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Bo J, Acluche F, Lasutschinkow PC, Augustiniak A, Ditchfield N, Lajiness-O'Neill R. Motor networks in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review on EEG studies. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:3073-3087. [PMID: 36260095 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06483-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Motor disturbance and altered motor networks are commonly reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It has been suggested that electroencephalogram (EEG) can be used to provide exquisite temporal resolution for understanding motor control processes in ASD. However, the variability of study design and EEG approaches can impact our interpretation. Here, we conducted a systematic review on recent 11 EEG studies that involve motor observation and/or execution tasks and evaluated how these findings help us understand motor difficulties in ASD. Three behavior paradigms with different EEG analytic methods were demonstrated. The main findings were quite mixed: children with ASD did not always show disrupted neuronal activity during motor observation. Additionally, they might have intact ability for movement execution but have more difficulties in neuronal modulation during movement preparation. We would like to promote discussions on how methodological selections of behavioral tasks and data analytic approaches impact our interpretation of motor deficits in ASD. Future EEG research addressing the inconsistency across methodological approaches is necessary to help us understand neurophysiological mechanism of motor abnormalities in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Bo
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA. .,Neuroscience Program, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA.
| | - Frantzy Acluche
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Patricia C Lasutschinkow
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Alyssa Augustiniak
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Noelle Ditchfield
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Renee Lajiness-O'Neill
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA.,Neuroscience Program, Eastern Michigan University, 341 MJ Science Building, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
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2
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Cai Y, Zhao J, Wang L, Xie Y, Fan X. Altered topological properties of white matter structural network in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Asian J Psychiatr 2022; 75:103211. [PMID: 35907341 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability and is currently viewed as a disorder of brain connectivity in which white matter abnormalities. However, the majority of the research to date has focused on children with ASD. Understanding the topological organization of the white matter structural network in adults may help uncover the nature of ASD pathology in adulthood. METHOD This study investigated the topological properties of white matter structural network using diffusion tensor imaging and graph theory analysis in a sample of 32 adults with ASD compared to 35 matched typically developing (TD) controls. Group differences in global and nodal topological metrics were compared. The relationships between the altered network metrics and the severity of clinical symptoms were calculated. RESULTS Compared to TD controls, ASD patients exhibited decreased small-worldness and increased global efficiency. In addition, the reduced nodal efficiency and increased nodal degree were found in the frontal (e.g., the inferior frontal gyrus) and parietal (e.g., postcentral gyrus) regions. Furthermore, the altered topological metrics (e.g., increased global efficiency and reduced nodal efficiency) were correlated with the severity of ASD symptoms. CONCLUSION These results indicated that the complicatedly topological organization of the white matter structural network was abnormal and may play an essential role in the underlying pathological mechanism of ASD in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Cai
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jinghui Zhao
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yuanjun Xie
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710030, China.
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
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3
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Belmonte MK. Motor symptoms in the ASD diagnostic criteria: A conservative perspective. Autism Res 2022; 15:1582-1584. [PMID: 35968612 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K Belmonte
- The Com DEALL Trust, Bangalore, India.,Division of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
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4
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Pitzianti M, Fagioli S, Pontis M, Pasini A. Attention Deficits Influence the Development of Motor Abnormalities in High Functioning Autism. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2021; 52:1131-1142. [PMID: 33145671 PMCID: PMC8528792 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-01088-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Early attentional dysfunction is one of the most consistent findings in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including the high functioning autism (HFA). There are no studies that assess how the atypical attentional processes affect the motor functioning in HFA. In this study, we evaluated attentional and motor functioning in a sample of 15 drug-naive patients with HFA and 15 healthy children (HC), and possible link between attentional dysfunction and motor impairment in HFA. Compared to HC, HFA group was seriously impaired in a considerable number of attentional processes and showed a greater number of motor abnormalities. Significant correlations between attention deficits and motor abnormalities were observed in HFA group. These preliminary findings suggest that deficit of attentional processes can be implied in motor abnormalities in HFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariabernarda Pitzianti
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
- Child Neuropsychiatry, USL Umbria-2, Viale VIII Marzo, 05100, Terni, Italy
| | - Sabrina Fagioli
- Department of Education, University of "Roma Tre", Via del Castro Pretorio 20, 00185, Rome, Italy.
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marco Pontis
- Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center Ctr Asl 8, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Augusto Pasini
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
- Child Neuropsychiatry, USL Umbria-2, Viale VIII Marzo, 05100, Terni, Italy
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5
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Gao K, Fan Z, Su J, Zeng LL, Shen H, Zhu J, Hu D. Deep Transfer Learning for Cerebral Cortex Using Area-Preserving Geometry Mapping. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2972-2984. [PMID: 34791082 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited sample size hinders the application of deep learning in brain image analysis, and transfer learning is a possible solution. However, most pretrained models are 2D based and cannot be applied directly to 3D brain images. In this study, we propose a novel framework to apply 2D pretrained models to 3D brain images by projecting surface-based cortical morphometry into planar images using computational geometry mapping. Firstly, 3D cortical meshes are reconstructed from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using FreeSurfer and projected into 2D planar meshes with topological preservation based on area-preserving geometry mapping. Then, 2D deep models pretrained on ImageNet are adopted and fine-tuned for cortical image classification on morphometric shape metrics. We apply the framework to sex classification on the Human Connectome Project dataset and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) classification on the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange dataset. Moreover, a 2-stage transfer learning strategy is suggested to boost the ASD classification performance by using the sex classification as an intermediate task. Our framework brings significant improvement in sex classification and ASD classification with transfer learning. In summary, the proposed framework builds a bridge between 3D cortical data and 2D models, making 2D pretrained models available for brain image analysis in cognitive and psychiatric neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Gao
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Zhipeng Fan
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Jianpo Su
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Ling-Li Zeng
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Hui Shen
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Jubo Zhu
- College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Dewen Hu
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China.,Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
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6
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Lepping RJ, McKinney WS, Magnon GC, Keedy SK, Wang Z, Coombes SA, Vaillancourt DE, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Visuomotor brain network activation and functional connectivity among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 43:844-859. [PMID: 34716740 PMCID: PMC8720186 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor abnormalities are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and predictive of functional outcomes, though their neural underpinnings remain poorly understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined both brain activation and functional connectivity during visuomotor behavior in 27 individuals with ASD and 30 typically developing (TD) controls (ages 9–35 years). Participants maintained a constant grip force while receiving visual feedback at three different visual gain levels. Relative to controls, ASD participants showed increased force variability, especially at high gain, and reduced entropy. Brain activation was greater in individuals with ASD than controls in supplementary motor area, bilateral superior parietal lobules, and contralateral middle frontal gyrus at high gain. During motor action, functional connectivity was reduced between parietal‐premotor and parietal‐putamen in individuals with ASD compared to controls. Individuals with ASD also showed greater age‐associated increases in functional connectivity between cerebellum and visual, motor, and prefrontal cortical areas relative to controls. These results indicate that visuomotor deficits in ASD are associated with atypical activation and functional connectivity of posterior parietal, premotor, and striatal circuits involved in translating sensory feedback information into precision motor behaviors, and that functional connectivity of cerebellar–cortical sensorimotor and nonsensorimotor networks show delayed maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Lepping
- Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Walker S McKinney
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Grant C Magnon
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah K Keedy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Stephen A Coombes
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
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7
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Baizer JS. Functional and Neuropathological Evidence for a Role of the Brainstem in Autism. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:748977. [PMID: 34744648 PMCID: PMC8565487 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.748977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The brainstem includes many nuclei and fiber tracts that mediate a wide range of functions. Data from two parallel approaches to the study of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) implicate many brainstem structures. The first approach is to identify the functions affected in ASD and then trace the neural systems mediating those functions. While not included as core symptoms, three areas of function are frequently impaired in ASD: (1) Motor control both of the limbs and body and the control of eye movements; (2) Sensory information processing in vestibular and auditory systems; (3) Control of affect. There are critical brainstem nuclei mediating each of those functions. There are many nuclei critical for eye movement control including the superior colliculus. Vestibular information is first processed in the four nuclei of the vestibular nuclear complex. Auditory information is relayed to the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei and subsequently processed in multiple other brainstem nuclei. Critical structures in affect regulation are the brainstem sources of serotonin and norepinephrine, the raphe nuclei and the locus ceruleus. The second approach is the analysis of abnormalities from direct study of ASD brains. The structure most commonly identified as abnormal in neuropathological studies is the cerebellum. It is classically a major component of the motor system, critical for coordination. It has also been implicated in cognitive and language functions, among the core symptoms of ASD. This structure works very closely with the cerebral cortex; the cortex and the cerebellum show parallel enlargement over evolution. The cerebellum receives input from cortex via relays in the pontine nuclei. In addition, climbing fiber input to cerebellum comes from the inferior olive of the medulla. Mossy fiber input comes from the arcuate nucleus of the medulla as well as the pontine nuclei. The cerebellum projects to several brainstem nuclei including the vestibular nuclear complex and the red nucleus. There are thus multiple brainstem nuclei distributed at all levels of the brainstem, medulla, pons, and midbrain, that participate in functions affected in ASD. There is direct evidence that the cerebellum may be abnormal in ASD. The evidence strongly indicates that analysis of these structures could add to our understanding of the neural basis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan S. Baizer
