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Vandewouw MM, Sato J, Safar K, Rhodes N, Taylor MJ. The development of aperiodic and periodic resting-state power between early childhood and adulthood: New insights from optically pumped magnetometers. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 69:101433. [PMID: 39126820 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101433] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurophysiological signals, comprised of both periodic (e.g., oscillatory) and aperiodic (e.g., non-oscillatory) activity, undergo complex developmental changes between childhood and adulthood. With much of the existing literature primarily focused on the periodic features of brain function, our understanding of aperiodic signals is still in its infancy. Here, we are the first to examine age-related changes in periodic (peak frequency and power) and aperiodic (slope and offset) activity using optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs), a new, wearable magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology that is particularly well-suited for studying development. We examined age-related changes in these spectral features in a sample (N=65) of toddlers (1-3 years), children (4-5 years), young adults (20-26 years), and adults (27-38 years). Consistent with the extant literature, we found significant age-related decreases in the aperiodic slope and offset, and changes in peak frequency and power that were frequency-specific; we are the first to show that the effect sizes of these changes also varied across brain regions. This work not only adds to the growing body of work highlighting the advantages of using OPMs, especially for studying development, but also contributes novel information regarding the variation of neurophysiological changes with age across the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlee M Vandewouw
- Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Autism Research Centre, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Julie Sato
- Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kristina Safar
- Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Natalie Rhodes
- Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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2
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Chen X, Chen J, Zhao X, Mu R, Tan H, Yu Z. Issues and Solutions in Psychiatric Clinical Trial with Case Studies. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2024; 20:1191-1200. [PMID: 38855383 PMCID: PMC11162181 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s454813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic resulted in a major increase in depression and anxiety disorders worldwide, which increased the demand for mental health services. However, clinical interventions for treating mental disorders are currently insufficient to meet this growing demand. There is an urgent need to conduct scientific and standardized clinical research that are consistent with the features of mental disorders in order to deliver more effective and safer therapies in the clinic. Our study aimed to expose the challenges, complexities of study design, ethical issues, sample selection, and efficacy evaluation in clinical research for mental disorders. The reliance on subjective symptom presentation and rating scales for diagnosing mental diseases was discovered, emphasizing the lack of clear biological standards, which hampers the construction of rigorous research criteria. We underlined the possibility of psychotherapy in efficacy evaluation alongside medication treatment, proposing for a multidisciplinary approach comprising psychiatrists, neuroscientists, and statisticians. To comprehend mental disorders progression, we recommend the development of artificial intelligence integrated evaluation tools, the use of precise biomarkers, and the strengthening of longitudinal designs. In addition, we advocate for international collaboration to diversity samples and increase the dependability of findings, with the goal of improving clinical research quality in mental disorders through sample representativeness, accurate medical history gathering, and adherence to ethical principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Chen
- Clinical Research Institute & School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun Chen
- Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue Zhao
- Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rongji Mu
- Clinical Research Institute & School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongsheng Tan
- Clinical Research Institute & School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhangsheng Yu
- Clinical Research Institute & School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Ronconi L, Cantiani C, Riva V, Franchin L, Bettoni R, Gori S, Bulf H, Valenza E, Facoetti A. Infants' reorienting efficiency depends on parental autistic traits and predicts future socio-communicative behaviors. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:40-49. [PMID: 38696607 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Attentional reorienting is dysfunctional not only in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also in infants who will develop ASD, thus constituting a potential causal factor of future social interaction and communication abilities. Following the research domain criteria framework, we hypothesized that the presence of subclinical autistic traits in parents should lead to atypical infants' attentional reorienting, which in turn should impact on their future socio-communication behavior in toddlerhood. During an attentional cueing task, we measured the saccadic latencies in a large sample (total enrolled n = 89; final sample n = 71) of 8-month-old infants from the general population as a proxy for their stimulus-driven attention. Infants were grouped in a high parental traits (HPT; n = 23) or in a low parental traits (LPT; n = 48) group, according to the degree of autistic traits self-reported by their parents. Infants (n = 33) were then longitudinally followed to test their socio-communicative behaviors at 21 months. Results show a sluggish reorienting system, which was a longitudinal predictor of future socio-communicative skills at 21 months. Our combined transgenerational and longitudinal findings suggest that the early functionality of the stimulus-driven attentional network-redirecting attention from one event to another-could be directly connected to future social and communication development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ronconi
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cantiani
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Lecco, Italy
| | - Valentina Riva
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Lecco, Italy
| | - Laura Franchin
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Corso Bettini, 84, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Roberta Bettoni
- Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Simone Gori
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale Sant'Agostino, 2, 24129 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Herman Bulf
- Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Eloisa Valenza
