1
|
Michel L, Ricou C, Bonnet-Brilhault F, Houy-Durand E, Latinus M. Sounds Pleasantness Ratings in Autism: Interaction Between Social Information and Acoustical Noise Level. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:2148-2157. [PMID: 37118645 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05989-6] [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] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
A lack of response to voices, and a great interest for music are part of the behavioral expressions, commonly (self-)reported in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These atypical interests for vocal and musical sounds could be attributable to different levels of acoustical noise, quantified in the harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR). No previous study has investigated explicit auditory pleasantness in ASD comparing vocal and non-vocal sounds, in relation to acoustic noise level. The aim of this study is to objectively evaluate auditory pleasantness. 16 adults on the autism spectrum and 16 neuro-typical (NT) matched adults rated the likeability of vocal and non-vocal sounds, with varying harmonic-to-noise ratio levels. A group by category interaction in pleasantness judgements revealed that participants on the autism spectrum judged vocal sounds as less pleasant than non-vocal sounds; an effect not found for NT participants. A category by HNR level interaction revealed that participants of both groups rated sounds with a high HNR as more pleasant for non-vocal sounds. A significant group by HNR interaction revealed that people on the autism spectrum tended to judge as less pleasant sounds with high HNR and more pleasant those with low HNR than NT participants. Acoustical noise level of sounds alone does not appear to explain atypical interest for voices and greater interest in music in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Michel
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, 37000, Tours, France.
| | - Camille Ricou
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, 37000, Tours, France
| | - Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, 37000, Tours, France
- EXAC.T, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Emannuelle Houy-Durand
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, 37000, Tours, France
- EXAC.T, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Marianne Latinus
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, 37000, Tours, France
- Centro de Estudios en Neurociencia Humana y Neuropsicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leung FYN, Stojanovik V, Jiang C, Liu F. Investigating implicit emotion processing in autism spectrum disorder across age groups: A cross-modal emotional priming study. Autism Res 2024; 17:824-837. [PMID: 38488319 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3124] [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: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Cumulating evidence suggests that atypical emotion processing in autism may generalize across different stimulus domains. However, this evidence comes from studies examining explicit emotion recognition. It remains unclear whether domain-general atypicality also applies to implicit emotion processing in autism and its implication for real-world social communication. To investigate this, we employed a novel cross-modal emotional priming task to assess implicit emotion processing of spoken/sung words (primes) through their influence on subsequent emotional judgment of faces/face-like objects (targets). We assessed whether implicit emotional priming differed between 38 autistic and 38 neurotypical individuals across age groups as a function of prime and target type. Results indicated no overall group differences across age groups, prime types, and target types. However, differential, domain-specific developmental patterns emerged for the autism and neurotypical groups. For neurotypical individuals, speech but not song primed the emotional judgment of faces across ages. This speech-orienting tendency was not observed across ages in the autism group, as priming of speech on faces was not seen in autistic adults. These results outline the importance of the delicate weighting between speech- versus song-orientation in implicit emotion processing throughout development, providing more nuanced insights into the emotion processing profile of autistic individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florence Y N Leung
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Vesna Stojanovik
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Cunmei Jiang
- Music College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Liu
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Williams TI, Loucas T, Sin J, Jeremic M, Meyer S, Boseley S, Fincham-Majumdar S, Aslett G, Renshaw R, Liu F. Using music to assist language learning in autistic children with minimal verbal language: The MAP feasibility RCT. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241233804. [PMID: 38433533 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241233804] [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: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Research has shown that autistic individuals often have unusually good musical skills and that combining words and music helps autistic individuals to focus on spoken words. This study tests the idea that music will help with early language learning of preschool autistic children. The results show that when caregivers sing words to autistic children, the children pay more attention to the caregiver than when the words are spoken and that they learn word combinations more easily.
Collapse
|
4
|
Hua Z, Hu J, Zeng H, Li J, Cao Y, Gan Y. Auditory language comprehension among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: An ALE meta-analysis of fMRI studies. Autism Res 2024; 17:482-496. [PMID: 38031655 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Difficulties in auditory language comprehension are common among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. However, findings regarding the underlying neural mechanisms remain mixed, and few studies have systematically explored the overall patterns of these findings. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence of neural activation patterns while engaging in auditory language comprehension tasks among children and adolescents with autism. Using activation likelihood estimation, we conducted a series of meta-analyses to investigate neural activation patterns during auditory language comprehension tasks compared to baseline conditions in autism and non-autism groups and compared the activation patterns of the groups, respectively. Eight studies were included in the within-group analyses, and seven were included in the between-group analysis. The within-group analyses revealed that the bilateral superior temporal gyrus was activated during auditory language comprehension tasks in both groups, whereas the left superior frontal gyrus and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex were activated only in the non-autism group. Furthermore, the between-group analysis showed that children and adolescents with autism, compared to those without autism, showed reduced activation in the right superior temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and insula, whereas the autism group did not show increased activation in any of the regions relative to the non-autism group. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the potential neural mechanisms underlying difficulties in auditory language comprehension in children and adolescents with autism and provide practical implications for early screening and language-related interventions for children and adolescents with autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zihui Hua
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Hu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Huanke Zeng
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yibo Cao
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqun Gan
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lin Q, Shi Y, Huang H, Jiao B, Kuang C, Chen J, Rao Y, Zhu Y, Liu W, Huang R, Lin J, Ma L. Functional brain network alterations in the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:369-380. [PMID: 36800038 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02165-0] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two highly prevalent and commonly co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders. The neural mechanisms underpinning the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD (ASD + ADHD) remain unclear. We focused on the topological organization and functional connectivity of brain networks in ASD + ADHD patients versus ASD patients without ADHD (ASD-only). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 114 ASD and 161 typically developing (TD) individuals were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II. The ASD patients comprised 40 ASD + ADHD and 74 ASD-only individuals. We constructed functional brain networks for each group and performed graph-theory and network-based statistic (NBS) analyses. Group differences between ASD + ADHD and ASD-only were analyzed at three levels: nodal, global, and connectivity. At the nodal level, ASD + ADHD exhibited topological disorganization in the temporal and occipital regions, compared with ASD-only. At the global level, ASD + ADHD and ASD-only displayed no significant differences. At the connectivity level, the NBS analysis revealed that ASD + ADHD showed enhanced functional connectivity between the prefrontal and frontoparietal regions, as well as between the orbitofrontal and occipital regions, compared with ASD-only. The hippocampus was the shared region in aberrant functional connectivity patterns in ASD + ADHD and ASD-only compared with TD. These findings suggests that ASD + ADHD displays altered topology and functional connectivity in the brain regions that undertake social cognition, language processing, and sensory processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Lin
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yafei Shi
- School of Fundamental Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiyuan Huang
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingqing Jiao
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Changyi Kuang
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuyang Rao
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunpeng Zhu
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenting Liu
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiabao Lin
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
- Institut Des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS UMR 5229, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
| | - Lijun Ma
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fram NR, Liu T, Lense MD. Social interaction links active musical rhythm engagement and expressive communication in autistic toddlers. Autism Res 2024; 17:338-354. [PMID: 38197536 PMCID: PMC10922396 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Rhythm is implicated in both social and linguistic development. Rhythm perception and production skills are also key vulnerabilities in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism which impact social communication. However, direct links between musical rhythm engagement and expressive communication in autism is not clearly evident. This absence of a direct connection between rhythm and expressive communication indicates that the mechanism of action between rhythm and expressive communication may recruit other cognitive or developmental factors. We hypothesized that social interactions, including general interpersonal relationships and interactive music-making involving children and caregivers, were a significant such factor, particularly in autism. To test this, we collected data from parents of autistic and nonautistic children 14-36 months of age, including parent reports of their children's rhythmic musical engagement, general social skills, parent-child musical interactions, and expressive communication skills. Path analysis revealed a system of independent, indirect pathways from rhythmic musical engagement to expressive communication via social skills and parent-child musical interactions in autistic toddlers. Such a system implies both that social and musical interactions represent crucial links between rhythm and language and that different kinds of social interactions play parallel, independent roles linking rhythmic musical engagement with expressive communication skills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noah R. Fram
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
| | - Talia Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University
| | - Miriam D. Lense
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
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 ).
