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Hossain MR, Tareq MMI, Biswas P, Tauhida SJ, Bibi S, Zilani MNH, Albadrani GM, Al‐Ghadi MQ, Abdel‐Daim MM, Hasan MN. Identification of molecular targets and small drug candidates for Huntington's disease via bioinformatics and a network-based screening approach. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18588. [PMID: 39153206 PMCID: PMC11330274 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a gradually severe neurodegenerative ailment characterised by an increase of a specific trinucleotide repeat sequence (cytosine-adenine-guanine, CAG). It is passed down as a dominant characteristic that worsens over time, creating a significant risk. Despite being monogenetic, the underlying mechanisms as well as biomarkers remain poorly understood. Furthermore, early detection of HD is challenging, and the available diagnostic procedures have low precision and accuracy. The research was conducted to provide knowledge of the biomarkers, pathways and therapeutic targets involved in the molecular processes of HD using informatic based analysis and applying network-based systems biology approaches. The gene expression profile datasets GSE97100 and GSE74201 relevant to HD were studied. As a consequence, 46 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. 10 hub genes (TPM1, EIF2S3, CCN2, ACTN1, ACTG2, CCN1, CSRP1, EIF1AX, BEX2 and TCEAL5) were further differentiated in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. These hub genes were typically down-regulated. Additionally, DEGs-transcription factors (TFs) connections (e.g. GATA2, YY1 and FOXC1), DEG-microRNA (miRNA) interactions (e.g. hsa-miR-124-3p and has-miR-26b-5p) were also comprehensively forecast. Additionally, related gene ontology concepts (e.g. sequence-specific DNA binding and TF activity) connected to DEGs in HD were identified using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Finally, in silico drug design was employed to find candidate drugs for the treatment HD, and while the possible modest therapeutic compounds (e.g. cortistatin A, 13,16-Epoxy-25-hydroxy-17-cheilanthen-19,25-olide, Hecogenin) against HD were expected. Consequently, the results from this study may give researchers useful resources for the experimental validation of Huntington's diagnosis and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ridoy Hossain
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyJashore University of Science and TechnologyJessoreBangladesh
| | - Md. Mohaimenul Islam Tareq
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyJashore University of Science and TechnologyJessoreBangladesh
| | - Partha Biswas
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyJashore University of Science and TechnologyJessoreBangladesh
| | - Sadia Jannat Tauhida
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyJashore University of Science and TechnologyJessoreBangladesh
| | - Shabana Bibi
- Department of BiosciencesShifa Tameer‐e‐Millat UniversityIslamabadPakistan
- Department of Health SciencesNovel Global Community Educational FoundationHebershamNew South WalesAustralia
| | | | - Ghadeer M. Albadrani
- Department of Biology, College of SciencePrincess Nourah bint Abdulrahman UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Muath Q. Al‐Ghadi
- Department of Zoology, College of ScienceKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed M. Abdel‐Daim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy ProgramBatterjee Medical CollegeJeddahSaudi Arabia
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineSuez Canal UniversityIsmailiaEgypt
| | - Md. Nazmul Hasan
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyJashore University of Science and TechnologyJessoreBangladesh
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Zheng J, Cheng Y, Wu X, Li X, Fu Y, Yang Z. Rich-club organization of whole-brain spatio-temporal multilayer functional connectivity networks. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1405734. [PMID: 38855440 PMCID: PMC11157044 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1405734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective In this work, we propose a novel method for constructing whole-brain spatio-temporal multilayer functional connectivity networks (FCNs) and four innovative rich-club metrics. Methods Spatio-temporal multilayer FCNs achieve a high-order representation of the spatio-temporal dynamic characteristics of brain networks by combining the sliding time window method with graph theory and hypergraph theory. The four proposed rich-club scales are based on the dynamic changes in rich-club node identity, providing a parameterized description of the topological dynamic characteristics of brain networks from both temporal and spatial perspectives. The proposed method was validated in three independent differential analysis experiments: male-female gender difference analysis, analysis of abnormality in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and individual difference analysis. Results The proposed method yielded results consistent with previous relevant studies and revealed some innovative findings. For instance, the dynamic topological characteristics of specific white matter regions effectively reflected individual differences. The increased abnormality in internal functional connectivity within the basal ganglia may be a contributing factor to the occurrence of repetitive or restrictive behaviors in ASD patients. Conclusion The proposed methodology provides an efficacious approach for constructing whole-brain spatio-temporal multilayer FCNs and conducting analysis of their dynamic topological structures. The dynamic topological characteristics of spatio-temporal multilayer FCNs may offer new insights into physiological variations and pathological abnormalities in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhui Zheng
- College of Electronic Engineering, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhao Cheng
- Huaxi Molecular Imaging Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xi Wu
- Department of Computer Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaojie Li
- Department of Computer Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Fu
- Department of Computer Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhipeng Yang
- College of Electronic Engineering, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, China