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Via Venezia 8, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Facoetti
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, Via Venezia 8, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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4
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Liu J, Tan Y, Zhang F, Wang Y, Chen S, Zhang N, Dai W, Zhou L, Li JC. Metabolomic analysis of plasma biomarkers in children with autism spectrum disorders. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e488. [PMID: 38420161 PMCID: PMC10901282 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents a significant risk to human well-being and has emerged as a worldwide public health concern. Twenty-eight children with ASD and 33 healthy children (HC) were selected for the quantitative determination of their plasma metabolites using an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) platform. A total of 1997 metabolites were detected in the study cohort, from which 116 metabolites were found to be differentially expressed between the ASD and HC groups. Through analytical algorithms such as least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest (RF), three potential metabolic markers were identified as FAHFA (18:1(9Z)/9-O-18:0), DL-2-hydroxystearic acid, and 7(S),17(S)-dihydroxy-8(E),10(Z),13(Z),15(E),19(Z)-docosapentaenoic acid. These metabolites demonstrated superior performance in distinguishing the ASD group from the HC group, as indicated by the area under curves (AUCs) of 0.935, 0.897, and 0.963 for the three candidate biomarkers, respectively. The samples were divided into training and validation sets according to 7:3. Diagnostic models were constructed using logistic regression (LR), SVM, and RF. The constructed three-biomarker diagnostic model also exhibited strong discriminatory efficacy. These findings contribute to advancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in the occurrence of ASD and provide a valuable reference for clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Medical Research Center Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College Shaoguan China
| | - Yuhua Tan
- Shaoguan Maternal and Child Health Hospital Shaoguan China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Medical Research Center Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College Shaoguan China
| | - Yan Wang
- Shaoguan Maternal and Child Health Hospital Shaoguan China
| | - Shu Chen
- Shaoguan Maternal and Child Health Hospital Shaoguan China
| | - Na Zhang
- Shaoguan Maternal and Child Health Hospital Shaoguan China
| | - Wenjie Dai
- Medical Research Center Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College Shaoguan China
| | - Liqing Zhou
- Medical Research Center Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College Shaoguan China
| | - Ji-Cheng Li
- Medical Research Center Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College Shaoguan China
- Institute of Cell Biology Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
- Major Disease Biomarkers Research Laboratory School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University Kaifeng China
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5
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Zhuang H, Liang Z, Ma G, Qureshi A, Ran X, Feng C, Liu X, Yan X, Shen L. Autism spectrum disorder: pathogenesis, biomarker, and intervention therapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e497. [PMID: 38434761 PMCID: PMC10908366 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become a common neurodevelopmental disorder. The heterogeneity of ASD poses great challenges for its research and clinical translation. On the basis of reviewing the heterogeneity of ASD, this review systematically summarized the current status and progress of pathogenesis, diagnostic markers, and interventions for ASD. We provided an overview of the ASD molecular mechanisms identified by multi-omics studies and convergent mechanism in different genetic backgrounds. The comorbidities, mechanisms associated with important physiological and metabolic abnormalities (i.e., inflammation, immunity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction), and gut microbial disorder in ASD were reviewed. The non-targeted omics and targeting studies of diagnostic markers for ASD were also reviewed. Moreover, we summarized the progress and methods of behavioral and educational interventions, intervention methods related to technological devices, and research on medical interventions and potential drug targets. This review highlighted the application of high-throughput omics methods in ASD research and emphasized the importance of seeking homogeneity from heterogeneity and exploring the convergence of disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and intervention approaches, and proposes that taking into account individuality and commonality may be the key to achieve accurate diagnosis and treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Zhuang
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Liang
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Guanwei Ma
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Ayesha Qureshi
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Xiaoqian Ran
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Chengyun Feng
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of BaoanShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Xukun Liu
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Xi Yan
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Liming Shen
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
- Shenzhen‐Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science‐Shenzhen Fundamental Research InstitutionsShenzhenP. R. China
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6
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Li W, Liu C, Chen S. Associations between genetically determined dietary factors and risk of autism spectrum disorder: a Mendelian randomization study. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1210855. [PMID: 38496795 PMCID: PMC10940521 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1210855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Existing studies confirm the importance of dietary factors in developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and disease progression. Still, these studies are primarily observational, and their causal relationship is unknown. Moreover, due to the extensive diversity of food types, the existing research remains somewhat limited in comprehensiveness. The inconsistency of the results of some studies is very disruptive to the clinic. This study infers a causal relationship between dietary factors on the risk of developing ASD from a genetic perspective, which may lead to significant low-cost benefits for children with ASD once the specificity of dietary factors interfering with ASD is confirmed. Methods We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis by selecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 18 common dietary factors from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) database as instrumental variables (IVs) and obtaining pooled data for ASD (Sample size = 46,351) from the iPSYCH-PGC institution. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) was used as the primary analytical method to estimate causality, Cochran's Q test to assess heterogeneity, the Egger-intercept test to test for pleiotropy and sensitivity analysis to verify the reliability of causal association results. Results The MR analysis identified four dietary factors with potential causal relationships: poultry intake (fixed-effects IVW: OR = 0.245, 95% CI: 0.084-0.718, P < 0.05), beef intake (fixed-effects IVW: OR = 0.380, 95% CI: 0.165-0.874, P < 0.05), cheese intake (random-effects IVW: OR = 1.526, 95% CI: 1.003-2.321, P < 0.05), and dried fruit intake (fixed-effects IVW: OR = 2.167, 95% CI: 1.342-3.501, P < 0.05). There was no causal relationship between the remaining 14 dietary factors and ASD (P > 0.05). Conclusion This study revealed potential causal relationships between poultry intake, beef intake, cheese intake, dried fruit intake, and ASD. Poultry and beef intake were associated with a reduced risk of ASD, while cheese and dried fruit intake were associated with an increased risk. Other dietary factors included in this study were not associated with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Li
- Second School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Cuncheng Liu
- Department of Neonatology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
| | - Shouqiang Chen
- Second School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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7
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Zhan L, Gao Y, Huang L, Zhang H, Huang G, Wang Y, Sun J, Xie Z, Li M, Jia X, Cheng L, Yu Y. Brain functional connectivity alterations of Wernicke's area in individuals with autism spectrum conditions in multi-frequency bands: A mega-analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26198. [PMID: 38404781 PMCID: PMC10884452 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Characterized by severe deficits in communication, most individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) experience significant language dysfunctions, thereby impacting their overall quality of life. Wernicke's area, a classical and traditional brain region associated with language processing, plays a substantial role in the manifestation of language impairments. The current study carried out a mega-analysis to attain a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms underpinning ASC, particularly in the context of language processing. The study employed the Autism Brain Image Data Exchange (ABIDE) dataset, which encompasses data from 443 typically developing (TD) individuals and 362 individuals with ASC. The objective was to detect abnormal functional connectivity (FC) between Wernicke's area and other language-related functional regions, and identify frequency-specific altered FC using Wernicke's area as the seed region in ASC. The findings revealed that increased FC in individuals with ASC has frequency-specific characteristics. Further, in the conventional frequency band (0.01-0.08 Hz), individuals with ASC exhibited increased FC between Wernicke's area and the right thalamus compared with TD individuals. In the slow-5 frequency band (0.01-0.027 Hz), increased FC values were observed in the left cerebellum Crus II and the right lenticular nucleus, pallidum. These results provide novel insights into the potential neural mechanisms underlying communication deficits in ASC from the perspective of language impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zhan
- School of Western Studies, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
| | - Yanyan Gao
- College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Lina Huang
- Department of Radiology, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongqiang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guofeng Huang
- School of Information and Electronics Technology, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Yadan Wang
- School of Information and Electronics Technology, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Jiawei Sun
- School of Information and Electronics Technology, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Zhou Xie
- School of Information and Electronics Technology, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Mengting Li
- College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Xize Jia
- College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Lulu Cheng
- School of Foreign Studies, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China
- Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Psychiatry Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China
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8
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Cortese S, Purper-Ouakil D, Apter A, Arango C, Baeza I, Banaschewski T, Buitelaar J, Castro-Fornieles J, Coghill D, Cohen D, Correll CU, Grünblatt E, Hoekstra PJ, James A, Jeppesen P, Nagy P, Pagsberg AK, Parellada M, Persico AM, Roessner V, Santosh P, Simonoff E, Stevanovic D, Stringaris A, Vitiello B, Walitza S, Weizman A, Wong ICK, Zalsman G, Zuddas A, Carucci S, Butlen-Ducuing F, Tome M, Bea M, Getin C, Hovén N, Konradsson-Geuken A, Lamirell D, Olisa N, Nafria Escalera B, Moreno C. Psychopharmacology in children and adolescents: unmet needs and opportunities. Lancet Psychiatry 2024; 11:143-154. [PMID: 38071998 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00345-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Psychopharmacological treatment is an important component of the multimodal intervention approach to treating mental health conditions in children and adolescents. Currently, there are many unmet needs but also opportunities, alongside possible risks to consider, regarding the pharmacological treatment of mental health conditions in children and adolescents. In this Position Paper, we highlight and address these unmet needs and opportunities, including the perspectives of clinicians and researchers from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology-Child and Adolescent Network, alongside those of experts by lived experience from national and international associations, via a survey involving 644 participants from 13 countries, and of regulators, through representation from the European Medicines Agency. We present and discuss the evidence base for medications currently used for mental disorders in children and adolescents, medications in the pipeline, opportunities in the development of novel medications, crucial priorities for the conduct of future clinical studies, challenges and opportunities in terms of the regulatory and legislative framework, and innovations in the way research is conducted, reported, and promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Cortese
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, and Clinical and Experimental Sciences (CNS and Psychiatry), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Solent NHS Trust, Southampton, UK; Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, New York University Child Study Center, New York City, NY, USA; Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK; DiMePRe-J-Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine-Jonic Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.