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu T, Martinez-Torres K, Mazzone J, Camarata S, Lense M. Brief Report: Telehealth Music-Enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training in Autism: A Single-Subject Feasibility Study of a Virtual Parent Coaching Intervention. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06053-z. [PMID: 37530912 PMCID: PMC10834845 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06053-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Telehealth delivery increases accessibility of parent-mediated interventions that teach parents skills and support autistic children's social communication. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), an evidence-based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) focused on imitation skills, a common difficulty in autism, holds promise for telehealth-based parent training. Imitation is also a core component of musical play during childhood and the affordances of musical play/song naturally shape parent-child interactions. We evaluate the feasibility of a music-based, telehealth adaptation of RIT-music-enhanced RIT (tele-meRIT)-as a novel format for coaching parents in NDBI strategies. METHODS This single-subject, multiple baseline design study included 4 autistic children (32-53 months old) and their mothers. Parent-child dyads were recorded during 10-min free play probes at baseline, weekly tele-meRIT sessions, and one-week and one-month follow-up. Probes were coded for parents' RIT implementation fidelity, parent vocal musicality, and children's rate of spontaneous imitation. RESULTS No parent demonstrated implementation fidelity during baseline. All parents increased their use of RIT strategies, met fidelity by the end of treatment, and maintained fidelity at follow-up. Parent vocal musicality also increased from baseline. Intervention did not consistently increase children's imitation skills. A post-intervention evaluation survey indicated high parent satisfaction with tele-meRIT and perceived benefits to their children's social and play skills more broadly. CONCLUSION Implementing tele-meRIT is feasible. Although tele-meRIT additionally involved coaching in incorporating rhythmicity and song into play interactions, parents achieved fidelity in the RIT principles, suggesting one avenue by which music can be integrated within evidence-based parent-mediated NDBIs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Talia Liu
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Keysha Martinez-Torres
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Julie Mazzone
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Stephen Camarata
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Miriam Lense
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Chung S, Son JW. How Well Do We Understand Autistic Savant Artists: A Review of Various Hypotheses and Research Findings to Date. Soa Chongsonyon Chongsin Uihak 2023; 34:93-111. [PMID: 37035790 PMCID: PMC10080252 DOI: 10.5765/jkacap.230004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The authors investigated the artistic characteristics of autistic savant artists, hypotheses on the proximate and ultimate causes of their emergence, recent psychological and other studies about them, and psychological and neuroaesthetic studies about non-savant autistic individuals. The artistic features of autistic savant artists were significantly similar to those of outsider artists. Furthermore, the authors investigated the explanatory power of the paradoxical functional facilitation theory, the superior visual perception hypothesis, the "Hmmmmm" hypothesis, and the Neanderthal theory of autism regarding the emergence of autistic savant artists. In addition, we investigated whether an increase in savant characteristics was related to a decrease in the ability for social communication. The authors suggested that in studies on the aesthetic experience of non-savant autistic individuals, their aesthetic experience ability is never lower than that of neurotypical individuals and that some non-savant autistic individuals may potentially have artistic talent. Finally, the authors reviewed the effectiveness of the "autism savant spectrum syndromic disorder" proposed by some researchers. More scientific and systematic studies on autistic savant artists from a multidisciplinary perspective are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seungwon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea
- Autism and Developmental Disorder Treatment Center, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Jung-Woo Son
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea
- Autism and Developmental Disorder Treatment Center, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
- Address for correspondence: Jung-Woo Son, Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju 28644, Korea Tel: +82-43-269-6187, Fax: +82-43-267-7951, E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Klöbl M, Prillinger K, Diehm R, Doganay K, Lanzenberger R, Poustka L, Plener P, Konicar L. Individual brain regulation as learned via neurofeedback is related to affective changes in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2023; 17:6. [PMID: 36635760 PMCID: PMC9837918 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00549-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotions often play a role in neurofeedback (NF) regulation strategies. However, investigations of the relationship between the induced neuronal changes and improvements in affective domains are scarce in electroencephalography-based studies. Thus, we extended the findings of the first study on slow cortical potential (SCP) NF in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by linking affective changes to whole-brain activity during rest and regulation. METHODS Forty-one male adolescents with ASD were scanned twice at rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Between scans, half underwent NF training, whereas the other half received treatment as usual. Furthermore, parents reported on their child's affective characteristics at each measurement. The NF group had to alternatingly produce negative and positive SCP shifts during training and was additionally scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging while applying their developed regulation strategies. RESULTS No significant treatment group-by-time interactions in affective or resting-state measures were found. However, we found increases of resting activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and right inferior temporal gyrus as well as improvements in affective characteristics over both groups. Activation corresponding to SCP differentiation in these regions correlated with the affective improvements. A further correlation was found for Rolandic operculum activation corresponding to positive SCP shifts. There were no significant correlations with the respective achieved SCP regulation during NF training. CONCLUSION SCP NF in ASD did not lead to superior improvements in neuronal or affective functioning compared to treatment as usual. However, the affective changes might be related to the individual strategies and their corresponding activation patterns as indicated by significant correlations on the whole-brain level. Trial registration This clinical trial was registered at drks.de (DRKS00012339) on 20th April, 2017.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Prillinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Diehm
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kamer Doganay
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Paul Plener
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lilian Konicar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sravanti L, Kommu JVS, Suswaram S, Yadav AS. Musical preferences of Indian children with autism spectrum disorder and acceptability of music therapy by their families: An exploratory study. Ind Psychiatry J 2023; 32:176-186. [PMID: 37274590 PMCID: PMC10236685 DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_190_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Music therapy has been in use for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since the 1940s. However, there is limited scientific evidence on its use in the Indian context. Aim The present study aims to explore musical preferences of children with ASD and their caregivers' acceptability of music as a form of intervention. Materials and Methods It is a cross-sectional study of 120 subjects diagnosed with ASD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 identified by convenience sampling. A semi-structured interview schedule consisting of 25 objective response questions with multiple choices and 11 open-ended questions (pertaining to music and the use of music) was used to explore caregivers'/parents' thoughts and beliefs. The responses to open-ended questions were collected in narrative mode. A descriptive approach of content analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The data are presented using descriptive statistics. Institutional Ethics Committee's approval was obtained for conducting the study. Results Most of the children liked (89.2%, n = 107) music and responded (88.3%, n = 106) actively (listen intently/hum or sing or dance along) to music. Most subjects preferred rhythm (65%, n = 78) over melody (15%, n = 18). While 98.3% (n = 118) of the parents were willing to try music therapy for their child, 61% of them (n = 72) asked follow-up questions like - "Is there available data on it?" (n = 12; 10.2%) and "Will it be worth investing our time and efforts on it?" (n = 60; 50.8%). Conclusion Most of the children including those with auditory sensitivity like music and prefer rhythm over melody. Caregivers possess a positive attitude toward the use of music therapy. However, most of them wish to clarify the scientific basis of the same.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lakshmi Sravanti
- Department of Psychiatry, NH Health Clinic, Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - John Vijay Sagar Kommu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Suma Suswaram
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, United States of America
| | - Arun Singh Yadav
- Department of Psychiatry, 174 Military Hospital, Bathinda Cantt., Bathinda, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hirsch J, Zhang X, Noah JA, Dravida S, Naples A, Tiede M, Wolf JM, McPartland JC. Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265798. [PMID: 36350848 PMCID: PMC9645655 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Reluctance to make eye contact during natural interactions is a central diagnostic criterion for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the underlying neural correlates for eye contacts in ASD are unknown, and diagnostic biomarkers are active areas of investigation. Here, neuroimaging, eye-tracking, and pupillometry data were acquired simultaneously using two-person functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during live "in-person" eye-to-eye contact and eye-gaze at a video face for typically-developed (TD) and participants with ASD to identify the neural correlates of live eye-to-eye contact in both groups. Comparisons between ASD and TD showed decreased right dorsal-parietal activity and increased right ventral temporal-parietal activity for ASD during live eye-to-eye contact (p≤0.05, FDR-corrected) and reduced cross-brain coherence consistent with atypical neural systems for live eye contact. Hypoactivity of right dorsal-parietal regions during eye contact in ASD was further associated with gold standard measures of social performance by the correlation of neural responses and individual measures of: ADOS-2, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (r = -0.76, -0.92 and -0.77); and SRS-2, Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (r = -0.58). The findings indicate that as categorized social ability decreases, neural responses to real eye-contact in the right dorsal parietal region also decrease consistent with a neural correlate for social characteristics in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joy Hirsch
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Xian Zhang
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - J. Adam Noah
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Swethasri Dravida
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Adam Naples
- Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Mark Tiede
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Julie M. Wolf
- Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Li M, Wang Y, Tachibana M, Rahman S, Kagitani-Shimono K. Atypical structural connectivity of language networks in autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Autism Res 2022; 15:1585-1602. [PMID: 35962721 PMCID: PMC9546367 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show pervasive and complex language impairments that are closely associated with aberrant structural connectivity of language networks. However, the characteristics of white matter connectivity in ASD have remained inconclusive in previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies. The current meta‐analysis aimed to comprehensively elucidate the abnormality in language‐related white matter connectivity in individuals with ASD. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline databases to identify relevant studies. The standardized mean difference was calculated to measure the pooled difference in DTI metrics in each tract between the ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. The moderating effects of age, sex, language ability, and symptom severity were investigated using subgroup and meta‐regression analysis. Thirty‐three DTI studies involving 831 individuals with ASD and 836 TD controls were included in the meta‐analysis. ASD subjects showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy or higher mean diffusivity across language‐associated tracts than TD controls. These abnormalities tended to be more prominent in the left language networks than in the right. In addition, children with ASD exhibit more pronounced and pervasive disturbances in white matter connectivity than adults. These results support the under‐connectivity hypothesis and demonstrate the widespread abnormal microstructure of language‐related tracts in patients with ASD. Otherwise, white matter abnormalities in the autistic brain could vary depending on the developmental stage and hemisphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yide Wang
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Tachibana
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shafiur Rahman
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Wang L, Ong JH, Ponsot E, Hou Q, Jiang C, Liu F. Mental representations of speech and musical pitch contours reveal a diversity of profiles in autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 27:629-646. [PMID: 35848413 PMCID: PMC10074762 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221111207] [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: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT As a key auditory attribute of sounds, pitch is ubiquitous in our everyday listening experience involving language, music and environmental sounds. Given its critical role in auditory processing related to communication, numerous studies have investigated pitch processing in autism spectrum disorder. However, the findings have been mixed, reporting either enhanced, typical or impaired performance among autistic individuals. By investigating top-down comparisons of internal mental representations of pitch contours in speech and music, this study shows for the first time that, while autistic individuals exhibit diverse profiles of pitch processing compared to non-autistic individuals, their mental representations of pitch contours are typical across domains. These findings suggest that pitch-processing mechanisms are shared across domains in autism spectrum disorder and provide theoretical implications for using music to improve speech for those autistic individuals who have language problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- University of Reading, UK.,The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | | | - Qingqi Hou
- Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, China
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Daniel S, Wimpory D, Delafield-Butt JT, Malloch S, Holck U, Geretsegger M, Tortora S, Osborne N, Schögler B, Koch S, Elias-Masiques J, Howorth MC, Dunbar P, Swan K, Rochat MJ, Schlochtermeier R, Forster K, Amos P. Rhythmic Relating: Bidirectional Support for Social Timing in Autism Therapies. Front Psychol 2022; 13:793258. [PMID: 35693509 PMCID: PMC9186469 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.793258] [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: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose Rhythmic Relating for autism: a system of supports for friends, therapists, parents, and educators; a system which aims to augment bidirectional communication and complement existing therapeutic approaches. We begin by summarizing the developmental significance of social timing and the social-motor-synchrony challenges observed in early autism. Meta-analyses conclude the early primacy of such challenges, yet cite the lack of focused therapies. We identify core relational parameters in support of social-motor-synchrony and systematize these using the communicative musicality constructs: pulse; quality; and narrative. Rhythmic Relating aims to augment the clarity, contiguity, and pulse-beat of spontaneous behavior by recruiting rhythmic supports (cues, accents, turbulence) and relatable vitality; facilitating the predictive flow and just-ahead-in-time planning needed for good-enough social timing. From here, we describe possibilities for playful therapeutic interaction, small-step co-regulation, and layered sensorimotor integration. Lastly, we include several clinical case examples demonstrating the use of Rhythmic Relating within four different therapeutic approaches (Dance Movement Therapy, Improvisational Music Therapy, Play Therapy, and Musical Interaction Therapy). These clinical case examples are introduced here and several more are included in the Supplementary Material (Examples of Rhythmic Relating in Practice). A suite of pilot intervention studies is proposed to assess the efficacy of combining Rhythmic Relating with different therapeutic approaches in playful work with individuals with autism. Further experimental hypotheses are outlined, designed to clarify the significance of certain key features of the Rhythmic Relating approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Daniel
- British Association of Play Therapists, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dawn Wimpory
- BCU Health Board (NHS), Bangor, United Kingdom
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan T. Delafield-Butt
- Laboratory for Innovation in Autism, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- School of Education, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Malloch
- Westmead Psychotherapy Program, School of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ulla Holck
- Music Therapy, Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Monika Geretsegger
- The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
| | - Suzi Tortora
- Dancing Dialogue, LCAT, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nigel Osborne
- Department of Music, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Benjaman Schögler
- Perception Movement Action Research Consortium, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Koch
- Research Institute for Creative Arts Therapies, Alanus University, Alfter, Germany
- School of Therapy Sciences, Creative Arts Therapies, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Judit Elias-Masiques
- BCU Health Board (NHS), Bangor, United Kingdom
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Karrie Swan
- Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, United States
| | - Magali J. Rochat
- Functional and Molecular Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Katharine Forster
- BCU Health Board (NHS), Bangor, United Kingdom
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - Pat Amos
- Independent Researcher, Ardmore, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
A Systematic Review of Scientific Studies on the Effects of Music in People with or at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095150. [PMID: 35564544 PMCID: PMC9100336 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is globally increasing, and the current available interventions show variable success. Thus, there is a growing interest in additional interventions such as music therapy (MT). Therefore, we aimed to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of music and people with, or at risk of, ASD. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and used PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science as databases, with “music”, “music therapy”, “autism spectrum disorder”, and “ASD” as search terms. Among the identified and screened articles, 81 out of 621 qualified as scientific studies involving a total of 43,353 participants. These studies investigated the peculiarities of music perception in people with ASD, as well as the effects of music and MT in this patient group. Most of the music-based interventions were beneficial in improving social, emotional, and behavioural problems. However, the availability of studies utilizing a rigorous randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was scarce. Most of the studies had a small sample size, and the applied therapeutic and scientific research methods were heterogeneous.
Collapse
|
17
|
Freitas C, Hunt BAE, Wong SM, Ristic L, Fragiadakis S, Chow S, Iaboni A, Brian J, Soorya L, Chen JL, Schachar R, Dunkley BT, Taylor MJ, Lerch JP, Anagnostou E. Atypical Functional Connectivity During Unfamiliar Music Listening in Children With Autism. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:829415. [PMID: 35516796 PMCID: PMC9063167 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.829415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Atypical processing of unfamiliar, but less so familiar, stimuli has been described in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in particular in relation to face processing. We examined the construct of familiarity in ASD using familiar and unfamiliar songs, to investigate the link between familiarity and autism symptoms, such as repetitive behavior. Methods Forty-eight children, 24 with ASD (21 males, mean age = 9.96 years ± 1.54) and 24 typically developing (TD) controls (21 males, mean age = 10.17 ± 1.90) completed a music familiarity task using individually identified familiar compared to unfamiliar songs, while magnetoencephalography (MEG) was recorded. Each song was presented for 30 s. We used both amplitude envelope correlation (AEC) and the weighted phase lag index (wPLI) to assess functional connectivity between specific regions of interest (ROI) and non-ROI parcels, as well as at the whole brain level, to understand what is preserved and what is impaired in familiar music listening in this population. Results Increased wPLI synchronization for familiar vs. unfamiliar music was found for typically developing children in the gamma frequency. There were no significant differences within the ASD group for this comparison. During the processing of unfamiliar music, we demonstrated left lateralized increased theta and beta band connectivity in children with ASD compared to controls. An interaction effect found greater alpha band connectivity in the TD group compared to ASD to unfamiliar music only, anchored in the left insula. Conclusion Our results revealed atypical processing of unfamiliar songs in children with ASD, consistent with previous studies in other modalities reporting that processing novelty is a challenge for ASD. Relatively typical processing of familiar stimuli may represent a strength and may be of interest to strength-based intervention planning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carina Freitas
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin A. E. Hunt
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Simeon M. Wong
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Leanne Ristic
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Susan Fragiadakis
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephanie Chow
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alana Iaboni
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jessica Brian
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Latha Soorya
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joyce L. Chen
- Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Russell Schachar
- Department of Psychiatry Research, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin T. Dunkley
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Margot J. Taylor
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Psychology and Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Linke AC, Slušná D, Kohli JS, Álvarez-Linera Prado J, Müller RA, Hinzen W. Morphometry and functional connectivity of auditory cortex in school-age children with profound language disabilities: Five comparative case studies. Brain Cogn 2021; 155:105822. [PMID: 34837801 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Many neurodevelopmental conditions imply absent or severely reduced language capacities at school age. Evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging is highly limited. We selected a series of five cases scanned with the same fMRI paradigm and the aim of relating individual language profiles onto underlying patterns of functional connectivity (FC) across auditory language cortex: three with neurogenetic syndromes (Coffin-Siris, Landau-Kleffner, and Fragile-X), one with idiopathic intellectual disability, one with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Compared to both a group with typical development (TD) and a verbal ASD group (total N = 110), they all showed interhemispheric FC below two standard deviations of the TD mean. Children with higher language scores showed higher intrahemispheric FC between Heschl's gyrus and other auditory language regions, as well as an increase of FC during language stimulation compared to rest. An increase of FC in forward vs. reversed speech in the posterior and middle temporal gyri was seen across all cases. The Coffin-Siris case, the most severe, also had the most anomalous FC patterns and showed reduced myelin content, while the Landau-Kleffner case showed reduced cortical thickness. These results suggest potential for neural markers and mechanisms of severe language processing deficits under highly heterogeneous etiological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika Carola Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Dominika Slušná
