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Thomson AR, Pasanta D, Arichi T, Puts NA. Neurometabolite differences in Autism as assessed with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105728. [PMID: 38796123 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105728] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to quantify the concentrations of metabolites in the brain in vivo. MRS findings in the context of autism are inconsistent and conflicting. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of MRS studies measuring glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), as well as brain metabolites involved in energy metabolism (glutamine, creatine), neural and glial integrity (e.g. n-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline, myo-inositol) and oxidative stress (glutathione) in autism cohorts. Data were extracted and grouped by metabolite, brain region and several other factors before calculation of standardised effect sizes. Overall, we find significantly lower concentrations of GABA and NAA in autism, indicative of disruptions to the balance between excitation/inhibition within brain circuits, as well as neural integrity. Further analysis found these alterations are most pronounced in autistic children and in limbic brain regions relevant to autism phenotypes. Additionally, we show how study outcome varies due to demographic and methodological factors , emphasising the importance of conforming with standardised consensus study designs and transparent reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice R Thomson
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Duanghathai Pasanta
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, UK
| | - Tomoki Arichi
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nicolaas A Puts
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, UK.
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2
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Nies KJ, Baldwin J, Kaur M. Early Motor Delays During the First 2 Years of Life in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review. Pediatr Phys Ther 2024; 36:19-35. [PMID: 37816166 DOI: 10.1097/pep.0000000000001068] [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] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To summarize and appraise the emerging evidence on early motor skills of infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the association of early motor delays to later ASD diagnosis/characteristics. METHODS A literature search was conducted for studies published from 2000 to 2023 on the motor skills of infants later diagnosed with ASD, followed by screening and data extraction. RESULTS Current evidence suggested presence of early motor deficits including poor anticipatory movements, postural control, and gross/fine motor skills during the first 2 years of ASD. However, there was variability among studies with regard to study sample and methodology. CONCLUSION Although motor deficits are evident in infants, it is unclear whether these are specific to ASD or a consequence of general developmental disorder. Future research is needed on the investigation of specificity and severity of early motor delays, which can potentially assist in early identification of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara J Nies
- Physical Therapy Department (Dr Nies), Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Physical Therapy Program (Drs Baldwin and Kaur), MGH Institute of Health Professions, Charlestown, Massachusetts
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3
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Shih YC, Nelson L, Janeček M, Peixoto RT. Late onset and regional heterogeneity of synaptic deficits in cortical PV interneurons of Shank3B -/- mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.23.568500. [PMID: 38045377 PMCID: PMC10690261 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.23.568500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy and epileptiform patterns of cortical activity are highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but the neural substrates and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the onset of cortical dysfunction in ASD remains elusive. Reduced cortical expression of Parvalbumin (PV) has been widely observed in ASD mouse models and human postmortem studies, suggesting a crucial role of PV interneurons (PVINs) in ASD pathogenesis. Shank3B -/- mice carrying a Δ13-16 deletion in SHANK3 exhibit cortical hyperactivity during postnatal development and reduced sensory responses in cortical GABAergic interneurons in adulthood. However, whether these phenotypes are associated with PVIN dysfunction is unknown. Using whole-cell electrophysiology and a viral-based strategy to label PVINs during postnatal development, we performed a developmental characterization of AMPAR miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in PVINs and pyramidal (PYR) neurons of layer (L) 2/3 mPFC in Shank3B -/- mice. Surprisingly, reduced mEPSC frequency was observed in both PYR and PVIN populations, but only in adulthood. At P15, when cortical hyperactivity is already observed, both neuron types exhibited normal mEPSC amplitude and frequency, suggesting that glutamatergic connectivity deficits in these neurons emerge as compensatory mechanisms. Additionally, we found normal mEPSCs in adult PVINs of L2/3 somatosensory cortex, revealing region-specific phenotypic differences of cortical PVINs in Shank3B -/- mice. Together, these results demonstrate that loss of Shank3 alters PVIN function but suggest that PVIN glutamatergic synapses are a suboptimal therapeutic target for normalizing early cortical imbalances in SHANK3-associated disorders. More broadly, these findings underscore the complexity of interneuron dysfunction in ASDs, prompting further exploration of region and developmental stage specific phenotypes for understanding and developing effective interventions.
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Urenda JP, Del Dosso A, Birtele M, Quadrato G. Present and Future Modeling of Human Psychiatric Connectopathies With Brain Organoids. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:606-615. [PMID: 36759258 PMCID: PMC11229385 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells are emerging as a powerful tool to model cellular aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders, including alterations in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and lineage trajectory. To date, most contributions in the field have focused on modeling cellular impairment of the cerebral cortex, with few studies probing dysfunction in local network connectivity. However, it is increasingly more apparent that these psychiatric disorders are connectopathies involving multiple brain structures and the connections between them. Therefore, the lack of reproducible anatomical features in these 3-dimensional cultures represents a major bottleneck for effectively modeling brain connectivity at the micro(cellular) level and at the macroscale level between brain regions. In this perspective, we review the use of current organoid protocols to model neuropsychiatric disorders with a specific emphasis on the potential and limitations of the current strategies to model impairments in functional connectivity. Finally, we discuss the importance of adopting interdisciplinary strategies to establish next-generation, multiregional organoids that can model, with higher fidelity, the dysfunction in the development and functionality of long-range connections within the brain of patients affected by psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Urenda
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ashley Del Dosso
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Marcella Birtele
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Giorgia Quadrato
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
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5
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Giordano GM, Pezzella P, Giuliani L, Fazio L, Mucci A, Perrottelli A, Blasi G, Amore M, Rocca P, Rossi A, Bertolino A, Galderisi S. Resting-State Brain Activity Dysfunctions in Schizophrenia and Their Associations with Negative Symptom Domains: An fMRI Study. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13010083. [PMID: 36672064 PMCID: PMC9856573 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine the neurobiological correlates of the two negative symptom domains of schizophrenia, the Motivational Deficit domain (including avolition, anhedonia, and asociality) and the Expressive Deficit domain (including blunted affect and alogia), focusing on brain areas that are most commonly found to be associated with negative symptoms in previous literature. Resting-state (rs) fMRI data were analyzed in 62 subjects affected by schizophrenia (SZs) and 46 healthy controls (HCs). The SZs, compared to the HCs, showed higher rs brain activity in the right inferior parietal lobule and the right temporoparietal junction, and lower rs brain activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the bilateral anterior dorsal cingulate cortex, and the ventral and dorsal caudate. Furthermore, in the SZs, the rs brain activity in the left orbitofrontal cortex correlated with negative symptoms (r = -0.436, p = 0.006), in particular with the Motivational Deficit domain (r = -0.424, p = 0.002), even after controlling for confounding factors. The left ventral caudate correlated with negative symptoms (r = -0.407, p = 0.003), especially with the Expressive Deficit domain (r = -0.401, p = 0.003); however, these results seemed to be affected by confounding factors. In line with the literature, our results demonstrated that the two negative symptom domains might be underpinned by different neurobiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Maria Giordano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Pezzella
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Giuliani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0815666512
| | - Leonardo Fazio
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University, 70010 Casamassima, Italy
| | - Armida Mucci
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Perrottelli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Mario Amore
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Rocca
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Psychiatry, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Silvana Galderisi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
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Di Y, Diao Z, Zheng Q, Li J, Cheng Q, Li Z, Fang S, Wang H, Wei C, Zheng Q, Liu Y, Han J, Liu Z, Fan J, Ren W, Tian Y. Differential Alterations in Striatal Direct and Indirect Pathways Mediate Two Autism-like Behaviors in Valproate-Exposed Mice. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7833-7847. [PMID: 36414013 PMCID: PMC9581566 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0623-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is characterized by two key diagnostic criteria including social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Although recent studies implicated ventral striatum in social deficits and dorsal striatum in repetitive behaviors, here we revealed coexisting and opposite morphologic and functional alterations in the dorsostriatal direct and indirect pathways, and such alterations in these two pathways were found to be responsible, respectively, for the two abovementioned different autism-like behaviors exhibited by male mice prenatally exposed to valproate. The alteration in direct pathway was characterized by a potentiated state of basal activity, with impairment in transient responsiveness of D1-MSNs during social exploration. Concurrent alteration in indirect pathway was a depressed state of basal activity, with enhancement in transient responsiveness of D2-MSNs during repetitive behaviors. A causal relationship linking such differential alterations in these two pathways to the coexistence of these two autism-like behaviors was demonstrated by the cell type-specific correction of abnormal basal activity in the D1-MSNs and D2-MSNs of valproate-exposed mice. The findings support those differential alterations in two striatal pathways mediate the two coexisting autism-like behavioral abnormalities, respectively. This result will help in developing therapeutic options targeting these circuit alterations.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Autism is characterized by two key diagnostic criteria including social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Although a number of recent studies have implicated ventral striatum in social deficits and dorsal striatum in repetitive behaviors, but social behaviors need to be processed by a series of actions, and repetitive behaviors, especially the high-order repetitive behaviors such as restrictive interests, have its scope to cognitive and emotional domains. The current study, for the first time, revealed that prenatal valproate exposure induced coexisting and differential alterations in the dorsomedial striatal direct and indirect pathways, and that these alterations mediate the two coexisting autism-like behavioral abnormalities, respectively. This result will help in developing therapeutic options targeting these circuit alterations to address the behavioral abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Di
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Zhijun Diao
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Qi Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Jin Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Qiangqiang Cheng
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Zhongqi Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Suwen Fang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Chunling Wei
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Qiaohua Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Yingxun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Jing Han
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Juan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Wei Ren
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
- Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Yingfang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
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7
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Bhat AN, Boulton AJ, Tulsky DS. A further study of relations between motor impairment and social communication, cognitive, language, functional impairments, and repetitive behavior severity in children with ASD using the SPARK study dataset. Autism Res 2022; 15:1156-1178. [PMID: 35357764 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Motor impairments are pervasive and persistent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) throughout childhood and adolescence. Based on recent studies examining motor impairments in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years (i.e., SPARK study sample), 87-88% of this population is at-risk for a motor impairment, these problems persisted until 15 years, and related to their core (social communication skills and repetitive behaviors [RBs]) and comorbid (language, cognitive, and functional) impairments. Persistent motor impairments extending into adolescence/adulthood could negatively impact their independent daily living skills, physical fitness/activity levels, and physical/mental health. While multiple studies have examined relations between motor dimensions and core/comorbid impairments in young children with ASD, few studies have examined such relations in school-age children/adolescents with ASD. This paper conducts a further multidimensional study of which motor domains (i.e., gross-motor including visuo-motor or multilimb coordination/planning, fine motor [FM] or general coordination [GC] skills) best distinguish subgroups of school-age children/adolescents with ASD and help predict core and comorbid impairments after accounting for age and sex. Visuomotor, FM and certain GC skills were better at explaining variations in/predicting social communication impairments whereas FM skills were slightly better at explaining variations in/predicting RB severity. Multilimb coordination/planning and FM skills explained variations in/predicted cognitive delays whereas visuomotor and FM skills explained variations in and better predicted language delays. All three motor dimensions explained variations in/predicted functional delays. This study provides further evidence for inclusion of motor impairments within the ASD definition (criteria or specifiers). LAY SUMMARY: Gross-motor skills were related to social communication and functional delays of children with ASD (visuomotor skills related to language delays and multilimb coordination/planning skills related to cognitive delays). Fine-motor skills were related to repetitive behavior severity, language, cognitive, and functional delays in ASD. Diagnosticians should recommend systematic motor screening, further evaluations, and treatments for children at-risk for and diagnosed with ASD. Motor advocacy and enhanced public/clinical community awareness is needed to fulfill the unmet motor needs of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana N Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Aaron J Boulton
