1
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Bled C, Guillon Q, Mottron L, Soulieres I, Bouvet L. Visual mental imagery abilities in autism. Autism Res 2024. [PMID: 38993038 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
AbstractIn autistic individuals, the role, performance, and autonomy of perceptual functioning are atypical. Overlapping underlying mechanisms of perception and mental imagery predict that the mental imagery abilities of autistic individuals should differ from those of non‐autistic individuals. While enhanced abilities to manipulate mental images have been demonstrated in autism, the other stages of mental imagery (generation, maintenance, inspection) remain to be explored. Forty‐four autistic adults and 42 typical participants performed four tasks to assess different stages of mental imagery: the Image generation task (mentally generating a letter on a grid and indicating whether it passes over a probe located in the grid), the Visual pattern test (maintaining visual patterns in memory), the Image scanning test (inspecting mental images) and the Mental rotation test (mentally manipulating representations of geometric figures). In the image generation task and the mental rotation test, autistic and typical individuals performed equivalently, both in accuracy and response time. The span observed in the visual pattern test was significantly higher in the autistic group, indicating better maintenance of mental images. In the image scanning test, response times were influenced by the distance to mentally inspect in the typical group but not in the autistic group. Autistic participants were equally fast regardless of distance to inspect. Preserved, greater or differently influenced visual mental imagery abilities are in line with an atypical perceptual functioning in autism, possibly reflecting an increased weight of perception‐based information relatively to the top‐down effect of knowledge and language‐based influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Bled
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A, Toulouse, France
| | - Q Guillon
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A, Toulouse, France
| | - L Mottron
- Psychiatry Department, Université de Montréal, Montreal, (Quebec), Canada
| | - I Soulieres
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, (Quebec), Canada
| | - L Bouvet
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A, Toulouse, France
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2
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Bunce C, Gehdu BK, Press C, Gray KLH, Cook R. Autistic adults exhibit typical sensitivity to changes in interpersonal distance. Autism Res 2024; 17:1464-1474. [PMID: 38828663 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The visual processing differences seen in autism often impede individuals' visual perception of the social world. In particular, many autistic people exhibit poor face recognition. Here, we sought to determine whether autistic adults also show impaired perception of dyadic social interactions-a class of stimulus thought to engage face-like visual processing. Our focus was the perception of interpersonal distance. Participants completed distance change detection tasks, in which they had to make perceptual decisions about the distance between two actors. On half of the trials, participants judged whether the actors moved closer together; on the other half, whether they moved further apart. In a nonsocial control task, participants made similar judgments about two grandfather clocks. We also assessed participants' face recognition ability using standardized measures. The autistic and nonautistic observers showed similar levels of perceptual sensitivity to changes in interpersonal distance when viewing social interactions. As expected, however, the autistic observers showed clear signs of impaired face recognition. Despite putative similarities between the visual processing of faces and dyadic social interactions, our results suggest that these two facets of social vision may dissociate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Bunce
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Bayparvah Kaur Gehdu
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Clare Press
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - Katie L H Gray
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Richard Cook
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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3
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Gambra L, Magallon S, Crespo-Eguílaz N. Weak central coherence in neurodevelopmental disorders: a comparative study. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1348074. [PMID: 38933578 PMCID: PMC11202315 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1348074] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Central coherence is the normal tendency to process and give meaning to incoming information taking into account the context or global view of that information. Methods We assessed the central coherence of 252 school children of normal intelligence between 6 and 11 years old. We compared the performance of two groups: (a) a control group (n = 194), and (b) a clinical group (n = 58) comprising children with NVLD+ADHD (n = 24), ADHD alone (n = 16), SCD (n = 8) and level-1ASD (n = 10) (Kluskall-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U were calculated to make comparisons within groups and between pairs of groups). The effects of medication were studied (Student's t test). Results The NVLD+ADHD, SCD and ASD1 groups showed weak central coherence. The performance of the ADHD group was normal and differed significantly from the NVLD+ADHD group. Conclusion Central coherence deficit was not exclusive to ASD1: it also characterizes NVLD and SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leyre Gambra
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sara Magallon
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Nerea Crespo-Eguílaz
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Clinic University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Facultad de Educación, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Logroño, Spain
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4
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Garvey MH, Nash T, Kippenhan JS, Kohn P, Mervis CB, Eisenberg DP, Ye J, Gregory MD, Berman KF. Contrasting neurofunctional correlates of face- and visuospatial-processing in children and adolescents with Williams syndrome: convergent results from four fMRI paradigms. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10304. [PMID: 38705917 PMCID: PMC11070425 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60460-5] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding neurogenetic mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism is complicated by their inherent clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Williams syndrome (WS), a rare neurodevelopmental condition in which both the genetic alteration (hemideletion of ~ twenty-six 7q11.23 genes) and the cognitive/behavioral profile are well-defined, offers an invaluable opportunity to delineate gene-brain-behavior relationships. People with WS are characterized by increased social drive, including particular interest in faces, together with hallmark difficulty in visuospatial processing. Prior work, primarily in adults with WS, has searched for neural correlates of these characteristics, with reports of altered fusiform gyrus function while viewing socioemotional stimuli such as faces, along with hypoactivation of the intraparietal sulcus during visuospatial processing. Here, we investigated neural function in children and adolescents with WS by using four separate fMRI paradigms, two that probe each of these two cognitive/behavioral domains. During the two visuospatial tasks, but not during the two face processing tasks, we found bilateral intraparietal sulcus hypoactivation in WS. In contrast, during both face processing tasks, but not during the visuospatial tasks, we found fusiform hyperactivation. These data not only demonstrate that previous findings in adults with WS are also present in childhood and adolescence, but also provide a clear example that genetic mechanisms can bias neural circuit function, thereby affecting behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline H Garvey
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
| | - Tiffany Nash
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - J Shane Kippenhan
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Philip Kohn
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Carolyn B Mervis
- Neurodevelopmental Sciences Laboratory, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Daniel P Eisenberg
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jean Ye
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Michael D Gregory
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Karen F Berman
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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5
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Hu A, Kozloff V, Owen Van Horne A, Chugani D, Qi Z. Dissociation Between Linguistic and Nonlinguistic Statistical Learning in Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1912-1927. [PMID: 36749457 PMCID: PMC10404646 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05902-1] [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] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Statistical learning (SL), the ability to detect and extract regularities from inputs, is considered a domain-general building block for typical language development. We compared 55 verbal children with autism (ASD, 6-12 years) and 50 typically-developing children in four SL tasks. The ASD group exhibited reduced learning in the linguistic SL tasks (syllable and letter), but showed intact learning for the nonlinguistic SL tasks (tone and image). In the ASD group, better linguistic SL was associated with higher language skills measured by parental report and sentence recall. Therefore, the atypicality of SL in autism is not domain-general but tied to specific processing constraints related to verbal stimuli. Our findings provide a novel perspective for understanding language heterogeneity in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Hu
- Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, 125 E Main St., Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
| | - Violet Kozloff
- Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, 125 E Main St., Newark, DE, 19716, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Amanda Owen Van Horne
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Diane Chugani
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Zhenghan Qi
- Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, 125 E Main St., Newark, DE, 19716, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
