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Lights on for Autism: Exploring Photobiomodulation as an Effective Therapeutic Option. Neurol Int 2022; 14:884-893. [PMID: 36412693 PMCID: PMC9680350 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint14040071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that starts in childhood and continues into adulthood. The core characteristics include difficulties with social interaction and communication, together with restricted and repetitive behaviours. There are a number of key abnormalities of brain structure and function that trigger these behavioural patterns, including an imbalance of functional connectivity and synaptic transmission, neuronal death, gliosis and inflammation. In addition, autism has been linked to alterations in the gut microbiome. Unfortunately, as it stands, there are few treatment options available for patients. In this mini-review, we consider the effectiveness of a potential new treatment for autism, known as photobiomodulation, the therapeutic use of red to near infrared light on body tissues. This treatment has been shown in a range of pathological conditions-to improve the key changes that characterise autism, including the functional connectivity and survival patterns of neurones, the patterns of gliosis and inflammation and the composition of the microbiome. We highlight the idea that photobiomodulation may form an ideal treatment option for autism, one that is certainly worthy of further investigation.
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Casting a Wide Net: Role of Perineuronal Nets in Neural Plasticity. J Neurosci 2017; 36:11459-11468. [PMID: 27911749 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2351-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 284] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are unique extracellular matrix structures that wrap around certain neurons in the CNS during development and control plasticity in the adult CNS. They appear to contribute to a wide range of diseases/disorders of the brain, are involved in recovery from spinal cord injury, and are altered during aging, learning and memory, and after exposure to drugs of abuse. Here the focus is on how a major component of PNNs, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, control plasticity, and on the role of PNNs in memory in normal aging, in a tauopathy model of Alzheimer's disease, and in drug addiction. Also discussed is how altered extracellular matrix/PNN formation during development may produce synaptic pathology associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of how PNNs are altered in normal physiology and disease will offer insights into new treatment approaches for these diseases.
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Saban-Bezalel R, Hess S, Dolfin D, Hermesh H, Vishne T, Mashal N. Hemispheric processing of idioms in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2017.1325893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Saban-Bezalel
- School of Education, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- School of Health Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Shmuel Hess
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Dror Dolfin
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Hagai Hermesh
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medical, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
| | - Tali Vishne
- Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, Bnei Brak, Israel
| | - Nira Mashal
- Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, Bnei Brak, Israel
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Nohesara S, Ghadirivasfi M, Barati M, Ghasemzadeh MR, Narimani S, Mousavi-Behbahani Z, Joghataei M, Soleimani M, Taban M, Mehrabi S, Thiagalingam S, Abdolmaleky HM. Methamphetamine-induced psychosis is associated with DNA hypomethylation and increased expression of AKT1 and key dopaminergic genes. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:1180-1189. [PMID: 27753212 PMCID: PMC7115129 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Methamphetamine, one of the most frequently used illicit drugs worldwide, can induce psychosis in a large fraction of abusers and it is becoming a major problem for the health care institutions. There is some evidence that genetic and epigenetic factors may play roles in methamphetamine psychosis. In this study, we examined methamphetamine-induced epigenetic and expression changes of several key genes involved in psychosis. RNA and DNA extracted from the saliva samples of patients with methamphetamine dependency with and without psychosis as well as control subjects (each group 25) were analyzed for expression and promoter DNA methylation status of DRD1, DRD2, DRD3, DRD4, MB-COMT, GAD1, and AKT1 using qRT-PCR and q-MSP, respectively. We found statistically significant DNA hypomethylation of the promoter regions of DRD3 (P = 0.032), DRD4 (P = 0.05), MB-COMT (P = 0.009), and AKT1 (P = 0.0008) associated with increased expression of the corresponding genes in patients with methamphetamine psychosis (P = 0.022, P = 0.034, P = 0.035, P = 0.038, respectively), and to a lesser degree in some of the candidate genes in non-psychotic patients versus the control subjects. In general, methamphetamine dependency is associated with reduced DNA methylation and corresponding increase in expression of several key genes involved in the pathogenesis of psychotic disorders. While these epigenetic changes can be useful diagnostic biomarkers for psychosis in methamphetamine abusers, it is also consistent with the use of methyl rich diet for prevention or suppression of psychosis in these patients. However, this needs to be confirmed in future studies. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Nohesara
- Mental Health Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ghadirivasfi
- Mental Health Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Barati
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Reza Ghasemzadeh
- Mental Health Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samira Narimani
- Mental Health Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zohreh Mousavi-Behbahani
- Mental Health Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadtaghi Joghataei
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mansoureh Soleimani
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Taban
- Mental Health Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soraya Mehrabi
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sam Thiagalingam
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts,Correspondence to: Sam Thiagalingam and Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky, Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118., (S.T.); (H.M.A.)
| | - Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts,Correspondence to: Sam Thiagalingam and Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky, Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118., (S.T.); (H.M.A.)
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Caruncho HJ, Brymer K, Romay-Tallón R, Mitchell MA, Rivera-Baltanás T, Botterill J, Olivares JM, Kalynchuk LE. Reelin-Related Disturbances in Depression: Implications for Translational Studies. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 10:48. [PMID: 26941609 PMCID: PMC4766281 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The finding that reelin expression is significantly decreased in mood and psychotic disorders, together with evidence that reelin can regulate key aspects of hippocampal plasticity in the adult brain, brought our research group and others to study the possible role of reelin in the pathogenesis of depression. This review describes recent progress on this topic using an animal model of depression that makes use of repeated corticosterone (CORT) injections. This methodology produces depression-like symptoms in both rats and mice that are reversed by antidepressant treatment. We have reported that CORT causes a decrease in the number of reelin-immunopositive cells in the dentate gyrus subgranular zone (SGZ), where adult hippocampal neurogenesis takes place; that down-regulation of the number of reelin-positive cells closely parallels the development of a depression-like phenotype during repeated CORT treatment; that reelin downregulation alters the co-expression of reelin with neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS); that deficits in reelin might also create imbalances in glutamatergic and GABAergic circuits within the hippocampus and other limbic structures; and that co-treatment with antidepressant drugs prevents both reelin deficits and the development of a depression-like phenotype. We also observed alterations in the pattern of membrane protein clustering in peripheral lymphocytes in animals with low levels of reelin. Importantly, we found parallel changes in membrane protein clustering in depression patients, which differentiated two subpopulations of naïve depression patients that showed a different therapeutic response to antidepressant treatment. Here, we review these findings and develop the hypothesis that restoring reelin-related function could represent a novel approach for antidepressant therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector J Caruncho
- Neuroscience Cluster, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kyle Brymer
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | | | - Milann A Mitchell
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Tania Rivera-Baltanás
- Department of Psychiatry, Alvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute of Vigo Galicia, Spain
| | - Justin Botterill
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Jose M Olivares
- Department of Psychiatry, Alvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute of Vigo Galicia, Spain
| | - Lisa E Kalynchuk
- Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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In Sickness and in Health: Perineuronal Nets and Synaptic Plasticity in Psychiatric Disorders. Neural Plast 2015; 2016:9847696. [PMID: 26839720 PMCID: PMC4709762 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9847696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly emerging evidence implicates perineuronal nets (PNNs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules that compose or interact with PNNs, in the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders. Studies on schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, mood disorders, Alzheimer's disease, and epilepsy point to the involvement of ECM molecules such as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, Reelin, and matrix metalloproteases, as well as their cell surface receptors. In many of these disorders, PNN abnormalities have also been reported. In the context of the “quadripartite” synapse concept, that is, the functional unit composed of the pre- and postsynaptic terminals, glial processes, and ECM, and of the role that PNNs and ECM molecules play in regulating synaptic functions and plasticity, these findings resonate with one of the most well-replicated aspects of the pathology of psychiatric disorders, that is, synaptic abnormalities. Here we review the evidence for PNN/ECM-related pathology in these disorders, with particular emphasis on schizophrenia, and discuss the hypothesis that such pathology may significantly contribute to synaptic dysfunction.