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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8
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Emanuele M, Nazzaro G, Marini M, Veronesi C, Boni S, Polletta G, D'Ausilio A, Fadiga L. Motor synergies: Evidence for a novel motor signature in autism spectrum disorder. Cognition 2021; 213:104652. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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9
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Pretzsch CM, Floris DL, Voinescu B, Elsahib M, Mendez MA, Wichers R, Ajram L, Ivin G, Heasman M, Pretzsch E, Williams S, Murphy DGM, Daly E, McAlonan GM. Modulation of striatal functional connectivity differences in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in a single-dose randomized trial of cannabidivarin. Mol Autism 2021; 12:49. [PMID: 34210360 PMCID: PMC8252312 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00454-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a high cost to affected individuals and society, but treatments for core symptoms are lacking. To expand intervention options, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of potential treatment targets, and their engagement, in the brain. For instance, the striatum (caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens) plays a central role during development and its (atypical) functional connectivity (FC) may contribute to multiple ASD symptoms. We have previously shown, in the adult autistic and neurotypical brain, the non-intoxicating cannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) alters the balance of striatal 'excitatory-inhibitory' metabolites, which help regulate FC, but the effects of CBDV on (atypical) striatal FC are unknown. METHODS To examine this in a small pilot study, we acquired resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 28 men (15 neurotypicals, 13 ASD) on two occasions in a repeated-measures, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We then used a seed-based approach to (1) compare striatal FC between groups and (2) examine the effect of pharmacological probing (600 mg CBDV/matched placebo) on atypical striatal FC in ASD. Visits were separated by at least 13 days to allow for drug washout. RESULTS Compared to the neurotypicals, ASD individuals had lower FC between the ventral striatum and frontal and pericentral regions (which have been associated with emotion, motor, and vision processing). Further, they had higher intra-striatal FC and higher putamenal FC with temporal regions involved in speech and language. In ASD, CBDV reduced hyperconnectivity to the neurotypical level. LIMITATIONS Our findings should be considered in light of several methodological aspects, in particular our participant group (restricted to male adults), which limits the generalizability of our findings to the wider and heterogeneous ASD population. CONCLUSION In conclusion, here we show atypical striatal FC with regions commonly associated with ASD symptoms. We further provide preliminary proof of concept that, in the adult autistic brain, acute CBDV administration can modulate atypical striatal circuitry towards neurotypical function. Future studies are required to determine whether modulation of striatal FC is associated with a change in ASD symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03537950. Registered May 25th, 2018-Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03537950?term=NCT03537950&draw=2&rank=1 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M. Pretzsch
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Dorothea L. Floris
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bogdan Voinescu
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Bristol Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Malka Elsahib
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Maria A. Mendez
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert Wichers
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Department of Psychiatry GGZ Geest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Ajram
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, SK10 4TG Cheshire UK
| | - Glynis Ivin
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Martin Heasman
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Elise Pretzsch
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Steven Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Declan G. M. Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Gráinne M. McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
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10
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Marawar R, Klinger N, Tarbox-Berry SI, Mittal S, Shah AK. Atypical representation of sensorimotor cortex in a patient with autism and epilepsy confirmed by direct electrocortical stimulation. Epilepsy Behav Rep 2021; 15:100403. [PMID: 33437958 PMCID: PMC7786035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2020.100403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior studies have used functional neuroimaging to demonstrate that the organization of the autistic brain is different from that of the non-autistic brain. Similarly, patients with epilepsy have also shown cortical reorganization. We present a case study that provides direct confirmation of disorganized sensorimotor distribution in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy. To our knowledge, this is the first time cortical mapping directly showing abnormal cortical organization in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy has been reported in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Marawar
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, UHC-8D, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Neil Klinger
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4160, John R. Street, Suite 930, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Sarah I Tarbox-Berry
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, UHC-8D, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Sandeep Mittal
- Division of Neurosurgery, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 2331 Franklin Rd SW, Roanoke, VA 24014, USA
| | - Aashit K Shah
- Division of Neurology, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 3 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
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11
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You Y, Correas A, Jao Keehn RJ, Wagner LC, Rosen BQ, Beaton LE, Gao Y, Brocklehurst WT, Fishman I, Müller RA, Marinkovic K. MEG Theta during Lexico-Semantic and Executive Processing Is Altered in High-Functioning Adolescents with Autism. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1116-1130. [PMID: 33073290 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have revealed atypical activation during language and executive tasks in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the spatiotemporal stages of processing associated with these dysfunctions remain poorly understood. Using an anatomically constrained magnetoencephalography approach, we examined event-related theta oscillations during a double-duty lexical decision task that combined demands on lexico-semantic processing and executive functions. Relative to typically developing peers, high-functioning adolescents with ASD had lower performance accuracy on trials engaging selective semantic retrieval and cognitive control. They showed an early overall theta increase in the left fusiform cortex followed by greater activity in the left-lateralized temporal (starting at ~250 ms) and frontal cortical areas (after ~450 ms) known to contribute to language processing. During response preparation and execution, the ASD group exhibited elevated theta in the anterior cingulate cortex, indicative of greater engagement of cognitive control. Simultaneously increased activity in the ipsilateral motor cortex may reflect a less lateralized and suboptimally organized motor circuitry. Spanning early sensory-specific and late response selection stages, the higher event-related theta responsivity in ASD may indicate compensatory recruitment to offset inefficient lexico-semantic retrieval under cognitively demanding conditions. Together, these findings provide further support for atypical language and executive functions in high-functioning ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi You
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Angeles Correas
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - R Joanne Jao Keehn
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Laura C Wagner
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Burke Q Rosen
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lauren E Beaton
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Yangfeifei Gao
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | | | - Inna Fishman
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Ksenija Marinkovic
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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12
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Lum JAG, Shandley K, Albein-Urios N, Kirkovski M, Papadopoulos N, Wilson RB, Enticott PG, Rinehart NJ. Meta-Analysis Reveals Gait Anomalies in Autism. Autism Res 2020; 14:733-747. [PMID: 33289353 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Gait abnormalities are frequently reported in autism. The empirical literature, however, is characterized by inconsistent findings concerning which aspects of gait are affected. We conducted a meta-analysis to summarize study findings that examined temporal and spatial (i.e., two-dimensional) gait parameters in pediatric and adult samples comprising individuals with autism and healthy controls. After searching electronic databases, a total of 18 studies were identified and included in this review. Results from the meta-analyses revealed autism is associated with a wider step width, slower walking speed, longer gait cycle, longer stance time and longer step time. Additionally, autism appears to be associated with greater intra-individual variability on measures of stride length, stride time and walking speed. Meta-regression analyses revealed cadence and gait cycle duration differences, between autism and control groups, become more pronounced with age. Overall, this review demonstrates that autism is associated with gait abnormalities. However, assessment of the methodological quality of the studies reveal, additional research is required to understand the extent that gait abnormalities are specifically linked to autism, or whether they may be secondary to other factors commonly found in this group, such as increased weight. LAY SUMMARY: It is often noted by clinicians that individuals with autism have an awkward or unusual walking style, which is also referred to as gait. In this report, we reviewed past studies that compared gait in individuals with and without autism. Our review indicates autism is associated with an abnormal gait. However, it is not yet clear whether gait abnormalities are caused by autism, or arise due to other factors such as heavier weight, which often co-occurs in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarrad A G Lum
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kerrie Shandley
- Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing, Biopsychosocial and e-Health Research & Innovation Hub, Federation University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natalia Albein-Urios
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melissa Kirkovski
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicole Papadopoulos
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rujuta B Wilson
- UCLA Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA Division of Pediatric Neurology, California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicole J Rinehart
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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13
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Caballero C, Mistry S, Torres EB. Age-Dependent Statistical Changes of Involuntary Head Motion Signatures Across Autism and Controls of the ABIDE Repository. Front Integr Neurosci 2020; 14:23. [PMID: 32625069 PMCID: PMC7311771 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2020.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The DSM-5 definition of autism spectrum disorders includes sensory issues and part of the sensory information that the brain continuously receives comes from kinesthetic reafference, in the form of self-generated motions, including those that the nervous systems produce at rest. Some of the movements that we self-generate are deliberate, while some occur spontaneously, consequentially following those that we can control. Yet, some motions occur involuntarily, largely beneath our awareness. We do not know much about involuntary motions across development, but these motions typically manifest during resting state in fMRI studies. Here we ask in a large data set from the Autism Brain Imaging Exchange repository, whether the stochastic signatures of variability in the involuntary motions of the head typically shift with age. We further ask if those motions registered from individuals with autism show a significant departure from the normative data as we examine different age groups selected at random from cross-sections of the population. We find significant shifts in statistical features of typical levels of involuntary head motions for different age groups. Further, we find that in autism these changes also manifest in non-uniform ways, and that they significantly differ from their age-matched groups. The results suggest that the levels of random involuntary motor noise are elevated in autism across age groups. This calls for the use of different age-appropriate statistical models in research that involves dynamically changing signals self-generated by the nervous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Caballero