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Center for Health Assessment Research and Translation, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - David S Tulsky
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.,Center for Health Assessment Research and Translation, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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8
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Ni RJ, Shu YM, Li T, Zhou JN. Whole-Brain Afferent Inputs to the Caudate Nucleus, Putamen, and Accumbens Nucleus in the Tree Shrew Striatum. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:763298. [PMID: 34795566 PMCID: PMC8593333 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.763298] [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: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Day-active tree shrews have a well-developed internal capsule (ic) that clearly separates the caudate nucleus (Cd) and putamen (Pu). The striatum consists of the Cd, ic, Pu, and accumbens nucleus (Acb). Here, we characterized the cytoarchitecture of the striatum and the whole-brain inputs to the Cd, Pu, and Acb in tree shrews by using immunohistochemistry and the retrograde tracer Fluoro-Gold (FG). Our data show the distribution patterns of parvalbumin (PV), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), calretinin (CR), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in the striatum of tree shrews, which were different from those observed in rats. The Cd and Pu mainly received inputs from the thalamus, motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra, and other cortical and subcortical regions, whereas the Acb primarily received inputs from the anterior olfactory nucleus, claustrum, infralimbic cortex, thalamus, raphe nucleus, parabrachial nucleus, ventral tegmental area, and so on. The Cd, Pu, and Acb received inputs from different neuronal populations in the ipsilateral (60, 67, and 63 brain regions, respectively) and contralateral (23, 20, and 36 brain regions, respectively) brain hemispheres. Overall, we demonstrate that there are species differences between tree shrews and rats in the density of PV, NOS, CR, and TH immunoreactivity in the striatum. Additionally, we mapped for the first time the distribution of whole-brain input neurons projecting to the striatum of tree shrews with FG injected into the Cd, Pu, and Acb. The similarities and differences in their brain-wide input patterns may provide new insights into the diverse functions of the striatal subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Jun Ni
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Huaxi Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu-Mian Shu
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Li
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Huaxi Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiang-Ning Zhou
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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9
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Votinov M, Myznikov A, Zheltyakova M, Masharipov R, Korotkov A, Cherednichenko D, Habel U, Kireev M. The Interaction Between Caudate Nucleus and Regions Within the Theory of Mind Network as a Neural Basis for Social Intelligence. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:727960. [PMID: 34720887 PMCID: PMC8552029 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.727960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The organization of socio-cognitive processes is a multifaceted problem for which many sophisticated concepts have been proposed. One of these concepts is social intelligence (SI), i.e., the set of abilities that allow successful interaction with other people. The theory of mind (ToM) human brain network is a good candidate for the neural substrate underlying SI since it is involved in inferring the mental states of others and ourselves and predicting or explaining others’ actions. However, the relationship of ToM to SI remains poorly explored. Our recent research revealed an association between the gray matter volume of the caudate nucleus and the degree of SI as measured by the Guilford-Sullivan test. It led us to question whether this structural peculiarity is reflected in changes to the integration of the caudate with other areas of the brain associated with socio-cognitive processes, including the ToM system. We conducted seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis of resting-state fMRI data for 42 subjects with the caudate as a region of interest. We found that the scores of the Guilford-Sullivan test were positively correlated with the FC between seeds in the right caudate head and two clusters located within the right superior temporal gyrus and bilateral precuneus. Both regions are known to be nodes of the ToM network. Thus, the current study demonstrates that the SI level is associated with the degree of functional integration between the ToM network and the caudate nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Votinov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Artem Myznikov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maya Zheltyakova
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ruslan Masharipov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexander Korotkov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Denis Cherednichenko
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ute Habel
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Maxim Kireev
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia.,Institute for Cognitive Studies, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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10
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Lee J, Ha S, Ahn J, Lee ST, Choi JR, Cheon KA. The Role of Ion Channel-Related Genes in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study Using Next-Generation Sequencing. Front Genet 2021; 12:595934. [PMID: 34712263 PMCID: PMC8546317 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.595934] [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: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is closely associated with the diversity of genes related to ASD pathogenesis. With their low effect size, it has been hard to define the role of common variants of genes in ASD phenotype. In this study, we reviewed genetic results and clinical scores widely used for ASD diagnosis to investigate the role of genes in ASD phenotype considering their functions in molecular pathways. Genetic data from next-generation sequencing (NGS) were collected from 94 participants with ASD. We analyzed enrichment of cellular processes and gene ontology using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). We compared clinical characteristics according to genetic functional characteristics. We found 266 genes containing nonsense, frame shift, missense, and splice site mutations. Results from DAVID revealed significant enrichment for “ion channel” with an enrichment score of 8.84. Moreover, ASD participants carrying mutations in ion channel-related genes showed higher total IQ (p = 0.013) and lower repetitive, restricted behavior (RRB)-related scores (p = 0.003) and mannerism subscale of social responsiveness scale scores, compared to other participants. Individuals with variants in ion channel genes showed lower RRB scores, suggesting that ion channel genes might be relatively less associated with RRB pathogenesis. These results contribute to understanding of the role of common variants in ASD and could be important in the development of precision medicine of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junghan Lee
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Severance Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sungji Ha
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jaeun Ahn
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Severance Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Tae Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jong Rak Choi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Keun-Ah Cheon
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Severance Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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11
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Averna A, Hayley P, Murphy MD, Barban F, Nguyen J, Buccelli S, Nudo RJ, Chiappalone M, Guggenmos DJ. Entrainment of Network Activity by Closed-Loop Microstimulation in Healthy Ambulatory Rats. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5042-5055. [PMID: 34165137 PMCID: PMC8491688 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As our understanding of volitional motor function increases, it is clear that complex movements are the result of the interactions of multiple cortical regions rather than just the output properties of primary motor cortex. However, our understanding of the interactions among these regions is limited. In this study, we used the activity-dependent stimulation (ADS) technique to determine the short/long-term effects on network activity and neuroplasticity of intracortical connections. ADS uses the intrinsic neural activity of one region to trigger stimulations in a separate region of the brain and can manipulate neuronal connectivity in vivo. Our aim was to compare single-unit neuronal activity within premotor cortex (rostral forelimb area, [RFA] in rats) in response to ADS (triggered from RFA) and randomly-generated stimulation in the somatosensory area (S1) within single sessions and across 21 consecutive days of stimulation. We examined firing rate and correlation between spikes and stimuli in chronically-implanted healthy ambulatory rats during spontaneous and evoked activity. At the end of the treatment, we evaluated changes of synaptophysin expression. Our results demonstrated the ability of ADS to modulate RFA firing properties and to promote synaptogenesis in S1, strengthening the idea that this Hebbian-inspired protocol can be used to modulate cortical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Averna
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy.,CRC Aldo Ravelli, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122, Milano, Italy
| | - Page Hayley
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160, USA.,Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Maxwell D Murphy
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160, USA.,Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Kansas 66045, USA
| | - Federico Barban
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy.,Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova 16145, Italy
| | - Jimmy Nguyen
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas 66160, USA
| | - Stefano Buccelli
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Randolph J Nudo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160, USA.,Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas 66160, USA
| | - Michela Chiappalone
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy.,Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova 16145, Italy
| | - David J Guggenmos
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160, USA
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12
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Benthall KN, Cording KR, Agopyan-Miu AHCW, Wong CD, Chen EY, Bateup HS. Loss of Tsc1 from striatal direct pathway neurons impairs endocannabinoid-LTD and enhances motor routine learning. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109511. [PMID: 34380034 PMCID: PMC8404511 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that often presents with psychiatric conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is characterized by restricted, repetitive, and inflexible behaviors, which may result from abnormal activity in striatal circuits that mediate motor learning and action selection. To test whether altered striatal activity contributes to aberrant motor behaviors in the context of TSC, we conditionally deleted Tsc1 from direct or indirect pathway striatal projection neurons (dSPNs or iSPNs, respectively). We find that dSPN-specific loss of Tsc1 impairs endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression (eCB-LTD) at cortico-dSPN synapses and strongly enhances corticostriatal synaptic drive, which is not observed in iSPNs. dSPN-Tsc1 KO, but not iSPN-Tsc1 KO, mice show enhanced motor learning, a phenotype observed in several mouse models of ASD. These findings demonstrate that dSPNs are particularly sensitive to Tsc1 loss and suggest that enhanced corticostriatal activation may contribute to altered motor behaviors in TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn N Benthall
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Katherine R Cording
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | - Corinna D Wong
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Emily Y Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Helen S Bateup
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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13
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Pretzsch CM, Floris DL, Voinescu B, Elsahib M, Mendez MA, Wichers R, Ajram L, Ivin G, Heasman M, Pretzsch E, Williams S, Murphy DGM, Daly E, McAlonan GM. Modulation of striatal functional connectivity differences in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in a single-dose randomized trial of cannabidivarin. Mol Autism 2021; 12:49. [PMID: 34210360 PMCID: PMC8252312 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00454-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a high cost to affected individuals and society, but treatments for core symptoms are lacking. To expand intervention options, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of potential treatment targets, and their engagement, in the brain. For instance, the striatum (caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens) plays a central role during development and its (atypical) functional connectivity (FC) may contribute to multiple ASD symptoms. We have previously shown, in the adult autistic and neurotypical brain, the non-intoxicating cannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) alters the balance of striatal 'excitatory-inhibitory' metabolites, which help regulate FC, but the effects of CBDV on (atypical) striatal FC are unknown. METHODS To examine this in a small pilot study, we acquired resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 28 men (15 neurotypicals, 13 ASD) on two occasions in a repeated-measures, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We then used a seed-based approach to (1) compare striatal FC between groups and (2) examine the effect of pharmacological probing (600 mg CBDV/matched placebo) on atypical striatal FC in ASD. Visits were separated by at least 13 days to allow for drug washout. RESULTS Compared to the neurotypicals, ASD individuals had lower FC between the ventral striatum and frontal and pericentral regions (which have been associated with emotion, motor, and vision processing). Further, they had higher intra-striatal FC and higher putamenal FC with temporal regions involved in speech and language. In ASD, CBDV reduced hyperconnectivity to the neurotypical level. LIMITATIONS Our findings should be considered in light of several methodological aspects, in particular our participant group (restricted to male adults), which limits the generalizability of our findings to the wider and heterogeneous ASD population. CONCLUSION In conclusion, here we show atypical striatal FC with regions commonly associated with ASD symptoms. We further provide preliminary proof of concept that, in the adult autistic brain, acute CBDV administration can modulate atypical striatal circuitry towards neurotypical function. Future studies are required to determine whether modulation of striatal FC is associated with a change in ASD symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03537950. Registered May 25th, 2018-Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03537950?term=NCT03537950&draw=2&rank=1 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M. Pretzsch