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Martín-González E, Prados-Pardo Á, Sawiak SJ, Dalley JW, Padro D, Ramos-Cabrer P, Mora S, Moreno-Montoya M. Mapping the neuroanatomical abnormalities in a phenotype of male compulsive rats. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2023; 19:19. [PMID: 37932782 PMCID: PMC10626819 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-023-00221-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Compulsivity is considered a transdiagnostic dimension in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, characterized by heterogeneous cognitive and behavioral phenotypes associated with abnormalities in cortico-striatal-thalamic-cortical circuitry. The present study investigated the structural morphology of white and gray matter in rats selected for low- (LD) and high- (HD) compulsive drinking behavior on a schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) task. Regional brain morphology was assessed using ex-vivo high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Voxel-based morphometry of segmented MRI images revealed larger white matter volumes in anterior commissure and corpus callosum of HD rats compared with LD rats. HD rats also showed significantly larger regional volumes of dorsolateral orbitofrontal cortex, striatum, amygdala, hippocampus, midbrain, sub-thalamic nucleus, and cerebellum. By contrast, the medial prefrontal cortex was significantly smaller in HD rats compared with LD rats with no significant group differences in whole brain, ventricular, or cerebrospinal fluid volumes. These findings show that limbic cortico-basal ganglia structures implicated in impulse control disorders are distinct in rats that are vulnerable to develop compulsive behavior. Such abnormalities may be relevant to the etiology of compulsive disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Martín-González
- Department of Psychology and Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Ángeles Prados-Pardo
- Department of Psychology and Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Stephen J Sawiak
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Daniel Padro
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo Miramón 182, 20014, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Pedro Ramos-Cabrer
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo Miramón 182, 20014, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Santiago Mora
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen Panum Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Margarita Moreno-Montoya
- Department of Psychology and Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120, Almería, Spain.
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Taheri F, Esmaeilpour K, Sepehri G, Sheibani V, Shekari MA. Amelioration of cognition impairments in the valproic acid-induced animal model of autism by ciproxifan, a histamine H3-receptor antagonist. Behav Pharmacol 2023; 34:179-196. [PMID: 37171458 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and repetitive behavior. Many studies show that the number of cognitive impairmentscan be reduced by antagonists of the histamine H3 receptor (H3R). In this study, the effects of ciproxifan (CPX) (1 and 3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) on cognitive impairments in rat pups exposed to valproic acid (VPA) (600 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) wereexamined on postnatal day 48-50 (PND 48-50) using marble-burying task (MBT), open field, novel object recognition (NOR), and Passive avoidance tasks. Famotidine (FAM) (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was also used to determine whether histaminergic neurotransmission exerts its procognitive effects via H2 receptors (H2Rs). Furthermore, a histological investigation was conducted to assess the degree of degeneration of hippocampal neurons. The results revealed that repetitive behaviors increased in VPA-exposed rat offspring in the MBT. In addition, VPA-exposed rat offspring exhibited more anxiety-like behaviors in the open field than saline-treated rats. It was found that VPA-exposed rat offspring showed memory deficits in NOR and Passive avoidance tasks. Our results indicated that 3 mg/kg CPX improved cognitive impairments induced by VPA, while 20 mg/kg FAM attenuated them. We concluded that 3 mg/kg CPX improved VPA-induced cognitive impairments through H3Rs. The histological assessment showed that the number of CA1 neurons decreased in the VPA-exposed rat offspring compared to the saline-exposed rat offspring, but this decrease was not significant. The histological assessment also revealed no significant differences in CA1 neurons in VPA-exposed rat offspring compared to saline-exposed rat offspring. However, CPX3 increased the number of CA1 neurons in the VPA + CPX3 group compared to the VPA + Saline group, but this increase was not significant. This study showed that rats prenatally exposed to VPA exhibit cognitive impairments in the MBT, open field, NOR, and Passive avoidance tests, which are ameliorated by CPX treatment on PND 48-50. In addition, morphological investigations showed that VPA treatment did not lead to neuronal degeneration in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus in rat pups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Taheri
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Esmaeilpour
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gholamreza Sepehri
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Vahid Sheibani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Majid Asadi Shekari
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Zhang Y, Qin B, Wang L, Zhang K, Song C, Chen J, Cai J, Li T. Corpus Callosum Volumes in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Sex-Associated Differences. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 53:2421-2429. [PMID: 35352234 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05538-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the relationship between sex and corpus callosum (CC) volume in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) aged 2-4 years. This prospective study included 50 children with ASD and 50 typically developing (TD) children aged 2-4 years. Midsagittal slices of the CCs of the participants were divided into five subregions using FreeSurfer software. The PMCC, AMCC and TCC volumes were significantly higher in ASD participants than in TD participants, and results were significant in females with ASD rather than in males with ASD (all P < 0.05). In toddlers with ASD, the CC volumes were increased and more pronounced in females than in males. This could be due to overgrowth of axons or/and axonal pruning disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Clinical Big-Data and Drug Evaluation, Medical Data Science, Academy of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Bin Qin
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Clinical Big-Data and Drug Evaluation, Medical Data Science, Academy of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Longlun Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Cui Song
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
- Department of Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolic Disease, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinhua Cai
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