- Department of Translation and Language Sciences, Campus Poblenou, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona 08018, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jiwandeep Singh Kohli
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Wolfram Hinzen
- Department of Translation and Language Sciences, Campus Poblenou, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona 08018, Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Williams TI, Loucas T, Sin J, Jeremic M, Aslett G, Knight M, Fincham-Majumdar S, Liu F. A randomised controlled feasibility trial of music-assisted language telehealth intervention for minimally verbal autistic children-the MAP study protocol. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2021; 7:182. [PMID: 34598714 PMCID: PMC8485102 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-021-00918-9] [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: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND About 30% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not develop functional speech and remain non-verbal or minimally verbal even after years of speech, language and educational interventions. A wide range of interventions have been developed for improving communication in ASD, but none have proved effective in eliciting functional language in ASD children. Research has found that people with ASD are more likely to have perfect pitch and prefer music to language. Further, it seems that language delay tends to co-occur with better musical skills. Brain imaging research has found that music alongside words increases the attention that people with ASD pay to spoken words. METHODS In this protocol, we describe our music-assisted programmes (MAP) that will use music to attract the attention of people with ASD to speech. MAP may open the brain pathways to language and therefore help improve communication skills for people with ASD more than standard communication protocols. In particular, we aim to develop and test whether individualised, easily used MAP would increase spoken language in 24-60-month-old, nonverbal or minimally verbal children with ASD. We will develop a structured training method, delivered through naturalistic, interactive activities (e.g. songs) to teach language to ASD children. We will test this by comparing two groups: one undertaking music-assisted programmes, and the other receiving speech and language therapy in the way that is recommended in NHS clinics. Participants will be allocated to groups randomly. The feasibility of MAP will be assessed through estimations of recruitment and retention rates, the sensitivity and reliability of the outcome measures, the intensity and frequency of the trial, the usability of the MAP app (beta version), and the burden of the assessments for the children and parents. DISCUSSION This feasibility randomised controlled trial will establish the acceptability and estimate the power of the MAP intervention to improve early word learning in children with ASD. In the longer term, this research will help us develop an app for parents or carers of children with ASD to design their own songs and implement their own individualised MAP. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN, ISRCTN12536062 . Registered on 26 June 2019.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim I Williams
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Tom Loucas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Jacqueline Sin
- School of Health Sciences, City University of London, London, UK
| | - Mirjana Jeremic
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Georgia Aslett
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | | | - Sara Fincham-Majumdar
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Fang Liu
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
A neurodevelopmental disorders perspective into music, social attention, and social bonding. Behav Brain Sci 2021; 44:e101. [PMID: 34588066 PMCID: PMC9087479 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x20001302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Our commentary addresses how two neurodevelopmental disorders, Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorder, provide novel insights into the credible signaling and music and social bonding hypotheses presented in the two target articles. We suggest that these neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by atypical social communication, allow us to test hypotheses about music, social bonding, and their underlying neurobiology.
Collapse
|
21
|
Posar A, Visconti P. Update about "minimally verbal" children with autism spectrum disorder. REVISTA PAULISTA DE PEDIATRIA 2021; 40:e2020158. [PMID: 34495269 PMCID: PMC8432069 DOI: 10.1590/1984-0462/2022/40/2020158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review clinical and neurobiological features of minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder. DATA SOURCE We carried out a narrative review using the PubMed database. We considered the following search terms combined through the Boolean operator "AND": "autism spectrum disorder"; "minimally verbal." DATA SYNTHESIS To date, there is no shared definition of minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder. The heterogeneity in intellectual functioning and in linguistic abilities among these individuals suggests there is no single mechanism underlying their difficulties in learning to speak. However, the reasons why these children do not speak and the biological markers that can identify them are still unknown. Language impairment in these children can lead to several unfavorable consequences, including behavior problems (such as self-aggression, hetero-aggression, and property destruction), poorer daily living and social skills. Psychiatric comorbidities (including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific phobias, and compulsions) consist in a serious problem related to the lack of verbal language in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Although in the literature there are very few evidence-based results, several findings suggest that an alternative and augmentative communication intervention, creating an extra-verbal communication channel, may be effective in these individuals. CONCLUSIONS The exact definition, clinical characteristics, associated disorders, etiology, and treatment of minimally verbal subjects with autism spectrum disorder must still be further studied and understood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annio Posar
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Neuropsichiatria Infantile, Bologna, Italia
| | - Paola Visconti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Neuropsichiatria Infantile, Bologna, Italia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Mehrabinejad MM, Rafei P, Sanjari Moghaddam H, Sinaeifar Z, Aarabi MH. Sex Differences are Reflected in Microstructural White Matter Alterations of Musical Sophistication: A Diffusion MRI Study. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:622053. [PMID: 34366766 PMCID: PMC8339302 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.622053] [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: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The human-specified ability to engage with different kinds of music in sophisticated ways is named “Musical Sophistication.” Herein, we investigated specific white matter (WM) tracts that are associated with musical sophistication and musicality in both genders, separately, using Diffusion MRI connectometry approach. We specifically aimed to explore potential sex differences regarding WM alterations correlated with musical sophistication. Methods: 123 healthy participants [70 (56.9%) were male, mean age = 36.80 ± 18.86 year], who were evaluated for musical sophistication using Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) self-assessment instrument from the LEMON database, were recruited in this study. The WM correlates of two Gold-MSI subscales (active engagement and music training) were analyzed. Images were prepared and analyzed with diffusion connectometry to construct the local connectome. Multiple regression models were then fitted to address the correlation of local connectomes with Gold-MSI components with the covariates of age and handedness. Results: a significant positive correlation between WM integrity in the corpus callosum (CC), right corticospinal tract (CST), cingulum, middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP), bilateral parieto-pontine tract, bilateral cerebellum, and left arcuate fasciculus (AF) and both active engagement [false discovery rate (FDR) = 0.008] and music training (FDR = 0.057) was detected in males. However, WM integrity in the body of CC, MCP, and cerebellum in females showed an inverse association with active engagement (FDR = 0.046) and music training (FDR = 0.032). Conclusion: WM microstructures with functional connection with motor and somatosensory areas (CST, cortico-pontine tracts, CC, cerebellum, cingulum, and MCP) and language processing area (AF) have significant correlation with music engagement and training. Our findings show that these associations are different between males and females, which could potentially account for distinctive mechanisms related to musical perception and musical abilities across genders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Parnian Rafei
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Zeinab Sinaeifar
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hadi Aarabi
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Neuroscience, Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Mcgowan JJ, Mcgregor I, Leplatre G. Evaluation of the Use of Real-time 3D Graphics to Augment Therapeutic Music Sessions for Young People on the Autism Spectrum. ACM TRANSACTIONS ON ACCESSIBLE COMPUTING 2021. [DOI: 10.1145/3445032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The present research evaluates the effectiveness of CymaSense, a real-time 3D visualisation application developed by the authors, as a means of improving the communicative behaviours of autistic participants through the addition of a visual modality within therapeutic music sessions. Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect people in a number of ways, commonly through difficulties in communication. A multi-sensory approach within music sessions encourages people with ASC to engage more with the act of creating music, and with the therapists, increasing their level of communication and social interaction beyond the sessions.
This article presents a study evaluating the use of CymaSense within a series of therapeutic music sessions, and a follow-up series of semi-structured interviews. Eight adults with ASC participated in 12 sessions using a single case experimental design approach over a total period of 19 weeks. Using qualitative and quantitative data, the results show an increase in communicative behaviour, for both verbal and non-verbal participants, resulting from the use of CymaSense. Qualitative feedback from interviews provided insight into the factors that contribute to the successful use of the application, as well as aspects that could be improved.
Collapse
|
24
|
Lin IF, Itahashi T, Kashino M, Kato N, Hashimoto RI. Brain activations while processing degraded speech in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychologia 2021; 152:107750. [PMID: 33417913 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are found to have difficulties in understanding speech in adverse conditions. In this study, we used noise-vocoded speech (VS) to investigate neural processing of degraded speech in individuals with ASD. We ran fMRI experiments in the ASD group and a typically developed control (TDC) group while they listened to clear speech (CS), VS, and spectrally rotated VS (SRVS), and they were requested to pay attention to the heard sentence and answer whether it was intelligible or not. The VS used in this experiment was spectrally degraded but still intelligible, but the SRVS was unintelligible. We recruited 21 right-handed adult males with ASD and 24 age-matched and right-handed male TDC participants for this experiment. Compared with the TDC group, we observed reduced functional connectivity (FC) between the left dorsal premotor cortex and left temporoparietal junction in the ASD group for the effect of task difficulty in speech processing, computed as VS-(CS + SRVS)/2. Furthermore, the observed reduced FC was negatively correlated with their Autism-Spectrum Quotient scores. This observation supports our hypothesis that the disrupted dorsal stream for attentive process of degraded speech in individuals with ASD might be related to their difficulty in understanding speech in adverse conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I-Fan Lin
- Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0124, Japan; Department of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, 11031; Department of Occupational Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 23561.