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Lugnegård T, Hallerbäck MU, Gillberg C. Asperger syndrome and schizophrenia: Overlap of self-reported autistic traits using the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ). Nord J Psychiatry 2015; 69:268-74. [PMID: 25389915 DOI: 10.3109/08039488.2014.972452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In clinical practice, the differential diagnosis of Asperger syndrome (AS) versus schizophrenia can be a challenge. Some self-report instruments-such as the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ)-have been portrayed as proxies for the diagnosis of AS. However, it has not been demonstrated to what extent autistic traits-as measured by the AQ-separate AS from schizophrenia. AIM To examine the AS-schizophrenia discriminating ability of the AQ. METHOD The AQ is a 50-item self-administered questionnaire (with score range 0-50) for measuring "autistic traits" in adults. Here, it was completed by 136 individuals: 36 with schizophrenic psychosis, 51 with AS and 49 non-clinical comparison cases. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for the total AQ score was performed to examine the discriminating power of the instrument. RESULT Both individuals with schizophrenia and individuals with AS scored significantly higher on AQ than the non-clinical group. The mean total AQ score (± standard deviation) of the AS group (26.7 ± 8.9; range 9-44) was significantly higher than that of the schizophrenia group (22.7 ± 6.2; range 10-35) (P = 0.041). However, when using the full Likert scale for scoring, the difference did not reach significance. In the ROC analysis of total AQ scores for AS versus schizophrenia, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.65 (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION Although mean AQ scores separated AS and schizophrenia at a group comparison level, significant overlap of AQ scores across the two diagnostic groups clearly reduces the discriminating power of the AQ in the separation of schizophrenia from AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tove Lugnegård
- Tove Lugnegård, M.D., Ph.D., Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden , and Department of Psychiatry, Central Hospital , Karlstad , Sweden
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Abstract
This article reviews the current literature addressing the treatment of schizophrenia with vitamin supplementation. It describes the important roles that vitamins play in normal metabolism, and reviews the evidence pertaining to vitamin deficiency and supplementation in patients with schizophrenia. There is mounting evidence suggesting that vitamin supplementation, in particular with folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin D, may be important in treatment within certain subgroups of patients. There is a need for larger randomized controlled trials, and further studies examining the incidence of schizophrenia in countries with poor prenatal care and malnutrition, as well as in countries that have adopted mandatory folic acid fortification of grain products, are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Brown
- Department of Psychiatry Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School 55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114
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Montag C, Brockmann EM, Bayerl M, Rujescu D, Müller DJ, Gallinat J. Oxytocin and oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms and risk for schizophrenia: a case-control study. World J Biol Psychiatry 2013; 14:500-8. [PMID: 22651577 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2012.677547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dysfunctions of the "social brain" belong to the core features of schizophrenia. The neurohormone oxytocin (OXT), mediated through its specific receptor (OXTR), is involved in the regulation of social behaviour and social cognition. Previous research has suggested a role of OXT system genes in disorders of social reciprocity. Preliminary evidence points to an association of peripheral OXT levels as well as OXT and OXTR gene polymorphisms with psychotic symptoms and treatment response in schizophrenia. This study aims to determine a possible contribution of OXT and OXTR genetic variations to schizophrenia susceptibility. METHODS Using n = 406 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and n = 406 healthy controls matched for age and gender in a case-control design, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the OXT gene (rs2740204, rs2740210) and four SNPs within the OXTR gene (rs53576, rs237880, rs237885, rs237902) that were previously investigated in other studies were genotyped. RESULTS Chi(2)-testing suggested significant associations of OXTR SNPs rs53576(A > G) (P = 0.008) and rs237885(T > G) (P = 0.025) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Post-hoc ANCOVA revealed significant associations of OXTR SNPs rs53576 with general psychopathology and rs237902 with negative symptom scores in schizophrenic patients. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support hypotheses about an involvement of oxytocinergic gene variants in schizophrenia vulnerability and warrant independent replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Montag
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte , Berlin , Germany