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Dorothea L. Floris
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bogdan Voinescu
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Bristol Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Malka Elsahib
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Maria A. Mendez
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert Wichers
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Department of Psychiatry GGZ Geest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Ajram
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, SK10 4TG Cheshire UK
| | - Glynis Ivin
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Martin Heasman
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Elise Pretzsch
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Steven Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Declan G. M. Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Gráinne M. McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
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14
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Myznikov A, Zheltyakova M, Korotkov A, Kireev M, Masharipov R, Jagmurov OD, Habel U, Votinov M. Neuroanatomical Correlates of Social Intelligence Measured by the Guilford Test. Brain Topogr 2021; 34:337-347. [PMID: 33866460 PMCID: PMC8099826 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-021-00837-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions are a crucial aspect of human behaviour. Numerous neurophysiological studies have focused on socio-cognitive processes associated with the so-called theory of mind-the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. Theory of mind is closely related to social intelligence defined as a set of abilities that facilitate effective social interactions. Social intelligence encompasses multiple theory of mind components and can be measured by the Four Factor Test of Social Intelligence (the Guilford-Sullivan test). However, it is unclear whether the differences in social intelligence are reflected in structural brain differences. During the experiment, 48 healthy right-handed individuals completed the Guilford-Sullivan test. T1-weighted structural MRI images were obtained for all participants. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed to reveal grey matter volume differences between the two groups (24 subjects in each)-with high social intelligence scores and with low social intelligence scores, respectively. Participants with high social intelligence scores had larger grey matter volumes of the bilateral caudate. The obtained results suggest the caudate nucleus involvement in the neural system of socio-cognitive processes, reflected by its structural characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Myznikov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - M Zheltyakova
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - A Korotkov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - M Kireev
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
- Saint Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - R Masharipov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - O Dz Jagmurov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - U Habel
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - M Votinov
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
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15
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Liloia D, Mancuso L, Uddin LQ, Costa T, Nani A, Keller R, Manuello J, Duca S, Cauda F. Gray matter abnormalities follow non-random patterns of co-alteration in autism: Meta-connectomic evidence. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 30:102583. [PMID: 33618237 PMCID: PMC7903137 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical brain anatomy and connectivity. Graph-theoretical methods have mainly been applied to detect altered patterns of white matter tracts and functional brain activation in individuals with ASD. The network topology of gray matter (GM) abnormalities in ASD remains relatively unexplored. METHODS An innovative meta-connectomic analysis on voxel-based morphometry data (45 experiments, 1,786 subjects with ASD) was performed in order to investigate whether GM variations can develop in a distinct pattern of co-alteration across the brain. This pattern was then compared with normative profiles of structural and genetic co-expression maps. Graph measures of centrality and clustering were also applied to identify brain areas with the highest topological hierarchy and core sub-graph components within the co-alteration network observed in ASD. RESULTS Individuals with ASD exhibit a distinctive and topologically defined pattern of GM co-alteration that moderately follows the structural connectivity constraints. This was not observed with respect to the pattern of genetic co-expression. Hub regions of the co-alteration network were mainly left-lateralized, encompassing the precuneus, ventral anterior cingulate, and middle occipital gyrus. Regions of the default mode network appear to be central in the topology of co-alterations. CONCLUSION These findings shed new light on the pathobiology of ASD, suggesting a network-level dysfunction among spatially distributed GM regions. At the same time, this study supports pathoconnectomics as an insightful approach to better understand neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donato Liloia
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Mancuso
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - 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.
| | - Tommaso Costa
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy.
| | - Andrea Nani
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Roberto Keller
- Adult Autism Center, DSM Local Health Unit, ASL TO, Turin, Italy.
| | - Jordi Manuello
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Sergio Duca
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Franco Cauda
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Functional Neuroimaging and Complex Neural Systems (FOCUS) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy.
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16
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Kelly SE, Schmitt LM, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Reduced Proactive Control Processes Associated With Behavioral Response Inhibition Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:389-399. [PMID: 33111461 PMCID: PMC7878417 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in inhibitory control are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated with multiple clinical issues. Proactive (i.e., delaying response onset) and reactive control mechanisms (i.e., stopping quickly) contribute to successful inhibitory control in typically developing individuals and may be compromised in ASD. We assessed inhibitory control in 58 individuals with ASD and 63 typically developing controls aged 5-29 years using an oculomotor stop-signal task during which participants made rapid eye movements (i.e., saccades) toward peripheral targets (i.e., GO trials) or inhibited saccades (i.e., STOP trials). Individuals with ASD exhibited reduced ability to inhibit saccades, reduced reaction time slowing (GO RT slowing), and faster stop-signal reaction times (SSRT) compared to controls. Across participants, stopping accuracy was positively related to GO RT slowing, and increased age was associated with higher stopping accuracy and GO RT slowing. Our results indicate that failures to proactively delay prepotent responses in ASD underpin deficits of inhibitory control and may contribute to difficulties modifying their behavior according to changes in contextual demands. These findings implicate frontostriatal brain networks in inhibitory control and core symptoms of ASD. LAY SUMMARY: Difficulties stopping actions are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are related to repetitive behaviors. This study compared the ability to stop eye movements in individuals with ASD and healthy peers. We found that individuals with ASD were less able to stop eye movements and that this difficulty was related to a reduced ability to delay their eye movements before seeing the cue to stop, not their ability to react quickly to this cue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E. Kelly
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
| | - Lauren M. Schmitt
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Matthew W. Mosconi
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
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17
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Gandhi T, Lee CC. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Repetitive Behaviors in Rodent Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:592710. [PMID: 33519379 PMCID: PMC7840495 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is comprised of several conditions characterized by alterations in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the heterogeneous development of ASD behaviors. Several rodent models display ASD-like phenotypes, including repetitive behaviors. In this review article, we discuss the potential neural mechanisms involved in repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We review signaling pathways, neural circuits, and anatomical alterations in rodent models that display robust stereotypic behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms and circuit alterations underlying repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD will inform translational research and provide useful insight into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of repetitive behaviors in ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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18
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Bhat AN. Motor Impairment Increases in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder as a Function of Social Communication, Cognitive and Functional Impairment, Repetitive Behavior Severity, and Comorbid Diagnoses: A SPARK Study Report. Autism Res 2021; 14:202-219. [PMID: 33300285 PMCID: PMC8176850 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Eighty-seven percent of a large sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for motor impairment (Bhat, Physical Therapy, 2020, 100, 633-644). In spite of the high prevalence for motor impairment in children with ASD, it is not considered among the diagnostic criteria or specifiers within DSM-V. In this article, we analyzed the SPARK study dataset (n = 13,887) to examine associations between risk for motor impairment using the Developmental Coordination Disorder-Questionnaire (DCD-Q), social communication impairment using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), repetitive behavior severity using the Repetitive Behaviors Scale - Revised (RBS-R), and parent-reported categories of cognitive, functional, and language impairments. Upon including children with ASD with cognitive impairments, 88.2% of the SPARK sample was at risk for motor impairment. The relative risk ratio for motor impairment in children with ASD was 22.2 times greater compared to the general population and that risk further increased up to 6.2 with increasing social communication (5.7), functional (6.2), cognitive (3.8), and language (1.6) impairments as well as repetitive behavior severity (5.0). Additionally, the magnitude of risk for motor impairment (fine- and gross-motor) increased with increasing severity of all impairment types with medium to large effects. These findings highlight the multisystem nature of ASD, the need to recognize motor impairments as one of the diagnostic criteria or specifiers for ASD, and the need for appropriate motor screening and assessment of children with ASD. Interventions must address not only the social communication and cognitive/behavioral challenges of children with ASD but also their motor function and participation. LAY ABSTRACT: Eighty-eight percent of the SPARK sample of children with ASD were at risk for motor impairment. The relative risk for motor impairment was 22.2 times greater in children with ASD compared to the general population and the risk increased with more social communication, repetitive behavior, cognitive, and functional impairment. It is important to recognize motor impairments as one of the diagnostic criteria or specifiers for ASD and there is a need to administer appropriate motor screening, assessment, and interventions in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana N Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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19
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Khan NA, Waheeb SA, Riaz A, Shang X. A Three-Stage Teacher, Student Neural Networks and Sequential Feed Forward Selection-Based Feature Selection Approach for the Classification of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100754. [PMID: 33086634 PMCID: PMC7603385 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism disorder, generally known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a brain disorder characterized by lack of communication skills, social aloofness and repetitions in the actions in the patients, which is affecting millions of the people across the globe. Accurate identification of autistic patients is considered a challenging task in the domain of brain disorder science. To address this problem, we have proposed a three-stage feature selection approach for the classification of ASD on the preprocessed Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) rs-fMRI Dataset. In the first stage, a large neural network which we call a “Teacher ” was trained on the correlation-based connectivity matrix to learn the latent representation of the input. In the second stage an autoencoder which we call a “Student” autoencoder was given the task to learn those trained “Teacher” embeddings using the connectivity matrix input. Lastly, an SFFS-based algorithm was employed to select the subset of most discriminating features between the autistic and healthy controls. On the combined site data across 17 sites, we achieved the maximum 10-fold accuracy of 82% and for the individual site-wise data, based on 5-fold accuracy, our results outperformed other state of the art methods in 13 out of the total 17 site-wise comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naseer Ahmed Khan
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China; (N.A.K.); (S.A.W.)