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University Karasuyama Hospital, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
| | - Makio Kashino
- Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0124, Japan; School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan; Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University Karasuyama Hospital, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University Karasuyama Hospital, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan; Department of Language Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 192-0364, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Weiss MW, Sharda M, Lense M, Hyde KL, Trehub SE. Enhanced Memory for Vocal Melodies in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome. Autism Res 2021; 14:1127-1133. [PMID: 33398938 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2462] [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: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Adults and children with typical development (TD) remember vocal melodies (without lyrics) better than instrumental melodies, which is attributed to the biological and social significance of human vocalizations. Here we asked whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who have persistent difficulties with communication and social interaction, and adolescents and adults with Williams syndrome (WS), who are highly sociable, even indiscriminately friendly, exhibit a memory advantage for vocal melodies like that observed in individuals with TD. We tested 26 children with ASD, 26 adolescents and adults with WS of similar mental age, and 26 children with TD on their memory for vocal and instrumental (piano, marimba) melodies. After exposing them to 12 unfamiliar folk melodies with different timbres, we required them to indicate whether each of 24 melodies (half heard previously) was old (heard before) or new (not heard before) during an unexpected recognition test. Although the groups successfully distinguished the old from the new melodies, they differed in overall memory. Nevertheless, they exhibited a comparable advantage for vocal melodies. In short, individuals with ASD and WS show enhanced processing of socially significant auditory signals in the context of music. LAY SUMMARY: Typically developing children and adults remember vocal melodies better than instrumental melodies. In this study, we found that children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, who have severe social processing deficits, and children and adults with Williams syndrome, who are highly sociable, exhibit comparable memory advantages for vocal melodies. The results have implications for musical interventions with these populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Weiss
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Megha Sharda
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Miriam Lense
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Krista L Hyde
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sandra E Trehub
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Macari S, Milgramm A, Reed J, Shic F, Powell KK, Macris D, Chawarska K. Context-Specific Dyadic Attention Vulnerabilities During the First Year in Infants Later Developing Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 60:166-175. [PMID: 32061926 PMCID: PMC9524139 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although some eye-tracking studies demonstrate atypical attention to faces by 6 months of age in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), behavioral studies in early infancy return largely negative results. We examined the effects of context and diagnosis on attention to faces during face-to-face live interactions in infants at high familial risk (HR) and low familial risk (LR) for ASD. METHOD Participants were 6-, 9-, and 12-month-old siblings of children with ASD who were later determined to have ASD (n = 21), other developmental challenges (HR-C; n = 74), or typical development (TD) (HR-TD; n = 32), and low-risk, typically developing controls (LR-TD; n = 49). Infants were administered the social orienting probes task, consisting of five conditions: dyadic bid, song, peek-a-boo, tickle, and toy play. Attention to an unfamiliar examiner's face was coded by blinded raters from video recordings. RESULTS At all ages, the ASD group spent less time looking at the examiner's face than the HR-C, HR-TD, and LR-TD groups during the Dyadic Bid and Tickle conditions (all p <.05), but not during the Song, Peek-a-Boo, or Toy Play conditions (all p >.23). Lower attention to faces during Dyadic Bid and Tickle conditions was significantly correlated with higher severity of autism symptoms at 18 months. CONCLUSION During the prodromal stages of the disorder, infants with ASD exhibited subtle impairments in attention to faces of interactive partners during interactions involving eye contact and child-directed speech (with and without physical contact), but not in contexts involving singing, familiar anticipatory games, or toy play. Considering the convergence with eye-tracking findings on limited attention to faces in infants later diagnosed with ASD, reduced attention to faces of interactive partners in specific contexts may constitute a promising candidate behavioral marker of ASD in infancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Macari
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Carter RM, Jung H, Reaven J, Blakeley-Smith A, Dichter GS. A Nexus Model of Restricted Interests in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:212. [PMID: 32581753 PMCID: PMC7283772 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Restricted interests (RIs) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are clinically impairing interests of unusual focus or intensity. They are a subtype of restricted and repetitive behaviors which are one of two diagnostic criteria for the disorder. Despite the near ubiquity of RIs in ASD, the neural basis for their development is not well understood. However, recent cognitive neuroscience findings from nonclinical samples and from individuals with ASD shed light on neural mechanisms that may explain the emergence of RIs. We propose the nexus model of RIs in ASD, a novel conceptualization of this symptom domain that suggests that RIs may reflect a co-opting of brain systems that typically serve to integrate complex attention, memory, semantic, and social communication functions during development. The nexus model of RIs hypothesizes that when social communicative development is compromised, brain functions typically located within the lateral surface of cortex may expand into social processing brain systems and alter cortical representations of various cognitive functions during development. These changes, in turn, promote the development of RIs as an alternative process mediated by these brain networks. The nexus model of RIs makes testable predictions about reciprocal relations between the impaired development of social communication and the emergence of RIs in ASD and suggests novel avenues for treatment development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R. McKell Carter
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Heejung Jung
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Judy Reaven
- JFK Partners, Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Audrey Blakeley-Smith
- JFK Partners, Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Gabriel S. Dichter
- School of Medicine, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Huang Y, Zhang B, Cao J, Yu S, Wilson G, Park J, Kong J. Potential Locations for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation in Treating Autism Spectrum Disorders-A Functional Connectivity Study. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:388. [PMID: 32457666 PMCID: PMC7221195 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is an emerging tool for treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Exploring new stimulation targets may improve the efficacy of NIBS for ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS We first conducted a meta-analysis on 170 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to identify ASD-associated brain regions. We then performed resting state functional connectivity analysis on 70 individuals with ASD to investigate brain surface regions correlated with these ASD-associated regions and identify potential NIBS targets for ASD. RESULTS We found that the medial prefrontal cortex, angular gyrus, dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, superior parietal lobe, postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, superior temporal sulcus, lateral occipital cortex, and supplementary motor area/paracentral gyrus are potential locations for NIBS in ASD. CONCLUSION Our findings may shed light on the development of new NIBS targets for ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Shic F, Wang Q, Macari SL, Chawarska K. The role of limited salience of speech in selective attention to faces in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:459-469. [PMID: 31471912 PMCID: PMC7048639 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired attention to faces of interactive partners is a marker for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in early childhood. However, it is unclear whether children with ASD avoid faces or find them less salient and whether the phenomenon is linked with the presence of eye contact or speech. METHODS We investigated the impacts of speech (SP) and direct gaze (DG) on attention to faces in 22-month-old toddlers with ASD (n = 50) and typically developing controls (TD, n = 47) using the Selective Social Attention 2.0 (SSA 2.0) task. The task consisted of four conditions where the presence (+) and absence (-) of DG and SP were systematically manipulated. The severity of autism symptoms, and verbal and nonverbal skills were characterized concurrently with eye tracking at 22.4 (SD = 3.2) months and prospectively at 39.8 (SD = 4.3) months. RESULTS Toddlers with ASD looked less than TD toddlers at face and mouth regions only when the actress was speaking (direct gaze absence with speech, DG-SP+: d = 0.99, p < .001 for face, d = 0.98, p < .001 for mouth regions; direct gaze present with speech, DG+SP+, d = 1.47, p < .001 for face, d = 1.01, p < .001 for mouth regions). Toddlers with ASD looked less at the eye region only when both gaze and speech cues were present (d = 0.46, p = .03). Salience of the combined DG and SP cues was associated concurrently and prospectively with the severity of autism symptoms, and the association remained significant after controlling for verbal and nonverbal levels. CONCLUSIONS The study links poor attention to faces with limited salience of audiovisual speech and provides no support for the face avoidance hypothesis in the early stages of ASD. These results are consequential for research on early discriminant and predictive biomarkers as well as identification of novel treatment targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Shic
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development; 2001 8 Ave Ste 400; Seattle, WA 98121
- Univeristy of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics; 2001 8 Ave Ste 400; Seattle, WA 98121
| | - Quan Wang
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Suzanne L. Macari
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Katarzyna Chawarska
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Brancatisano O, Baird A, Thompson WF. Why is music therapeutic for neurological disorders? The Therapeutic Music Capacities Model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:600-615. [PMID: 32050086 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Music has cognitive, psychosocial, behavioral and motor benefits for people with neurological disorders such as dementia, stroke, Parkinson's disease (PD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here we discuss seven properties or 'capacities' of music that interact with brain function and contribute to its therapeutic value. Specifically, in its various forms, music can be engaging, emotional, physical, personal, social and persuasive, and it promotes synchronization of movement. We propose the Therapeutic Music Capacities Model (TMCM), which links individual properties of music to therapeutic mechanisms, leading to cognitive, psychosocial, behavioral and motor benefits. We review evidence that these capacities have reliable benefits for people with dementia, stroke, PD and ASD when employed separately or in combination. The model accounts for the profound value that music affords human health and well-being and provides a framework for the development of non-pharmaceutical treatments for neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Brancatisano
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Ageing, Cognition, and Wellbeing, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amee Baird