| | - Diane Purper-Ouakil
- Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Montpellier, Service Médecine Psychologique de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Montpellier, France; INSERM U 1018, CESP, Psychiatrie du développement - Evaluer et traiter les troubles émotionnels et du neurodéveloppement (ETE-ND), Villejuif, France
| | - Alan Apter
- Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel; Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Celso Arango
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, ISCIII, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Baeza
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, SGR01319, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Neurosciences Institute, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM-ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jan Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Josefina Castro-Fornieles
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, SGR01319, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Neurosciences Institute, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM-ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Coghill
- Departments of Paediatrics and Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Murdoch Children's research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Cohen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne University, Paris, France; CNRS UMR 7222, Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics, Sorbonne Université, UPMC, Paris, France
| | - Christoph U Correll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Psychiatry Research, Northwell Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA; Center for Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Edna Grünblatt
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pieter J Hoekstra
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry & Accare Child Study Center, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Anthony James
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University, and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Pia Jeppesen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Péter Nagy
- Bethesda Children's Hospital, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anne Katrine Pagsberg
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mara Parellada
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, ISCIII, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio M Persico
- Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Paramala Santosh
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Centre for Interventional Paediatric Psychopharmacology and Rare Diseases (CIPPRD), London, UK
| | - Emily Simonoff
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), London, UK; Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, London, UK
| | - Dejan Stevanovic
- Clinic for Neurology and Psychiatry for Children and Youth, Belgrade, Serbia; Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Argyris Stringaris
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK; Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Benedetto Vitiello
- Division of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Susanne Walitza
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Abraham Weizman
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, and Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, and Laboratory of Biological and Molecular Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ian C K Wong
- Research Department of Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK; Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Aston Pharmacy School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Gil Zalsman
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, and Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, and Laboratory of Biological and Molecular Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alessandro Zuddas
- Department Biomedical Science, Sect Neuroscience & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, A. Cao Paediatric Hospital, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Sara Carucci
- Department Biomedical Science, Sect Neuroscience & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, A. Cao Paediatric Hospital, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Maria Tome
- European Medicines Agency, Human Medicines Division, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Christine Getin
- Hypersupers TDAH France, National Association, Paris, France
| | | | - Asa Konradsson-Geuken
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness (EUFAMI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daphne Lamirell
- Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks- Europe (GAMIAN Europe), Ixelles, Belgium
| | - Nigel Olisa
- Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks- Europe (GAMIAN Europe), Ixelles, Belgium
| | - Begonya Nafria Escalera
- Patient Engagement in Research Department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; Innovation Department Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Carmen Moreno
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, ISCIII, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Jingyi L, Lin W, Yuan C, Lingling Z, Qianqian J, Anlong X, Yansong G. Intravenous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells improved behavioral deficits and altered fecal microbiota composition of BTBR mice. Life Sci 2024; 336:122330. [PMID: 38065352 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
AIMS It is recognized that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly complex neurodevelopmental disorder with communication deficits as well as multiple social barriers. The core symptoms of ASD are not treatable with current therapeutics. Therefore, finding new treatment strategies for ASD is urgently needed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been shown to be a promising therapeutic approach in previous studies. However, the underlying mechanisms of MSC treatment for ASD through gut microbiota remain unclear and require further investigation. MAIN METHODS BTBR mice were used as ASD model and then randomly assigned to the human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hBMMSC) intravenous treatment group or vehicle treatment group. C57BL/6J (C57) mice served as control. Multiple social behavioral tests were performed during the 6-week period and fecal samples were collected at different time points for 16 s rRNA sequencing analysis. KEY FINDINGS The administration of hBMMSC improved social deficits of BTBR mice in the open field test (OFT), light-dark box test (LBT), novel object recognition (NOR), and free social test (FST), while also significantly reducing stereotypic behaviors. Additionally, hBMMSC administration notably reversed the alterations of microbiota abundance in BTBR mice, particularly the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Several specific differential taxa were further selected and showed a correlation with the prognosis and behavioral scores of ASD. SIGNIFICANCE Overall, intravenous treatment with hBMMSC had a beneficial impact on ASD by ameliorating social deficits and modifying microbiota compositions. This outcome indicates that hBMMSC intravenous transplantation could be a promising therapeutic strategy for enhancing ASD symptoms improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Jingyi
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., LTD., Beijing 102600, China
| | - Wang Lin
- Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., LTD., Beijing 102600, China
| | - Chen Yuan
- Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., LTD., Beijing 102600, China
| | - Zhang Lingling
- Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., LTD., Beijing 102600, China
| | - Jiang Qianqian
- Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., LTD., Beijing 102600, China
| | - Xu Anlong
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Gao Yansong
- Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., LTD., Beijing 102600, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Quality Attribute of Cell Therapy Products, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
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10
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Buch AM, Liston C. Gene-brain-behavior mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder: implications for precision psychiatry. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:343-344. [PMID: 37717083 PMCID: PMC10700301 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01722-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Buch
- Department of Psychiatry and Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413 East 69th Street, Box 240, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
| | - Conor Liston
- Department of Psychiatry and Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413 East 69th Street, Box 240, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
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11
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Zhong X, Wang L, Xu L, Lian J, Chen J, Gong X, Shao Y. Disturbance of skin sensation and autism spectrum disorder: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3238. [PMID: 37670485 PMCID: PMC10636404 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience aberrant skin sensation sensitivity; however, the causal relationship is not yet clear. This study uses a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) method to explore the relationship between disturbance of skin sensation (DSS) and ASD. METHODS Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) extracted from the summary data of genome-wide association studies were used as genetic instruments. MR was performed using the inverse-variance-weighted method, with alternate methods (e.g., weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, weighted mode, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier) and multiple sensitivity analyses to assess horizontal pleiotropy and remove outliers. RESULTS The results of the analysis using six SNPs as genetic instruments showed that the DSS is associated with an increased risk of ASD (odds ratio = 1.126, 95% confidence interval = 1.029-1.132; p = .010). The results of the sensitivity analyses were robust with no evidence of pleiotropy. The reverse MR analyses showed no causal effects of ASD on DSS. CONCLUSION This study's findings suggest that DSS has potential causal effects on ASD, whereas ASD has no effect on DSS. Thus, skin sensitivity may represent a behavioral marker of ASD, by which some populations could be subtyped in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhong
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Letong Wang
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Lin Xu
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jie Lian
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jie Chen
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xinxin Gong
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yongcong Shao
- School of PsychologyBeijing Sport UniversityBeijingChina
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12
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Ljungdahl A, Sanders SJ. Neuropsychiatric biomarker discovery: go big or go home. Trends Mol Med 2023; 29:878-879. [PMID: 37714797 PMCID: PMC10879988 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.09.002] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Technological advances have enabled high-throughput omics assays, such as parallelized screening of lipids across plasma samples. Pioneering a new paradigm for neuropsychiatric biomarker discovery, Yap et al. describe a large-scale systematic analysis of comprehensive phenotypic, genotypic, environmental, and lipidomic data to unravel the intricate interplay between these and autism-associated traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Ljungdahl
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7TY, UK; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7TY, UK; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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13
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Yildirim V, Simsek S, Cetin I, Dokuyucu R. Kynurenine, Kynurenic Acid, Quinolinic Acid and Interleukin-6 Levels in the Serum of Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1906. [PMID: 38003955 PMCID: PMC10673218 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59111906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: It is known that inflammatory processes play a role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is also reported that immune activation induces the kynurenine pathway (KP), as known as the tryptophan destruction pathway. In our study, we aimed to investigate whether the serum levels of KP products and interleukin (IL)-6 activating indolamine 2-3 dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme are different in healthy developing children and children with ASD. Materials and Methods: Forty-three ASD children aged 2-9 were included in this study. Forty-two healthy developing children, similar to the patient group in terms of age and gender, were selected as the control group. Serum levels of kynurenic acid, kynurenine, quinolinic acid and IL-6 were analyzed using the ELISA method. ASD severity was evaluated with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Results: The mean age of children with ASD was 42.4 ± 20.5 months, and that of healthy controls was 48.1 ± 15.8 months. While the serum levels of kynurenic acid, kynurenine and interleukin-6 were higher in the group with ASD (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in terms of the quinolinic acid level. There was no significant difference between the ABC total and subscale scores of children with ASD and biochemical parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that these biomarkers must be measured in all ASD cases. They may be important for the diagnosis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veli Yildirim
- Special Clinic, Department of Child Psychiatry, Yenişehir, Mersin 33110, Turkey;
| | - Seref Simsek
- Special Clinic, Department of Child Psychiatry, Antalya 07000, Turkey;
| | - Ihsan Cetin
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Batman University, Batman 72040, Turkey;
| | - Recep Dokuyucu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Atlas University, Istanbul 34413, Turkey
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14