| | - Tingyu Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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The amplitude of fNIRS hemodynamic response in the visual cortex unmasks autistic traits in typically developing children. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:53. [PMID: 35136021 PMCID: PMC8826368 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01820-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autistic traits represent a continuum dimension across the population, with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) being the extreme end of the distribution. Accumulating evidence shows that neuroanatomical and neurofunctional profiles described in relatives of ASD individuals reflect an intermediate neurobiological pattern between the clinical population and healthy controls. This suggests that quantitative measures detecting autistic traits in the general population represent potential candidates for the development of biomarkers identifying early pathophysiological processes associated with ASD. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has been extensively employed to investigate neural development and function. In contrast, the potential of fNIRS to define reliable biomarkers of brain activity has been barely explored. Features of non-invasiveness, portability, ease of administration, and low-operating costs make fNIRS a suitable instrument to assess brain function for differential diagnosis, follow-up, analysis of treatment outcomes, and personalized medicine in several neurological conditions. Here, we introduce a novel standardized procedure with high entertaining value to measure hemodynamic responses (HDR) in the occipital cortex of adult subjects and children. We found that the variability of evoked HDR correlates with the autistic traits of children, assessed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. Interestingly, HDR amplitude was especially linked to social and communication features, representing the core symptoms of ASD. These findings establish a quick and easy strategy for measuring visually-evoked cortical activity with fNIRS that optimize the compliance of young subjects, setting the background for testing the diagnostic value of fNIRS visual measurements in the ASD clinical population.
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Determination of molecular signatures and pathways common to brain tissues of autism spectrum disorder: Insights from comprehensive bioinformatics approach. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.100871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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Arunachalam Chandran V, Pliatsikas C, Neufeld J, O'Connell G, Haffey A, DeLuca V, Chakrabarti B. Brain structural correlates of autistic traits across the diagnostic divide: A grey matter and white matter microstructure study. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102897. [PMID: 34911200 PMCID: PMC8641248 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a set of neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication as well as stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest. Autistic traits exist in a continuum across the general population, whilst the extreme end of this distribution is diagnosed as clinical ASD. While many studies have investigated brain structure in autism using a case-control design, few have used a dimensional approach. To add to this growing body of literature, we investigated the structural brain correlates of autistic traits in a mixed sample of adult participants (25 ASD and 66 neurotypicals; age: 18-60 years). We examined the relationship between regional brain volumes (using voxel-based morphometry and surface-based morphometry) and white matter microstructure properties (using Diffusion Tensor Imaging) and autistic traits (using Autism Spectrum Quotient). Our findings show grey matter differences in regions including the orbitofrontal cortex and lingual gyrus, and suggestive evidence for white matter microstructure differences in tracts including the superior longitudinal fasciculus being related to higher autistic traits. These grey matter and white matter microstructure findings from our study are consistent with previous reports and support the brain structural differences in ASD. These findings provide further support for shared aetiology for autistic traits across the diagnostic divide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Arunachalam Chandran
- Centre for Autism, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences (SPCLS), University of Reading, UK; Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Earley Gate, Whiteknights Road, Reading RG6 6AL, UK; Centro de Ciencia Cognitiva, Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Calle de Sta. Cruz de Marcenado, 27, 28015 Madrid, Spain
| | - Janina Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Anthony Haffey
- Centre for Autism, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences (SPCLS), University of Reading, UK
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bhismadev Chakrabarti
- Centre for Autism, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences (SPCLS), University of Reading, UK; Department of Psychology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India; India Autism Center, Kolkata, India
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9
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Yang Z, Wu H, Lee PH, Tsetsos F, Davis LK, Yu D, Lee SH, Dalsgaard S, Haavik J, Barta C, Zayats T, Eapen V, Wray NR, Devlin B, Daly M, Neale B, Børglum AD, Crowley JJ, Scharf J, Mathews CA, Faraone SV, Franke B, Mattheisen M, Smoller JW, Paschou P. Investigating Shared Genetic Basis Across Tourette Syndrome and Comorbid Neurodevelopmental Disorders Along the Impulsivity-Compulsivity Spectrum. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:317-327. [PMID: 33714545 PMCID: PMC9152955 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tourette syndrome (TS) is often found comorbid with other neurodevelopmental disorders across the impulsivity-compulsivity spectrum, with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as most prevalent. This points to the possibility of a common etiological thread along an impulsivity-compulsivity continuum. METHODS Investigating the shared genetic basis across TS, ADHD, ASD, and OCD, we undertook an evaluation of cross-disorder genetic architecture and systematic meta-analysis, integrating summary statistics from the latest genome-wide association studies (93,294 individuals, 6,788,510 markers). RESULTS As previously identified, a common unifying factor connects TS, ADHD, and ASD, while TS and OCD show the highest genetic correlation in pairwise testing among these disorders. Thanks to a more homogeneous set of disorders and a targeted approach that is guided by genetic correlations, we were able to identify multiple novel hits and regions that seem to play a pleiotropic role for the specific disorders analyzed here and could not be identified through previous studies. In the TS-ADHD-ASD genome-wide association study single nucleotide polymorphism-based and gene-based meta-analysis, we uncovered 13 genome-wide significant regions that host single nucleotide polymorphisms with a high posterior probability for association with all three studied disorders (m-value > 0.9), 11 of which were not identified in previous cross-disorder analysis. In contrast, we also identified two additional pleiotropic regions in the TS-OCD meta-analysis. Through conditional analysis, we highlighted genes and genetic regions that play a specific role in a TS-ADHD-ASD genetic factor versus TS-OCD. Cross-disorder tissue specificity analysis implicated the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland axis in TS-ADHD-ASD. CONCLUSIONS Our work underlines the value of redefining the framework for research across traditional diagnostic categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyu Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Hanrui Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Phil H Lee
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Fotis Tsetsos
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupoli, Greece
| | - Lea K Davis
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Dongmei Yu
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sang Hong Lee
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland; Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia Cancer Research Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Søren Dalsgaard
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark; National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital of Telemark, Kragerø, Norway
| | - Jan Haavik
- K.G. Jebsen Centre for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Csaba Barta
- Institute of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tetyana Zayats
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry South West Sydney, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Naomi R Wray
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland
| | - Bernie Devlin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Mark Daly
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Benjamin Neale
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Anders D Børglum
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine - Human Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Center for Integrative Sequencing (iSEQ), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - James J Crowley
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jeremiah Scharf
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carol A Mathews
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Departmentof Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; Departmentof Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Manuel Mattheisen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jordan W Smoller
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Peristera Paschou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.
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10
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Tabeshian R, Nezakat-Alhosseini M, Movahedi A, Zehr EP, Faramarzi S. The Effect of Tai Chi Chuan Training on Stereotypic Behavior of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:2180-2186. [PMID: 34085151 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05090-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study investigated effects of Tai Chi Chuan training on stereotypic behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder. Twenty-three participants (mean age = 9.60 ± 1.40 years) were assigned to experimental (N = 12) and control (N = 11) groups. The experimental group received 12 weeks of Tai Chi training and all participants had pre, post, and one-month follow-up assessments. Stereotypic behavior measured using Gilliam Autism Rating Scale 2 Scores, was significantly altered by ~ 25% in the Tai Chi Chuan group. Behavioral change was maintained at follow up since there was no significant difference between that and the posttest. In conclusion, Tai Chi Chuan training is a useful and appropriate intervention to modulate behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roza Tabeshian
- Department of Motor Behavior, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | | | | | - E Paul Zehr
- Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Salar Faramarzi
- Department of Children With Special Needs, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
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11
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Esposito CM, Buoli M, Ciappolino V, Agostoni C, Brambilla P. The Role of Cholesterol and Fatty Acids in the Etiology and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073550. [PMID: 33805572 PMCID: PMC8036564 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders whose pathogenesis seems to be related to an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory synapses, which leads to disrupted connectivity during brain development. Among the various biomarkers that have been evaluated in the last years, metabolic factors represent a bridge between genetic vulnerability and environmental aspects. In particular, cholesterol homeostasis and circulating fatty acids seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of ASDs, both through the contribute in the stabilization of cell membranes and the modulation of inflammatory factors. The purpose of the present review is to summarize the available data about the role of cholesterol and fatty acids, mainly long-chain ones, in the onset of ASDs. A bibliographic research on the main databases was performed and 36 studies were included in our review. Most of the studies document a correlation between ASDs and hypocholesterolemia, while the results concerning circulating fatty acids are less univocal. Even though further studies are necessary to confirm the available data, the metabolic biomarkers open to new treatment options such as the modulation of the lipid pattern through the diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Maria Esposito
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy; (C.M.E.); (M.B.); (V.C.); (P.B.)
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Buoli
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy; (C.M.E.); (M.B.); (V.C.); (P.B.)
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Ciappolino
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy; (C.M.E.); (M.B.); (V.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Carlo Agostoni
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy; (C.M.E.); (M.B.); (V.C.); (P.B.)