- Sports Research Center, Sports Sciences Department, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain.,Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Sejal Mistry
- Department of Mathematics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Elizabeth B Torres
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.,Computer Science, Center for Computational Biomedicine Imaging and Modeling, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.,Center for Cognitive Science, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
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14
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Torres EB, Caballero C, Mistry S. Aging with Autism Departs Greatly from Typical Aging. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20020572. [PMID: 31968701 PMCID: PMC7014496 DOI: 10.3390/s20020572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Autism has been largely portrayed as a psychiatric and childhood disorder. However, autism is a lifelong neurological condition that evolves over time through highly heterogeneous trajectories. These trends have not been studied in relation to normative aging trajectories, so we know very little about aging with autism. One aspect that seems to develop differently is the sense of movement, inclusive of sensory kinesthetic-reafference emerging from continuously sensed self-generated motions. These include involuntary micro-motions eluding observation, yet routinely obtainable in fMRI studies to rid images of motor artifacts. Open-access repositories offer thousands of imaging records, covering 5-65 years of age for both neurotypical and autistic individuals to ascertain the trajectories of involuntary motions. Here we introduce new computational techniques that automatically stratify different age groups in autism according to probability distance in different representational spaces. Further, we show that autistic cross-sectional population trajectories in probability space fundamentally differ from those of neurotypical controls and that after 40 years of age, there is an inflection point in autism, signaling a monotonically increasing difference away from age-matched normative involuntary motion signatures. Our work offers new age-appropriate stochastic analyses amenable to redefine basic research and provide dynamic diagnoses as the person's nervous systems age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B. Torres
- Psychology Department Center for Biomedicine Imaging and Modelling, CS Department and Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08854, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-732-208-3158
| | - Carla Caballero
- Sports Science Department, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, 03202 Alicante, Spain;
| | - Sejal Mistry
- Biomathematics Department, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08854, USA;
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15
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Linke AC, Kinnear MK, Kohli JS, Fong CH, Lincoln AJ, Carper RA, Müller RA. Impaired motor skills and atypical functional connectivity of the sensorimotor system in 40- to 65-year-old adults with autism spectrum disorders. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 85:104-112. [PMID: 31732217 PMCID: PMC6948185 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in fine and gross motor function, coordination, and balance in early development are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). It is unclear whether these deficits persist into adulthood and whether they may be exacerbated by additional motor problems that often emerge in typical aging. We assessed motor skills and used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to study intrinsic functional connectivity of the sensorimotor network in 40- to 65-year-old adults with ASDs (n = 17) and typically developing matched adults (n = 19). Adults with ASDs scored significantly lower on assessments of motor skills compared with an age-matched group of typical control adults. In addition, functional connectivity of the sensorimotor system was reduced and the pattern of connectivity was more heterogeneous in adults with ASDs. A negative correlation between functional connectivity of the motor system and motor skills, however, was only found in the typical control group. Findings suggest behavioral impairment and atypical brain organization of the motor system in middle-age adults with ASDs, accompanied by pronounced heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Carola Linke
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mikaela Kelsey Kinnear
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jiwandeep Singh Kohli
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Christopher Hilton Fong
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Alan John Lincoln
- The Department of Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ruth Anna Carper
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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16
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Pretzsch CM, Voinescu B, Mendez MA, Wichers R, Ajram L, Ivin G, Heasman M, Williams S, Murphy DGM, Daly E, McAlonan GM. The effect of cannabidiol (CBD) on low-frequency activity and functional connectivity in the brain of adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:1141-1148. [PMID: 31237191 PMCID: PMC6732821 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119858306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The potential benefits of cannabis and its major non-intoxicating component cannabidiol (CBD) are attracting attention, including as a potential treatment in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the neural action of CBD, and its relevance to ASD, remains unclear. We and others have previously shown that response to drug challenge can be measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but that pharmacological responsivity is atypical in ASD. AIMS We hypothesized that there would be a (different) fMRI response to CBD in ASD. METHODS To test this, task-free fMRI was acquired in 34 healthy men (half with ASD) following oral administration of 600 mg CBD or matched placebo (random order; double-blind administration). The 'fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations' (fALFF) was measured across the whole brain, and, where CBD significantly altered fALFF, we tested if functional connectivity (FC) of those regions was also affected by CBD. RESULTS CBD significantly increased fALFF in the cerebellar vermis and the right fusiform gyrus. However, post-hoc within-group analyses revealed that this effect was primarily driven by the ASD group, with no significant change in controls. Within the ASD group only, CBD also significantly altered vermal FC with several of its subcortical (striatal) and cortical targets, but did not affect fusiform FC with other regions in either group. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that, especially in ASD, CBD alters regional fALFF and FC in/between regions consistently implicated in ASD. Future studies should examine if this affects the complex behaviours these regions modulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Pretzsch
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Bogdan Voinescu
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Maria A Mendez
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Robert Wichers
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Laura Ajram
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Glynis Ivin
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation
Trust Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Martin Heasman
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation
Trust Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Steven Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London,
London, UK
| | - Declan GM Murphy
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Gráinne M McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and
Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience,
King’s College London, London, UK
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17
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Stereological Investigation of the Rat Ventral Thalamic Nuclei Following Developmental Hyperserotonemia. Neuroscience 2019; 411:202-210. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.05.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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18
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Wang Z, Wang Y, Sweeney JA, Gong Q, Lui S, Mosconi MW. Resting-State Brain Network Dysfunctions Associated With Visuomotor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:17. [PMID: 31213995 PMCID: PMC6554427 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show elevated levels of motor variability that are associated with clinical outcomes. Cortical-cerebellar networks involved in visuomotor control have been implicated in postmortem and anatomical imaging studies of ASD. However, the extent to which these networks show intrinsic functional alterations in patients, and the relationship between intrinsic functional properties of cortical-cerebellar networks and visuomotor impairments in ASD have not yet been clarified. Methods: We examined the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) of cortical and cerebellar brain regions during resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) in 23 individuals with ASD and 16 typically developing (TD) controls. Regions of interest (ROIs) with ALFF values significantly associated with motor variability were identified for for patients and controls respectively, and their functional connectivity (FC) to each other and to the rest of the brain was examined. Results: For TD controls, greater ALFF in bilateral cerebellar crus I, left superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, and left angular gyrus each were associated with greater visuomotor variability. Greater ALFF in cerebellar lobule VIII was associated with less visuomotor variability. For individuals with ASD, greater ALFF in right calcarine cortex, right middle temporal gyrus (including MT/V5), left Heschl's gyrus, left post-central gyrus, right pre-central gyrus, and left precuneus was related to greater visuomotor variability. Greater ALFF in cerebellar vermis VI was associated with less visuomotor variability. Individuals with ASD and TD controls did not show differences in ALFF for any of these ROIs. Individuals with ASD showed greater posterior cerebellar connectivity with occipital and parietal cortices relative to TD controls, and reduced FC within cerebellum and between lateral cerebellum and pre-frontal and other regions of association cortex. Conclusion: Together, these findings suggest that increased resting oscillations within visuomotor networks in ASD are associated with more severe deficits in controlling variability during precision visuomotor behavior. Differences between individuals with ASD and TD controls in the topography of networks showing relationships to visuomotor behavior suggest atypical patterns of cerebellar-cortical specialization and connectivity in ASD that underlies previously documented visuomotor deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Su Lui
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Matthew W. Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
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19
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Functional and structural asymmetry in primary motor cortex in Asperger syndrome: a navigated TMS and imaging study. Brain Topogr 2019; 32:504-518. [PMID: 30949863 PMCID: PMC6477009 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-019-00704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Motor functions are frequently impaired in Asperger syndrome (AS). In this study, we examined the motor cortex structure and function using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and correlated the results with the box and block test (BBT) of manual dexterity and physical activity in eight boys with AS, aged 8–11 years, and their matched controls. With nTMS, we found less focused cortical representation areas of distinct hand muscles in AS. There was hemispheric asymmetry in the motor maps, silent period duration and active MEP latency in the AS group, but not in controls. Exploratory VBM analysis revealed less gray matter in the left postcentral gyrus, especially in the face area, and less white matter in the precentral area in AS as compared to controls. On the contrary, in the right leg area, subjects with AS displayed an increased density of gray matter. The structural findings of the left hemisphere correlated negatively with BBT score in controls, whereas the structure of the right hemisphere in the AS group correlated positively with motor function as assessed by BBT. These preliminary functional (neurophysiological and behavioral) findings are indicative of asymmetry, and co-existing structural alterations may reflect the motor impairments causing the deteriorations in manual dexterity and other motor functions commonly encountered in children with AS.