| | - Samer Abdulateef Waheeb
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China; (N.A.K.); (S.A.W.)
| | - Atif Riaz
- Department of Computer Science, University of London, London WC1E 7HU, UK;
| | - Xuequn Shang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China; (N.A.K.); (S.A.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-133-1927-3686
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20
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Pandey S, Shukla T, Mishra A. The Spectrum of Repetitive Behaviors Associated With Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis. Mov Disord 2020; 36:497-503. [PMID: 32986918 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repetitive behaviors refer to a broad class of responses ranging from stereotypic body movements to impulsive/compulsive behaviors. They may be associated with neurological disorders. METHODS This is a case series of six subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) patients who presented with a wide spectrum of repetitive motor behaviors and vocalizations. RESULTS Repetitive motor behaviors involved the upper limbs in all patients and lower limbs in 3 patients. The repetitive movements in the upper limbs were clapping, finger-clicking, hand rubbing, flailing, and dystonic posturing. In the lower limbs, the repetitive movements were rubbing with the heel, pelvic thrusting with flexion extension of the leg, and foot tapping. The spectrum of vocalizations included palilalia, whistling, grunting with spitting, and pathological crying. Repetitive behaviors were the presenting features in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS This case series expands the spectrum of repetitive behaviors seen in neurological disorders associated with brain infections. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Pandey
- Department of Neurology, Govind Ballabh Pant Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Tanvi Shukla
- Department of Neurology, Govind Ballabh Pant Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Anumeha Mishra
- Department of Neurology, Govind Ballabh Pant Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
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Peixoto RT, Chantranupong L, Hakim R, Levasseur J, Wang W, Merchant T, Gorman K, Budnik B, Sabatini BL. Abnormal Striatal Development Underlies the Early Onset of Behavioral Deficits in Shank3B -/- Mice. Cell Rep 2020; 29:2016-2027.e4. [PMID: 31722214 PMCID: PMC6889826 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural substrates and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the onset of cognitive and motor deficits in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) remain unclear. Mutations in ASD-associated SHANK3 in mice (Shank3B−/−) result in the accelerated maturation of corticostriatal circuits during the second and third postnatal weeks. Here, we show that during this period, there is extensive remodeling of the striatal synaptic proteome and a developmental switch in glutamatergic synaptic plasticity induced by cortical hyperactivity in striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs). Behavioral abnormalities in Shank3B−/− mice emerge during this stage and are ameliorated by normalizing excitatory synapse connectivity in medial striatal regions by the downregulation of PKA activity. These results suggest that the abnormal postnatal development of striatal circuits is implicated in the onset of behavioral deficits in Shank3B−/− mice and that modulation of postsynaptic PKA activity can be used to regulate corticostriatal drive in developing SPNs of mouse models of ASDs and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Peixoto et al. show that the onset of behavioral deficits in Shank3B−/− mice occurs during early postnatal development and that these can be ameliorated by reducing the glutamatergic synaptic drive in medial regions of the striatum by the downregulation of PKA activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Tiago Peixoto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 450 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Lynne Chantranupong
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Richard Hakim
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James Levasseur
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wengang Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tasha Merchant
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 450 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kelly Gorman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bogdan Budnik
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomic Laboratory, FAS Division of Science, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Bernardo Luis Sabatini
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
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22
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Li T, Wang L, Camilleri JA, Chen X, Li S, Stewart JL, Jiang Y, Eickhoff SB, Feng C. Mapping common grey matter volume deviation across child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 115:273-284. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Participation Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities: Findings from the 2011 Survey of Pathway to Diagnosis and Services. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 51:1210-1223. [PMID: 32648148 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04591-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Greater understanding can increase our knowledge and intervention effectiveness for activity participation problems of children with disabilities. We examined participation difficulties of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) in the 2011 Survey of Pathway to Diagnosis and Services. We utilized propensity score matching with inverse probability of treatment weight with questions from parents of 1783 children aged 6-17 years. Friendship was the most difficult area for all children. Children with both ASD and ID experienced the most difficulty in all areas, followed by ASD alone. Reported levels of home life, friendships, classroom and leisure difficulties were moderately correlated for all children. Children who were previously diagnosed, but have no current diagnosis experienced substantial difficulties.
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Çırak M, Yağmurlu K, Kearns KN, Ribas EC, Urgun K, Shaffrey ME, Kalani MYS. The Caudate Nucleus: Its Connections, Surgical Implications, and Related Complications. World Neurosurg 2020; 139:e428-e438. [PMID: 32311569 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The caudate nucleus is a C-shaped structure that is located in the center of the brain and is divided into 3 parts: the head, body, and tail. METHODS We detail the anatomic connections, relationships with other basal ganglia structures, and clinical implications of injury to the caudate nucleus. RESULTS Anatomically, the most inferior transcapsular gray matter is the lentiform peduncle, which is the connection between the lentiform nucleus and caudate nucleus as well as the amygdala. The border between the tail and body of the caudate nucleus is the posterior insular point. The tail of the caudate nucleus is extraependymal in some parts and intraependymal in some parts of the roof of the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle. The tail of the caudate nucleus crosses the inferior limiting sulcus (temporal stem), and section of the tail during approaches to lesions involving the temporal stem may cause motor apraxia. The mean distance from the temporal limen point, which is the junction of the limen insula and inferior limiting sulcus, to the tail of the caudate nucleus in the temporal stem is 15.87 ± 3.10 mm. CONCLUSIONS Understanding of the functional anatomy and connections of the distinct parts of the caudate nucleus is essential for deciding the extent of resection of lesions involving the caudate nucleus and the types of deficits that may be found postoperatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musa Çırak
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Kaan Yağmurlu
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Kathryn N Kearns
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Eduardo C Ribas
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kamran Urgun
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mark E Shaffrey
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - M Yashar S Kalani
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
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25
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Leming M, Górriz JM, Suckling J. Ensemble Deep Learning on Large, Mixed-Site fMRI Datasets in Autism and Other Tasks. Int J Neural Syst 2020; 30:2050012. [DOI: 10.1142/s0129065720500124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Deep learning models for MRI classification face two recurring problems: they are typically limited by low sample size, and are abstracted by their own complexity (the “black box problem”). In this paper, we train a convolutional neural network (CNN) with the largest multi-source, functional MRI (fMRI) connectomic dataset ever compiled, consisting of 43,858 datapoints. We apply this model to a cross-sectional comparison of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) versus typically developing (TD) controls that has proved difficult to characterize with inferential statistics. To contextualize these findings, we additionally perform classifications of gender and task versus rest. Employing class-balancing to build a training set, we trained [Formula: see text] modified CNNs in an ensemble model to classify fMRI connectivity matrices with overall AUROCs of 0.6774, 0.7680, and 0.9222 for ASD versus TD, gender, and task versus rest, respectively. Additionally, we aim to address the black box problem in this context using two visualization methods. First, class activation maps show which functional connections of the brain our models focus on when performing classification. Second, by analyzing maximal activations of the hidden layers, we were also able to explore how the model organizes a large and mixed-center dataset, finding that it dedicates specific areas of its hidden layers to processing different covariates of data (depending on the independent variable analyzed), and other areas to mix data from different sources. Our study finds that deep learning models that distinguish ASD from TD controls focus broadly on temporal and cerebellar connections, with a particularly high focus on the right caudate nucleus and paracentral sulcus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Leming
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building for Brain & Mind Sciences, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB20SZ, UK
| | - Juan Manuel Górriz
- Department of Signal Theory, Networking and Communications, University of Granada, Avenida del Hospicio, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - John Suckling
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building for Brain & Mind Sciences, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB20SZ, UK
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26
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Bhat AN. Is Motor Impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder Distinct From Developmental Coordination Disorder? A Report From the SPARK Study. Phys Ther 2020; 100:633-644. [PMID: 32154876 PMCID: PMC7297441 DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzz190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor impairments are pervasive in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, children with ASD rarely receive a dual diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The Simons Foundation SPARK study engaged families affected by ASD through an online study. OBJECTIVES The DCD parent questionnaire (DCDQ) was used to assess the prevalence of a risk for motor impairment or DCD in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years of age. DESIGN This study utilizes parent reports from a large database of children with ASD. METHODS A total of 16,705 parents of children with ASD completed the DCDQ. We obtained our final SPARK dataset (n = 11,814) after filtering out invalid data, using stronger cut-offs to confirm ASD traits, and excluding children with general neuromotor impairments/intellectual delays. We compared DCDQ total and subscale scores from the SPARK dataset with published norms for each age between 5 and 15 years. RESULTS The proportion of children with ASD at risk for a motor impairment was very high at 86.9%. Children with ASD did not outgrow their motor impairments and continued to present with a risk for DCD even into adolescence. Yet, only 31.6% of children were receiving physical therapy services. LIMITATIONS Our analysis of a large database of parent-reported outcomes using the DCDQ did not involve follow-up clinical assessments. CONCLUSIONS Using a large sample of children with ASD, this study shows that a risk for motor impairment or DCD was present in most children with ASD and persists into adolescence; however, only a small proportion of children with ASD were receiving physical therapist interventions. A diagnosis of ASD must trigger motor screening, evaluations, and appropriate interventions by physical and occupational therapists to address the functional impairments of children with ASD while also positively impacting their social communication, cognition, and behavior. Using valid motor measures, future research must determine if motor impairment is a fundamental feature of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Narayan Bhat
- A.N. Bhat, PT, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, 540 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713 (USA); and Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware; and Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware,Address all correspondence to Dr Bhat at:
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27