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
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12
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Gandhi T, Lee CC. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Repetitive Behaviors in Rodent Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:592710. [PMID: 33519379 PMCID: PMC7840495 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is comprised of several conditions characterized by alterations in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the heterogeneous development of ASD behaviors. Several rodent models display ASD-like phenotypes, including repetitive behaviors. In this review article, we discuss the potential neural mechanisms involved in repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We review signaling pathways, neural circuits, and anatomical alterations in rodent models that display robust stereotypic behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms and circuit alterations underlying repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD will inform translational research and provide useful insight into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of repetitive behaviors in ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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13
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Conti E, Retico A, Palumbo L, Spera G, Bosco P, Biagi L, Fiori S, Tosetti M, Cipriani P, Cioni G, Muratori F, Chilosi A, Calderoni S. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Early Language-Related Hallmarks across Structural MRI Study. J Pers Med 2020; 10:E275. [PMID: 33322765 PMCID: PMC7768516 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) are developmental disorders with distinct diagnostic criteria and different epidemiology. However, a common genetic background as well as overlapping clinical features between ASD and CAS have been recently reported. To date, brain structural language-related abnormalities have been detected in both the conditions, but no study directly compared young children with ASD, CAS and typical development (TD). In the current work, we aim: (i) to test the hypothesis that ASD and CAS display neurostructural differences in comparison with TD through morphometric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based measures (ASD vs. TD and CAS vs. TD); (ii) to investigate early possible disease-specific brain structural patterns in the two clinical groups (ASD vs. CAS); (iii) to evaluate predictive power of machine-learning (ML) techniques in differentiating the three samples (ASD, CAS, TD). We retrospectively analyzed the T1-weighted brain MRI scans of 68 children (age range: 34-74 months) grouped into three cohorts: (1) 26 children with ASD (mean age ± standard deviation: 56 ± 11 months); (2) 24 children with CAS (57 ± 10 months); (3) 18 children with TD (55 ± 13 months). Furthermore, a ML analysis based on a linear-kernel Support Vector Machine (SVM) was performed. All but one brain structures displayed significant higher volumes in both ASD and CAS children than TD peers. Specifically, ASD alterations involved fronto-temporal regions together with basal ganglia and cerebellum, while CAS alterations are more focused and shifted to frontal regions, suggesting a possible speech-related anomalies distribution. Caudate, superior temporal and hippocampus volumes directly distinguished the two conditions in terms of greater values in ASD compared to CAS. The ML analysis identified significant differences in brain features between ASD and TD children, whereas only some trends in the ML classification capability were detected in CAS as compared to TD peers. Similarly, the MRI structural underpinnings of two clinical groups were not significantly different when evaluated with linear-kernel SVM. Our results may represent the first step towards understanding shared and specific neural substrate in ASD and CAS conditions, which subsequently may contribute to early differential diagnosis and tailoring specific early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Conti
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Alessandra Retico
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.R.); (L.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Letizia Palumbo
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.R.); (L.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Giovanna Spera
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.R.); (L.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Paolo Bosco
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Laura Biagi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Simona Fiori
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Michela Tosetti
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Paola Cipriani
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Muratori
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Anna Chilosi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Sara Calderoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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14
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Quantitative genome-wide association study of six phenotypic subdomains identifies novel genome-wide significant variants in autism spectrum disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:215. [PMID: 32624584 PMCID: PMC7335742 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00906-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are highly heritable and are characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Twin studies on phenotypic subdomains suggest a differing underlying genetic etiology. Studying genetic variation explaining phenotypic variance will help to identify specific underlying pathomechanisms. We investigated the effect of common variation on ASD subdomains in two cohorts including >2500 individuals. Based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), we identified and confirmed six subdomains with a SNP-based genetic heritability h2SNP = 0.2-0.4. The subdomains nonverbal communication (NVC), social interaction (SI), and peer interaction (PI) shared genetic risk factors, while the subdomains of repetitive sensory-motor behavior (RB) and restricted interests (RI) were genetically independent of each other. The polygenic risk score (PRS) for ASD as categorical diagnosis explained 2.3-3.3% of the variance of SI, joint attention (JA), and PI, 4.5% for RI, 1.2% of RB, but only 0.7% of NVC. We report eight genome-wide significant hits-partially replicating previous findings-and 292 known and novel candidate genes. The underlying biological mechanisms were related to neuronal transmission and development. At the SNP and gene level, all subdomains showed overlap, with the exception of RB. However, no overlap was observed at the functional level. In summary, the ADI-R algorithm-derived subdomains related to social communication show a shared genetic etiology in contrast to restricted and repetitive behaviors. The ASD-specific PRS overlapped only partially, suggesting an additional role of specific common variation in shaping the phenotypic expression of ASD subdomains.