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Vagnetti R, Vicovaro M, Spoto A, Battaglini L, Attanasio M, Valenti M, Mazza M. Atypical Time to Contact Estimation in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06352-z. [PMID: 38635130 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06352-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present atypical sensory processing in the perception of moving stimuli and biological motion. The present study aims to explore the performance of young adults with ASD in a time to contact (TTC) estimation task involving social and non-social stimuli. TTC estimation involves extrapolating the trajectory of a moving target concealed by an occluder, based on the visible portion of its path, to predict the target's arrival time at a specific position. Sixteen participants with a diagnosis of level-1 ASD (M = 19.2 years, SE = 0.54 years; 3 F, 13 M) and sixteen participants with TD (M = 22.3 years, SE = 0.44 years; 3 F, 13 M) took part in the study and underwent a TTC estimation task. The task presented two object types (a car and a point-light walker), different object speeds, occluder lengths, motion directions and motion congruency. For the car object, a larger overestimation of TTC emerged for ASDs than for TDs, whereas no difference between ASDs and TDs emerged for the point-light walker. ASDs exhibited a larger TTC overestimation for the car object than for the point-light walker, whereas no difference between object types emerged for TDs. Our results indicated an atypical TTC estimation process in young adults with ASD. Given its importance in daily life, future studies should further explore this skill. Significant effects that emerged from the analysis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vagnetti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Michele Vicovaro
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Andrea Spoto
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Luca Battaglini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Margherita Attanasio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Marco Valenti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Autism (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per l'Autismo), Abruzzo Region Local Health Agency 1 (ASL 1), L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Monica Mazza
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Autism (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per l'Autismo), Abruzzo Region Local Health Agency 1 (ASL 1), L'Aquila, Italy
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Cary E, Pacheco D, Kaplan-Kahn E, McKernan E, Matsuba E, Prieve B, Russo N. Brain Signatures of Early and Late Neural Measures of Auditory Habituation and Discrimination in Autism and Their Relationship to Autistic Traits and Sensory Overresponsivity. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1344-1360. [PMID: 36626009 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05866-8] [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] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sensory differences are included in the DSM-5 criteria of autism for the first time, yet it is unclear how they relate to neural indicators of perception. We studied early brain signatures of perception and examined their relationship to sensory behaviors and autistic traits. Thirteen autistic children and 13 Typically Developing (TD) children matched on age and nonverbal IQ participated in a passive oddball task, during which P1 habituation and P1 and MMN discrimination were evoked by pure tones. Autistic children had less neural habituation than the TD comparison group, and the MMN, but not P1, mapped on to sensory overresponsivity. Findings highlight the significance of temporal and contextual factors in neural information processing as it relates to autistic traits and sensory behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Cary
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, 13244 2340, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Devon Pacheco
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, 621 Skytop Rd. Suite 1200, 13244, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kaplan-Kahn
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, 13244 2340, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth McKernan
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, 13244 2340, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Erin Matsuba
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, 13244 2340, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Beth Prieve
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, 621 Skytop Rd. Suite 1200, 13244, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Natalie Russo
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, 13244 2340, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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8
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Perna J, Bellato A, Ganapathy PS, Solmi M, Zampieri A, Faraone SV, Cortese S. Association between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and vision problems. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5011-5023. [PMID: 37495888 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02143-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
AIM To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing whether vision and/or eye disorders are associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). METHOD Based on a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42022328485), we searched PubMed, Web of Knowledge/Science, Ovid Medline, Embase and APA PsycINFO up to 5th February 2022, with no language/type of document restrictions. We included observational studies 1) reporting at least one measure of vision in people of any age with a diagnosis of ASD based on DSM or ICD criteria, or ADOS; or 2) reporting the prevalence of ASD in people with and without vision disorders. Study quality was assessed with the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS). Random-effects meta-analyses were used for data synthesis. RESULTS We included 49 studies in the narrative synthesis and 46 studies in the meta-analyses (15,629,159 individuals distributed across multiple different measures). We found meta-analytic evidence of increased prevalence of strabismus (OR = 4.72 [95% CI: 4.60, 4.85]) in people with versus those without ASD (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 1.0545, p = 0.7881). We also found evidence of increased accommodation deficits (Hedge's g = 0.68 [CI: 0.28, 1.08]) (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 6.9331, p = 0.0741), reduced peripheral vision (-0.82 [CI: -1.32, -0.33]) (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 4.8075, p = 0.4398), reduced stereoacuity (0.73 [CI: -1.14, -0.31]) (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 0.8974, p = 0.3435), increased color discrimination difficulties (0.69 [CI: 0.27,1.10]) (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 9.9928, p = 0.1890), reduced contrast sensitivity (0.45 [CI: -0.60, -0.30]) (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 9.9928, p = 0.1890) and increased retinal thickness (=0.29 [CI: 0.07, 0.51]) (non-significant heterogeneity: Q = 0.8113, p = 0.9918) in ASD. DISCUSSION ASD is associated with some self-reported and objectively measured functional vision problems, and structural alterations of the eye, even though we observed several methodological limitations in the individual studies included in our meta-analyses. Further research should clarify the causal relationship, if any, between ASD and problems of vision during early life. PROSPERO REGISTRATION CRD42022328485.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Perna
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alessio Bellato
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Preethi S Ganapathy
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Marco Solmi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- On Track: The Champlain First Episode Psychosis Program, Department of Mental Health, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) Clinical Epidemiology Program University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Zampieri
- Vittorio Emanuele III Hospital - Montecchio Maggiore, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
| | - Samuele Cortese
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Solent NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences (CNS and Psychiatry), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, New York University Child Study Center, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Huang X, Ming Y, Zhao W, Feng R, Zhou Y, Wu L, Wang J, Xiao J, Li L, Shan X, Cao J, Kang X, Chen H, Duan X. Developmental prediction modeling based on diffusion tensor imaging uncovering age-dependent heterogeneity in early childhood autistic brain. Mol Autism 2023; 14:41. [PMID: 37899464 PMCID: PMC10614412 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-023-00573-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There has been increasing evidence for atypical white matter (WM) microstructure in autistic people, but findings have been divergent. The development of autistic people in early childhood is clouded by the concurrently rapid brain growth, which might lead to the inconsistent findings of atypical WM microstructure in autism. Here, we aimed to reveal the developmental nature of autistic children and delineate atypical WM microstructure throughout early childhood while taking developmental considerations into account. METHOD In this study, diffusion tensor imaging was acquired from two independent cohorts, containing 91 autistic children and 100 typically developing children (TDC), aged 4-7 years. Developmental prediction modeling using support vector regression based on TDC participants was conducted to estimate the WM atypical development index of autistic children. Then, subgroups of autistic children were identified by using the k-means clustering method and were compared to each other on the basis of demographic information, WM atypical development index, and autistic trait by using two-sample t-test. Relationship of the WM atypical development index with age was estimated by using partial correlation. Furthermore, we performed threshold-free cluster enhancement-based two-sample t-test for the group comparison in WM microstructures of each subgroup of autistic children with the rematched subsets of TDC. RESULTS We clustered autistic children into two subgroups according to WM atypical development index. The two subgroups exhibited distinct developmental stages and age-dependent diversity. WM atypical development index was found negatively associated with age. Moreover, an inverse pattern of atypical WM microstructures and different clinical manifestations in the two stages, with subgroup 1 showing overgrowth with low level of autistic traits and subgroup 2 exhibiting delayed maturation with high level of autistic traits, were revealed. CONCLUSION This study illustrated age-dependent heterogeneity in early childhood autistic children and delineated developmental stage-specific difference that ranged from an overgrowth pattern to a delayed pattern. Trial registration This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02807766) on June 21, 2016 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02807766 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Huang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Yating Ming
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Weixing Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Feng
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyue Zhou
- Department of Medical Psychology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijie Wu
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinming Xiao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolong Shan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Cao
- Child Rehabilitation Unit, Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu, 611135, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Kang
- Child Rehabilitation Unit, Affiliated Sichuan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Bayi Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu, 611135, People's Republic of China
| | - Huafu Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xujun Duan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
- MOE Key Lab for Neuro Information, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People's Republic of China.