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Sreedharan RM, Kesavadas C, Aiyappan S, Anila KM, Mohan AC, Thomas SV. Functional Language Network Connectivity in Children of Women with Epilepsy with Selective Antenatal Antiepileptic Drug Exposure. Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2020; 23:167-173. [PMID: 32189856 PMCID: PMC7061501 DOI: 10.4103/aian.aian_402_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Children of women with epilepsy and antenatal antiepileptic drug (AED) exposure have increased risk of language dysfunction. Our objective was to compare language related functional MRI network connectivity (FC) of children with women with epilepsy with antenatal AED exposure (CAED) with that of healthy children (COAED) for delineating functional basis of the language dysfunction. METHODS CAED under prospective follow up in Kerala Registry of Epilepsy and Pregnancy were consecutively sampled. COAED were identified from volunteers with normal brain MRI. Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals score (CELF) was used to assess language. Functional MRI done using verb generation paradigm to activate language areas and key language network nodes were identified. A multivariate ROI-to-ROI and Seed-to-Voxel based FC was done using the selected seed regions in the language areas located in the right and left hemisphere in all subjects using the CONN functional connectivity toolbox in SPM8 under MATLAB. RESULTS Strong connectivity was observed within the identified language network between all language nodes bilaterally in CAED compare to controls. The mean connectivity strength of language network (LN) on the left side in CAED was 9.63 ± 4.62 (Mean ± SD) while for COAED it was 6.96 ± 3.67 (p=0.0001). The mean connectivity strength of LN between CAED (4.86 ± 1.07) and COAED (4.32 ±1.2) on the right hemisphere was not statistically significant (p=0.18). CONCLUSION CAED with impaired language function had significantly increased functional connectivity which may indicate poor differentiation and localization of language centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruma Madhu Sreedharan
- Department of Radiology, Government Medical College Hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | | | | | - K. M. Anila
- Department of Neurology, SCTIMST, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | | | - Sanjeev V. Thomas
- Department of Neurology, SCTIMST, Trivandrum, Kerala, India,Address for correspondence: Dr. Sanjeev V. Thomas, Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra, Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. E-mail:
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28
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Yarlagadda A, Acharya G, Kasaraneni J, Hampe CS, Clayton AH. Placental Barrier and Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Roles of Prolactin and Dopamine in the Developing Fetal Brain-Part II. INNOVATIONS IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 16:36-39. [PMID: 32082942 PMCID: PMC7006862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The inverse relationship between prolactin and dopamine is important in the context of treatment with antipsychotic medications in men and nonpregnant women with thought disorders. Likewise, increased levels of prolactin as confirmation of recent seizure and the reciprocal levels of prolactin and dopamine in both eclampsia (seizures) and pre-eclampsia might have significant potential effects on a growing fetus. In this article, we attempt to outline the influence of these associations on autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children born to mothers with established diagnoses of eclampsia and/or pre-eclampsia. Our previously published paper, "Placental Barrier and Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Prolactin and Dopamine on the Developing Fetal Brain," summarized evidence for dysregulated dopamine and prolactin levels in the etiology of ASDs and suggested a possible method for assessing whether such aberrations increase the risk of ASDs. The present paper as Part 2 expands on the published data that support this theory and proposes a study design to corroborate this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atmaram Yarlagadda
- Dr. Yarlagadda is with the Department of Defense and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Dr. Acharya is with the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden
- Dr. Kasaraneni is with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
- Dr. Hampe is with the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
- Dr. Clayton is with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Ganesh Acharya
- Dr. Yarlagadda is with the Department of Defense and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Dr. Acharya is with the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden
- Dr. Kasaraneni is with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
- Dr. Hampe is with the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
- Dr. Clayton is with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Jayaprada Kasaraneni
- Dr. Yarlagadda is with the Department of Defense and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Dr. Acharya is with the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden
- Dr. Kasaraneni is with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
- Dr. Hampe is with the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
- Dr. Clayton is with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Christiane S Hampe
- Dr. Yarlagadda is with the Department of Defense and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Dr. Acharya is with the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden
- Dr. Kasaraneni is with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
- Dr. Hampe is with the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
- Dr. Clayton is with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Anita H Clayton
- Dr. Yarlagadda is with the Department of Defense and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Dr. Acharya is with the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden
- Dr. Kasaraneni is with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
- Dr. Hampe is with the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
- Dr. Clayton is with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
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30
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Green RR, Bigler ED, Froehlich A, Prigge MBD, Zielinski BA, Travers BG, Anderson JS, Alexander A, Lange N, Lainhart JE. Beery VMI and Brain Volumetric Relations in Autism Spectrum Disorder. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGY 2019; 5:77-84. [PMID: 32953403 PMCID: PMC7497806 DOI: 10.1007/s40817-019-00069-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although diminished proficiency on tasks that require visual-motor integration (VMI) has been reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), very few studies have examined the association between VMI performance and neuroanatomical regions of interest (ROI) involved in motor and perceptual functioning. To address these issues, the current study included an all-male sample of 41 ASD (ages 3-23 years) and 27 typically developing (TD) participants (ages 5-26 years) who completed the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI) as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. All participants underwent 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with image quantification (FreeSurfer software v5.3). The groups were statistically matched on age, handedness, and intracranial volume (ICV). ASD participants performed significantly lower on VMI and IQ measures compared with the TD group. VMI performance was significantly correlated with FSIQ and PIQ in the TD group only. No pre-defined neuroanatomical ROIs were significantly different between groups. Significant correlations were observed in the TD group between VMI and total precentral gyrus gray matter volume (r = .51, p = .006) and total frontal lobe gray matter volume (r = .46, p = .017). There were no significant ROI correlations with Beery VMI performance in ASD participants. At the group level, despite ASD participants exhibiting reduced visuomotor abilities, no systematic relation with motor or sensory-perceptual ROIs was observed. In the TD group, results were consistent with the putative role of the precentral gyrus in motor control along with frontal involvement in planning, organization, and execution monitoring, all essential for VMI performance. Given that similar associations between VMI and ROIs were not observed in those with ASD, neurodevelopment in ASD group participants may not follow homogenous patterns making correlations in these brain regions unlikely to be observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R. Green
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 1001 SWKT, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Erin D. Bigler
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 1001 SWKT, Provo, UT 84602, USA
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Alyson Froehlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Brandon A. Zielinski
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Brittany G. Travers
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Occupational Therapy Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | | | - Andrew Alexander
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nicholas Lange
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Neurostatistics Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Janet E. Lainhart
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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31
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Kawakubo H, Matsui Y, Kushima I, Ozaki N, Shimamura T. A network of networks approach for modeling interconnected brain tissue-specific networks. Bioinformatics 2019; 35:3092-3101. [PMID: 30649245 PMCID: PMC6735868 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation Recent sequence-based analyses have identified a lot of gene variants that may contribute to neurogenetic disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Several state-of-the-art network-based analyses have been proposed for mechanical understanding of genetic variants in neurogenetic disorders. However, these methods were mainly designed for modeling and analyzing single networks that do not interact with or depend on other networks, and thus cannot capture the properties between interdependent systems in brain-specific tissues, circuits and regions which are connected each other and affect behavior and cognitive processes. Results We introduce a novel and efficient framework, called a ‘Network of Networks’ approach, to infer the interconnectivity structure between multiple networks where the response and the predictor variables are topological information matrices of given networks. We also propose Graph-Oriented SParsE Learning, a new sparse structural learning algorithm for network data to identify a subset of the topological information matrices of the predictors related to the response. We demonstrate on simulated data that propose Graph-Oriented SParsE Learning outperforms existing kernel-based algorithms in terms of F-measure. On real data from human brain region-specific functional networks associated with the autism risk genes, we show that the ‘Network of Networks’ model provides insights on the autism-associated interconnectivity structure between functional interaction networks and a comprehensive understanding of the genetic basis of autism across diverse regions of the brain. Availability and implementation Our software is available from https://github.com/infinite-point/GOSPEL. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideko Kawakubo
- Division of Systems of Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yusuke Matsui
- Laboratory of Intelligence Healthcare, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Itaru Kushima
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Psychotherapy for parents and children, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Teppei Shimamura
- Division of Systems of Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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32
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Unruh KE, Martin LE, Magnon G, Vaillancourt DE, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Cortical and subcortical alterations associated with precision visuomotor behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1330-1341. [PMID: 31314644 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00286.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to core deficits in social-communication abilities and repetitive behaviors and interests, many patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience developmental comorbidities, including sensorimotor issues. Sensorimotor issues are common in ASD and associated with more severe clinical symptoms. Importantly, sensorimotor behaviors are precisely quantifiable and highly translational, offering promising targets for neurophysiological studies of ASD. We used functional MRI to identify brain regions associated with sensorimotor behavior using a visually guided precision gripping task in individuals with ASD (n = 20) and age-, IQ-, and handedness-matched controls (n = 18). During visuomotor behavior, individuals with ASD showed greater force variability than controls. The blood oxygen level-dependent signal for multiple cortical and subcortical regions was associated with force variability, including motor and premotor cortex, posterior parietal cortex, extrastriate cortex, putamen, and cerebellum. Activation in the right premotor cortex scaled with sensorimotor variability in controls but not in ASD. Individuals with ASD showed greater activation than controls in left putamen and left cerebellar lobule VIIb, and activation in these regions was associated with more severe clinically rated symptoms of ASD. Together, these results suggest that greater sensorimotor variability in ASD is associated with altered cortical-striatal processes supporting action selection and cortical-cerebellar circuits involved in feedback-guided reactive adjustments of motor output. Our findings also indicate that atypical organization of visuomotor cortical circuits may result in heightened reliance on subcortical circuits typically dedicated to motor skill acquisition. Overall, these results provide new evidence that sensorimotor alterations in ASD involve aberrant cortical and subcortical organization that may contribute to key clinical issues in patients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first known study to examine functional brain activation during precision visuomotor behavior in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We replicate previous findings of elevated force variability in ASD and find these deficits are associated with atypical function of ventral premotor cortex, putamen, and posterolateral cerebellum, indicating cortical-striatal processes supporting action selection and cortical-cerebellar circuits involved in feedback-guided reactive adjustments of motor output may be key targets for understanding the neurobiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Unruh
