants as mere observers. While research using truly interactive paradigms is still in its infancy, it holds great potential for clinical research on social interaction.
We review studies adopting a second-person account of social interaction in clinical psychology.
Studies show profound differences between actual social interactions and mere observations.
The full extent of impairments in social functioning unfolds only in complex social interactions.
New methodological developments hold great potential for research on social interaction deficits.
We review studies adopting a second-person account of social interaction in clinical psychology.
Studies show profound differences between actual social interactions and mere observations.
The full extent of impairments in social functioning unfolds only in complex social interactions.
New methodological developments hold great potential for research on social interaction deficits.
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23
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Soto-Icaza P, Vargas L, Aboitiz F, Billeke P. Beta oscillations precede joint attention and correlate with mentalization in typical development and autism. Cortex 2019; 113:210-228. [PMID: 30677619 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A precursor of adult social functioning is joint attention (JA), which is the capacity to share attention on an object with another person. JA precedes the development of the capacity to attribute mental states to others (i.e., mentalization or theory of mind). The neural mechanisms involved in the development of mentalization are not fully understood. Electroencephalographic recordings were made of children while they watched stimuli on a screen and their interaction with the experimenter was assessed. We tested whether neuronal activity preceding JA correlates with mentalization in typically developing (TD) children and whether this activity is impaired in children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) who evidence deficits in JA and mentalization skills. Both groups exhibited JA behavior with comparable frequency. TD children displayed a higher amplitude of negative central (Nc) event-related potential preceding JA behavior (∼500 msec after stimuli presentation), than did the ASD group. Previous to JA behavior, TD children demonstrated beta oscillatory activity in the temporoparietal region, while ASD children did not show an increase in beta activity. In both groups, the beta power correlated with mentalization, suggesting that this specific neuronal mechanism is involved in mentalization, which used during social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Soto-Icaza
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias Cognitivas, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | | | - Francisco Aboitiz
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias Cognitivas, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Billeke
- División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
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Masuda F, Nakajima S, Miyazaki T, Tarumi R, Ogyu K, Wada M, Tsugawa S, Croarkin PE, Mimura M, Noda Y. Clinical effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2019; 23:1614-1629. [PMID: 30663323 DOI: 10.1177/1362361318822502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, are common in children and adolescents, but treatment strategies remain limited. Although repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been studied for neurodevelopmental disorders, there is no clear consensus on its therapeutic effects. This systematic review examined literature on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders published up to 2018 using the PubMed database. The search identified 264 articles and 14 articles met eligibility criteria. Twelve of these studies used conventional repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and two studies used theta burst stimulation. No severe adverse effects were reported in these studies. In patients with autism spectrum disorder, low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and intermittent theta burst stimulation applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may have therapeutic effects on social functioning and repetitive behaviors. In patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may target inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In patients with tic disorders, low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the bilateral supplementary motor area improved tic symptom severity. This systematic review suggests that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation may be a promising intervention for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. The results warrant further large randomized controlled trials of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumi Masuda
- 1 Keio University School of Medicine, Japan.,2 Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan
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25
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Yuk V, Urbain C, Pang EW, Anagnostou E, Buchsbaum D, Taylor MJ. Do you know what I'm thinking? Temporal and spatial brain activity during a theory-of-mind task in children with autism. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 34:139-147. [PMID: 30415185 PMCID: PMC6969351 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
First MEG study of neural underpinnings of theory of mind differences in autism. Children with autism show decreased LTPJ activity from 300 to 375 and 425 to 500 ms. Children with autism also show increased RIFG activity from 325 to 375 ms. Co-incident lower LTPJ and higher RIFG activity implies compensatory use of RIFG. Executive functions may augment impaired theory of mind in autism.