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Lewis J, Holm S. Towards a concept of embodied autonomy: In what ways can a patient's body contribute to the autonomy of medical decisions? MEDICINE, HEALTH CARE, AND PHILOSOPHY 2023; 26:451-463. [PMID: 37294399 PMCID: PMC10425513 DOI: 10.1007/s11019-023-10159-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
"Bodily autonomy" has received significant attention in bioethics, medical ethics, and medical law in terms of the general inviolability of a patient's bodily sovereignty and the rights of patients to make choices (e.g., reproductive choices) that concern their own body. However, the role of the body in terms of how it can or does contribute to a patient's capacity for, or exercises of their autonomy in clinical decision-making situations has not been explicitly addressed. The approach to autonomy in this paper is aligned with traditional theories that conceive autonomy in terms of an individual's capacities for, and exercises of rational reflection. However, at the same time, this paper extends these accounts by arguing that autonomy is, in part, embodied. Specifically, by drawing on phenomenological conceptions of the experience of autonomy, we argue that, in principle, the body is a necessary component of the capacity for autonomy. Secondly, through the presentation of two different cases, we highlight ways in which a patient's body can contribute to the autonomy of treatment choices. Ultimately, we hope to encourage others to explore additional conditions under which a concept of embodied autonomy should be employed in medical decision making, how its underlying principles might be operationalised in clinical situations, and its consequences for approaches to patient autonomy in healthcare practice, policy, and law.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lewis
- Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, Department of Law, School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Søren Holm
- Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, Department of Law, School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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11
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Steigerwald AJ, Ferguson BJ, Nuraini N, Barnett JC, Takahashi N, Zamzow R, Heilman KM, Beversdorf DQ. Altered Allocation of Vertical Attention in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cogn Behav Neurol 2023; 36:159-165. [PMID: 37067989 DOI: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Typical adults most frequently orient their attention to other people's eyes, whereas individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) orient their attention to other people's mouths. Typical adults also reveal visuospatial biases on tasks such as vertical and horizontal line bisections. Therefore, the difference in face viewing might be related to a more general group difference in the allocation of vertical attention. OBJECTIVE To use vertical line bisection and quadrisection tasks to evaluate whether individuals with ASD have a more downward-oriented vertical attentional bias than do typical individuals. METHOD We recruited 20 individuals with ASD and 20 control participants matched for age (6-23 years), IQ, and sex. We asked the individuals to bisect and quadrisect lines on the top and bottom when the vertical lines were placed at the intersection of their right, left, and center egocentric sagittal planes and their coronal plane. The distances from the true midpoint and quadripoint were measured, and between-group performances were compared. RESULTS No significant difference was found between the ASD and control groups for vertical line bisections or lower line quadrisections. However, when the ASD group was compared with the control group for higher line quadrisections, the ASD group exhibited a greater upward deviation. CONCLUSION There is no downward vertical attentional spatial bias associated with ASD that could help to explain these individuals' attentional bias toward the mouth. However, additional studies are required to learn if this atypical upward vertical attentional bias might account for some of the symptoms and signs associated with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bradley J Ferguson
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Columbia, Missouri
- Departments of Health Psychology and Radiology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Nanan Nuraini
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri
| | | | - Nicole Takahashi
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Rachel Zamzow
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Kenneth M Heilman
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, and NF/SG Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida
| | - David Q Beversdorf
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Columbia, Missouri
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri
- Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences, William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri
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12
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Subri S, Palumbo L, Gowen E. Symmetry Detection in Autistic Adults Benefits from Local Processing in a Contour Integration Task. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06093-5. [PMID: 37642870 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06093-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Symmetry studies in autism are inconclusive possibly due to different types of stimuli used which depend on either local or global cues. Therefore, this study compared symmetry detection between 20 autistic and 18 non-autistic adults matched on age, IQ, gender and handedness, using contour integration tasks containing open and closed contours that rely more on local or global processing respectively. Results showed that the autistic group performed equally well with both stimuli and outperformed the non-autistic group only for the open contours, possibly due to a different strategy used in detecting symmetry. However, there were no group differences for the closed contour. Results explain discrepant findings in previous symmetry studies suggesting that symmetry tasks that favour a local strategy may be advantageous for autistic individuals. Implications of the findings towards understanding visual sensory issues in this group are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Subri
- Center of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, 42300, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Letizia Palumbo
- Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Emma Gowen
- Division of Psychology, Communication and Human Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
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13
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Thérien VD, Degré-Pelletier J, Barbeau EB, Samson F, Soulières I. Different levels of visuospatial abilities linked to differential brain correlates underlying visual mental segmentation processes in autism. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9186-9211. [PMID: 37317036 PMCID: PMC10350832 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad195] [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: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of enhanced locally oriented visual processing that are specific to autistics with a Wechsler's Block Design (BD) peak are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the brain correlates underlying visual segmentation associated with the well-established autistic superior visuospatial abilities in distinct subgroups using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This study included 31 male autistic adults (15 with (AUTp) and 16 without (AUTnp) a BD peak) and 28 male adults with typical development (TYP). Participants completed a computerized adapted BD task with models having low and high perceptual cohesiveness (PC). Despite similar behavioral performances, AUTp and AUTnp showed generally higher occipital activation compared with TYP participants. Compared with both AUTnp and TYP participants, the AUTp group showed enhanced task-related functional connectivity within posterior visuoperceptual regions and decreased functional connectivity between frontal and occipital-temporal regions. A diminished modulation in frontal and parietal regions in response to increased PC was also found in AUTp participants, suggesting heavier reliance on low-level processing of global figures. This study demonstrates that enhanced visual functioning is specific to a cognitive phenotypic subgroup of autistics with superior visuospatial abilities and reinforces the need to address autistic heterogeneity by good cognitive characterization of samples in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique D Thérien
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Elise B Barbeau
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Fabienne Samson
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
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14
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Noel JP, Angelaki DE. A theory of autism bridging across levels of description. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:631-641. [PMID: 37183143 PMCID: PMC10330321 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Autism impacts a wide range of behaviors and neural functions. As such, theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are numerous and span different levels of description, from neurocognitive to molecular. We propose how existent behavioral, computational, algorithmic, and neural accounts of ASD may relate to one another. Specifically, we argue that ASD may be cast as a disorder of causal inference (computational level). This computation relies on marginalization, which is thought to be subserved by divisive normalization (algorithmic level). In turn, divisive normalization may be impaired by excitatory-to-inhibitory imbalances (neural implementation level). We also discuss ASD within similar frameworks, those of predictive coding and circular inference. Together, we hope to motivate work unifying the different accounts of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Noel
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Dora E Angelaki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA; Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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15
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Turri C, Di Dona G, Santoni A, Zamfira DA, Franchin L, Melcher D, Ronconi L. Periodic and Aperiodic EEG Features as Potential Markers of Developmental Dyslexia. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1607. [PMID: 37371702 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental Dyslexia (DD) is a neurobiological condition affecting the ability to read fluently and/or accurately. Analyzing resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in DD may provide a deeper characterization of the underlying pathophysiology and possible biomarkers. So far, studies investigating resting-state activity in DD provided limited evidence and did not consider the aperiodic component of the power spectrum. In the present study, adults with (n = 26) and without DD (n = 31) underwent a reading skills assessment and resting-state EEG to investigate potential alterations in aperiodic activity, their impact on the periodic counterpart and reading performance. In parieto-occipital channels, DD participants showed a significantly different aperiodic activity as indexed by a flatter and lower power spectrum. These aperiodic measures were significantly related to text reading time, suggesting a link with individual differences in reading difficulties. In the beta band, the DD group showed significantly decreased aperiodic-adjusted power compared to typical readers, which was significantly correlated to word reading accuracy. Overall, here we provide evidence showing alterations of the endogenous aperiodic activity in DD participants consistently with the increased neural noise hypothesis. In addition, we confirm alterations of endogenous beta rhythms, which are discussed in terms of their potential link with magnocellular-dorsal stream deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Turri
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Dona
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Santoni
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Denisa Adina Zamfira
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Franchin
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - David Melcher
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
- Psychology Program, Division of Science, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Brain and Health, NYUAD Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Luca Ronconi
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
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16
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Knight EJ, Freedman EG, Myers EJ, Berruti AS, Oakes LA, Cao CZ, Molholm S, Foxe JJ. Severely Attenuated Visual Feedback Processing in Children on the Autism Spectrum. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2424-2438. [PMID: 36859306 PMCID: PMC10072299 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1192-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals on the autism spectrum often exhibit atypicality in their sensory perception, but the neural underpinnings of these perceptual differences remain incompletely understood. One proposed mechanism is an imbalance in higher-order feedback re-entrant inputs to early sensory cortices during sensory perception, leading to increased propensity to focus on local object features over global context. We explored this theory by measuring visual evoked potentials during contour integration as considerable work has revealed that these processes are largely driven by feedback inputs from higher-order ventral visual stream regions. We tested the hypothesis that autistic individuals would have attenuated evoked responses to illusory contours compared with neurotypical controls. Electrophysiology was acquired while 29 autistic and 31 neurotypical children (7-17 years old, inclusive of both males and females) passively viewed a random series of Kanizsa figure stimuli, each consisting of four inducers that were aligned either at random rotational angles or such that contour integration would form an illusory square. Autistic children demonstrated attenuated automatic contour integration over lateral occipital regions relative to neurotypical controls. The data are discussed in terms of the role of predictive feedback processes on perception of global stimulus features and the notion that weakened "priors" may play a role in the visual processing anomalies seen in autism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Children on the autism spectrum differ from typically developing children in many aspects of their processing of sensory stimuli. One proposed mechanism for these differences is an imbalance in higher-order feedback to primary sensory regions, leading to an increased focus on local object features rather than global context. However, systematic investigation of these feedback mechanisms remains limited. Using EEG and a visual illusion paradigm that is highly dependent on intact feedback processing, we demonstrated significant disruptions to visual feedback processing in children with autism. This provides much needed experimental evidence that advances our understanding of the contribution of feedback processing to visual perception in autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Knight
- Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
- Development and Behavioral Pediatrics, Golisano Children's Hospital, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642
| | - Edward G Freedman
- Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
| | - Evan J Myers
- Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
| | - Alaina S Berruti
- Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461
| | - Leona A Oakes
- Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
- Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461
| | - Cody Zhewei Cao
- Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
| | - Sophie Molholm
- Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461
| | - John J Foxe
- Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
- Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461
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17
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Hardiansyah I, Nyström P, Taylor MJ, Bölte S, Ronald A, Falck-Ytter T. Global motion processing in infants' visual cortex and the emergence of autism. Commun Biol 2023; 6:339. [PMID: 36977757 PMCID: PMC10050234 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04707-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is a heritable and common neurodevelopmental condition, with behavioural symptoms typically emerging around age 2 to 3 years. Differences in basic perceptual processes have been documented in autistic children and adults. Specifically, data from many experiments suggest links between autism and alterations in global visual motion processing (i.e., when individual motion information is integrated to perceive an overall coherent pattern). Yet, no study has investigated whether a distinctive organization of global motion processing precede the emergence of autistic symptoms in early childhood. Here, using a validated infant electroencephalography (EEG) experimental paradigm, we first establish the normative activation profiles for global form, global motion, local form, and local motion in the visual cortex based on data from two samples of 5-month-old infants (total n = 473). Further, in a sample of 5-month-olds at elevated likelihood of autism (n = 52), we show that a different topographical organization of global motion processing is associated with autistic symptoms in toddlerhood. These findings advance the understanding of neural organization of infants' basic visual processing, and its role in the development of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irzam Hardiansyah
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Pär Nyström
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mark J Taylor
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Angelica Ronald
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Terje Falck-Ytter
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Development and Neurodiversity Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, Uppsala, Sweden.