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15
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Carter RM, Jung H, Reaven J, Blakeley-Smith A, Dichter GS. A Nexus Model of Restricted Interests in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:212. [PMID: 32581753 PMCID: PMC7283772 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Restricted interests (RIs) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are clinically impairing interests of unusual focus or intensity. They are a subtype of restricted and repetitive behaviors which are one of two diagnostic criteria for the disorder. Despite the near ubiquity of RIs in ASD, the neural basis for their development is not well understood. However, recent cognitive neuroscience findings from nonclinical samples and from individuals with ASD shed light on neural mechanisms that may explain the emergence of RIs. We propose the nexus model of RIs in ASD, a novel conceptualization of this symptom domain that suggests that RIs may reflect a co-opting of brain systems that typically serve to integrate complex attention, memory, semantic, and social communication functions during development. The nexus model of RIs hypothesizes that when social communicative development is compromised, brain functions typically located within the lateral surface of cortex may expand into social processing brain systems and alter cortical representations of various cognitive functions during development. These changes, in turn, promote the development of RIs as an alternative process mediated by these brain networks. The nexus model of RIs makes testable predictions about reciprocal relations between the impaired development of social communication and the emergence of RIs in ASD and suggests novel avenues for treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. McKell Carter
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Heejung Jung
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Judy Reaven
- JFK Partners, Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Audrey Blakeley-Smith
- JFK Partners, Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Gabriel S. Dichter
- School of Medicine, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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16
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Differential Effects of Trait Empathy on Functional Network Centrality. Brain Inform 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-59277-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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17
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Weston CSE. Four Social Brain Regions, Their Dysfunctions, and Sequelae, Extensively Explain Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptomatology. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E130. [PMID: 31167459 PMCID: PMC6627615 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9060130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a challenging neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms in social, language, sensory, motor, cognitive, emotional, repetitive behavior, and self-sufficient living domains. The important research question examined is the elucidation of the pathogenic neurocircuitry that underlies ASD symptomatology in all its richness and heterogeneity. The presented model builds on earlier social brain research, and hypothesizes that four social brain regions largely drive ASD symptomatology: amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), temporoparietal cortex (TPC), and insula. The amygdala's contributions to ASD largely derive from its major involvement in fine-grained intangible knowledge representations and high-level guidance of gaze. In addition, disrupted brain regions can drive disturbance of strongly interconnected brain regions to produce further symptoms. These and related effects are proposed to underlie abnormalities of the visual cortex, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), caudate nucleus, and hippocampus as well as associated symptoms. The model is supported by neuroimaging, neuropsychological, neuroanatomical, cellular, physiological, and behavioral evidence. Collectively, the model proposes a novel, parsimonious, and empirically testable account of the pathogenic neurocircuitry of ASD, an extensive account of its symptomatology, a novel physiological biomarker with potential for earlier diagnosis, and novel experiments to further elucidate the mechanisms of brain abnormalities and symptomatology in ASD.
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18
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A systematic review of structural MRI biomarkers in autism spectrum disorder: A machine learning perspective. Int J Dev Neurosci 2018; 71:68-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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19
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Prosperi M, Santocchi E, Balboni G, Narzisi A, Bozza M, Fulceri F, Apicella F, Igliozzi R, Cosenza A, Tancredi R, Calderoni S, Muratori F. Behavioral Phenotype of ASD Preschoolers with Gastrointestinal Symptoms or Food Selectivity. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 47:3574-3588. [PMID: 28861653 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3271-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the prevalence and type of gastrointestinal (GI) and food selectivity (FS) symptoms in 163 preschoolers with ASD, and their possible links with core ASD features and emotional/behavioural problems. 40.5% of children with ASD had at least one severe GI symptom or FS. Preschoolers with and without GI symptoms and with and without FS were significantly different on several emotional/behavioural problems and restrictive/repetitive behaviours, whereas they did not differ significantly on performance IQ and autistic severity. The GI plus FS group presented with Sleep Problems, Self-injurious Behaviors and Anxiety Problems. Results indicated the need for early identification of GI disturbances and FS in order to design tailored intervention for these symptoms frequently associated to challenging behaviours in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Prosperi
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Santocchi
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Balboni
- University of Perugia, Piazza G. Ermini, 1, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonio Narzisi
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Fulceri
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fabio Apicella
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberta Igliozzi
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Angela Cosenza
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaella Tancredi
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Calderoni
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Filippo Muratori
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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20
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Wulaer B, Nagai T, Sobue A, Itoh N, Kuroda K, Kaibuchi K, Nabeshima T, Yamada K. Repetitive and compulsive-like behaviors lead to cognitive dysfunction in Disc1Δ2-3/Δ2-3mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12478. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Wulaer
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - T. Nagai