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Laura E Martin
- Hoglund Brain Imaging Center and Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Grant Magnon
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, Kansas
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33
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Hohn VD, de Veld DMJ, Mataw KJS, van Someren EJW, Begeer S. Insomnia Severity in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder is Associated with sensory Hyper-Reactivity and Social Skill Impairment. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2146-2155. [PMID: 30737588 PMCID: PMC6483941 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-03891-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Insomnia is a common source of distress in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two characteristics of ASD could be relevant to insomnia complaints by hampering the entrainment of a circadian sleep-wake rhythm. First, sensory hyper-reactivity could lead to bright light avoidance and thus affect photoperiodic input to the circadian system. Second, impaired social skills complicate the establishment of a social interactions and thus affect scheduled social-behavioral input to the circadian system. We investigated the association of insomnia severity with sensory reactivity and social skills in 631 adults (18-65 years) with ASD. Results revealed positive associations of insomnia severity with general and visual sensory hyper-reactivity and with impairment of social skills. The findings warrant further studies which (1) directly assess whether a suboptimal functioning of the biological clock underlies these associations and (2) identify other factors that could contribute to observed sleep problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa D Hohn
- Section Clinical Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Danielle M J de Veld
- Section Clinical Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kawita J S Mataw
- Section Clinical Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eus J W van Someren
- Department of Sleep and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Departments of Psychiatry and Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universtiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Departments of Integrative Neurophysiology and Psychiatry, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University and Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Begeer
- Section Clinical Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Easson AK, Fatima Z, McIntosh AR. Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder. Netw Neurosci 2019; 3:344-362. [PMID: 30793086 PMCID: PMC6370474 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns and functional connectivity (FC) in ASD, with no clear consensus on brain-behavior relationships or shared patterns of FC with typically developing controls. Here, we used a dimensional approach to characterize two distinct clusters of FC patterns across both ASD participants and controls using k-means clustering. Using multivariate statistical analyses, a categorical approach was taken to characterize differences in FC between subtypes and between diagnostic groups. One subtype was defined by increased FC within resting-state networks and decreased FC across networks compared with the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls, particularly within default mode, cingulo-opercular, sensorimotor, and occipital networks. There was no significant interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups. Finally, a dimensional analysis of FC patterns with behavioral measures of IQ, social responsiveness, and ASD severity showed unique brain-behavior relations in each subtype and a continuum of brain-behavior relations from ASD to controls within one subtype. These results demonstrate that distinct clusters of FC patterns exist across ASD and controls, and that FC subtypes can reveal unique information about brain-behavior relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K. Easson
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zainab Fatima
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Sherman Health Sciences Centre, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anthony R. McIntosh
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Song H, Zhang Y, Zuo L, Chen X, Cao G, d'Oleire Uquillas F, Zhang X. Improving Relationships by Elevating Positive Illusion and the Underlying Psychological and Neural Mechanisms. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 12:526. [PMID: 30687044 PMCID: PMC6336892 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Romantic relationships are difficult to maintain novel and exciting for long periods of time, and individuals in love are known to engage in a variety of efforts to protect and maintain their romantic relationship. How to protect and maintain these relationships more effectively has, however, plagued people, psychologists, and therapists. Intimate partners typically perceive their relationship and their partners in a positive light or bias, a phenomenon called positive illusion. Interestingly, higher levels of positive illusion between partners have been associated with a decreased risk for relationship dissolution, as well as higher satisfaction, and less conflict or doubt in relationships. These findings indicate that elevating positive illusion amongst romantic partners may be of benefit and improve romantic relationships. In the present article, we discuss solving the paradox of positive illusion. As positive illusion may have relationship-enhancing attributes, we discuss the psychological and neural mechanisms that may underlie positive illusion. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying positive illusion, we shine a spotlight on potential future directions for research that aims to improve positive illusion and thus enhance the satisfaction and longevity of romantic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwen Song
- School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yongjun Zhang
- School of Foreign Languages, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei, China.,Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lin Zuo
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Xueli Chen
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Gui Cao
- Institute of Health Science Research, School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Federico d'Oleire Uquillas
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xiaochu Zhang
- School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China.,Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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36
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Maximo JO, Kana RK. Aberrant "deep connectivity" in autism: A cortico-subcortical functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging study. Autism Res 2019; 12:384-400. [PMID: 30624021 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The number of studies examining functional brain networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has risen over the last decade and has characterized ASD as a disorder of altered brain connectivity. However, these studies have focused largely on cortical structures, and only a few studies have examined cortico-subcortical connectivity in regions like thalamus and basal ganglia in ASD. The goal of this study was to characterize the functional connectivity between cortex and subcortical regions in ASD using the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE-II). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were used from 168 typically developing (TD) and 138 ASD participants across different sites from the ABIDE II dataset. Functional connectivity of basal ganglia and thalamus to unimodal and supramodal networks was examined in this study. Overconnectivity (ASD > TD) was found between unimodal (except for medial visual network) and subcortical regions, and underconnectivity (TD > ASD) was found between supramodal (except for default mode and dorsal attention networks) and subcortical regions; positive correlations between ASD phenotype and unimodal-subcortical connectivity were found and negative ones with supramodal-subcortical connectivity. These findings suggest that brain networks heavily involved in sensory processing had higher connectivity with subcortical regions, whereas those involved in higher-order thinking showed decreased connectivity in ASD. In addition, brain-behavior correlations indicated a relationship between ASD phenotype and connectivity. Thus, differences in cortico-subcortical connectivity may have a significant impact on basic and higher-order cognitive processes in ASD. Autism Res 2019, 12: 384-400 © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: This study focused on examining the functional connectivity (synchronization of brain activity across regions) of two types of brain networks (unimodal and supramodal) with subcortical areas (thalamus and basal ganglia) in children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how this relates to ASD phenotype. ASD participants showed overconnectivity in unimodal networks and underconnectivity in supramodal networks. These findings provide new insights into cortico-subcortical connections between basic sensory and high-order cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose O Maximo
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
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37
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Kong Y, Gao J, Xu Y, Pan Y, Wang J, Liu J. Classification of autism spectrum disorder by combining brain connectivity and deep neural network classifier. Neurocomputing 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2018.04.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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38
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Gabrielsen TP, Anderson JS, Stephenson KG, Beck J, King JB, Kellems R, Top DN, Russell NCC, Anderberg E, Lundwall RA, Hansen B, South M. Functional MRI connectivity of children with autism and low verbal and cognitive performance. Mol Autism 2018; 9:67. [PMID: 30603063 PMCID: PMC6307191 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0248-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Functional neuroimaging research in autism spectrum disorder has reported patterns of decreased long-range, within-network, and interhemispheric connectivity. Research has also reported increased corticostriatal connectivity and between-network connectivity for default and attentional networks. Past studies have excluded individuals with autism and low verbal and cognitive performance (LVCP), so connectivity in individuals more significantly affected with autism has not yet been studied. This represents a critical gap in our understanding of brain function across the autism spectrum. Methods Using behavioral support procedures adapted from Nordahl, et al. (J Neurodev Disord 8:20–20, 2016), we completed non-sedated structural and functional MRI scans of 56 children ages 7–17, including LVCP children (n = 17, mean IQ = 54), children with autism and higher performance (HVCP, n = 20, mean IQ = 106), and neurotypical children (NT, n = 19, mean IQ = 111). Preparation included detailed intake questionnaires, video modeling, behavioral and anxiety reduction techniques, active noise-canceling headphones, and in-scan presentation of the Inscapes movie paradigm from Vanderwal et al. (Neuroimage 122:222–32, 2015). A high temporal resolution multiband echoplanar fMRI protocol analyzed motion-free time series data, extracted from concatenated volumes to mitigate the influence of motion artifact. All participants had > 200 volumes of motion-free fMRI scanning. Analyses were corrected for multiple comparisons. Results LVCP showed decreased within-network connectivity in default, salience, auditory, and frontoparietal networks (LVCP < HVCP) and decreased interhemispheric connectivity (LVCP < HVCP=NT). Between-network connectivity was higher for LVCP than NT between default and dorsal attention and frontoparietal networks. Lower IQ was associated with decreased connectivity within the default network and increased connectivity between default and dorsal attention networks. Conclusions This study demonstrates that with moderate levels of support, including readily available techniques, information about brain similarities and differences in LVCP individuals can be further studied. This initial study suggested decreased network segmentation and integration in LVCP individuals. Further imaging studies of LVCP individuals with larger samples will add to understanding of origins and effects of autism on brain function and behavior. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0248-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terisa P Gabrielsen
- 1Department of Counseling, Psychology and Special Education, Brigham Young University McKay School of Education, Provo, USA
| | - Jeff S Anderson
- 2Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Beck
- 3Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
| | - Jace B King
- 4Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Ryan Kellems
- 1Department of Counseling, Psychology and Special Education, Brigham Young University McKay School of Education, Provo, USA
| | - David N Top
- 3Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
| | | | - Emily Anderberg
- 3Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
| | - Rebecca A Lundwall
- 3Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA.,5Brigham Young University Neuroscience Center and MRI Research Facility, Provo, USA
| | - Blake Hansen
- 1Department of Counseling, Psychology and Special Education, Brigham Young University McKay School of Education, Provo, USA
| | - Mikle South