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18
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Suri KN, Whedon M, Lewis M. Perception of audio-visual synchrony in infants at elevated likelihood of developing autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Pediatr 2023; 182:2105-2117. [PMID: 36820895 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-04871-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The inability to perceive audio-visual speech as a unified event may contribute to social impairments and language deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we examined and compared two groups of infants on their sensitivity to audio-visual asynchrony for a social (speaking face) and non-social event (bouncing ball) and assessed the relations between multisensory integration and language production. Infants at elevated likelihood of developing ASD were less sensitive to audio-visual synchrony for the social event than infants without elevated likelihood. Among infants without elevated likelihood, greater sensitivity to audio-visual synchrony for the social event was associated with a larger productive vocabulary. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that early deficits in multisensory integration may impair language development among infants with elevated likelihood of developing ASD. WHAT IS KNOWN •Perceptual integration of auditory and visual cues within speech is important for language development. •Prior work suggests that children with ASD are less sensitive to the temporal synchrony within audio-visual speech. WHAT IS NEW •In this study, infants at elevated likelihood of developing ASD showed a larger temporal binding window for adynamic social event (Speaking Face) than TD infants, suggesting less efficient multisensory integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirin N Suri
- Institute for the Study of Child Development, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.,Children's Health at Hackensack Meridian, Hackensack, NJ, 07601, USA
| | - Margaret Whedon
- Institute for the Study of Child Development, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
| | - Michael Lewis
- Institute for the Study of Child Development, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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van der Plas E, Mason D, Happé F. Decision-making in autism: A narrative review. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023:13623613221148010. [PMID: 36794463 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221148010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
LAY SUMMARY Many autistic people report difficulties with real-life decision-making. However, when doing decision-making tests in laboratory experiments, autistic people often perform as well or better than non-autistic people. We review previously published studies on autistic people's decision-making, across different types of tests, to understand what type of decision-making is more challenging. To do this, we searched four databases of research papers. We found 104 studies that tested, in total, 2712 autistic and 3189 comparison participants on different decision-making tasks. We found that there were four categories of decision-making tests that were used in these experiments: perceptual (e.g. deciding which image has the most dots); reward learning (e.g. learning which deck of cards gives the best reward); metacognition (e.g. knowing how well you perform or what you want); and value-based (e.g. making a decision based on a choice between two outcomes that differ in value to you). Overall, these studies suggest that autistic and comparison participants tend to perform similarly well at perceptual and reward-learning decisions. However, autistic participants tended to decide differently from comparison participants on metacognition and value-based paradigms. This suggests that autistic people might differ from typically developing controls in how they evaluate their own performance and in how they make decisions based on weighing up the subjective value of two different options. We suggest these reflect more general differences in metacognition, thinking about thinking, in autism.
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20
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Lynn A, Amso D. Attention along the cortical hierarchy: Development matters. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2023; 14:e1575. [PMID: 34480779 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We build on the existing biased competition view to argue that attention is an emergent property of neural computations within and across hierarchically embedded and structurally connected cortical pathways. Critically then, one must ask, what is attention emergent from? Within this framework, developmental changes in the quality of sensory input and feedforward-feedback information flow shape the emergence and efficiency of attention. Several gradients of developing structural and functional cortical architecture across the caudal-to-rostral axis provide the substrate for attention to emerge. Neural activity within visual areas depends on neuronal density, receptive field size, tuning properties of neurons, and the location of and competition between features and objects in the visual field. These visual cortical properties highlight the information processing bottleneck attention needs to resolve. Recurrent feedforward and feedback connections convey sensory information through a series of steps at each level of the cortical hierarchy, integrating sensory information across the entire extent of the cortical hierarchy and linking sensory processing to higher-order brain regions. Higher-order regions concurrently provide input conveying behavioral context and goals. Thus, attention reflects the output of a series of complex biased competition neural computations that occur within and across hierarchically embedded cortical regions. Cortical development proceeds along the caudal-to-rostral axis, mirroring the flow in sensory information from caudal to rostral regions, and visual processing continues to develop into childhood. Examining both typical and atypical development will offer critical mechanistic insight not otherwise available in the adult stable state. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Lynn
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Dima Amso
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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21
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Raul P, McNally K, Ward LM, van Boxtel JJA. Does stochastic resonance improve performance for individuals with higher autism-spectrum quotient? Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1110714. [PMID: 37123379 PMCID: PMC10140507 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1110714] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
While noise is generally believed to impair performance, the detection of weak stimuli can sometimes be enhanced by introducing optimum noise levels. This phenomenon is termed 'Stochastic Resonance' (SR). Past evidence suggests that autistic individuals exhibit higher neural noise than neurotypical individuals. It has been proposed that the enhanced performance in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on some tasks could be due to SR. Here we present a computational model, lab-based, and online visual identification experiments to find corroborating evidence for this hypothesis in individuals without a formal ASD diagnosis. Our modeling predicts that artificially increasing noise results in SR for individuals with low internal noise (e.g., neurotypical), however not for those with higher internal noise (e.g., autistic, or neurotypical individuals with higher autistic traits). It also predicts that at low stimulus noise, individuals with higher internal noise outperform those with lower internal noise. We tested these predictions using visual identification tasks among participants from the general population with autistic traits measured by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). While all participants showed SR in the lab-based experiment, this did not support our model strongly. In the online experiment, significant SR was not found, however participants with higher AQ scores outperformed those with lower AQ scores at low stimulus noise levels, which is consistent with our modeling. In conclusion, our study is the first to investigate the link between SR and superior performance by those with ASD-related traits, and reports limited evidence to support the high neural noise/SR hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Raul
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- *Correspondence: Pratik Raul,
| | - Kate McNally
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Lawrence M. Ward
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeroen J. A. van Boxtel
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Jeroen J. A. van Boxtel,
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22
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Chen Y, Tang E, Ding H, Zhang Y. Auditory Pitch Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:4866-4886. [PMID: 36450443 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pitch plays an important role in auditory perception of music and language. This study provides a systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate whether individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have enhanced pitch processing ability and to identify the potential factors associated with processing differences between ASD and neurotypicals. METHOD We conducted a systematic search through six major electronic databases focusing on the studies that used nonspeech stimuli to provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment across existing studies on pitch perception in autism. We identified potential participant- and methodology-related moderators and conducted metaregression analyses using mixed-effects models. RESULTS On the basis of 22 studies with a total of 464 participants with ASD, we obtained a small-to-medium positive effect size (g = 0.26) in support of enhanced pitch perception in ASD. Moreover, the mean age and nonverbal IQ of participants were found to significantly moderate the between-studies heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides the first meta-analysis on auditory pitch perception in ASD and demonstrates the existence of different developmental trajectories between autistic individuals and neurotypicals. In addition to age, nonverbal ability is found to be a significant contributor to the lower level/local processing bias in ASD. We highlight the need for further investigation of pitch perception in ASD under challenging listening conditions. Future neurophysiological and brain imaging studies with a longitudinal design are also needed to better understand the underlying neural mechanisms of atypical pitch processing in ASD and to help guide auditory-based interventions for improving language and social functioning. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21614271.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Enze Tang
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Hongwei Ding
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
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23
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Andreou M, Konstantopoulos K, Peristeri E. Cognitive flexibility in autism: Evidence from young autistic children. Autism Res 2022; 15:2296-2309. [PMID: 36193816 PMCID: PMC10092108 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We examined the cognitive flexibility performance of young autistic children and a group of neurotypical peers. Thirty-six autistic children (72-83 months) and 200 age-matched typically-developing children were assessed on the Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT), a semantic and a phonemic verbal fluency task. The results showed that the autistic children performed worse than their neurotypical peers in the switching component of the CCTT. In the fluency tests, the autistic group generated overall fewer word items than their neurotypical peers, however, their poorer performance was driven by specific linguistic stimuli in the fluency tasks. The findings suggest that cognitive flexibility for the autistic children was affected in the nonverbal CCTT only, while poor performance in semantic and phonemic fluency seemed to be inherent to the language properties of the verbal fluency tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Andreou
- Department of Speech and Language TherapyUniversity of PeloponneseKalamataGreece
| | | | - Eleni Peristeri
- School of EnglishAristotle University of ThessalonikiThessalonikiGreece
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24
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Silvestre D, Miseros M, Faubert J, Tullo D, Bertone A. Development of static and dynamic perception for luminance- and texture-defined information from school-ages to adulthood. Vision Res 2022; 200:108103. [PMID: 35870287 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2022.108103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have assessed the visual development of static and dynamic information processing at different levels of processing during typical development from the school-age years to adulthood. The implication of non-visual factors on visual development, such as cognitive (e.g., IQ) and attentional abilities, has yet to be systematically assessed with regard to spanning such a large age range. To address these voids, 203 typically-developing participants (aged 6 to 31 years) identified the orientation or direction of a static or moving grating defined by either luminance- or texture-contrast. An adaptive staircase procedure was used to measure contrast sensitivity in all four conditions. Cognitive (Wechsler IQ) and attentional ability (CPT-3) were also measured for all participants. Different developmental rates of contrast sensitivity were found between static and dynamic conditions when defined by more complex, texture-defined information, with the difference in sensitivity starting after the age of 9.71 years. However, static and dynamic profiles for luminance-defined information developed similarly with age. In addition, IQ did not correlate with nor predict the sensitivity across any condition. These results suggest age significantly explains the variance in the developmental profiles of contrast sensitivity above and beyond non-visual factors such as IQ and the CPT-3 attentional scores. Moreover, the neural pathways processing static and dynamic visual information continue to develop through late childhood and adolescence for the processing of texture-defined information only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphné Silvestre
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, Canada.