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - A. Sobue
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - N. Itoh
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - K. Kuroda
- Department of Cell Pharmacology; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - K. Kaibuchi
- Department of Cell Pharmacology; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - T. Nabeshima
- Advanced Diagnostic System Research Laboratory; Fujita Health University, Graduate School of Health Sciences; Toyoake Japan
- Aino University; Ibaragi Japan
| | - K. Yamada
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
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21
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Giuliano A, Saviozzi I, Brambilla P, Muratori F, Retico A, Calderoni S. The effect of age, sex and clinical features on the volume of Corpus Callosum in pre-schoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a case-control study. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 47:568-578. [PMID: 28112456 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has identified volume alterations of the corpus callosum (CC) in subjects with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, to date very few investigations have been conducted on pre-school-age ASD children. This study aims to compare the volume of CC and its sub-regions between pre-schoolers with ASD and controls (CON) and to examine their relationship to demographic and clinical variables (sex, age, non-verbal IQ -NVIQ-, expressive non-echolalic language, emotional and behavioural problems, and autism severity). The volume of CC of 40 pre-schoolers with ASD (20 males and 20 females; mean age: 49 ± 12 months; mean NVIQ: 73 ± 22) and 40 sex-, age-, and NVIQ-matched CON subjects (20 M and 20 F; mean age: 49 ± 14 months; mean NVIQ: 73 ± 23) were quantified applying the FreeSurfer automated parcellation software on Magnetic Resonance images. No significant volumetric differences in CC total volume and in its sub-regions between ASD and CON were found using total brain volume as a covariate. Analogously, absence of CC volumetric differences was evident when boys and girls with ASD were compared with their matched controls. The CC total volume of younger ASD male subjects was found significantly larger with respect to matched CON, which is consistent with the atypical growth trajectory widely reported in these young children. The CC total volume was negatively correlated with autism severity, whereas no association between CC volume and other clinical variables was detected. If replicated, the indirect relationship between CC volume and autism severity suggests the involvement of CC in core ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Giuliano
- Physics Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Pisa Division, National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Psychiatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Filippo Muratori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Retico
- Pisa Division, National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
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22
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Conti E, Mitra J, Calderoni S, Pannek K, Shen KK, Pagnozzi A, Rose S, Mazzotti S, Scelfo D, Tosetti M, Muratori F, Cioni G, Guzzetta A. Network over-connectivity differentiates autism spectrum disorder from other developmental disorders in toddlers: A diffusion MRI study. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:2333-2344. [PMID: 28094463 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced connectivity studies in toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are increasing and consistently reporting a disruption of brain connectivity. However, most of these studies compare ASD and typically developing subjects, thus providing little information on the specificity of the abnormalities detected in comparison with other developmental disorders (other-DD). We recruited subjects aged below 36 months who received a clinical diagnosis of Neurodevelopmental Disorder (32 ASD and 16 other-DD including intellectual disability and language disorder) according to DSM-IV TR. Structural and diffusion MRI were acquired to perform whole brain probabilistic and anatomically constrained tractography. Network connectivity matrices were built encoding the number of streamlines (DNUM ) and the tract-averaged fractional anisotropy (DFA ) values connecting each pair of cortical and subcortical regions. Network Based Statistics (NBS) was finally applied on the connectivity matrices to evaluate the network differences between the ASD and other-DD groups. The network differences resulted in an over-connectivity pattern (i.e., higher DNUM and DFA values) in the ASD group with a significance of P < 0.05. No contra-comparison results were found. The over-connectivity pattern in ASD occurred in networks primarily involving the fronto-temporal nodes, known to be crucial for social-skill development and basal ganglia, related to restricted and repetitive behaviours in ASD. To our knowledge, this is the first network-based diffusion study comparing toddlers with ASD and those with other-DD. Results indicate the detection of different connectivity patterns in ASD and other-DD at an age when clinical differential diagnosis is often challenging. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2333-2344, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Conti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - J Mitra
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - S Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - K Pannek
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - K K Shen
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - A Pagnozzi
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - S Rose
- The Australian eHealth Research Centre, CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - S Mazzotti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - D Scelfo
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Tosetti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Muratori
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Cioni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Guzzetta
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Billeci L, Calderoni S, Conti E, Gesi C, Carmassi C, Dell'Osso L, Cioni G, Muratori F, Guzzetta A. The Broad Autism (Endo)Phenotype: Neurostructural and Neurofunctional Correlates in Parents of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:346. [PMID: 27499732 PMCID: PMC4956643 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a set of neurodevelopmental disorders with an early-onset and a strong genetic component in their pathogenesis. According to genetic and epidemiological data, ASD relatives present personality traits similar to, but not as severe as the defining features of ASD, which have been indicated as the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (BAP). BAP features seem to be more prevalent in first-degree relatives of individuals with ASD than in the general population. Characterizing brain profiles of relatives of autistic probands may help to understand ASD endophenotype. The aim of this review was to provide an up-to-date overview of research findings on the neurostructural and neurofunctional substrates in parents of individuals with ASD (pASD). The primary