- 3Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA.,5Brigham Young University Neuroscience Center and MRI Research Facility, Provo, USA
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Shen HY, Huang N, Reemmer J, Xiao L. Adenosine Actions on Oligodendroglia and Myelination in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:482. [PMID: 30581380 PMCID: PMC6292987 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder. Independent of neuronal dysfunction, ASD and its associated comorbidities have been linked to hypomyelination and oligodendroglial dysfunction. Additionally, the neuromodulator adenosine has been shown to affect certain ASD comorbidities and symptoms, such as epilepsy, impairment of cognitive function, and anxiety. Adenosine is both directly and indirectly responsible for regulating the development of oligodendroglia and myelination through its interaction with, and modulation of, several neurotransmitters, including glutamate, dopamine, and serotonin. In this review, we will focus on the recent discoveries in adenosine interaction with physiological and pathophysiological activities of oligodendroglia and myelination, as well as ASD-related aspects of adenosine actions on neuroprotection and neuroinflammation. Moreover, we will discuss the potential therapeutic value and clinical approaches of adenosine manipulation against hypomyelination in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Ying Shen
- Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Department, Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Health, Portland, OR, United States.,Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Nanxin Huang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Jesica Reemmer
- Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Department, Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Health, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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40
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Blanchette CA, Amirova J, Bohbot VD, West GL. Autistic traits in neurotypical individuals are associated with increased landmark use during navigation. Psych J 2018; 8:137-146. [PMID: 30294869 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
People adopt two distinct learning strategies during navigation. "Spatial learners" navigate by building a cognitive map using environmental landmarks, and display more grey matter in the hippocampus. Conversely, "response learners" memorize a series of rigid turns to navigate and display more grey matter in the caudate nucleus of the striatum. Evidence has linked these two structures with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autistic traits in non-clinical populations. Both people with ASD and neurotypical people with higher levels of autistic traits have been shown to display more grey matter in the hippocampus and less functional activity in the caudate nucleus. We therefore tested 56 healthy participants who completed the Autism Quotient (AQ) Scale and the 4-on-8 Virtual Maze (4/8 VM), which determines the reliance on landmarks during navigation. We found that people who relied on landmarks during navigation also displayed significantly higher scores on the AQ Scale. Because spatial strategies are associated with increased attention to environmental landmark use and are supported by the hippocampus, our results provide a potential behavioral mechanism linking higher autistic traits (e.g., increased attention to detail and increased sensory processes) to increased hippocampal grey matter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jamila Amirova
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Veronique D Bohbot
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Verdun, Canada
| | - Greg L West
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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41
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Grace N, Johnson BP, Rinehart NJ, Enticott PG. Are Motor Control and Regulation Problems Part of the ASD Motor Profile? A Handwriting Study. Dev Neuropsychol 2018; 43:581-594. [PMID: 30124332 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1504948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The primary aim of this study was to kinematically assess how children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plan and control their handwriting actions. Forty-three boys aged between 8 to 12 years were included in the present analysis; 23 with ASD and 20 typically developing (TD) controls. Sophisticated objective and quantifiable assessment of movement metrics and dynamics was applied across a series of basic cursive handwriting sequences. Children with ASD demonstrated atypical control of handwriting metrics and dynamics, as well as significantly greater neuromotor noise relative to age-matched peers. They also engaged in less regular monitoring and regulation of their movement during the handwriting task. This study provides new insights into the way children with ASD plan and sequence their handwriting movements. Overall, results revealed that even at a basic level, children with ASD appear to have a breakdown in their ability to control and regulate their handwriting movements. This has important implications for the school-aged child who constantly engages in handwriting tasks within the classroom environment and provides insight into possible directions for future intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicci Grace
- a Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia
| | - Beth P Johnson
- b Bellgrove Laboratory, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia
| | - Nicole J Rinehart
- c School of Psychology, Faculty of Health , Deakin University , Melbourne , Australia
| | - Peter G Enticott
- d Cognitive Neuroscience Unit and Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology , Deakin University , Melbourne , Australia
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42
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Bey AL, Wang X, Yan H, Kim N, Passman RL, Yang Y, Cao X, Towers AJ, Hulbert SW, Duffney LJ, Gaidis E, Rodriguiz RM, Wetsel WC, Yin HH, Jiang YH. Brain region-specific disruption of Shank3 in mice reveals a dissociation for cortical and striatal circuits in autism-related behaviors. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:94. [PMID: 29700290 PMCID: PMC5919902 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported a new line of Shank3 mutant mice which led to a complete loss of Shank3 by deleting exons 4-22 (Δe4-22) globally. Δe4-22 mice display robust ASD-like behaviors including impaired social interaction and communication, increased stereotypical behavior and excessive grooming, and a profound deficit in instrumental learning. However, the anatomical and neural circuitry underlying these behaviors are unknown. We generated mice with Shank3 selectively deleted in forebrain, striatum, and striatal D1 and D2 cells. These mice were used to interrogate the circuit/brain-region and cell-type specific role of Shank3 in the expression of autism-related behaviors. Whole-cell patch recording and biochemical analyses were used to study the synaptic function and molecular changes in specific brain regions. We found perseverative exploratory behaviors in mice with deletion of Shank3 in striatal inhibitory neurons. Conversely, self-grooming induced lesions were observed in mice with deletion of Shank3 in excitatory neurons of forebrain. However, social, communicative, and instrumental learning behaviors were largely unaffected in these mice, unlike what is seen in global Δe4-22 mice. We discovered unique patterns of change for the biochemical and electrophysiological findings in respective brain regions that reflect the complex nature of transcriptional regulation of Shank3. Reductions in Homer1b/c and membrane hyper-excitability were observed in striatal loss of Shank3. By comparison, Shank3 deletion in hippocampal neurons resulted in increased NMDAR-currents and GluN2B-containing NMDARs. These results together suggest that Shank3 may differentially regulate neural circuits that control behavior. Our study supports a dissociation of Shank3 functions in cortical and striatal neurons in ASD-related behaviors, and it illustrates the complexity of neural circuit mechanisms underlying these behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. Bey
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDepartments of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Haidun Yan
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Namsoo Kim
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPsychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Rebecca L. Passman
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dBiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Yilin Yang
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Xinyu Cao
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Aaron J. Towers
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dGenomics and Genetics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Samuel W. Hulbert
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDepartments of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Lara J. Duffney
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Erin Gaidis
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPsychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Ramona M. Rodriguiz
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - William C. Wetsel
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDepartments of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dCell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDuke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Henry H. Yin
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDepartments of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPsychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDuke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
| | - Yong-hui Jiang
- 0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDepartments of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dPediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dGenomics and Genetics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA ,0000 0004 1936 7961grid.26009.3dDuke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710 USA
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Greene RK, Spanos M, Alderman C, Walsh E, Bizzell J, Mosner MG, Kinard JL, Stuber GD, Chandrasekhar T, Politte LC, Sikich L, Dichter GS. The effects of intranasal oxytocin on reward circuitry responses in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2018; 10:12. [PMID: 29587625 PMCID: PMC5870086 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-018-9228-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has been shown to improve social communication functioning of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, thus, has received considerable interest as a potential ASD therapeutic agent. Although preclinical research indicates that OT modulates the functional output of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system that processes rewards, no clinical brain imaging study to date has examined the effects of OT on this system using a reward processing paradigm. To address this, we used an incentive delay task to examine the effects of a single dose of intranasal OT, versus placebo (PLC), on neural responses to social and nonsocial rewards in children with ASD. METHODS In this placebo-controlled double-blind study, 28 children and adolescents with ASD (age: M = 13.43 years, SD = 2.36) completed two fMRI scans, one after intranasal OT administration and one after PLC administration. During both scanning sessions, participants completed social and nonsocial incentive delay tasks. Task-based neural activation and connectivity were examined to assess the impact of OT relative to PLC on mesocorticolimbic brain responses to social and nonsocial reward anticipation and outcomes. RESULTS Central analyses compared the OT and PLC conditions. During nonsocial reward anticipation, there was greater activation in the right nucleus accumbens (NAcc), left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), bilateral orbital frontal cortex (OFC), left superior frontal cortex, and right frontal pole (FP) during the OT condition relative to PLC. Alternatively, during social reward anticipation and outcomes, there were no significant increases in brain activation during the OT condition relative to PLC. A Treatment Group × Reward Condition interaction revealed relatively greater activation in the right NAcc, right caudate nucleus, left ACC, and right OFC during nonsocial relative to social reward anticipation during the OT condition relative to PLC. Additionally, these analyses revealed greater activation during nonsocial reward outcomes during the OT condition relative to PLC in the right OFC and left FP. Finally, functional connectivity analyses generally revealed changes in frontostriatal connections during the OT condition relative to PLC in response to nonsocial, but not social, rewards. CONCLUSIONS The effects of intranasal OT administration on mesocorticolimbic brain systems that process rewards in ASD were observable primarily during the processing of nonsocial incentive salience stimuli. These findings have implications for understanding the effects of OT on neural systems that process rewards, as well as for experimental trials of novel ASD treatments developed to ameliorate social communication impairments in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- R K Greene
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - M Spanos
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - C Alderman
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - E Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - J Bizzell
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - M G Mosner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - J L Kinard
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - G D Stuber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - T Chandrasekhar
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - L C Politte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - L Sikich
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - G S Dichter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA. .,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, CB 7155, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7155, USA.