| | - Margarita Miseros
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Faubert
- Faubert Lab, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Canada
| | - Domenico Tullo
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, Canada
| | - Armando Bertone
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, Canada
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25
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Valarmathi Arunachalam, Kalpana Suresh, Lakshmi Venkatesh, Santhanam Thiyagarajan. Vision therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder – A review and case report. Biomedicine (Taipei) 2022. [DOI: 10.51248/.v42i4.1833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A higher incidence of ocular morbidity including visual perceptual disorders has been noted in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with ASD show a lack of eye contact, poorly developed eye-hand coordination, and decreased visual perceptual skills. The presence of such deficits may influence the development of cognitive, motor skills, perception, behaviour, social interactions, and communication of these children. A nine-year-old male child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder presented with a lack of eye contact, challenges in gross and fine motor skills, and social interactions. A comprehensive eye examination was performed, followed by an assessment of visual-spatial abilities of the child. Developmental Test of Visual Perception - third edition, administered to understand visual-motor integration and motor-reduced visual perceptual skills, revealed perceptual deficits in all domains. The child completed 30 sessions of vision therapy resulting in significant improvement in visual-spatial skills, visual-motor integration, and motor-reduced visual perception. This case demonstrated that individuals with ASD can benefit from vision therapy. Significant changes in behaviour including improved attention span and increased understanding of instructions were evident from parental feedback. Visual perceptual skill training holds the promise of being an adjunct developmentally supportive intervention for some children with an autism spectrum disorder.
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26
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Orchard ER, Dakin SC, van Boxtel JJA. Internal noise measures in coarse and fine motion direction discrimination tasks and the correlation with autism traits. J Vis 2022; 22:19. [PMID: 36149675 PMCID: PMC9520516 DOI: 10.1167/jov.22.10.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Motion perception is essential for visual guidance of behavior and is known to be limited by both internal additive noise (i.e., a constant level of random fluctuations in neural activity independent of the stimulus) and motion pooling (global integration of local motion signals across space). People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display abnormalities in motion processing, which have been linked to both elevated noise and abnormal pooling. However, to date, the impact of a third limit—induced internal noise (internal noise that scales up with increases in external stimulus noise)—has not been investigated in motion perception of any group. Here, we describe an extension on the double-pass paradigm to quantify additive noise and induced noise in a motion paradigm. We also introduce a new way to experimentally estimate motion pooling. We measured the impact of induced noise on direction discrimination, which we ascribe to fluctuations in decision-related variables. Our results are suggestive of higher internal noise in individuals with high ASD traits only on coarse but not fine motion direction discrimination tasks. However, we report no significant correlations between autism traits and additive noise, induced noise, or motion pooling in either task. We conclude that, under some conditions, the internal noise may be higher in individuals with pronounced ASD traits and that the assessment of induced internal noise is a useful way of exploring decision-related limits on motion perception, irrespective of ASD traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwina R Orchard
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Child Study Center, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,
| | - Steven C Dakin
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK.,
| | - Jeroen J A van Boxtel
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia.,Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,
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27
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Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology. Recently, there has been a growing interest in sensory processing in autism as a core phenotype. However, basic questions remain unanswered. Here, we review the major findings and models of perception in autism and point to methodological issues that have led to conflicting results. We show that popular models of perception in autism, such as the reduced prior hypothesis, cannot explain the many and varied findings. To resolve these issues, we point to the benefits of using rigorous psychophysical methods to study perception in autism. We advocate for perceptual models that provide a detailed explanation of behavior while also taking into account factors such as context, learning, and attention. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of tracking changes over the course of development to reveal the causal pathways and compensatory mechanisms. Finally, we propose a developmental perceptual narrowing account of the condition. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 8 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bat-Sheva Hadad
- Department of Special Education and The Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; ,
| | - Amit Yashar
- Department of Special Education and The Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; ,
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28
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Lynn A, Luna B, O'Hearn K. Visual working memory performance is intact across development in autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2022; 15:881-891. [PMID: 35128834 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2683] [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: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with atypical visual processing and deficits in working memory (WM). Visual WM performance typically improves between childhood and adulthood, but such improvement may be atypical in ASD. To better understand how visual WM develops, we used a well-established change detection task across multiple visual features. We examined visual WM for color, shape, and pattern in children, adolescents, and adults with and without ASD. VWM capacity and performance for all visual features improved across age similarly for both the TD and ASD groups. While performance was better on set size 4 trials than set size 8 trials for color, shape, and no change trials, such an effect was not evident for pattern change trials. Overall, the present findings suggest that VWM for different visual features may be intact across development in ASD. The ability to hold multiple objects in mind (WM) improves across typical development, but it remains unclear whether such improvement occurs in ASD. We found that developmental improvements in WM for different types of object details (e.g., color, shape, and pattern) is generally similar for both ASD and typical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Lynn
- Department of Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kirsten O'Hearn
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
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29
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No effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on visual evoked potential and peak gamma frequency. Cogn Process 2022; 23:235-254. [PMID: 35099659 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-022-01076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that the visual evoked potential (VEP) and gamma oscillations elicited by visual stimuli reflect the balance of excitatory and inhibitory (E-I) cortical processes. As tDCS has been shown to modulate E-I balance, the current study investigated whether amplitudes of VEP components (N1 and P2) and peak gamma frequency are modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Healthy adults underwent two electroencephalography (EEG) recordings while viewing stimuli designed to elicit a robust visual response. Between the two recordings, participants were randomly assigned to three tDCS conditions (anodal-, cathodal-, and sham-tDCS) or received no-tDCS. tDCS electrodes were placed over the occipital cortex (Oz) and the left cheek with an intensity of 2 mA for 10 min. Data of 39 participants were analysed for VEP amplitudes and peak gamma frequency using mixed-model ANOVAs. The results showed no main effects of tDCS in any metric. Possible explanations for the absence of tDCS effects are discussed.