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Smith AM, Donley ELR, Ney DM, Amaral DG, Burrier RE, Natowicz MR. Metabolomic biomarkers in autism: identification of complex dysregulations of cellular bioenergetics. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1249578. [PMID: 37928922 PMCID: PMC10622772 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1249578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD or autism) is a phenotypically and etiologically heterogeneous condition. Identifying biomarkers of clinically significant metabolic subtypes of autism could improve understanding of its underlying pathophysiology and potentially lead to more targeted interventions. We hypothesized that the application of metabolite-based biomarker techniques using decision thresholds derived from quantitative measurements could identify autism-associated subpopulations. Metabolomic profiling was carried out in a case-control study of 499 autistic and 209 typically developing (TYP) children, ages 18-48 months, enrolled in the Children's Autism Metabolome Project (CAMP; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02548442). Fifty-four metabolites, associated with amino acid, organic acid, acylcarnitine and purine metabolism as well as microbiome-associated metabolites, were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Using quantitative thresholds, the concentrations of 4 metabolites and 149 ratios of metabolites were identified as biomarkers, each identifying subpopulations of 4.5-11% of the CAMP autistic population. A subset of 42 biomarkers could identify CAMP autistic individuals with 72% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Many participants were identified by several metabolic biomarkers. Using hierarchical clustering, 30 clusters of biomarkers were created based on participants' biomarker profiles. Metabolic changes associated with the clusters suggest that altered regulation of cellular metabolism, especially of mitochondrial bioenergetics, were common metabolic phenotypes in this cohort of autistic participants. Autism severity and cognitive and developmental impairment were associated with increased lactate, many lactate containing ratios, and the number of biomarker clusters a participant displayed. These studies provide evidence that metabolic phenotyping is feasible and that defined autistic subgroups can lead to enhanced understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and potentially suggest pathways for targeted metabolic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M. Smith
- Stemina Biomarker Discovery, Inc, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Denise M. Ney
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - David G. Amaral
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Marvin R. Natowicz
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Genomic Medicine, Neurological and Pediatrics Institutes, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
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15
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Bottema-Beutel K, Kapp SK, Sasson N, Gernsbacher MA, Natri H, Botha M. Anti-ableism and scientific accuracy in autism research: a false dichotomy. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1244451. [PMID: 37743979 PMCID: PMC10514488 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1244451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
It was recently argued that autism researchers committed to rejecting ableist frameworks in their research may sacrifice "scientifically accurate" conceptualizations of autism. In this perspective piece, we argue that: (a) anti-ableism vs. scientific accuracy is a false dichotomy, (b) there is no ideology-free science that has claim to scientific accuracy, and (c) autism science has a history of false leads in part because of unexamined ableist ideologies that undergird researcher framings and interpretations of evidence. To illustrate our claims, we discuss several avenues of autism research that were promoted as scientific advances, but were eventually debunked or shown to have much less explanatory value than initially proposed. These research programs have involved claims about autism etiology, the nature of autism and autistic characteristics, and autism intervention. Common to these false leads have been ableist assumptions about autism that inform researcher perspectives. Negative impacts of this work have been mitigated in some areas of autism research, but these perspectives continue to exert influence on the lives of autistic people, including the availability of services, discourses about autism, and sociocultural conceptualizations of autistic people. Examining these false leads may help current researchers better understand how ableism may negatively influence their areas of inquiry. We close with a positive argument that promoting anti-ableism can be done in tandem with increasing scientific accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Bottema-Beutel
- Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Steven K. Kapp
- Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Noah Sasson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, United States
| | | | - Heini Natri
- The Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Monique Botha
- Psychology Department, Stirling University, Stirling, United Kingdom
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16
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Tan DW. Early-Career Autism Researchers Are Shifting Their Research Directions: Tragedy or Opportunity? AUTISM IN ADULTHOOD 2023; 5:218-224. [PMID: 37663448 PMCID: PMC10468548 DOI: 10.1089/aut.2023.0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Early-career researchers (ECRs) are among the most creative, talented, and energetic researchers, and they play an important role in knowledge production and pushing scientific boundaries. Recent debates have implied that many early-career autism researchers are compelled to shift their areas of focus within autism research as a consequence of their work being scrutinized by the autistic and autism communities. In this Perspective, I draw on my own experience as an early-career autism researcher having recently pivoted my research focus to become more aligned with community priorities. I reflect on whether these putative shifts in research direction are, indeed, a tragedy, as has previously been suggested, or, in fact, an opportunity for autism researchers. I argue that pivoting in research is a demonstration of science adapting to the ever-evolving needs in society and changes in our understanding of neurodiversity, neurodivergence, and research methods. While disagreements between the autistic, autism, and research communities may well feel uncomfortable, these tensions also present an opportunity for us-as non-autistic autism researchers-to reflect and to act toward building trust with the community. I recommend three areas for reflections: the purpose of our research, our position of power, and the epistemic limits of our academic expertise. I end by encouraging ECRs to consider taking actions, however small, to lead the charge in improving practices in autism research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Weiting Tan
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
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17
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Stancioiu F, Bogdan R, Dumitrescu R. Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE) as a Biomarker for Autistic Spectrum Disease (ASD). Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1736. [PMID: 37629593 PMCID: PMC10455327 DOI: 10.3390/life13081736] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Autistic spectrum disease (ASD) is an increasingly common diagnosis nowadays with a prevalence of 1-2% in most countries. Its complex causality-a combination of genetic, immune, metabolic, and environmental factors-is translated into pleiomorphic developmental disorders of various severity, which have two main aspects in common: repetitive, restrictive behaviors and difficulties in social interaction varying from awkward habits and verbalization to a complete lack of interest for the outside world. The wide variety of ASD causes also makes it very difficult to find a common denominator-a disease biomarker and medication-and currently, there is no commonly used diagnostic and therapeutic strategy besides clinical evaluation and psychotherapy. In the CORDUS clinical study, we have administered autologous cord blood to ASD kids who had little or no improvement after other treatments and searched for a biomarker which could help predict the degree of improvement in each patient. We have found that the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was elevated above the normal clinical range (less than 16.3 ng/mL) in the vast majority of ASD kids tested in our study (40 of 41, or 97.5%). This finding opens up a new direction for diagnostic confirmation, dynamic evaluation, and therapeutic intervention for ASD kids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raluca Bogdan