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20
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Mapping alterations of gray matter volume and white matter integrity in children with autism spectrum disorder: evidence from fMRI findings. Neuroreport 2019; 29:1188-1192. [PMID: 30001226 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the neuroanatomical substrates and white matter connectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the association between gray matter and structural connectivity. A total of 36 children including patients with ASD and healthy controls between 6 and 15 years of age were enrolled in this study. High-resolution structural MRI and functional MRI were performed and analyzed using voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics. The relationship between gray matter volume and structural connectivity was generated using Pearson correlation analysis. Voxel-based morphometry analysis showed significantly reduced areas of gray matter in the left cerebellum. Tract-based spatial statistics analysis showed white matter abnormalities in several distinct clusters within the right inferior frontal gyrus (opercular part), the left inferior parietal lobule, and the right mentary motor area. Neither ASD nor healthy controls showed a significant correlation between gray matter volume and white matter integrity. Our study confirmed the presence of several structural and regional abnormalities in ASD children. These findings suggest that there are significant differences in some brain regions in children with autism relative to healthy children, but no association between them.
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21
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Hirjak D, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Fritze S, Sambataro F, Kubera KM, Wolf RC. Motor dysfunction as research domain across bipolar, obsessive-compulsive and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:315-335. [PMID: 30236781 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although genuine motor abnormalities (GMA) are frequently found in schizophrenia, they are also considered as an intrinsic feature of bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, and neurodevelopmental disorders with early onset such as autism, ADHD, and Tourette syndrome. Such transnosological observations strongly suggest a common neural pathophysiology. This systematic review highlights the evidence on GMA and their neuroanatomical substrates in bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The data lends support for a common pattern contributing to GMA expression in these diseases that seems to be related to cerebello-thalamo-cortical, fronto-parietal, and cortico-subcortical motor circuit dysfunction. The identified studies provide first evidence for a motor network dysfunction as a correlate of early neurodevelopmental deviance prior to clinical symptom expression. There are also first hints for a developmental risk factor model of these mental disorders. An in-depth analysis of motor networks and related patho-(physiological) mechanisms will not only help promoting Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Motor System construct, but also facilitate the development of novel psychopharmacological models, as well as the identification of neurobiologically plausible target sites for non-invasive brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusan Hirjak
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Fritze
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Katharina M Kubera
- Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert C Wolf
- Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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22
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Dickie EW, Ameis SH, Shahab S, Calarco N, Smith DE, Miranda D, Viviano JD, Voineskos AN. Personalized Intrinsic Network Topography Mapping and Functional Connectivity Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:278-286. [PMID: 29703592 PMCID: PMC6076333 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.1174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in techniques using functional magnetic resonance imaging data demonstrate individually specific variation in brain architecture in healthy individuals. To our knowledge, the effects of individually specific variation in complex brain disorders have not been previously reported. METHODS We developed a novel approach (Personalized Intrinsic Network Topography, PINT) for localizing individually specific resting-state networks using conventional resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Using cross-sectional data from participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 393) and typically developing (TD) control participants (n = 496) across 15 sites, we tested: 1) effect of diagnosis and age on the variability of intrinsic network locations and 2) whether prior findings of functional connectivity differences in persons with ASD compared with TD persons remain after PINT application. RESULTS We found greater variability in the spatial locations of resting-state networks within individuals with ASD compared with those in TD individuals. For TD persons, variability decreased from childhood into adulthood and increased in late life, following a U-shaped pattern that was not present in those with ASD. Comparison of intrinsic connectivity between groups revealed that the application of PINT decreased the number of hypoconnected regions in ASD. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide a new framework for measuring altered brain functioning in neurodevelopmental disorders that may have implications for tracking developmental course, phenotypic heterogeneity, and ultimately treatment response. We underscore the importance of accounting for individual variation in the study of complex brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin W Dickie
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Brain and Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Saba Shahab
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Navona Calarco
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Dawn E Smith
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Dayton Miranda
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Joseph D Viviano
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Aristotle N Voineskos
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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23
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Riddle K, Cascio CJ, Woodward ND. Brain structure in autism: a voxel-based morphometry analysis of the Autism Brain Imaging Database Exchange (ABIDE). Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 11:541-551. [PMID: 26941174 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9534-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Increased brain volume is a consistent finding in young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, the regional specificity and developmental course of abnormal brain structure are less clear. Small sample sizes, particularly among voxel-based morphometry (VBM) investigations, likely contribute to this difficulty. Recently established large-scale neuroimaging data repositories have helped clarify the neuroanatomy of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and may prove useful in ASD. Structural brain images from the Autism Brain Imaging Database Exchange (ABIDE), which contains over 1100 participants, were analyzing using DARTEL VBM to investigate total brain and tissue volumes, and regional brain structure abnormalities in ASD. Two, overlapping cohorts were analyzed; an 'All Subjects' cohort (n = 833) that included all individuals with usable MRI data, and a 'Matched Samples' cohort (n = 600) comprised of ASD and TD individuals matched, within each site, on age and sex. Total brain and grey matter volumes were enlarged by approximately 1-2 % in ASD; however, the effect reached statistical significance in only the All Subjects cohort. Within the All Subjects cohort, VBM analysis revealed enlargement of the left anterior superior temporal gyrus in ASD. No significant regional changes were detected in the Matched Samples cohort. There was a non-significant reduction in the correlation between IQ and TBV in ASD compared to TD. Brain structure abnormalities in ASD individuals age 6 and older consists of a subtle increase in total brain volume due to enlargement of grey matter with little evidence of regionally specific effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin Riddle
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carissa J Cascio
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Neil D Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Center for Cognitive Medicine & Psychotic Disorders Program, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Suite 3057, 1601 23rd Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
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24
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Atypical structural and functional motor networks in autism. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:207-248. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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25
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Ramot M, Kimmich S, Gonzalez-Castillo J, Roopchansingh V, Popal H, White E, Gotts SJ, Martin A. Direct modulation of aberrant brain network connectivity through real-time NeuroFeedback. eLife 2017; 6:28974. [PMID: 28917059 PMCID: PMC5626477 DOI: 10.7554/elife.28974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The existence of abnormal connectivity patterns between resting state networks in neuropsychiatric disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has been well established. Traditional treatment methods in ASD are limited, and do not address the aberrant network structure. Using real-time fMRI neurofeedback, we directly trained three brain nodes in participants with ASD, in which the aberrant connectivity has been shown to correlate with symptom severity. Desired network connectivity patterns were reinforced in real-time, without participants’ awareness of the training taking place. This training regimen produced large, significant long-term changes in correlations at the network level, and whole brain analysis revealed that the greatest changes were focused on the areas being trained. These changes were not found in the control group. Moreover, changes in ASD resting state connectivity following the training were correlated to changes in behavior, suggesting that neurofeedback can be used to directly alter complex, clinically relevant network connectivity patterns. Even when we are at rest, our brains are always active. For example, areas of the brain involved in vision remain active in complete darkness. Different brain regions that connect together to perform a given task often show coordinated activity at rest. Past studies have shown that these resting connections are different in people with conditions such as autism. Some brain regions are more weakly connected while others are more strongly connected in people with autism spectrum disorder compared to those without. Furthermore, people with more severe symptoms seem to have more abnormal connections. “Neurofeedback training” is a method of changing the resting connections between different brain regions. Scientists measure a brain signal – the connection between different brain regions – from a person in real time. They then provide positive feedback to the person if this signal improves. For example, if a connection that is too weak becomes stronger, the scientists might reinforce this by providing feedback on the success. Previous work has shown that neurofeedback training may even change people’s behaviour. However, it has not yet been explored as a method of treating the abnormal connections seen in people with autism when their brains are at rest. To address this, Ramot et al. used a technique known as “functional magnetic resonance imaging” (or fMRI for short) to measure brain activity in young men with autism. First, certain brain regions were identified as having abnormal resting connections with each other. The participants were then asked to look at a blank screen and to try to reveal a picture hidden underneath. Whenever the connections between the chosen brain regions improved, part of the picture was revealed on the screen, accompanied by an upbeat sound. The participants were unaware that it was their brain signals causing this positive feedback. This form of neurofeedback training successfully changed the abnormal brain connections in most of the participants with autism, making their connections more similar to those seen in the wider population. These effects lasted up to a year after training. Early results also suggest that these changes were related to improvements in symptoms, although further work is needed to see if doctors could reliably use this method as a therapy. These findings show that neurofeedback training could potentially help treat not only autism spectrum disorder, but a range of other disorders that involve abnormal brain connections, including depression and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Ramot