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30
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Jasim H, Hamdan F, Shareef H. Visual evoked potential findings and correlation between visual evoked potential and clinical severity in children with autism spectrum disorder. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF BABYLON 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/mjbl.mjbl_88_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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31
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Hsieh JJ, Nagai Y, Kumagaya SI, Ayaya S, Asada M. Atypical Auditory Perception Caused by Environmental Stimuli in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Approach to the Evaluation of Self-Reports. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:888627. [PMID: 35770058 PMCID: PMC9236639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.888627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that atypical sensory perception is common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is considered a potential cause of social difficulties. Self-reports by individuals with ASD have provided great insights into atypical perception from the first-person point of view and indicated its dependence on the environment. This study aimed to investigate the patterns and environmental causes of atypical auditory perception in individuals with ASD. Qualitative data from subject reports are inappropriate for statistical analysis, and reporting subjective sensory experiences is not easy for every individual. To cope with such challenges, we employed audio signal processing methods to simulate the potential patterns of atypical auditory perception. The participants in our experiment were able to select and adjust the strength of the processing methods to manipulate the sounds in the videos to match their experiences. Thus, the strength of atypical perception was recorded quantitatively and then analyzed to assess its correlation with the audio-visual stimuli contained in the videos the participants observed. In total, 22 participants with ASD and 22 typically developed (TD) participants were recruited for the experiment. The results revealed several common patterns of atypical auditory perception: Louder sounds perceived in a quiet environment, noise perception induced by intense and unsteady audio-visual stimuli, and echo perception correlated with movement and variation in sound level. The ASD group reported atypical perceptions more frequently than the control group. However, similar environmental causes were shared by the ASD and TD groups. The results help us infer the potential neural and physiological mechanisms of sensory processing in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyh-Jong Hsieh
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yukie Nagai
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Kumagaya
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satsuki Ayaya
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Minoru Asada
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,International Professional University of Technology in Osaka, Osaka, Japan.,Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences, Kasugai, Japan.,Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
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32
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Spiteri S, Crewther D. Neural Mechanisms of Visual Motion Anomalies in Autism: A Two-Decade Update and Novel Aetiology. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:756841. [PMID: 34790092 PMCID: PMC8591069 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.756841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The 21st century has seen dramatic changes in our understanding of the visual physio-perceptual anomalies of autism and also in the structure and development of the primate visual system. This review covers the past 20 years of research into motion perceptual/dorsal stream anomalies in autism, as well as new understanding of the development of primate vision. The convergence of this literature allows a novel developmental hypothesis to explain the physiological and perceptual differences of the broad autistic spectrum. Central to these observations is the development of motion areas MT+, the seat of the dorsal cortical stream, central area of pre-attentional processing as well as being an anchor of binocular vision for 3D action. Such development normally occurs via a transfer of thalamic drive from the inferior pulvinar → MT to the anatomically stronger but later-developing LGN → V1 → MT connection. We propose that autistic variation arises from a slowing in the normal developmental attenuation of the pulvinar → MT pathway. We suggest that this is caused by a hyperactive amygdala → thalamic reticular nucleus circuit increasing activity in the PIm → MT via response gain modulation of the pulvinar and hence altering synaptic competition in area MT. We explore the probable timing of transfer in dominance of human MT from pulvinar to LGN/V1 driving circuitry and discuss the implications of the main hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Spiteri
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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33
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Restoration of FMRP expression in adult V1 neurons rescues visual deficits in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. Protein Cell 2021; 13:203-219. [PMID: 34714519 PMCID: PMC8901859 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many people affected by fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism spectrum disorders have sensory processing deficits, such as hypersensitivity to auditory, tactile, and visual stimuli. Like FXS in humans, loss of Fmr1 in rodents also cause sensory, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. However, the neural mechanisms underlying sensory impairment, especially vision impairment, remain unclear. It remains elusive whether the visual processing deficits originate from corrupted inputs, impaired perception in the primary sensory cortex, or altered integration in the higher cortex, and there is no effective treatment. In this study, we used a genetic knockout mouse model (Fmr1KO), in vivo imaging, and behavioral measurements to show that the loss of Fmr1 impaired signal processing in the primary visual cortex (V1). Specifically, Fmr1KO mice showed enhanced responses to low-intensity stimuli but normal responses to high-intensity stimuli. This abnormality was accompanied by enhancements in local network connectivity in V1 microcircuits and increased dendritic complexity of V1 neurons. These effects were ameliorated by the acute application of GABAA receptor activators, which enhanced the activity of inhibitory neurons, or by reintroducing Fmr1 gene expression in knockout V1 neurons in both juvenile and young-adult mice. Overall, V1 plays an important role in the visual abnormalities of Fmr1KO mice and it could be possible to rescue the sensory disturbances in developed FXS and autism patients.
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34
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Bui TA, Shatto J, Cuppens T, Droit A, Bolduc FV. Phenotypic Trade-Offs: Deciphering the Impact of Neurodiversity on Drug Development in Fragile X Syndrome. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:730987. [PMID: 34733188 PMCID: PMC8558248 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.730987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common single-gene cause of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. Individuals with FXS present with a wide range of severity in multiple phenotypes including cognitive delay, behavioral challenges, sleep issues, epilepsy, and anxiety. These symptoms are also shared by many individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Since the discovery of the FXS gene, FMR1, FXS has been the focus of intense preclinical investigation and is placed at the forefront of clinical trials in the field of NDDs. So far, most studies have aimed to translate the rescue of specific phenotypes in animal models, for example, learning, or improving general cognitive or behavioral functioning in individuals with FXS. Trial design, selection of outcome measures, and interpretation of results of recent trials have shown limitations in this type of approach. We propose a new paradigm in which all phenotypes involved in individuals with FXS would be considered and, more importantly, the possible interactions between these phenotypes. This approach would be implemented both at the baseline, meaning when entering a trial or when studying a patient population, and also after the intervention when the study subjects have been exposed to the investigational product. This approach would allow us to further understand potential trade-offs underlying the varying effects of the treatment on different individuals in clinical trials, and to connect the results to individual genetic differences. To better understand the interplay between different phenotypes, we emphasize the need for preclinical studies to investigate various interrelated biological and behavioral outcomes when assessing a specific treatment. In this paper, we present how such a conceptual shift in preclinical design could shed new light on clinical trial results. Future clinical studies should take into account the rich neurodiversity of individuals with FXS specifically and NDDs in general, and incorporate the idea of trade-offs in their designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Truong An Bui
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Julie Shatto
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Tania Cuppens
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval et Département de Médecine Moléculaire de l'Université Laval, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval et Département de Médecine Moléculaire de l'Université Laval, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - François V. Bolduc
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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35
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Galigani M, Fossataro C, Gindri P, Conson M, Garbarini F. Monochannel Preference in Autism Spectrum Conditions Revealed by a Non-Visual Variant of Rubber Hand Illusion. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4252-4260. [PMID: 34595575 PMCID: PMC9508008 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05299-9] [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] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are less susceptible to multisensory delusions, such as rubber hand illusion (RHI). Here, we investigate whether a monochannel variant of RHI is more effective in inducing an illusory feeling of ownership in ASC. To this aim, we exploit a non-visual variant of the RHI that, excluding vision, leverages only on the somatosensory channel. While the visual-tactile RHI does not alter the perceived hand position in ASC individuals, the tacto-tactile RHI effectively modulates proprioception to a similar extent as that found in typical development individuals. These findings suggest a more effective integration of multiple inputs originating from the same sensory channel in ASC, revealing a monochannel preference in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Galigani
- Manibus Lab, Psychology Department, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin, Italy
| | - Carlotta Fossataro
- Manibus Lab, Psychology Department, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin, Italy.