- Medicover Hospital Bucharest, 013982 Bucharest, Romania
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18
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Constable PA, Lim JKH, Thompson DA. Retinal electrophysiology in central nervous system disorders. A review of human and mouse studies. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1215097. [PMID: 37600004 PMCID: PMC10433210 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1215097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The retina and brain share similar neurochemistry and neurodevelopmental origins, with the retina, often viewed as a "window to the brain." With retinal measures of structure and function becoming easier to obtain in clinical populations there is a growing interest in using retinal findings as potential biomarkers for disorders affecting the central nervous system. Functional retinal biomarkers, such as the electroretinogram, show promise in neurological disorders, despite having limitations imposed by the existence of overlapping genetic markers, clinical traits or the effects of medications that may reduce their specificity in some conditions. This narrative review summarizes the principal functional retinal findings in central nervous system disorders and related mouse models and provides a background to the main excitatory and inhibitory retinal neurotransmitters that have been implicated to explain the visual electrophysiological findings. These changes in retinal neurochemistry may contribute to our understanding of these conditions based on the findings of retinal electrophysiological tests such as the flash, pattern, multifocal electroretinograms, and electro-oculogram. It is likely that future applications of signal analysis and machine learning algorithms will offer new insights into the pathophysiology, classification, and progression of these clinical disorders including autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. New clinical applications of visual electrophysiology to this field may lead to earlier, more accurate diagnoses and better targeted therapeutic interventions benefiting individual patients and clinicians managing these individuals and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. Constable
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jeremiah K. H. Lim
- Discipline of Optometry, School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Dorothy A. Thompson
- The Tony Kriss Visual Electrophysiology Unit, Clinical and Academic Department of Ophthalmology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Jian J, Li LG, Zhao PJ, Zheng RJ, Dong XW, Zhao YH, Yin BQ, Li S, Cheng H, Li HL, Li EY. Mouse nerve growth factor suppresses neuronal apoptosis in valproic acid-induced autism spectrum disorder rats by regulating the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/serine/threonine kinase signaling pathway. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2023; 33:101-110. [PMID: 37261937 DOI: 10.1097/fpc.0000000000000498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and restrictive behaviors. Mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF), a neurotrophic factor, is critical for neuronal growth and survival, and the mNGF treatment is considered a promising therapy for neurodegeneration. In light of this, we aimed to evaluate the effect of mNGF on neurological function in ASD. METHODS An ASD rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA). Social behavior, learning, and memory of the rats were measured. TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-end labeling and Nissl assays were performed to detect neuronal apoptosis and survival in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Apoptosis-related proteins and oxidative stress markers were detected. RESULTS mNGF improved locomotor activity, exploratory behavior, social interaction, and spatial learning and memory in VPA-induced ASD rats. In the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, mNGF suppressed neuronal apoptosis, increased the number of neurons, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels, and decreased reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels compared with the VPA group. In addition, mNGF increased the levels of Bcl-2, p-phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), and p-serine/threonine kinase (Akt), and decreased the levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, while the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 reversed these effects. CONCLUSION These data suggest that mNGF suppressed neuronal apoptosis and ameliorated the abnormal behaviors in VPA-induced ASD rats, in part, by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Jian
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Li-Guo Li
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
- Institute of Health Engineering, Zhengzhou Health Vocational College, Zhengzhou
| | - Peng-Ju Zhao
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Rui-Juan Zheng
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Xian-Wen Dong
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Yong-Hong Zhao
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Bao-Qi Yin
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Sheng Li
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Cheng
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - Hong-Lei Li
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
| | - En-Yao Li
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Henan, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
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20
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Veenstra-VanderWeele J, O'Reilly KC, Dennis MY, Uribe-Salazar JM, Amaral DG. Translational Neuroscience Approaches to Understanding Autism. Am J Psychiatry 2023; 180:265-276. [PMID: 37002692 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230153] [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] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
While autism spectrum disorder affects nearly 2% of children in the United States, little is known with certainty concerning the etiologies and brain systems involved. This is due, in part, to the substantial heterogeneity in the presentation of the core symptoms of autism as well as the great number of co-occurring conditions that are common in autistic individuals. Understanding the neurobiology of autism is further hampered by the limited availability of postmortem brain tissue to determine the cellular and molecular alterations that take place in the autistic brain. Animal models therefore provide great translational value in helping to define the neural systems that constitute the social brain and mediate repetitive behaviors or interests. If they are based on genetic or environmental factors that contribute to autism, organisms from flies to nonhuman primates may serve as models of the neural structure or function of the autistic brain. Ultimately, successful models can also be employed to test the safety and effectiveness of potential therapeutics. This is an overview of the major animal species that are currently used as models of autism, including an appraisal of the advantages and limitations of each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - Kally C O'Reilly
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - Megan Y Dennis