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Haberlandt E, Spreiz A, Sigl SB, Janetschek C, Röthlisberger B, Zotter S, Rostasy K, Zschocke J, Kotzot D. Microdeletion 19p13.2 in an almost 5-year-old boy. Am J Med Genet A 2012; 158A:1190-4. [PMID: 22488779 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.35291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2011] [Accepted: 12/29/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Deletions of the short arm of chromosome 19 are rarely found by conventional cytogenetic techniques. This region has a high gene density and this is likely the reason why deletions in this region are associated with a severe phenotype. Since the implementation of modern high-resolution SNP- and CGH-array techniques more cases have been reported. Here, we present an almost 5-year-old boy with intellectual disability, minor dysmorphisms, febrile seizures, and a de novo deletion of 834.2 kb on 19p13.2 encompassing 32 genes. The deletion was found by the Illumina Infinium HD Human1M-Duo v1 BeadChip SNP-array and confirmed by the NimbleGen Human CGH 2.1M Whole Genome Tiling v2.0D oligonucleotide array. PCR amplification of the junction fragment and subsequent sequencing defined the breakpoints and indicated that formation was mediated by non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR). The phenotype of our patient shows that microrearrangements even at gene-dense chromosomes may result in mild clinical consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edda Haberlandt
- Clinical Department of Pediatrics IV, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
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Sasson NJ, Pinkham AE, Carpenter KLH, Belger A. The benefit of directly comparing autism and schizophrenia for revealing mechanisms of social cognitive impairment. J Neurodev Disord 2011; 3:87-100. [PMID: 21484194 PMCID: PMC3188289 DOI: 10.1007/s11689-010-9068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2010] [Accepted: 11/26/2010] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism and schizophrenia share a history of diagnostic conflation that was not definitively resolved until the publication of the DSM-III in 1980. Though now recognized as heterogeneous disorders with distinct developmental trajectories and dissociative features, much of the early nosological confusion stemmed from apparent overlap in certain areas of social dysfunction. In more recent years, separate but substantial literatures have accumulated for autism and schizophrenia demonstrating that abnormalities in social cognition directly contribute to the characteristic social deficits of both disorders. The current paper argues that direct comparison of social cognitive impairment can highlight shared and divergent mechanisms underlying pathways to social dysfunction, a process that can provide significant clinical benefit by informing the development of tailored treatment efforts. Thus, while the history of diagnostic conflation between autism and schizophrenia may have originated in similarities in social dysfunction, the goal of direct comparisons is not to conflate them once again but rather to reveal distinctions that illuminate disorder-specific mechanisms and pathways that contribute to social cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah J Sasson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, GR41, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA,
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent complex neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments in reciprocal social interactions, abnormal development and use of language, and monotonously repetitive behaviors. With an estimated heritability of more than 90%, it is the most strongly genetically influenced psychiatric disorder of the young age. In spite of the complexity of this disorder, there has recently been much progress in the research on etiology, early diagnosing, and therapy of autism. Besides already advanced neuropathologic research, several new technological innovations, such as sleep functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging ((1)H-MRS) divulged promising breakthroughs in exploring subtle morphological and neurochemical changes in the autistic brain. This review provides a comprehensive summary of morphological and neurochemical alterations in autism known to date, as well as a short introduction to the functional research that has begun to advance in the last decade. Finally, we mention the progress in establishing new standardized diagnostic measures and its importance in early recognition and treatment of ASD.
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Variants in the oxytocin gene and risk for schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2010; 121:279-80. [PMID: 20547038 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2010.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2010] [Revised: 04/26/2010] [Accepted: 04/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Gooding DC, Johnson M, Peterman JS. Schizotypy and altered digit ratios: a second look. Psychiatry Res 2010; 178:73-8. [PMID: 20471104 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2010.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2009] [Revised: 03/15/2010] [Accepted: 04/18/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in the ratio between the 2nd and 4th finger digits have been posited as a potential indicator of increased liability for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. We compared digit ratios in two groups of psychometrically-identified schizotypes, namely, those characterized by positive schizotypy (perceptual aberrations and magical ideation; n=76) and those characterized by negative schizotypy (social anhedonia; n=64), to a control group (n=110). The groups were also compared in terms of their performance on a measure of Theory of Mind, namely, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) and trait affect, as measured by the PANAS. Our results indicate that neither negative schizotypy nor positive schizotypy is associated with altered digit ratios. Similarly, the groups showed no significant differences on the RMET. However, we observed a small but significant inverse association between Theory of Mind performance and negative affect. The findings are considered in light of the extant literature. These results call into question the viability of altered digit ratios to serve as an indicator of increased risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Carol Gooding
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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