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Ageing, Cognition, and Wellbeing, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - William Forde Thompson
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Ageing, Cognition, and Wellbeing, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Hernandez LM, Green SA, Lawrence KE, Inada M, Liu J, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Social Attention in Autism: Neural Sensitivity to Speech Over Background Noise Predicts Encoding of Social Information. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:343. [PMID: 32390890 PMCID: PMC7194032 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by lack of attention to social cues in the environment, including speech. Hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as loud noises, is also extremely common in youth with ASD. While a link between sensory hypersensitivity and impaired social functioning has been hypothesized, very little is known about the neural mechanisms whereby exposure to distracting sensory stimuli may interfere with the ability to direct attention to socially-relevant information. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in youth with and without ASD (N=54, age range 8-18 years) to (1) examine brain responses during presentation of brief social interactions (i.e., two-people conversations) shrouded in ecologically-valid environmental noises, and (2) assess how brain activity during encoding might relate to later accuracy in identifying what was heard. During exposure to conversation-in-noise (vs. conversation or noise alone), both neurotypical youth and youth with ASD showed robust activation of canonical language networks. However, the extent to which youth with ASD activated temporal language regions, including voice-selective cortex (i.e., posterior superior temporal sulcus), predicted later discriminative accuracy in identifying what was heard. Further, relative to neurotypical youth, ASD youth showed significantly greater activity in left-hemisphere speech-processing cortex (i.e., angular gyrus) while listening to conversation-in-noise (vs. conversation or noise alone). Notably, in youth with ASD, increased activity in this region was associated with higher social motivation and better social cognition measures. This heightened activity in voice-selective/speech-processing regions may serve as a compensatory mechanism allowing youth with ASD to hone in on the conversations they heard in the context of non-social distracting stimuli. These findings further suggest that focusing on social and non-social stimuli simultaneously may be more challenging for youth with ASD requiring the recruitment of additional neural resources to encode socially-relevant information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leanna M Hernandez
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Shulamite A Green
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Katherine E Lawrence
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Marisa Inada
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Janelle Liu
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Staglin IMHRO Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Quintin EM. Music-Evoked Reward and Emotion: Relative Strengths and Response to Intervention of People With ASD. Front Neural Circuits 2019; 13:49. [PMID: 31619969 PMCID: PMC6759939 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This review presents research findings showing that music is a unique domain to assess perception, reward, emotion, and associated physiological reactions and neural circuitry of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is growing evidence, reported in several studies in this review article, indicating that music is a relative strength of people with ASD including musical pitch perception, musical memory, and identification of music-evoked emotions. Listening to music activates neural circuits of reward and emotion response, which are described. Research presented shows adults with ASD also activate these systems when listening to music, although there may be developmental differences in the physiological and neural response to music in childhood and adolescence alongside typical behavioral response. Nonetheless, studies reviewed lend support to the use of music therapy and education for people with ASD, specifically to improve social skills and communication. Neural correlates of response to music therapy and education are also discussed. Taken together, findings reviewed provide evidence for music as a strength-based approach for ASD to assess reward and emotion response and as a powerful tool for intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eve-Marie Quintin
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
A Protocol for Sedation Free MRI and PET Imaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:3036-3044. [PMID: 31004246 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04010-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) present unparalleled opportunities to investigate the neural basis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, challenges such as deficits in social interaction, anxiety around new experiences, impaired language abilities, and hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli make participating in neuroimaging studies challenging for individuals with ASD. In this commentary, we describe the existent training protocols for preparing individuals with ASD for PET/MRI scans and our own experience developing a training protocol to facilitate the inclusion of low-functioning adults with ASD in PET-MRI studies. We hope to raise awareness of the need for more information exchange between research groups about lessons learned in this context in order to include the entire disease spectrum in neuroimaging studies.
Collapse
|
34
|
Bharathi G, Venugopal A, Vellingiri B. Music therapy as a therapeutic tool in improving the social skills of autistic children. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROSURGERY 2019. [DOI: 10.1186/s41983-019-0091-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
|
35
|
Weston CSE. Four Social Brain Regions, Their Dysfunctions, and Sequelae, Extensively Explain Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptomatology. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E130. [PMID: 31167459 PMCID: PMC6627615 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9060130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a challenging neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms in social, language, sensory, motor, cognitive, emotional, repetitive behavior, and self-sufficient living domains. The important research question examined is the elucidation of the pathogenic neurocircuitry that underlies ASD symptomatology in all its richness and heterogeneity. The presented model builds on earlier social brain research, and hypothesizes that four social brain regions largely drive ASD symptomatology: amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), temporoparietal cortex (TPC), and insula. The amygdala's contributions to ASD largely derive from its major involvement in fine-grained intangible knowledge representations and high-level guidance of gaze. In addition, disrupted brain regions can drive disturbance of strongly interconnected brain regions to produce further symptoms. These and related effects are proposed to underlie abnormalities of the visual cortex, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), caudate nucleus, and hippocampus as well as associated symptoms. The model is supported by neuroimaging, neuropsychological, neuroanatomical, cellular, physiological, and behavioral evidence. Collectively, the model proposes a novel, parsimonious, and empirically testable account of the pathogenic neurocircuitry of ASD, an extensive account of its symptomatology, a novel physiological biomarker with potential for earlier diagnosis, and novel experiments to further elucidate the mechanisms of brain abnormalities and symptomatology in ASD.
Collapse
|
36
|
Nomi JS, Molnar-Szakacs I, Uddin LQ. Insular function in autism: Update and future directions in neuroimaging and interventions. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:412-426. [PMID: 30381235 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The insular cortex, hidden within the lateral sulcus of the human brain, participates in a range of cognitive, affective, and sensory functions. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition affecting all of these functional domains, has increasingly been linked with atypical activation and connectivity of the insular cortices. Here we review the latest research linking atypical insular function to a range of behaviors characteristic of ASD, with an emphasis on neuroimaging findings in the domains of social cognition and executive function. We summarize some of the recent work linking the insula to interventions in autism, including oxytocin-based pharmacological treatments and music therapy. We suggest that future directions likely to yield significant insights into insular pathology in ASD include the analysis of the dynamics of this brain region. We also conclude that more basic research is necessary on the use of oxytocin pharmacotherapy, and larger studies addressing participant heterogeneity are needed on the use of music therapy in ASD. Long-term studies are needed to ascertain sustained effects of these interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Nomi
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | | | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Johnston D, Egermann H, Kearney G. Innovative computer technology in music-based interventions for individuals with autism moving beyond traditional interactive music therapy techniques. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2018.1554773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Johnston
- Communications & Signal Processing Research Group, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York, UK
| | - Hauke Egermann
- York Music Psychology Group, Music Science and Technology Research Cluster, Department of Music, University of York, York, UK
| | - Gavin Kearney
- Communications & Signal Processing Research Group, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York, UK
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Sharda M, Tuerk C, Chowdhury R, Jamey K, Foster N, Custo-Blanch M, Tan M, Nadig A, Hyde K. Music improves social communication and auditory-motor connectivity in children with autism. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:231. [PMID: 30352997 PMCID: PMC6199253 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0287-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Music has been identified as a strength in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder; however, there is currently no neuroscientific evidence supporting its benefits. Given its universal appeal, intrinsic reward value and ability to modify brain and behaviour, music may be a potential therapeutic aid in autism. Here we evaluated the neurobehavioural outcomes of a music intervention, compared to a non-music control intervention, on social communication and brain connectivity in school-age children (ISRCTN26821793). Fifty-one children aged 6-12 years with autism were randomized to receive 8-12 weeks of music (n = 26) or non-music intervention (n = 25). The music intervention involved use of improvisational approaches through song and rhythm to target social communication. The non-music control was a structurally matched behavioural intervention implemented in a non-musical context. Groups were assessed before and after intervention on social communication and resting-state functional connectivity of fronto-temporal brain networks. Communication scores were higher in the music group post-intervention (difference score = 4.84, P = .01). Associated post-intervention resting-state brain functional connectivity was greater in music vs. non-music groups between auditory and subcortical regions (z = 3.94, P < .0001) and auditory and fronto-motor regions (z = 3.16, P < .0001). Post-intervention brain connectivity was lower between auditory and visual regions in the music compared to the non-music groups, known to be over-connected in autism (z = 4.01, P < .00001). Post-intervention brain connectivity in the music group was related to communication improvement (z = 3.57, P < .0001). This study provides the first evidence that 8-12 weeks of individual music intervention can indeed improve social communication and functional brain connectivity, lending support to further investigations of neurobiologically motivated models of music interventions in autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megha Sharda
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada.