The social impairments observed in children with autism spectrum disorder are thought to arise in part from deficits in theory of mind, the ability to understand other people’s thoughts and feelings. To determine the temporal-spatial dynamics of brain activity underlying these atypical theory-of-mind processes, we used magnetoencephalography to characterize the sequence of functional brain patterns (i.e. when and where) related to theory-of-mind reasoning in 19 high-functioning children with autism compared to 22 age- and sex-matched typically-developing children aged 8–12 during a false-belief (theory-of-mind) task. While task performance did not differ between the two groups, children with autism showed reduced activation in the left temporoparietal junction between 300–375 and 425–500 ms, as well as increased activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus from 325 to 375 ms compared to controls. The overlap in decreased temporoparietal junction activity and increased right inferior frontal gyrus activation from 325 to 375 ms suggests that in children with autism, the right inferior frontal gyrus may compensate for deficits in the temporoparietal junction, a neural theory-of-mind network hub. As the right inferior frontal gyrus is involved in inhibitory control, this finding suggests that children with autism rely on executive functions to bolster their false-belief understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Yuk
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Charline Urbain
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth W Pang
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Department of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daphna Buchsbaum
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Jording M, Hartz A, Bente G, Schulte-Rüther M, Vogeley K. The "Social Gaze Space": A Taxonomy for Gaze-Based Communication in Triadic Interactions. Front Psychol 2018. [PMID: 29535666 PMCID: PMC5834481 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans substantially rely on non-verbal cues in their communication and interaction with others. The eyes represent a “simultaneous input-output device”: While we observe others and obtain information about their mental states (including feelings, thoughts, and intentions-to-act), our gaze simultaneously provides information about our own attention and inner experiences. This substantiates its pivotal role for the coordination of communication. The communicative and coordinative capacities – and their phylogenetic and ontogenetic impacts – become fully apparent in triadic interactions constituted in its simplest form by two persons and an object. Technological advances have sparked renewed interest in social gaze and provide new methodological approaches. Here we introduce the ‘Social Gaze Space’ as a new conceptual framework for the systematic study of gaze behavior during social information processing. It covers all possible categorical states, namely ‘partner-oriented,’ ‘object-oriented,’ ‘introspective,’ ‘initiating joint attention,’ and ‘responding joint attention.’ Different combinations of these states explain several interpersonal phenomena. We argue that this taxonomy distinguishes the most relevant interactional states along their distinctive features, and will showcase the implications for prominent social gaze phenomena. The taxonomy allows to identify research desiderates that have been neglected so far. We argue for a systematic investigation of these phenomena and discuss some related methodological issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathis Jording
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Arne Hartz
- JARA-BRAIN, Aachen, Germany.,Translational Brain Research in Psychiatry and Neurology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gary Bente
- Department of Communication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Martin Schulte-Rüther
- JARA-BRAIN, Aachen, Germany.,Translational Brain Research in Psychiatry and Neurology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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Mundy P. A review of joint attention and social-cognitive brain systems in typical development and autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 47:497-514. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mundy
- Lisa Capps Professor of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Education; School of Education & MIND Institute; University of California at Davis; One Shields Ave. Davis CA 95616 USA
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Unconscious avoidance of eye contact in autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13378. [PMID: 29042641 PMCID: PMC5645367 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13945-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Atypical responses to direct gaze are one of the most characteristic hallmarks of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The cause and mechanism underlying this phenomenon, however, have remained unknown. Here we investigated whether the atypical responses to eye gaze in autism spectrum disorder is dependent on the conscious perception of others’ faces. Face stimuli with direct and averted gaze were rendered invisible by interocular suppression and eye movements were recorded from participants with ASD and an age and sex matched control group. Despite complete unawareness of the stimuli, the two groups differed significantly in their eye movements to the face stimuli. In contrast to the significant positive saccadic index observed in the TD group, indicating an unconscious preference to the face with direct gaze, the ASD group had no such preference towards direct gaze and instead showed a tendency to prefer the face with averted gaze, suggesting an unconscious avoidance of eye contact. These results provide the first evidence that the atypical response to eye contact in ASD is an unconscious and involuntary response. They provide a better understanding of the mechanism of gaze avoidance in autism and might lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
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