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Sara Kimmich
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Javier Gonzalez-Castillo
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Vinai Roopchansingh
- Functional MRI Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Haroon Popal
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Emily White
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Stephen J Gotts
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Alex Martin
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
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Vidal MC, Sato JR, Balardin JB, Takahashi DY, Fujita A. ANOCVA in R: A Software to Compare Clusters between Groups and Its Application to the Study of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:16. [PMID: 28174516 PMCID: PMC5258722 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how brain activities cluster can help in the diagnosis of neuropsychological disorders. Thus, it is important to be able to identify alterations in the clustering structure of functional brain networks. Here, we provide an R implementation of Analysis of Cluster Variability (ANOCVA), which statistically tests (1) whether a set of brain regions of interest (ROI) are equally clustered between two or more populations and (2) whether the contribution of each ROI to the differences in clustering is significant. To illustrate the usefulness of our method and software, we apply the R package in a large functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset composed of 896 individuals (529 controls and 285 diagnosed with ASD—autism spectrum disorder) collected by the ABIDE (The Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange) Consortium. Our analysis show that the clustering structure of controls and ASD subjects are different (p < 0.001) and that specific brain regions distributed in the frontotemporal, sensorimotor, visual, cerebellar, and brainstem systems significantly contributed (p < 0.05) to this differential clustering. These findings suggest an atypical organization of domain-specific function brain modules in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciel C Vidal
- Department of Computer Science, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João R Sato
- Center of Mathematics, Computation, and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC Santo André, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Deparment of Psychology and Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - André Fujita
- Department of Computer Science, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
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Hannant P, Tavassoli T, Cassidy S. The Role of Sensorimotor Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Conditions. Front Neurol 2016; 7:124. [PMID: 27559329 PMCID: PMC4978940 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to difficulties in social communication, current diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum conditions (ASC) also incorporate sensorimotor difficulties, repetitive motor movements, and atypical reactivity to sensory input (1). This paper explores whether sensorimotor difficulties are associated with the development and maintenance of symptoms in ASC. First, studies have shown difficulties coordinating sensory input into planning and executing movement effectively in ASC. Second, studies have shown associations between sensory reactivity and motor coordination with core ASC symptoms, suggesting these areas each strongly influence the development of social and communication skills. Third, studies have begun to demonstrate that sensorimotor difficulties in ASC could account for reduced social attention early in development, with a cascading effect on later social, communicative and emotional development. These results suggest that sensorimotor difficulties not only contribute to non-social difficulties such as narrow circumscribed interests, but also to the development of social behaviors such as effectively coordinating eye contact with speech and gesture, interpreting others' behavior, and responding appropriately. Further research is needed to explore the link between sensory and motor difficulties in ASC and their contribution to the development and maintenance of ASC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope Hannant
- Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
| | - Teresa Tavassoli
- Seaver Autism Centre, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Cassidy
- Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
- Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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28
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Sokhadze EM, Tasman A, Sokhadze GE, El-Baz AS, Casanova MF. Behavioral, Cognitive, and Motor Preparation Deficits in a Visual Cued Spatial Attention Task in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2016; 41:81-92. [PMID: 26377686 PMCID: PMC4840413 DOI: 10.1007/s10484-015-9313-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities in motor skills have been regarded as part of the symptomatology characterizing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It has been estimated that 80 % of subjects with autism display "motor dyspraxia" or clumsiness that are not readily identified in a routine neurological examination. In this study we used behavioral measures, event-related potentials (ERP), and lateralized readiness potential (LRP) to study cognitive and motor preparation deficits contributing to the dyspraxia of autism. A modified Posner cueing task was used to analyze motor preparation abnormalities in children with autism and in typically developing children (N = 30/per group). In this task, subjects engage in preparing motor response based on a visual cue, and then execute a motor movement based on the subsequent imperative stimulus. The experimental conditions, such as the validity of the cue and the spatial location of the target stimuli were manipulated to influence motor response selection, preparation, and execution. Reaction time and accuracy benefited from validly cued targets in both groups, while main effects of target spatial position were more obvious in the autism group. The main ERP findings were prolonged and more negative early frontal potentials in the ASD in incongruent trials in both types of spatial location. The LRP amplitude was larger in incongruent trials and had stronger effect in the children with ASD. These effects were better expressed at the earlier stages of LRP, specifically those related to response selection, and showed difficulties at the cognitive phase of stimulus processing rather that at the motor execution stage. The LRP measures at different stages reflect the chronology of cognitive aspects of movement preparation and are sensitive to manipulations of cue correctness, thus representing very useful biomarker in autism dyspraxia research. Future studies may use more advance and diverse manipulations of movement preparation demands in testing more refined specifics of dyspraxia symptoms to investigate functional connectivity abnormalities underlying motor skills deficits in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estate M Sokhadze
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA.
| | - Allan Tasman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Guela E Sokhadze
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Ayman S El-Baz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Manuel F Casanova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
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D'Mello AM, Stoodley CJ. Cerebro-cerebellar circuits in autism spectrum disorder. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:408. [PMID: 26594140 PMCID: PMC4633503 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum is one of the most consistent sites of abnormality in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and cerebellar damage is associated with an increased risk of ASD symptoms, suggesting that cerebellar dysfunction may play a crucial role in the etiology of ASD. The cerebellum forms multiple closed-loop circuits with cerebral cortical regions that underpin movement, language, and social processing. Through these circuits, cerebellar dysfunction could impact the core ASD symptoms of social and communication deficits and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. The emerging topography of sensorimotor, cognitive, and affective subregions in the cerebellum provides a new framework for interpreting the significance of regional cerebellar findings in ASD and their relationship to broader cerebro-cerebellar circuits. Further, recent research supports the idea that the integrity of cerebro-cerebellar loops might be important for early cortical development; disruptions in specific cerebro-cerebellar loops in ASD might impede the specialization of cortical regions involved in motor control, language, and social interaction, leading to impairments in these domains. Consistent with this concept, structural, and functional differences in sensorimotor regions of the cerebellum and sensorimotor cerebro-cerebellar circuits are associated with deficits in motor control and increased repetitive and stereotyped behaviors in ASD. Further, communication and social impairments are associated with atypical activation and structure in cerebro-cerebellar loops underpinning language and social cognition. Finally, there is converging evidence from structural, functional, and connectivity neuroimaging studies that cerebellar right Crus I/II abnormalities are related to more severe ASD impairments in all domains. We propose that cerebellar abnormalities may disrupt optimization of both structure and function in specific cerebro-cerebellar circuits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anila M D'Mello
- Department of Psychology, American University Washington DC, USA ; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University Washington DC, USA
| | - Catherine J Stoodley
- Department of Psychology, American University Washington DC, USA ; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University Washington DC, USA
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30
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Mosconi MW, Sweeney JA. Sensorimotor dysfunctions as primary features of autism spectrum disorders. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2015; 58:1016-23. [PMID: 26335740 PMCID: PMC5304941 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-015-4894-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Motor impairments in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have received far less research attention than core social-communication and cognitive features. Yet, behavioral, neurophysiological, neuroimaging and histopathological studies have documented abnormal motor system development in the majority of individuals with ASD suggesting that these deficits may be primary to the disorder. There are several unique advantages to studying motor development in ASD. First, the neurophysiological substrates of motor skills have been well-characterized via animal and human lesion studies. Second, many of the single- gene disorders associated with ASD also are characterized by motor dysfunctions. Third, recent evidence suggests that the onset of motor dysfunctions may precede the emergence of social and communication deficits during the first year of life in ASD. Motor deficits documented in ASD indicate disruptions throughout the neuroaxis affecting cortex, striatum, the cerebellum and brainstem. Questions remain regarding the timing and development of motor system alterations in ASD, their association with defining clinical features, and their potential for parsing heterogeneity in ASD. Pursuing these questions through neurobiologically informed translational research holds great promise for identifying gene-brain pathways associated with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9086, USA.