hypothesis was that, like for the behavioral profile, the pASD express an intermediate neurobiological pattern between ASD individuals and healthy controls. The 13 reviewed studies evaluated structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain volumes, chemical signals using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), task-related functional activation by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), or magnetoencephalography (MEG) in pASD.The studies showed that pASD are generally different from healthy controls at a structural and functional level despite often not behaviorally impaired. More atypicalities in neural patterns of pASD seem to be associated with higher scores at BAP assessment. Some of the observed atypicalities are the same of the ASD probands. In addition, the pattern of neural correlates in pASD resembles that of adult individuals with ASD, or it is specific, possibly due to a compensatory mechanism. Future studies should ideally include a group of pASD and HC with their ASD and non-ASD probands respectively. They should subgrouping the pASD according to the BAP scores, considering gender as a possible confounding factor, and correlating these scores to underlying brain structure and function. These types of studies may help to understand the genetic mechanisms involved in the various clinical dimension of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Billeci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | | | - Eugenia Conti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care G. D'Alessandro, University of PalermoPalermo, Italy
| | - Camilla Gesi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Liliana Dell'Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
- IRCCS Stella Maris FoundationPisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Muratori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
- IRCCS Stella Maris FoundationPisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Guzzetta
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of PisaPisa, Italy
- IRCCS Stella Maris FoundationPisa, Italy
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24
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Turner AH, Greenspan KS, van Erp TGM. Pallidum and lateral ventricle volume enlargement in autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2016; 252:40-45. [PMID: 27179315 PMCID: PMC5920514 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Studies on structural brain abnormalities in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been of limited size and many findings have not been replicated. In the largest ASD brain morphology study to date, we compared subcortical, total brain (TBV), and intracranial (ICV) volumes between 472 subjects with DSM-IV ASD diagnoses and 538 healthy volunteers (age range: 6-64 years), obtained from high-resolution structural brain scans provided by the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE). Compared to healthy volunteers, we found significantly larger pallidum (Cohen's d=0.15) and lateral ventricle volumes (Cohen's d=0.18) in ASD. These enlargements were independent of total brain volume and IQ, passed FDR correction for multiple comparisons, and were observed in overall, male-only, and medication-free subjects. In addition, intracranial, hippocampal, and caudate volumes were enlarged in ASD at a nominal statistical threshold of p<0.05. This study provides the first robust evidence for pallidum enlargement in ASD independent from TBV and encourages further study of the functional role of the pallidum in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andia H Turner
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kiefer S Greenspan
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Theo G M van Erp
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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25
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Kim H, Lim CS, Kaang BK. Neuronal mechanisms and circuits underlying repetitive behaviors in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder. Behav Brain Funct 2016; 12:3. [PMID: 26790724 PMCID: PMC4719705 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-016-0087-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by three central behavioral symptoms: impaired social interaction, impaired social communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. However, the symptoms are heterogeneous among patients and a number of ASD mouse models have been generated containing mutations that mimic the mutations found in human patients with ASD. Each mouse model was found to display a unique set of repetitive behaviors. In this review, we summarize the repetitive behaviors of the ASD mouse models and variations found in their neural mechanisms including molecular and electrophysiological features. We also propose potential neuronal mechanisms underlying these repetitive behaviors, focusing on the role of the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic circuits and brain regions associated with both social and repetitive behaviors. Further understanding of molecular and circuitry mechanisms of the repetitive behaviors associated with ASD is necessary to aid the development of effective treatments for these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyopil Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
| | - Chae-Seok Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
| | - Bong-Kiun Kaang
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
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Crippa A, Del Vecchio G, Busti Ceccarelli S, Nobile M, Arrigoni F, Brambilla P. Cortico-Cerebellar Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Do We Know So Far? Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:20. [PMID: 26941658 PMCID: PMC4763031 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is renowned to be a connectivity disorder and a condition characterized by cerebellar involvement, the connectivity between the cerebellum and other cortical brain regions is particularly underexamined. Indeed, converging evidence has recently suggested that the cerebellum could play a key role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD, since cerebellar anomalies have been consistently reported in ASD from the molecular to the behavioral level, and damage to the cerebellum early in development has been linked with signs of autistic features. In addition, current data have shown that the cerebellum is a key structure not only for sensory-motor control, but also for "higher functions," such as social cognition and emotion, through its extensive connections with cortical areas. The disruption of these circuits could be implicated in the wide range of autistic symptoms that the term "spectrum" connotes. In this review, we present and discuss the recent findings from imaging studies that investigated cortico-cerebellar connectivity in people with ASD. The literature is still too limited to allow for definitive conclusions; however, this brief review reveals substantial areas for future studies, underlining currently unmet research perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Crippa
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria Nobile
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Albese con Cassano, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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