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada.
| | - Carola Tuerk
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Rakhee Chowdhury
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Kevin Jamey
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Nicholas Foster
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Melanie Custo-Blanch
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Melissa Tan
- Westmount Music Therapy, 4695 Maisonneuve Boulevard West, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1S4, Canada
| | - Aparna Nadig
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montréal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Krista Hyde
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Pavilion Marie-Victorin, 90 Avenue Vincent D'Indy, Montreal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Heaton P, Tsang WF, Jakubowski K, Mullensiefen D, Allen R. Discriminating autism and language impairment and specific language impairment through acuity of musical imagery. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2018; 80:52-63. [PMID: 29913330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Deficits in auditory short-term memory have been widely reported in children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), and recent evidence suggests that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and co-morbid language impairment (ALI) experience similar difficulties. Music, like language relies on auditory memory and the aim of the study was to extend work investigating the impact of auditory short-term memory impairments to musical perception in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Groups of children with SLI and ALI were matched on chronological age (CA), receptive vocabulary, non-verbal intelligence and digit span, and compared with CA matched typically developing (TD) controls, on tests of pitch and temporal acuity within a voluntary musical imagery paradigm. The SLI participants performed at significantly lower levels than the ALI and TD groups on both conditions of the task and their musical imagery and digit span scores were positively correlated. In contrast ALI participants performed as well as TD controls on the tempo condition and better than TD controls on the pitch condition of the task. Whilst auditory short-term memory and receptive vocabulary impairments were similar across ALI and SLI groups, these were not associated with a deficit in voluntary musical imagery performance in the ALI group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Heaton
- Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom.
| | - Wai Fung Tsang
- Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom
| | - Kelly Jakubowski
- Music, University of Durham, Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RL, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Mullensiefen
- Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom
| | - Rory Allen
- Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Thompson GA, Abel LA. Fostering Spontaneous Visual Attention in Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Proof-of-Concept Study Comparing Singing and Speech. Autism Res 2018; 11:732-737. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Grace Anne Thompson
- The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, 234 St Kilda Road; Southbank VIC 3006 Australia
| | - Larry Allen Abel
- Optometry and Vision Sciences; The University of Melbourne; Melbourne VIC Australia
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Yoshimura Y, Kikuchi M, Hayashi N, Hiraishi H, Hasegawa C, Takahashi T, Oi M, Remijn GB, Ikeda T, Saito DN, Kumazaki H, Minabe Y. Altered human voice processing in the frontal cortex and a developmental language delay in 3- to 5-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17116. [PMID: 29215027 PMCID: PMC5719344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17058-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The inferior frontal and superior temporal areas in the left hemisphere are crucial for human language processing. In the present study, we investigated the magnetic mismatch field (MMF) evoked by voice stimuli in 3- to 5-year-old typically developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using child-customized magnetoencephalography (MEG). The children with ASD exhibited significantly decreased activation in the left superior temporal gyrus compared with the TD children for the MMF amplitude. If we classified the children with ASD according to the presence of a speech onset delay (ASD - SOD and ASD - NoSOD, respectively) and compared them with the TD children, both ASD groups exhibited decreased activation in the left superior temporal gyrus compared with the TD children. In contrast, the ASD - SOD group exhibited increased activity in the left frontal cortex (i.e., pars orbitalis) compared with the other groups. For all children with ASD, there was a significant negative correlation between the MMF amplitude in the left pars orbitalis and language performance. This investigation is the first to show a significant difference in two distinct MMF regions in ASD – SOD children compared with TD children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Yoshimura
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Kikuchi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Norio Hayashi
- Gunma Prefectural College of Health Science, Maebashi, 371-0052, Japan
| | - Hirotoshi Hiraishi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Chiaki Hasegawa
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Takahashi
- Health Administration Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Manabu Oi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Gerard B Remijn
- International Education Center, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
| | - Takashi Ikeda
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Daisuke N Saito
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kumazaki
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yoshio Minabe
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
The present study is focused on a review of the current state of investigating music-evoked emotions experimentally, theoretically and with respect to their therapeutic potentials. After a concise historical overview and a schematic of the hearing mechanisms, experimental studies on music listeners and on music performers are discussed, starting with the presentation of characteristic musical stimuli and the basic features of tomographic imaging of emotional activation in the brain, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), which offer high spatial resolution in the millimeter range. The progress in correlating activation imaging in the brain to the psychological understanding of music-evoked emotion is demonstrated and some prospects for future research are outlined. Research in psychoneuroendocrinology and molecular markers is reviewed in the context of music-evoked emotions and the results indicate that the research in this area should be intensified. An assessment of studies involving measuring techniques with high temporal resolution down to the 10 ms range, as, e.g., electroencephalography (EEG), event-related brain potentials (ERP), magnetoencephalography (MEG), skin conductance response (SCR), finger temperature, and goose bump development (piloerection) can yield information on the dynamics and kinetics of emotion. Genetic investigations reviewed suggest the heredity transmission of a predilection for music. Theoretical approaches to musical emotion are directed to a unified model for experimental neurological evidence and aesthetic judgment. Finally, the reports on musical therapy are briefly outlined. The study concludes with an outlook on emerging technologies and future research fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Eckhardt Schaefer
- Tübingen University, Institute of Musicology, Tübingen, Germany.,Institute of Functional Matter and Quantum Technology, Stuttgart University, Stuttgart, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
DePriest J, Glushko A, Steinhauer K, Koelsch S. Language and music phrase boundary processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An ERP study. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14465. [PMID: 29089535 PMCID: PMC5663964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14538-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with communicative impairment, regardless of intelligence level or mental age. Impairment of prosodic processing in particular is a common feature of ASD. Despite extensive overlap in neural resources involved in prosody and music processing, music perception seems to be spared in this population. The present study is the first to investigate prosodic phrasing in ASD in both language and music, combining event-related brain potential (ERP) and behavioral methods. We tested phrase boundary processing in language and music in neuro-typical adults and high-functioning individuals with ASD. We targeted an ERP response associated with phrase boundary processing in both language and music - i.e., the Closure Positive Shift (CPS). While a language-CPS was observed in the neuro-typical group, for ASD participants a smaller response failed to reach statistical significance. In music, we found a boundary-onset music-CPS for both groups during pauses between musical phrases. Our results support the view of preserved processing of musical cues in ASD individuals, with a corresponding prosodic impairment. This suggests that, despite the existence of a domain-general processing mechanism (the CPS), key differences in the integration of features of language and music may lead to the prosodic impairment in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John DePriest
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Program in Linguistics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
| | - Anastasia Glushko
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- The Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Karsten Steinhauer
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- The Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stefan Koelsch
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Tryfon A, Foster NEV, Sharda M, Hyde KL. Speech perception in autism spectrum disorder: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Behav Brain Res 2017; 338:118-127. [PMID: 29074403 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often characterized by atypical language profiles and auditory and speech processing. These can contribute to aberrant language and social communication skills in ASD. The study of the neural basis of speech perception in ASD can serve as a potential neurobiological marker of ASD early on, but mixed results across studies renders it difficult to find a reliable neural characterization of speech processing in ASD. To this aim, the present study examined the functional neural basis of speech perception in ASD versus typical development (TD) using an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of 18 qualifying studies. The present study included separate analyses for TD and ASD, which allowed us to examine patterns of within-group brain activation as well as both common and distinct patterns of brain activation across the ASD and TD groups. Overall, ASD and TD showed mostly common brain activation of speech processing in bilateral superior temporal gyrus (STG) and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). However, the results revealed trends for some distinct activation in the TD group showing additional activation in higher-order brain areas including left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), left medial frontal gyrus (MFG), and right IFG. These results provide a more reliable neural characterization of speech processing in ASD relative to previous single neuroimaging studies and motivate future work to investigate how these brain signatures relate to behavioral measures of speech processing in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Tryfon
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Pavillon 1420 Mont-Royal, Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McIntyre Medical Building, McGill University, 3655 Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada.