| | | | - Massimiliano Conson
- Neuropsychology Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Francesca Garbarini
- Manibus Lab, Psychology Department, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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36
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DiCriscio AS, Smith J, Troiani V. Comprehensive Assessment of Visual Perceptual Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychol 2021; 12:662808. [PMID: 34326793 PMCID: PMC8314997 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662808] [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: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to assess meaningful variability in visual-perceptual skills using a standardized assessment of visual perception, the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS), across children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In addition to assessing overall accuracy across subtests of the TVPS, we also assessed response variability at the item-level, and the linear relationship between quantitative measures of ASD symptoms, task performance, and item-level variance. We report a significant linear relationship between ASD features and performance on the TVPS Figure Ground subtest. Additionally, results of an item-level analysis point to a significant relationship between within-task variability on the Figure Ground subtest and quantitative ASD traits, with a less variable response pattern being associated with increased ASD symptoms. Findings presented here suggest variability in perceptual processing across ASD may be influenced by individual differences in trait distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaclyn Smith
- Geisinger Health System, Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute (ADMI), Lewisburg, PA, United States
| | - Vanessa Troiani
- Geisinger Health System, Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute (ADMI), Lewisburg, PA, United States.,Department of Imaging Science and Innovation, Center for Health Research, Danville, PA, United States.,Geisinger Neuroscience Institute, Danville, PA, United States.,Department of Basic Sciences, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States
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37
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Del Rosario J, Speed A, Arrowood H, Motz C, Pardue M, Haider B. Diminished Cortical Excitation and Elevated Inhibition During Perceptual Impairments in a Mouse Model of Autism. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3462-3474. [PMID: 33677512 PMCID: PMC8525192 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory impairments are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These impairments affect visual perception and have been hypothesized to arise from imbalances in cortical excitatory and inhibitory activity. There is conflicting evidence for this hypothesis from several recent studies of transgenic mouse models of ASD; crucially, none have measured activity from identified excitatory and inhibitory neurons during simultaneous impairments of sensory perception. Here, we directly recorded putative excitatory and inhibitory population spiking in primary visual cortex (V1) while simultaneously measuring visual perceptual behavior in CNTNAP2-/- knockout (KO) mice. We observed quantitative impairments in the speed, accuracy, and contrast sensitivity of visual perception in KO mice. During these perceptual impairments, stimuli evoked more firing of inhibitory neurons and less firing of excitatory neurons, with reduced neural sensitivity to contrast. In addition, pervasive 3-10 Hz oscillations in superficial cortical layers 2/3 (L2/3) of KO mice degraded predictions of behavioral performance from neural activity. Our findings show that perceptual deficits relevant to ASD may be associated with elevated cortical inhibitory activity along with diminished and aberrant excitatory population activity in L2/3, a major source of feedforward projections to higher cortical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Del Rosario
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Anderson Speed
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Hayley Arrowood
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Cara Motz
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Machelle Pardue
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Bilal Haider
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Chakrabarty M, Atsumi T, Kaneko A, Fukatsu R, Ide M. State anxiety modulates the effect of emotion cues on visual temporal sensitivity in autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4682-4694. [PMID: 33998735 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Atypical processing of stimulus inputs across a range of sensory modalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is widely reported. Sensory processing is known to be influenced by bodily internal states such as physiological arousal and anxiety. As a sizeable proportion of ASD reportedly have co-morbid anxiety disorders that are linked with dysregulated arousal, we investigated if face emotion arousal cues influenced visual sensory sensitivity (indexed by temporal resolution) in ASD (n = 20) compared to a matched group of typically developed individuals (TD, n = 21). We asked further if emotion-cued changes in visual sensitivity were associated with individual differences in state and trait anxiety. Participants reported the laterality of the second of two consecutive Gaussian-blob flashes in a visual temporal order judgment task (v-TOJ), demanding higher-level visual processing. The key manipulation was presenting a task-irrelevant face emotion cue briefly at unexpected time points preceding the task-relevant flashes. Disgust vs. Neutral emotion signals significantly enhanced the visual temporal resolution in ASD. Individual state-anxiety scores showed a fair correlative trend with the emotion-cued changes in temporal resolution (Disgust versus Neutral) in ASD but missed statistical significance. Both these effects were absent in TD. The results show that individual state-anxiety levels likely modulate the effect of emotions on visual temporal sensitivity in ASD. The findings support a nuanced approach to understand the disparate sensory features in ASD, by factoring in the interplay of the individual reactivity to environmental affective information and the severity of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Chakrabarty
- Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Takeshi Atsumi
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Saitama, Japan.,Department of Medical Physiology School of Medicine, Kyorin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayako Kaneko
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Saitama, Japan
| | - Reiko Fukatsu
- Department of Medical Physiology School of Medicine, Kyorin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masakazu Ide
- Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Saitama, Japan
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Li JC, Wong K, Park AS, Fricke TR, Jackson AJ. The challenges of providing eye care for adults with intellectual disabilities. Clin Exp Optom 2021; 98:420-9. [DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Ch Li
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia,
| | - Katrina Wong
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia,
| | - Adela Sy Park
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia,
| | - Timothy R Fricke
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia,
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Australia,
| | - A Jonathan Jackson
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia,
- Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia,
- Royal Group of Hospitals, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom,
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Philip SS, Dutton GN. Identifying and characterising cerebral visual impairment in children: a review. Clin Exp Optom 2021; 97:196-208. [PMID: 24766507 DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Sara Philip
- Dept of Ophthalmology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, South India
| | - Gordon N Dutton
- Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Norcia AM, Lee A, Meredith WJ, Kohler PJ, Pei F, Ghassan SA, Libove RA, Phillips JM, Hardan AY. A case-control study of visual, auditory and audio-visual sensory interactions in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Vis 2021; 21:5. [PMID: 33830169 PMCID: PMC8039569 DOI: 10.1167/jov.21.4.5] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
To assess the relative integrity of early visual and auditory processes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we used frequency-tagged visual and auditory stimulation and high-density electroencephalogram recordings of unimodal and dual-modality responses in a case-control design. To test for the specificity of effects on ASD, we recorded from a smaller group of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Horizontal 3 cycle per degree (cpd) gratings were presented at 5 Hz, and a random stream of /ba/, /da/, /ga/ syllables was presented at 6 Hz. Grating contrast response functions were measured unimodally and in the presence of a 64-dB auditory input. Auditory response functions were measured unimodally and in the presence of a 40% contrast grating. Children with ASD (n = 34) and ADHD (n = 13) showed a common lack of audio-visual interaction compared to typically developing children (n = 40) when measured at the first harmonic of the visual stimulus frequency. Both patient groups also showed depressed first harmonic responses at low contrast, but the ADHD group had consistently higher first-harmonic responses at high contrast. Children with ASD had a preferential loss of second-harmonic (transient) responses. The alteredtransient responses in ASD are likely to arise very early in the visual pathway and could thus have downstream consequences for many other visual mechanisms and processes. The alteration in audio-visual interaction could be a signature of a comorbid phenotype shared by ASD and ADHD, possibly due to alterations in attentional selection systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Norcia
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Azalea Lee
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Peter J Kohler
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Francesca Pei
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Ghassan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Robin A Libove
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer M Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Antonio Y Hardan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Convergent Validity of Behavioural and Subjective Sensitivity in Relation to Autistic Traits. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:758-770. [PMID: 33770325 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04974-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sensory issues are highly prevalent in autism and previous findings support a relationship between questionnaires of sensitivity and autistic symptoms and traits, whereas studies that examine this relationship through behavioural assessments of sensitivity are less consistent. The current study explores these differences and suggests that behavioural thresholds for sensitivity and subjective sensitivity are distinct constructs. One hundred and eighteen adults completed a visual and auditory detection task and questionnaires on sensory processing and autistic traits. Visual thresholds and subjective visual sensitivity were not correlated, but both were related to autistic traits. Auditory thresholds and subjective auditory sensitivity were also unrelated. Overall, sensitivity is highly associated with autistic traits, however, behavioural and questionnaire assessments lack convergent validity and therefore, likely assess distinct constructs.
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Chakraborty R, Vijay Kumar MJ, Clement JP. Critical aspects of neurodevelopment. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 180:107415. [PMID: 33647449 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Organisms have the unique ability to adapt to their environment by making use of external inputs. In the process, the brain is shaped by experiences that go hand-in-hand with optimisation of neural circuits. As such, there exists a time window for the development of different brain regions, each unique for a particular sensory modality, wherein the propensity of forming strong, irreversible connections are high, referred to as a critical period of development. Over the years, this domain of neurodevelopmental research has garnered considerable attention from many scientists, primarily because of the intensive activity-dependent nature of development. This review discusses the cellular, molecular, and neurophysiological bases of critical periods of different sensory modalities, and the disorders associated in cases the regulators of development are dysfunctional. Eventually, the neurobiological bases of the behavioural abnormalities related to developmental pathologies are discussed. A more in-depth insight into the development of the brain during the critical period of plasticity will eventually aid in developing potential therapeutics for several neurodevelopmental disorders that are categorised under critical period disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranabir Chakraborty
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India
| | - M J Vijay Kumar
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India
| | - James P Clement
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India.
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Stevenson RA, Ruppel J, Sun SZ, Segers M, Zapparoli BL, Bebko JM, Barense MD, Ferber S. Visual working memory and sensory processing in autistic children. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3648. [PMID: 33574399 PMCID: PMC7878880 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82777-1] [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: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
While atypical sensory processing is one of the more ubiquitous symptoms in autism spectrum disorder, the exact nature of these sensory issues remains unclear, with different studies showing either enhanced or deficient sensory processing. Using a well-established continuous cued-recall task that assesses visual working memory, the current study provides novel evidence reconciling these apparently discrepant findings. Autistic children exhibited perceptual advantages in both likelihood of recall and recall precision relative to their typically-developed peers. When autistic children did make errors, however, they showed a higher probability of erroneously binding a given colour with the incorrect spatial location. These data align with neural-architecture models for feature binding in visual working memory, suggesting that atypical population-level neural noise in the report dimension (colour) and cue dimension (spatial location) may drive both the increase in probability of recall and precision of colour recall as well as the increase in proportion of binding errors when making an error, respectively. These changes are likely to impact core symptomatology associated with autism, as perceptual binding and working memory play significant roles in higher-order tasks, such as communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A. Stevenson
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 2K3 Canada ,grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada ,grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada ,grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Neuroscience Program, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada ,grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Justin Ruppel
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Sol Z. Sun
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Magali Segers
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 2K3 Canada ,grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Busisiwe L. Zapparoli
- grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - James M. Bebko
- grid.21100.320000 0004 1936 9430Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Morgan D. Barense
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Susanne Ferber
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
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A Comparative Study of Corneal Topography in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study. Vision (Basel) 2021; 5:vision5010004. [PMID: 33467505 PMCID: PMC7838863 DOI: 10.3390/vision5010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the corneal characteristics in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and age-matched typical development (TD) participants. Methods: This cross-sectional, clinically based study compared children with ASD to age-matched TD participants. Corneal topography was measured with a portable EyeSys Vista system. The distance visual acuity (VA) and the contrast sensitivity (CS) were determined. The refractive error (RE) was assessed using a 2WIN autorefractometer. Results: A total of 31 children with ASD (mean age: 12.78 ± 4.49 years), and 60 participants with TD (mean age: 13.65 ± 3.56 years) were recruited. The two groups were similar in age (t = −2.084, p = 0.075) and VA (t = −0.35, p = 0.32). Most of the children with ASD had a significant amount of refractive errors (REs; range: +5.25 to −5.50 DS), and astigmatism was dominant (range: −0.25 to −4.50 DC). There was no statistically significant difference between both groups in terms of average corneal power (t = 1.12, p = 0.39). The children with ASD and participants with TD also did not differ significantly in terms of corneal shape descriptors (p > 0.05), such as corneal asphericity, inferior superior index, opposite sector index, and differential sector index. The spherical equivalent did not differ significantly between the ASD participants and participants with TD (t = 1.15, p = 0.15). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the astigmatism component between the ASD participants and the participants with TD.