| | - John A Sweeney
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9086, USA
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Mosconi MW, Wang Z, Schmitt LM, Tsai P, Sweeney JA. The role of cerebellar circuitry alterations in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:296. [PMID: 26388713 PMCID: PMC4555040 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been repeatedly implicated in gene expression, rodent model and post-mortem studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). How cellular and molecular anomalies of the cerebellum relate to clinical manifestations of ASD remains unclear. Separate circuits of the cerebellum control different sensorimotor behaviors, such as maintaining balance, walking, making eye movements, reaching, and grasping. Each of these behaviors has been found to be impaired in ASD, suggesting that multiple distinct circuits of the cerebellum may be involved in the pathogenesis of patients' sensorimotor impairments. We will review evidence that the development of these circuits is disrupted in individuals with ASD and that their study may help elucidate the pathophysiology of sensorimotor deficits and core symptoms of the disorder. Preclinical studies of monogenetic conditions associated with ASD also have identified selective defects of the cerebellum and documented behavioral rescues when the cerebellum is targeted. Based on these findings, we propose that cerebellar circuits may prove to be promising targets for therapeutic development aimed at rescuing sensorimotor and other clinical symptoms of different forms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Clinical Child Psychology Program and Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas Lawrence, KS, USA ; Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren M Schmitt
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Peter Tsai
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
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32
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Pediatric applications of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Pediatr Radiol 2015; 45 Suppl 3:S382-96. [PMID: 26346144 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-015-3365-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Pediatric functional MRI has been used for the last 2 decades but is now gaining wide acceptance in the preoperative workup of children with brain tumors and medically refractory epilepsy. This review covers pediatrics-specific difficulties such as sedation and task paradigm selection according to the child's age and cognitive level. We also illustrate the increasing uses of functional MRI in the depiction of cognitive function, neuropsychiatric disorders and response to pharmacological agents. Finally, we review the uses of resting-state fMRI in the evaluation of children and in the detection of epileptogenic regions.
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33
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Carmo JC, Duarte E, Pinho S, Marques JF, Filipe CN. Verbal fluency as a function of time in autism spectrum disorder: An impairment of initiation processes? J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2015.1062082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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34
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Foti F, De Crescenzo F, Vivanti G, Menghini D, Vicari S. Implicit learning in individuals with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med 2015; 45:897-910. [PMID: 25126858 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291714001950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by social communication difficulties and behavioural rigidity. Difficulties in learning from others are one of the most devastating features of this group of conditions. Nevertheless, the nature of learning difficulties in ASDs is still unclear. Given the relevance of implicit learning for social and communicative functioning, a link has been hypothesized between ASDs and implicit learning deficit. However, studies that have employed formal testing of implicit learning in ASDs provided mixed results. METHOD We undertook a systematic search of studies that examined implicit learning in ASDs using serial reaction time (SRT), alternating serial reaction time (ASRT), pursuit rotor (PR), and contextual cueing (CC) tasks, and synthesized the data using meta-analysis. A total of 11 studies were identified, representing data from 407 individuals with ASDs and typically developing comparison participants. RESULTS The results indicate that individuals with ASDs do not differ in any task considered [SRT and ASRT task: standardized mean difference (SMD) -0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.71 to 0.36; PR task: SMD -0.34, 95% CI -1.04 to 0.36; CC task: SMD 0.27, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.60]. CONCLUSIONS Based on our synthesis of the existing literature, we conclude that individuals with ASDs can learn implicitly, supporting the hypothesis that implicit learning deficits do not represent a core feature in ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Foti
- Department of Psychology,'Sapienza' University of Rome,Italy
| | - F De Crescenzo
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department,'Children's Hospital Bambino Gesu',Rome,Italy
| | - G Vivanti
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science,La Trobe University,Melbourne, VIC,Australia
| | - D Menghini
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department,'Children's Hospital Bambino Gesu',Rome,Italy
| | - S Vicari
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department,'Children's Hospital Bambino Gesu',Rome,Italy
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35
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Pantelis PC, Byrge L, Tyszka JM, Adolphs R, Kennedy DP. A specific hypoactivation of right temporo-parietal junction/posterior superior temporal sulcus in response to socially awkward situations in autism. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 10:1348-56. [PMID: 25698698 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty comprehending social situations in the complex, dynamic contexts encountered in the real world. To study the social brain under conditions which approximate naturalistic situations, we measured brain activity with FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING: while participants watched a full-length episode of the sitcom The Office. Having quantified the degree of social awkwardness at each moment of the episode, as judged by an independent sample of controls, we found that both individuals with ASD and control participants showed reliable activation of several brain regions commonly associated with social perception and cognition (e.g. those comprising the 'mentalizing network') during the more awkward moments. However, individuals with ASD showed less activity than controls in a region near right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ) extending into the posterior end of the right superior temporal sulcus (RSTS). Further analyses suggested that, despite the free-form nature of the experimental design, this group difference was specific to this RTPJ/RSTS area of the mentalizing network; other regions of interest showed similar activity across groups with respect to both location and magnitude. These findings add support to a body of evidence suggesting that RTPJ/RSTS plays a special role in social processes across modalities and may function atypically in individuals with ASD navigating the social world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter C Pantelis
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington 1101 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA,
| | - Lisa Byrge
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington 1101 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - J Michael Tyszka
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA, and
| | - Ralph Adolphs
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA, and Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Daniel P Kennedy
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington 1101 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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36
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The idiosyncratic brain: distortion of spontaneous connectivity patterns in autism spectrum disorder. Nat Neurosci 2015; 18:302-9. [PMID: 25599222 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 265] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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37
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Abstract
The cerebellum is one of the most consistent sites of abnormality in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and cerebellar damage is associated with an increased risk of ASD symptoms, suggesting that cerebellar dysfunction may play a crucial role in the etiology of ASD. The cerebellum forms multiple closed-loop circuits with cerebral cortical regions that underpin movement, language, and social processing. Through these circuits, cerebellar dysfunction could impact the core ASD symptoms of social and communication deficits and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. The emerging topography of sensorimotor, cognitive, and affective subregions in the cerebellum provides a new framework for interpreting the significance of regional cerebellar findings in ASD and their relationship to broader cerebro-cerebellar circuits. Further, recent research supports the idea that the integrity of cerebro-cerebellar loops might be important for early cortical development; disruptions in specific cerebro-cerebellar loops in ASD might impede the specialization of cortical regions involved in motor control, language, and social interaction, leading to impairments in these domains. Consistent with this concept, structural, and functional differences in sensorimotor regions of the cerebellum and sensorimotor cerebro-cerebellar circuits are associated with deficits in motor control and increased repetitive and stereotyped behaviors in ASD. Further, communication and social impairments are associated with atypical activation and structure in cerebro-cerebellar loops underpinning language and social cognition. Finally, there is converging evidence from structural, functional, and connectivity neuroimaging studies that cerebellar right Crus I/II abnormalities are related to more severe ASD impairments in all domains. We propose that cerebellar abnormalities may disrupt optimization of both structure and function in specific cerebro-cerebellar circuits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anila M D'Mello
- Department of Psychology, American University Washington DC, USA ; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University Washington DC, USA
| | - Catherine J Stoodley
- Department of Psychology, American University Washington DC, USA ; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University Washington DC, USA
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38
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White SW, Mazefsky CA, Dichter GS, Chiu PH, Richey JA, Ollendick TH. Social-cognitive, physiological, and neural mechanisms underlying emotion regulation impairments: understanding anxiety in autism spectrum disorder. Int J Dev Neurosci 2014; 39:22-36. [PMID: 24951837 PMCID: PMC4180783 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2014.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety is one of the most common clinical problems among children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet we know little about its etiology in the context of ASD. We posit that emotion regulation (ER) impairments are a risk factor for anxiety in ASD. Specifically, we propose that one reason why anxiety disorders are so frequently comorbid with ASD is because ER impairments are ubiquitous to ASD, stemming from socio-cognitive, physiological, and neurological processes related to impaired cognitive control, regulatory processes, and arousal. In this review, we offer a developmental model of how ER impairments may arise in ASD, and when (moderating influences) and how (meditational mechanisms) they result in anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan W White
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, United States.