| | - Nicholas E V Foster
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Pavillon 1420 Mont-Royal, Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Megha Sharda
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Pavillon 1420 Mont-Royal, Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Krista L Hyde
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Pavillon 1420 Mont-Royal, Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McIntyre Medical Building, McGill University, 3655 Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Chenausky KV, Norton AC, Schlaug G. Auditory-Motor Mapping Training in a More Verbal Child with Autism. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:426. [PMID: 28928645 PMCID: PMC5591323 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We tested the effect of Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT), a novel, intonation-based treatment for spoken language originally developed for minimally verbal (MV) children with autism, on a more-verbal child with autism. We compared this child’s performance after 25 therapy sessions with that of: (1) a child matched on age, autism severity, and expressive language level who received 25 sessions of a non-intonation-based control treatment Speech Repetition Therapy (SRT); and (2) a matched pair of MV children (one of whom received AMMT; the other, SRT). We found a significant Time × Treatment effect in favor of AMMT for number of Syllables Correct and Consonants Correct per stimulus for both pairs of children, as well as a significant Time × Treatment effect in favor of AMMT for number of Vowels Correct per stimulus for the more-verbal pair. Magnitudes of the difference in post-treatment performance between AMMT and SRT, adjusted for Baseline differences, were: (a) larger for the more-verbal pair than for the MV pair; and (b) associated with very large effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 1.3) in the more-verbal pair. Results hold promise for the efficacy of AMMT for improving spoken language production in more-verbal children with autism as well as their MV peers and suggest hypotheses about brain function that are testable in both correlational and causal behavioral-imaging studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen V Chenausky
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, United States
| | - Andrea C Norton
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, United States
| | - Gottfried Schlaug
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Lee Y, Park BY, James O, Kim SG, Park H. Autism Spectrum Disorder Related Functional Connectivity Changes in the Language Network in Children, Adolescents and Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:418. [PMID: 28867997 PMCID: PMC5563353 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability with global implication. Altered brain connectivity in the language network has frequently been reported in ASD patients using task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) compared to typically developing (TD) participants. Most of these studies have focused on a specific age group or mixed age groups with ASD. In the current study, we investigated age-related changes in functional connectivity related measure, degree centrality (DC), in the language network across three age groups with ASD (113 children, 113 adolescents and 103 adults) using resting-state fMRI data collected from the autism brain imaging data exchange repository. We identified regions with significant group-wise differences between ASD and TD groups for three age cohorts using DC based on graph theory. We found that both children and adolescents with ASD showed decreased DC in Broca's area compared to age-matched TD groups. Adults with ASD showed decreased DC in Wernicke's area compared to TD adults. We also observed increased DC in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) for children with ASD compared to TD children and for adults with ASD compared to TD adults, respectively. Overall, functional differences occurred in key language processing regions such as the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and superior temporal gyrus (STG) related to language production and comprehension across three age cohorts. We explored correlations between DC values of our findings with autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) scores related to severity of ASD symptoms in the ASD group. We found that DC values of the left IFG demonstrated negative correlations with ADOS scores in children and adolescents with ASD. The left STG showed significant negative correlations with ADOS scores in adults with ASD. These results might shed light on the language network regions that should be further explored for prognosis, diagnosis, and monitoring of ASD in three age groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yubu Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea
| | - Bo-Yong Park
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea.,Department of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon, South Korea
| | - Oliver James
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon, South Korea
| | - Hyunjin Park
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS)Suwon, South Korea.,School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwon, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Galilee A, Stefanidou C, McCleery JP. Atypical speech versus non-speech detection and discrimination in 4- to 6- yr old children with autism spectrum disorder: An ERP study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181354. [PMID: 28738063 PMCID: PMC5524336 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous event-related potential (ERP) research utilizing oddball stimulus paradigms suggests diminished processing of speech versus non-speech sounds in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, brain mechanisms underlying these speech processing abnormalities, and to what extent they are related to poor language abilities in this population remain unknown. In the current study, we utilized a novel paired repetition paradigm in order to investigate ERP responses associated with the detection and discrimination of speech and non-speech sounds in 4- to 6-year old children with ASD, compared with gender and verbal age matched controls. ERPs were recorded while children passively listened to pairs of stimuli that were either both speech sounds, both non-speech sounds, speech followed by non-speech, or non-speech followed by speech. Control participants exhibited N330 match/mismatch responses measured from temporal electrodes, reflecting speech versus non-speech detection, bilaterally, whereas children with ASD exhibited this effect only over temporal electrodes in the left hemisphere. Furthermore, while the control groups exhibited match/mismatch effects at approximately 600 ms (central N600, temporal P600) when a non-speech sound was followed by a speech sound, these effects were absent in the ASD group. These findings suggest that children with ASD fail to activate right hemisphere mechanisms, likely associated with social or emotional aspects of speech detection, when distinguishing non-speech from speech stimuli. Together, these results demonstrate the presence of atypical speech versus non-speech processing in children with ASD when compared with typically developing children matched on verbal age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alena Galilee
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Chrysi Stefanidou
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph P. McCleery
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Chenausky K, Kernbach J, Norton A, Schlaug G. White Matter Integrity and Treatment-Based Change in Speech Performance in Minimally Verbal Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:175. [PMID: 28424605 PMCID: PMC5380725 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the relationship between imaging variables for two language/speech-motor tracts and speech fluency variables in 10 minimally verbal (MV) children with autism. Specifically, we tested whether measures of white matter integrity—fractional anisotropy (FA) of the arcuate fasciculus (AF) and frontal aslant tract (FAT)—were related to change in percent syllable-initial consonants correct, percent items responded to, and percent syllable insertion errors (from best baseline to post 25 treatment sessions). Twenty-three MV children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) received Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT), an intonation-based treatment to improve fluency in spoken output, and we report on seven who received a matched control treatment. Ten of the AMMT participants were able to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging study at baseline; their performance on baseline speech production measures is compared to that of the other two groups. No baseline differences were found between groups. A canonical correlation analysis (CCA) relating FA values for left- and right-hemisphere AF and FAT to speech production measures showed that FA of the left AF and right FAT were the largest contributors to the synthetic independent imaging-related variable. Change in percent syllable-initial consonants correct and percent syllable-insertion errors were the largest contributors to the synthetic dependent fluency-related variable. Regression analyses showed that FA values in left AF significantly predicted change in percent syllable-initial consonants correct, no FA variables significantly predicted change in percent items responded to, and FA of right FAT significantly predicted change in percent syllable-insertion errors. Results are consistent with previously identified roles for the AF in mediating bidirectional mapping between articulation and acoustics, and the FAT in its relationship to speech initiation and fluency. They further suggest a division of labor between the hemispheres, implicating the left hemisphere in accuracy of speech production and the right hemisphere in fluency in this population. Changes in response rate are interpreted as stemming from factors other than the integrity of these two fiber tracts. This study is the first to document the existence of a subgroup of MV children who experience increases in syllable- insertion errors as their speech develops in response to therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Chenausky
- Department of Neurology, Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| | - Julius Kernbach
- Department of Neurology, Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen, Germany
| | - Andrea Norton
- Department of Neurology, Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA
| | - Gottfried Schlaug
- Department of Neurology, Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Jack A, Pelphrey K. Annual Research Review: Understudied populations within the autism spectrum - current trends and future directions in neuroimaging research. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2017; 58:411-435. [PMID: 28102566 PMCID: PMC5367938 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental conditions that vary in both etiology and phenotypic expression. Expressions of ASD characterized by a more severe phenotype, including autism with intellectual disability (ASD + ID), autism with a history of developmental regression (ASD + R), and minimally verbal autism (ASD + MV) are understudied generally, and especially in the domain of neuroimaging. However, neuroimaging methods are a potentially powerful tool for understanding the etiology of these ASD subtypes. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY This review evaluates existing neuroimaging research on ASD + MV, ASD + ID, and ASD + R, identified by a search of the literature using the PubMed database, and discusses methodological, theoretical, and practical considerations for future research involving neuroimaging assessment of these populations. FINDINGS There is a paucity of neuroimaging research on ASD + ID, ASD + MV, and ASD + R, and what findings do exist are often contradictory, or so sparse as to be ungeneralizable. We suggest that while greater sample sizes and more studies are necessary, more important would be a paradigm shift toward multimodal (e.g. imaging genetics) approaches that allow for the characterization of heterogeneity within etiologically diverse samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allison Jack
- Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, The George Washington University, Ashburn, VA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C
| | - Kevin Pelphrey
- Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, The George Washington University, Ashburn, VA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C
- Children's National Health System, Washington, D.C., USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
LaGasse AB. Social outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder: a review of music therapy outcomes. Patient Relat Outcome Meas 2017; 8:23-32. [PMID: 28260959 PMCID: PMC5325134 DOI: 10.2147/prom.s106267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately one in 68 children, substantially affecting the child's ability to acquire social skills. The application of effective interventions to facilitate and develop social skills is essential due to the lifelong impact that social skills may have on independence and functioning. Research indicates that music therapy can improve social outcomes in children with ASD. Outcome measures are primarily assessed using standardized nonmusical scales of social functioning from the parent or clinician perspective. Certified music therapists may also assess musical engagement and outcomes as a part of the individual's profile. These measures provide an assessment of the individual's social functioning within the music therapy session and generalizability to nonmusical settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Blythe LaGasse
- School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|