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Perrino PA, Chamberlain SJ, Eigsti IM, Fitch RH. Communication-related assessments in an Angelman syndrome mouse model. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01937. [PMID: 33151040 PMCID: PMC7821623 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor deficits, seizures, some autistic-like behaviors, and severe impairment of speech. A dysfunction of the maternally imprinted UBE3A gene, coupled with a functional yet silenced paternal copy, results in AS. Although studies of transgenic mouse models have revealed a great deal about neural populations and rescue timeframes for specific features of AS, these studies have largely failed to examine intermediate phenotypes that contribute to the profound communicative disabilities associated with AS. METHODS Here, we use a variety of tasks, including assessments of rapid auditory processing and social communication. Expressive vocalizations were directly assessed and correlated against other core behavioral measures (motor, social, acoustic perception) to model putative influences on communication. RESULTS AS mice displayed the characteristic phenotypes associated with Angelman syndrome (i.e., social and motor deficits), as well as marginal enhancements in rapid auditory processing ability. Our characterization of adult ultrasonic vocalizations further showed that AS mice produce fewer vocalizations and vocalized for a shorter amount of time when compared to controls. Additionally, a strong correlation between motor indices and ultrasonic vocalization output was shown, suggesting that the motor impairments in AS may contribute heavily to communication impairments. CONCLUSION In summary, the combination of motor deficits, social impairment, marginal rapid auditory enhancements, and altered ultrasonic vocalizations reported in a mouse model of AS clearly parallel the human symptoms of the disorder. This mouse model offers a novel route to interrogate the underlying genetic, physiologic, and behavioral influences on the under-studied topic of impaired communication in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Perrino
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Stormy J Chamberlain
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Inge-Marie Eigsti
- Department of Psychological Science/Clinical Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Roslyn Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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Arslanova I, Wang K, Gomi H, Haggard P. Somatosensory evoked potentials that index lateral inhibition are modulated according to the mode of perceptual processing: comparing or combining multi-digit tactile motion. Cogn Neurosci 2020; 13:47-59. [PMID: 33307992 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2020.1839403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Many perceptual studies focus on the brain's capacity to discriminate between stimuli. However, our normal experience of the world also involves integrating multiple stimuli into a single perceptual event. Neural mechanisms such as lateral inhibition are believed to enhance local differences between sensory inputs from nearby regions of the receptor surface. However, this mechanism would seem dysfunctional when sensory inputs need to be combined rather than contrasted. Here, we investigated whether the brain can strategically regulate the strength of suppressive interactions that underlie lateral inhibition between finger representations in human somatosensory processing. To do this, we compared sensory processing between conditions that required either comparing or combining information. We delivered two simultaneous tactile motion trajectories to index and middle fingertips of the right hand. Participants had to either compare the directions of the two stimuli, or to combine them to form their average direction. To reveal preparatory tuning of somatosensory cortex, we used an established event-related potential design to measure the interaction between cortical representations evoked by digital nerve shocks immediately before each tactile stimulus. Consistent with previous studies, we found a clear suppression between cortical activations when participants were instructed to compare the tactile motion directions. Importantly, this suppression was significantly reduced when participants had to combine the same stimuli. These findings suggest that the brain can strategically switch between a comparative and a combinative mode of somatosensory processing, according to the perceptual goal, by preparatorily adjusting the strength of a process akin to lateral inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Arslanova
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Keying Wang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hiroaki Gomi
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Atsugishi, Japan
| | - Patrick Haggard
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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Maternal immune activation alters visual acuity and retinogeniculate axon pruning in offspring mice. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:518-523. [PMID: 32827701 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to have a variety of sensory processing deficits. Here we report that maternal immune activation, a known factor for ASD, alters visual acuity in the offspring mice. By intraperitoneally injecting polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) to induce maternal immune activation during embryonic days 10 to 14, we found that polyI:C treatment impairs visual acuity in young adult offspring mice as examined by their optomotor responses. Concurrently, polyI:C treatment suppresses retinogeniculate axon elimination, resulting in a high fraction of weak optical fibers innervating the relay neurons in the visual thalamus. The results link in-utero maternal inflammation to defective optical fiber pruning and arrested developmental strengthening of single optic fibers which may underlie impaired visual acuity.
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Chan MMY, Han YMY. Differential mirror neuron system (MNS) activation during action observation with and without social-emotional components in autism: a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Mol Autism 2020; 11:72. [PMID: 32993782 PMCID: PMC7523366 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00374-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Impaired imitation has been found to be an important factor contributing to social communication deficits in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It has been hypothesized that the neural correlate of imitation, the mirror neuron system (MNS), is dysfunctional in ASD, resulting in imitation impairment as one of the key behavioral manifestations in ASD. Previous MNS studies produced inconsistent results, leaving the debate of whether “broken” mirror neurons in ASD are unresolved. Methods This meta-analysis aimed to explore the differences in MNS activation patterns between typically developing (TD) and ASD individuals when they observe biological motions with or without social-emotional components. Effect size signed differential mapping (ES-SDM) was adopted to synthesize the available fMRI data. Results ES-SDM analysis revealed hyperactivation in the right inferior frontal gyrus and left supplementary motor area in ASD during observation of biological motions. Subgroup analysis of experiments involving the observation of stimuli with or without emotional component revealed hyperactivation in the left inferior parietal lobule and left supplementary motor during action observation without emotional components, whereas hyperactivation of the right inferior frontal gyrus was found during action observation with emotional components in ASD. Subgroup analyses of age showed hyperactivation of the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus in ASD adolescents, while hyperactivation in the right inferior frontal gyrus was noted in ASD adults. Meta-regression within ASD individuals indicated that the right cerebellum crus I activation increased with age, while the left inferior temporal gyrus activation decreased with age. Limitations This meta-analysis is limited in its generalization of the findings to individuals with ASD by the restricted age range, heterogeneous study sample, and the large within-group variation in MNS activation patterns during object observation. Furthermore, we only included action observation studies which might limit the generalization of our results to the imitation deficits in ASD. In addition, the relatively small sample size for individual studies might also potentially overestimate the effect sizes. Conclusion The MNS is impaired in ASD. The abnormal activation patterns were found to be modulated by the nature of stimuli and age, which might explain the contradictory results from earlier studies on the “broken mirror neuron” debate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody M Y Chan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Yvonne M Y Han
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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Gowen E, Jachim S, Subri S, Dickinson C, Hamblin-Pyke B, Warren PA. Collinear facilitation and contour integration in autistic adults: Examining lateral and feedback connectivity. Vision Res 2020; 177:56-67. [PMID: 32977182 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Alongside difficulties with communication and social interaction, autism is often accompanied by unusual sensory and perceptual experiences including enhanced visual performance on tasks that involve separating local parts from global context. This superiority may be the result of atypical integrative processing, involving feedback and lateral connections between visual neurons. The current study investigated the integrity of these connections in autistic adults by examining two psychophysics tasks that rely on these processes - collinear facilitation and contour integration. The relative contribution of feedback and lateral connectivity was studied by altering the timing of the target relative to the flankers in the collinear facilitation task, in 16 autistic and 16 non-autistic adults. There were no significant differences in facilitation between the autistic and non-autistic groups, indicating that for this task and participant sample, lateral and feedback connectivity appear relatively intact in autistic individuals. Contour integration was examined in a different group of 20 autistic and 18 non-autistic individuals, for open and closed contours to assess the closure effect (improved detection of closed compared to open contours). Autistic individuals showed a reduced closure effect at both short (150 ms) and longer (500 ms) stimulus presentation durations that was driven by better performance of the autistic group for the open contours. These results suggest that reduced closure in a simple contour detection paradigm is unlikely to be due to slower global processing. Reduced closure has implications for understanding sensory overload by contributing to reduced figure-ground segregation of salient visual features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Gowen
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Stephen Jachim
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Sabrina Subri
- Center of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM Cawangan Selangor, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Christine Dickinson
- Division of Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Benjamin Hamblin-Pyke
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Paul A Warren
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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