| | - Carla A Mazefsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, United States
| | - Gabriel S Dichter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, United States; Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, United States
| | - Pearl H Chiu
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, United States
| | - John A Richey
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, United States
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Memari AH, Ghanouni P, Shayestehfar M, Ghaheri B. Postural control impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: a critical review of current literature. Asian J Sports Med 2014; 5:e22963. [PMID: 25520765 PMCID: PMC4267489 DOI: 10.5812/asjsm.22963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Motor impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been frequently reported. In this review, we narrow our focus on postural control impairments to summarize current literature for patterns, underlying mechanisms, and determinants of posture in this population. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A literature search was conducted through Medline, ISI web of Knowledge, Scopus and Google Scholar to include studies between 1992 and February 2013. RESULTS Individuals with ASD have problems in maintaining postural control in infancy that well persists into later years. However, the patterns and underlying mechanisms are still unclear. CONCLUSIONS Examining postural control as an endophenotype or early diagnostic marker of autism is a conceptual premise which should be considered in future investigations. At the end of the review, methodological recommendations on the assessment of postural control have also been provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Memari
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Amir Hossein Memari, Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran. Tel: +98-2188630227, Fax: +98-2188003539, E-mail:
| | - Parisa Ghanouni
- Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Monir Shayestehfar
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
| | - Banafsheh Ghaheri
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, IR Iran
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Derivation of high-resolution MRI atlases of the human cerebellum at 3T and segmentation using multiple automatically generated templates. Neuroimage 2014; 95:217-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
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Auzias G, Viellard M, Takerkart S, Villeneuve N, Poinso F, Fonséca DD, Girard N, Deruelle C. Atypical sulcal anatomy in young children with autism spectrum disorder. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2014; 4:593-603. [PMID: 24936410 PMCID: PMC4053636 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Revised: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is associated with an altered early brain development. However, the specific cortical structure abnormalities underlying this disorder remain largely unknown. Nonetheless, atypical cortical folding provides lingering evidence of early disruptions in neurodevelopmental processes and identifying changes in the geometry of cortical sulci is of primary interest for characterizing these structural abnormalities in autism and their evolution over the first stages of brain development. Here, we applied state-of-the-art sulcus-based morphometry methods to a large highly-selective cohort of 73 young male children of age spanning from 18 to 108 months. Moreover, such large cohort was selected through extensive behavioral assessments and stringent inclusion criteria for the group of 59 children with autism. After manual labeling of 59 different sulci in each hemisphere, we computed multiple shape descriptors for each single sulcus element, hereby separating the folding measurement into distinct factors such as the length and depth of the sulcus. We demonstrated that the central, intraparietal and frontal medial sulci showed a significant and consistent pattern of abnormalities across our different geometrical indices. We also found that autistic and control children exhibited strikingly different relationships between age and structural changes in brain morphology. Lastly, the different measures of sulcus shapes were correlated with the CARS and ADOS scores that are specific to the autistic pathology and indices of symptom severity. Inherently, these structural abnormalities are confined to regions that are functionally relevant with respect to cognitive disorders in ASD. In contrast to those previously reported in adults, it is very unlikely that these abnormalities originate from general compensatory mechanisms unrelated to the primary pathology. Rather, they most probably reflect an early disruption on developmental trajectory that could be part of the primary pathology. A new single-site cohort of 73 young children (1.5–11 years) with autism and controls State-of-the-art methodology used to compare geometrical attributes of sulci Combination of automatic extraction of descriptors with manual identification of sulci Clearly evidence localized sulcal shape abnormalities in the autism group Different relationships between age and structural changes in brain morphology
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Auzias
- INT UMR 7289, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
- Corresponding author at: Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Faculté de Médecine, 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 cedex 5 Marseille, France.
| | - M. Viellard
- INT UMR 7289, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
- Centre de Ressources Autisme, Service de Pédopsychiatrie, APHM, Hôpital Ste Marguerite, Marseille, France
| | - S. Takerkart
- INT UMR 7289, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
| | - N. Villeneuve
- Centre de Ressources Autisme, Service de Pédopsychiatrie, APHM, Hôpital Ste Marguerite, Marseille, France
| | - F. Poinso
- INT UMR 7289, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
- Centre de Ressources Autisme, Service de Pédopsychiatrie, APHM, Hôpital Ste Marguerite, Marseille, France
| | - D. Da Fonséca
- INT UMR 7289, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
- Service de Pédopsychiatrie, APHM, Hôpital Salvator, France
| | - N. Girard
- CRMBM UMR 7339, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
- APHM Timone, Service de Neuroradiologie Diagnostique et Interventionnelle, Marseille, France
| | - C. Deruelle
- INT UMR 7289, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, France
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Maximo JO, Cadena EJ, Kana RK. The implications of brain connectivity in the neuropsychology of autism. Neuropsychol Rev 2014; 24:16-31. [PMID: 24496901 PMCID: PMC4059500 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-014-9250-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been associated with atypical brain functioning. Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) studies examining neural networks in autism have seen an exponential rise over the last decade. Such investigations have led to the characterization of autism as a distributed neural systems disorder. Studies have found widespread cortical underconnectivity, local overconnectivity, and mixed results suggesting disrupted brain connectivity as a potential neural signature of autism. In this review, we summarize the findings of previous fcMRI studies in autism with a detailed examination of their methodology, in order to better understand its potential and to delineate the pitfalls. We also address how a multimodal neuroimaging approach (incorporating different measures of brain connectivity) may help characterize the complex neurobiology of autism at a global level. Finally, we also address the potential of neuroimaging-based markers in assisting neuropsychological assessment of autism. The quest for a neural marker for autism is still ongoing, yet new findings suggest that aberrant brain connectivity may be a promising candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose O. Maximo
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Elyse J. Cadena
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Rajesh K. Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Increased topographical variability of task-related activation in perceptive and motor associative regions in adult autistics. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2014; 4:444-53. [PMID: 25101235 PMCID: PMC4116759 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Background An enhanced plasticity is suspected to play a role in various microstructural alterations, as well as in regional cortical reallocations observed in autism. Combined with multiple indications of enhanced perceptual functioning in autism, and indications of atypical motor functioning, enhanced plasticity predicts a superior variability in functional cortical allocation, predominant in perceptual and motor regions. Method To test this prediction, we scanned 23 autistics and 22 typical participants matched on age, FSIQ, Raven percentile scores and handedness during a visuo-motor imitation task. For each participant, the coordinates of the strongest task-related activation peak were extracted in the primary (Brodmann area 4) and supplementary (BA 6) motor cortex, the visuomotor superior parietal cortex (BA 7), and the primary (BA 17) and associative (BAs 18 + 19) visual areas. Mean signal changes for each ROI in both hemispheres, and the number of voxels composing the strongest activation cluster were individually extracted to compare intensity and size of the signal between groups. For each ROI, in each hemisphere, and for every participant, the distance from their respective group average was used as a variable of interest to determine group differences in localization variability using repeated measures ANOVAs. Between-group comparison of whole-brain activation was also performed. Results Both groups displayed a higher mean variability in the localization of activations in the associative areas compared to the primary visual or motor areas. However, despite this shared increased variability in associative cortices, a direct between-group comparison of the individual variability in localization of the activation revealed a significantly greater variability in the autistic group than in the typical group in the left visuo-motor superior parietal cortex (BA 7) and in the left associative visual areas (BAs 18 + 19). Conclusion Different and possibly unique strategies are used by each autistic individual. That enhanced variability in localization of activations in the autistic group is found in regions typically more variable in non-autistics raises the possibility that autism involves an enhancement and/or an alteration of typical plasticity mechanisms. The current study also highlights the necessity to verify, in fMRI studies involving autistic people, that hypoactivation at the group level does not result from each individual successfully completing a task using a unique brain allocation, even by comparison to his own group. Functional activation in associative regions are more variable in autistics than in typicals. Autistics showed enhanced variability in regions that are typically more variable in typicals. Enhanced variability follows the same rule in perceptive and motor-related regions.