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - José M Uribe-Salazar
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - David G Amaral
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
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21
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Colomar L, San José Cáceres A, Álvarez-Linera J, González-Peñas J, Huertas Patón A, Martín de Blas D, Polo Arrondo AP, Solís A, Jones E, Parellada M. Role of cortical excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in autism spectrum disorders from a symptom severity trajectories framework: a study protocol. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:213. [PMID: 36991382 PMCID: PMC10054232 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04695-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is considerable evidence reporting an excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) cortical imbalance in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, previous findings on the direction of this imbalance and its relationship to ASD symptomatology are heterogeneous. Some factors contributing to these mixed results might be the methodological differences between studies assessing the E/I ratio and the intrinsic variability within the autistic spectrum. Studying the evolution of ASD symptoms and the factors that modulate it might help to explain and reduce this variability. Here we present a study protocol to explore the longitudinal role of E/I imbalance in ASD symptoms, combining different approaches to measure the E/I ratio and using the trajectories of symptom severity as a framework. METHODS This observational two time-point prospective study assesses the E/I ratio and the evolution of the behavioural symptoms in a sample of at least 98 participants with ASD. Participants are enrolled at 12 to 72 months of age and followed from 18 to 48 months after. A comprehensive battery of tests is applied to evaluate ASD clinical symptoms. The E/I ratio is approached from electrophysiology, magnetic resonance, and genetics. We will calculate the individual change for the main ASD symptoms and, based on that, we will define the trajectories of symptom severity. Then, we will investigate the correlation between measures of excitation/inhibition balance and autistic symptomatology cross-sectionally, as well as the ability of these measurements to predict changes in symptoms over time. DISCUSSION This study presents a robust multisystemic approach to the E/I imbalance theory in autism and its relation to divergent symptom trajectories. That setting will allow us to relate and compare the neurobiological information coming from different sources and its impact on behavioural symptoms while accounting for the high variability in ASD. The findings derived from this study could contribute to the ASD biomarkers research and might provide valuable evidence for the development of more personalized treatments in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Colomar
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain.
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Antonia San José Cáceres
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Javier González-Peñas
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Abigail Huertas Patón
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Martín de Blas
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Bioingeniería, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Andrea Solís
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Emily Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, University of London, Birkbeck, London, UK
| | - Mara Parellada
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
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22
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Itahashi T, Yamashita A, Takahara Y, Yahata N, Aoki YY, Fujino J, Yoshihara Y, Nakamura M, Aoki R, Ohta H, Sakai Y, Takamura M, Ichikawa N, Okada G, Okada N, Kasai K, Tanaka SC, Imamizu H, Kato N, Okamoto Y, Takahashi H, Kawato M, Yamashita O, Hashimoto RI. Generalizable neuromarker for autism spectrum disorder across imaging sites and developmental stages: A multi-site study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.26.534053. [PMID: 37034620 PMCID: PMC10081283 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.26.534053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition, and its underlying biological mechanisms remain elusive. The complexity of various factors, including inter-site and development-related differences, makes it challenging to develop generalizable neuroimaging-based biomarkers for ASD. This study used a large-scale, multi-site dataset of 730 Japanese adults to develop a generalizable neuromarker for ASD across independent sites (U.S., Belgium, and Japan) and different developmental stages (children and adolescents). Our adult ASD neuromarker achieved successful generalization for the US and Belgium adults (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.70) and Japanese adults (AUC = 0.81). The neuromarker demonstrated significant generalization for children (AUC = 0.66) and adolescents (AUC = 0.71; all P < 0.05 , family-wise-error corrected). We identified 141 functional connections (FCs) important for discriminating individuals with ASD from TDCs. These FCs largely centered on social brain regions such as the amygdala, hippocampus, dorsomedial and ventromedial prefrontal cortices, and temporal cortices. Finally, we mapped schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD) onto the biological axis defined by the neuromarker and explored the biological continuity of ASD with SCZ and MDD. We observed that SCZ, but not MDD, was located proximate to ASD on the biological dimension defined by the ASD neuromarker. The successful generalization in multifarious datasets and the observed relations of ASD with SCZ on the biological dimensions provide new insights for a deeper understanding of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayumu Yamashita
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Takahara
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- Laboratory for Drug Discovery and Disease Research, SHIONOGI & CO., LTD, Osaka, Japan
| | - Noriaki Yahata
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Y. Aoki
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Aoki Clinic, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yujiro Yoshihara
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuta Aoki
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Language Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Sakai
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masahiro Takamura
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - Naho Ichikawa
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Go Okada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Naohiro Okada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN) at The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN) at The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- UTokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Saori C. Tanaka
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- Division of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Imamizu
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Okamoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Kawato
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- XNef Incorporation, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Okito Yamashita
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
- RIKEN, Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryu-ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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