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44
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Bolton TAW, Jochaut D, Giraud AL, Van De Ville D. Brain dynamics in ASD during movie-watching show idiosyncratic functional integration and segregation. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:2391-2404. [PMID: 29504186 PMCID: PMC5969252 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
To refine our understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), studies of the brain in dynamic, multimodal and ecological experimental settings are required. One way to achieve this is to compare the neural responses of ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals when viewing a naturalistic movie, but the temporal complexity of the stimulus hampers this task, and the presence of intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) may overshadow movie‐driven fluctuations. Here, we detected inter‐subject functional correlation (ISFC) transients to disentangle movie‐induced functional changes from underlying resting‐state activity while probing FC dynamically. When considering the number of significant ISFC excursions triggered by the movie across the brain, connections between remote functional modules were more heterogeneously engaged in the ASD population. Dynamically tracking the temporal profiles of those ISFC changes and tying them to specific movie subparts, this idiosyncrasy in ASD responses was then shown to involve functional integration and segregation mechanisms such as response inhibition, background suppression, or multisensory integration, while low‐level visual processing was spared. Through the application of a new framework for the study of dynamic experimental paradigms, our results reveal a temporally localized idiosyncrasy in ASD responses, specific to short‐lived episodes of long‐range functional interplays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A W Bolton
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Delphine Jochaut
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Lise Giraud
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Van De Ville
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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45
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Traynor JM, Doyle-Thomas KAR, Hanford LC, Foster NE, Tryfon A, Hyde KL, Anagnostou E, Evans AC, Zwaigenbaum L, Hall GBC. Indices of repetitive behaviour are correlated with patterns of intrinsic functional connectivity in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Brain Res 2018; 1685:79-90. [PMID: 29453959 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to examine how repetitive behaviour in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is related to intrinsic functional connectivity patterns in a number of large-scale, neural networks. Resting-state fMRI scans from thirty subjects with ASD and thirty-two age-matched, typically developing control subjects were analysed. Seed-to-voxel and ROI-to-ROI functional connectivity analyses were used to examine resting-state connectivity in a number of cortical and subcortical neural networks. Bivariate correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between repetitive behaviour scores from the Repetitive Behaviour Scale - Revised and intrinsic functional connectivity in ASD subjects. Compared to control subjects, ASD subjects displayed marked over-connectivity of the thalamus with several cortical sensory processing areas, as well as over-connectivity of the basal ganglia with somatosensory and motor cortices. Within the ASD group, significant correlations were found between functional connectivity patterns and total RBS-R scores as well as one principal component analysis-derived score from the RBS-R. These results suggest that thalamocortical resting-state connectivity is altered in individuals with ASD, and that resting-state functional connectivity is associated with ASD symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Traynor
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - K A R Doyle-Thomas
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - L C Hanford
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - N E Foster
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS), University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - A Tryfon
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS), University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - K L Hyde
- International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS), University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - E Anagnostou
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - L Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - G B C Hall
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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46
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Abbott AE, Linke AC, Nair A, Jahedi A, Alba LA, Keown CL, Fishman I, Müller RA. Repetitive behaviors in autism are linked to imbalance of corticostriatal connectivity: a functional connectivity MRI study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:32-42. [PMID: 29177509 PMCID: PMC5793718 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsx129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of repetitive behaviors (RBs) in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), ranging from cognitive to motor characteristics, remain unknown. We assessed RB symptomatology in 50 ASD and 52 typically developing (TD) children and adolescents (ages 8-17 years), examining intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of corticostriatal circuitry, which is important for reward-based learning and integration of emotional, cognitive and motor processing, and considered impaired in ASDs. Connectivity analyses were performed for three functionally distinct striatal seeds (limbic, frontoparietal and motor). Functional connectivity with cortical regions of interest was assessed for corticostriatal circuit connectivity indices and ratios, testing the balance of connectivity between circuits. Results showed corticostriatal overconnectivity of limbic and frontoparietal seeds, but underconnectivity of motor seeds. Correlations with RBs were found for connectivity between the striatal motor seeds and cortical motor clusters from the whole-brain analysis, and for frontoparietal/limbic and motor/limbic connectivity ratios. Division of ASD participants into high (n = 17) and low RB subgroups (n = 19) showed reduced frontoparietal/limbic and motor/limbic circuit ratios for high RB compared to low RB and TD groups in the right hemisphere. Results suggest an association between RBs and an imbalance of corticostriatal iFC in ASD, being increased for limbic, but reduced for frontoparietal and motor circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Abbott
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
| | - Annika C Linke
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
| | - Aarti Nair
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Afrooz Jahedi
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University
| | - Laura A Alba
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
| | - Christopher L Keown
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Inna Fishman
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ralph-Axel Müller
- Department of Psychology, Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, San Diego State University
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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47
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Kaur M, M Srinivasan S, N Bhat A. Comparing motor performance, praxis, coordination, and interpersonal synchrony between children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2018; 72:79-95. [PMID: 29121516 PMCID: PMC5743591 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have basic motor impairments in balance, gait, and coordination as well as autism-specific impairments in praxis/motor planning and interpersonal synchrony. Majority of the current literature focuses on isolated motor behaviors or domains. Additionally, the relationship between cognition, symptom severity, and motor performance in ASD is unclear. We used a comprehensive set of measures to compare gross and fine motor, praxis/imitation, motor coordination, and interpersonal synchrony skills across three groups of children between 5 and 12 years of age: children with ASD with high IQ (HASD), children with ASD with low IQ (LASD), and typically developing (TD) children. We used the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the Bilateral Motor Coordination subtest of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests to assess motor performance and praxis skills respectively. Children were also examined while performing simple and complex rhythmic upper and lower limb actions on their own (solo context) and with a social partner (social context). Both ASD groups had lower gross and fine motor scores, greater praxis errors in total and within various error types, lower movement rates, greater movement variability, and weaker interpersonal synchrony compared to the TD group. In addition, the LASD group had lower gross motor scores and greater mirroring errors compared to the HASD group. Overall, a variety of motor impairments are present across the entire spectrum of children with ASD, regardless of their IQ scores. Both, fine and gross motor performance significantly correlated with IQ but not with autism severity; however, praxis errors (mainly, total, overflow, and rhythmicity) strongly correlated with autism severity and not IQ. Our study findings highlight the need for clinicians and therapists to include motor evaluations and interventions in the standard-of-care of children with ASD and for the broader autism community to recognize dyspraxia as an integral part of the definition of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maninderjit Kaur
- Physical Therapy Department & The Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Sudha M Srinivasan
- Physical Therapy Department & The Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Anjana N Bhat
- Physical Therapy Department & The Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; Physical Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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48
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Dona O, Hall GB, Noseworthy MD. Temporal fractal analysis of the rs-BOLD signal identifies brain abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0190081. [PMID: 29272297 PMCID: PMC5741226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190081] [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: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has proven difficult to characterize due to the heterogeneous nature of the spectrum. Connectivity in the brain occurs in a complex, multilevel and multi-temporal manner, driving the fluctuations observed in local oxygen demand. These fluctuations can be characterized as fractals, as they auto-correlate at different time scales. In this study, we propose a model-free complexity analysis based on the fractal dimension of the rs-BOLD signal, acquired with magnetic resonance imaging. The fractal dimension can be interpreted as measure of signal complexity and connectivity. Previous studies have suggested that reduction in signal complexity can be associated with disease. Therefore, we hypothesized that a detectable difference in rs-BOLD signal complexity could be observed between ASD patients and Controls. Methods and findings Anatomical and functional data from fifty-five subjects with ASD (12.7 ± 2.4 y/o) and 55 age-matched (14.1 ± 3.1 y/o) healthy controls were accessed through the NITRC database and the ABIDE project. Subjects were scanned using a 3T GE Signa MRI and a 32-channel RF-coil. Axial FSPGR-3D images were used to prescribe rs-BOLD (TE/TR = 30/2000ms) where 300 time points were acquired. Motion correction was performed on the functional data and anatomical and functional images were aligned and spatially warped to the N27 standard brain atlas. Fractal analysis, performed on a grey matter mask, was done by estimating the Hurst exponent in the frequency domain using a power spectral density approach and refining the estimation in the time domain with de-trended fluctuation analysis and signal summation conversion methods. Voxel-wise fractal dimension (FD) was calculated for every subject in the control group and in the ASD group to create ROI-based Z-scores for the ASD patients. Voxel-wise validation of FD normality across controls was confirmed, and non-Gaussian voxels were eliminated from subsequent analysis. To maintain a 95% confidence level, only regions where Z-score values were at least 2 standard deviations away from the mean (i.e. where |Z| > 2.0) were included in the analysis. We found that the main regions, where signal complexity significantly decreased among ASD patients, were the amygdala (p = 0.001), the vermis (p = 0.02), the basal ganglia (p = 0.01) and the hippocampus (p = 0.02). No regions reported significant increase in signal complexity in this study. Our findings were correlated with ADIR and ADOS assessment tools, reporting the highest correlation with the ADOS metrics. Conclusions Brain connectivity is best modeled as a complex system. Therefore, a measure of complexity as the fractal dimension of fluctuations in brain oxygen demand and utilization could provide important information about connectivity issues in ASD. Moreover, this technique can be used in the characterization of a single subject, with respect to controls, without the need for group analysis. Our novel approach provides an ideal avenue for personalized diagnostics, thus providing unique patient specific assessment that could help in individualizing treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Dona
- McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geoffrey B. Hall
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael D. Noseworthy
- McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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49
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Neurological evaluation of the selection stage of metaphor comprehension in individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder. Neuroscience 2017; 361:19-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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50
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Lewis JD, Evans AC, Pruett JR, Botteron KN, McKinstry RC, Zwaigenbaum L, Estes AM, Collins DL, Kostopoulos P, Gerig G, Dager SR, Paterson S, Schultz RT, Styner MA, Hazlett HC, Piven J. The Emergence of Network Inefficiencies in Infants With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 82:176-185. [PMID: 28460842 PMCID: PMC5524449 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder defined by behavioral features that emerge during the first years of life. Research indicates that abnormalities in brain connectivity are associated with these behavioral features. However, the inclusion of individuals past the age of onset of the defining behaviors complicates interpretation of the observed abnormalities: they may be cascade effects of earlier neuropathology and behavioral abnormalities. Our recent study of network efficiency in a cohort of 24-month-olds at high and low familial risk for ASD reduced this confound; we reported reduced network efficiencies in toddlers classified with ASD. The current study maps the emergence of these inefficiencies in the first year of life. METHODS This study uses data from 260 infants at 6 and 12 months of age, including 116 infants with longitudinal data. As in our earlier study, we use diffusion data to obtain measures of the length and strength of connections between brain regions to compute network efficiency. We assess group differences in efficiency within linear mixed-effects models determined by the Akaike information criterion. RESULTS Inefficiencies in high-risk infants later classified with ASD were detected from 6 months onward in regions involved in low-level sensory processing. In addition, within the high-risk infants, these inefficiencies predicted 24-month symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that infants with ASD, even before 6 months of age, have deficits in connectivity related to low-level processing, which contribute to a developmental cascade affecting brain organization and eventually higher-level cognitive processes and social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Alan C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - John R Pruett
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri; Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Kelly N Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri; Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Robert C McKinstry
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Annette M Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - D Louis Collins
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Guido Gerig
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sarah Paterson
- Center for Autism Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Martin A Styner
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Heather C Hazlett
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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