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Padmanabhan A, Lynn A, Foran W, Luna B, O'Hearn K. Age related changes in striatal resting state functional connectivity in autism. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:814. [PMID: 24348363 PMCID: PMC3842522 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2013] [Accepted: 11/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterizing the nature of developmental change is critical to understanding the mechanisms that are impaired in complex neurodevelopment disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, pragmatically, may allow us to pinpoint periods of plasticity when interventions are particularly useful. Although aberrant brain development has long been theorized as a characteristic feature of ASD, the neural substrates have been difficult to characterize, in part due to a lack of developmental data and to performance confounds. To address these issues, we examined the development of intrinsic functional connectivity, with resting state fMRI from late childhood to early adulthood (8–36 years), using a seed based functional connectivity method with the striatal regions. Overall, we found that both groups show decreases in cortico-striatal circuits over age. However, when controlling for age, ASD participants showed increased connectivity with parietal cortex and decreased connectivity with prefrontal cortex relative to typically developed (TD) participants. In addition, ASD participants showed aberrant age-related connectivity with anterior aspects of cerebellum, and posterior temporal regions (e.g., fusiform gyrus, inferior and superior temporal gyri). In sum, we found prominent differences in the development of striatal connectivity in ASD, most notably, atypical development of connectivity in striatal networks that may underlie cognitive and social reward processing. Our findings highlight the need to identify the biological mechanisms of perturbations in brain reorganization over development, which may also help clarify discrepant findings in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarthi Padmanabhan
- Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Andrew Lynn
- Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - William Foran
- Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kirsten O'Hearn
- Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Panerai S, Tasca D, Lanuzza B, Trubia G, Ferri R, Musso S, Alagona G, Di Guardo G, Barone C, Gaglione MP, Elia M. Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in performing eye-hand integration tasks: four preliminary studies with children showing low-functioning autism. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2013; 18:638-50. [PMID: 24113340 DOI: 10.1177/1362361313495717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This report, based on four studies with children with low-functioning autism, aimed at evaluating the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivered on the left and right premotor cortices on eye-hand integration tasks; defining the long-lasting effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; and investigating the real efficacy of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation by comparing three kinds of treatments (high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, a traditional eye-hand integration training, and both treatments combined). Results showed a significant increase in eye-hand performances only when high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was delivered on the left premotor cortex; a persistent improvement up to 1 h after the end of the stimulation; better outcomes in the treatment combining high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and eye-hand integration training. Based on these preliminary findings, further evaluations on the usefulness of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in rehabilitation of children with autism are strongly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Grazia Trubia
- IRCCS Associazione Oasi Maria SS., Tronia (EN), Italy
| | | | - Sabrina Musso
- IRCCS Associazione Oasi Maria SS., Tronia (EN), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Maurizio Elia
- IRCCS Associazione Oasi Maria SS., Tronia (EN), Italy
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Wang J, Barstein J, Ethridge LE, Mosconi MW, Takarae Y, Sweeney JA. Resting state EEG abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders. J Neurodev Disord 2013; 5:24. [PMID: 24040879 PMCID: PMC3847481 DOI: 10.1186/1866-1955-5-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 262] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex and heterogeneous developmental disorders involving multiple neural system dysfunctions. In an effort to understand neurophysiological substrates, identify etiopathophysiologically distinct subgroups of patients, and track outcomes of novel treatments with translational biomarkers, EEG (electroencephalography) studies offer a promising research strategy in ASD. Resting-state EEG studies of ASD suggest a U-shaped profile of electrophysiological power alterations, with excessive power in low-frequency and high-frequency bands, abnormal functional connectivity, and enhanced power in the left hemisphere of the brain. In this review, we provide a summary of recent findings, discuss limitations in available research that may contribute to inconsistencies in the literature, and offer suggestions for future research in this area for advancing the understanding of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jamie Barstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren E Ethridge
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia
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Duffield T, Trontel H, Bigler ED, Froehlich A, Prigge MB, Travers B, Green RR, Cariello AN, Cooperrider J, Nielsen J, Alexander A, Anderson J, Fletcher PT, Lange N, Zielinski B, Lainhart J. Neuropsychological investigation of motor impairments in autism. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2013; 35:867-81. [PMID: 23985036 PMCID: PMC3907511 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2013.827156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
It is unclear how standardized neuropsychological measures of motor function relate to brain volumes of motor regions in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An all-male sample composed of 59 ASD and 30 controls (ages 5-33 years) completed three measures of motor function: strength of grip (SOG), finger tapping test (FTT), and grooved pegboard test (GPT). Likewise, all participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging with region of interest (ROI) volumes obtained to include the following regions: motor cortex (precentral gyrus), somatosensory cortex (postcentral gyrus), thalamus, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and caudal middle frontal gyrus. These traditional neuropsychological measures of motor function are assumed to differ in motor complexity, with GPT requiring the most followed by FTT and SOG. Performance by ASD participants on the GPT and FTT differed significantly from that of controls, with the largest effect size differences observed on the more complex GPT task. Differences on the SOG task between the two groups were nonsignificant. Since more complex motor tasks tap more complex networks, poorer GPT performance by those with ASD may reflect less efficient motor networks. There was no gross pathology observed in classic motor areas of the brain in ASD, as ROI volumes did not differ, but FTT was negatively related to motor cortex volume in ASD. The results suggest a hierarchical motor disruption in ASD, with difficulties evident only in more complex tasks as well as a potential anomalous size-function relation in motor cortex in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Duffield
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Haley Trontel
- Department of Psychology, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Erin D. Bigler
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- The Brain Institute of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Alyson Froehlich
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Molly B. Prigge
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Brittany Travers
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Ryan R. Green
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Annahir N. Cariello
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jason Cooperrider
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jared Nielsen
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Andrew Alexander
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jeffrey Anderson
- Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - P. Thomas Fletcher
- The Brain Institute of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- School of Computing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Nicholas Lange
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Neurostatistics Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Brandon Zielinski
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Janet Lainhart
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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Nair A, Treiber JM, Shukla DK, Shih P, Müller RA. Impaired thalamocortical connectivity in autism spectrum disorder: a study of functional and anatomical connectivity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 136:1942-55. [PMID: 23739917 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awt079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus plays crucial roles in the development and mature functioning of numerous sensorimotor, cognitive and attentional circuits. Currently limited evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorder may be associated with thalamic abnormalities, potentially related to sociocommunicative and other impairments in this disorder. We used functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging probabilistic tractography to study the functional and anatomical integrity of thalamo-cortical connectivity in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and matched typically developing children. For connectivity with five cortical seeds (prefontal, parieto-occipital, motor, somatosensory and temporal), we found evidence of both anatomical and functional underconnectivity. The only exception was functional connectivity with the temporal lobe, which was increased in the autism spectrum disorders group, especially in the right hemisphere. However, this effect was robust only in partial correlation analyses (partialling out time series from other cortical seeds), whereas findings from total correlation analyses suggest that temporo-thalamic overconnectivity in the autism group was only relative to the underconnectivity found for other cortical seeds. We also found evidence of microstructural compromise within the thalamic motor parcel, associated with compromise in tracts between thalamus and motor cortex, suggesting that the thalamus may play a role in motor abnormalities reported in previous autism studies. More generally, a number of correlations of diffusion tensor imaging and functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging measures with diagnostic and neuropsychological scores indicate involvement of abnormal thalamocortical connectivity in sociocommunicative and cognitive impairments in autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Nair
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
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Abstract
Despite being largely characterized as a social and cognitive disorder, strong evidence indicates the presence of significant sensory-motor problems in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This paper outlines our progression from initial, broad assessment using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC2) to subsequent targeted kinematic assessment. In particular, pronounced ASD impairment seen in the broad categories of manual dexterity and ball skills was found to be routed in specific difficulties on isolated tasks, which were translated into focused experimental assessment. Kinematic results from both subsequent studies highlight impaired use of perception-action coupling to guide, adapt and tailor movement to task demands, resulting in inflexible and rigid motor profiles. In particular difficulties with the use of temporal adaption are shown, with "hyperdexterity" witnessed in ballistic movement profiles, often at the cost of spatial accuracy and task performance. By linearly progressing from the use of a standardized assessment tool to targeted kinematic assessment, clear and defined links are drawn between measureable difficulties and underlying sensory-motor assessment. Results are specifically viewed in-light of perception-action coupling and its role in early infant development suggesting that rather than being "secondary" level impairment, sensory-motor problems may be fundamental in the progression of ASD. This logical and systematic process thus allows a further understanding into the potential root of observable motor problems in ASD; a vital step if underlying motor problems are to be considered a fundamental aspect of autism and allow a route of non-invasive preliminary diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Whyatt
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University BelfastBelfast, Antrim, UK
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50
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Abstract
This review presents an overview of functional magnetic resonance imaging findings in autism spectrum disorders (ASDS), although there is considerable heterogeneity with respect to results across studies, common themes have emerged, including: (i) hypoactivation in nodes of the "social brain" during social processing tasks, including regions within the prefrontal cortex, the posterior superior temporal sulcus, the amygdala, and the fusiform gyrus; (ii) aberrant frontostriatal activation during cognitive control tasks relevant to restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests, including regions within the dorsal prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia; (iii) differential lateralization and activation of language processing and production regions during communication tasks; (iv) anomalous mesolimbic responses to social and nonsocial rewards; (v) task-based long-range functional hypoconnectivity and short-range hyper-connectivity; and (vi) decreased anterior-posterior functional connectivity during resting states. These findings provide mechanistic accounts of ASD pathophysiology and suggest directions for future research aimed at elucidating etiologic models and developing rationally derived and targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel S Dichter
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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