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Schnitzler T, Fuchs T. Autism as a Disorder of Affective Empathy. Psychopathology 2023; 57:53-62. [PMID: 37852203 DOI: 10.1159/000533655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Since the first description by Leo Kanner, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been attributed a reduced empathy. However, it has not yet been clarified how empathy is specifically impaired in autism. Typically, scholars distinguish between the affective and the cognitive dimensions of empathy. The latter largely overlaps with the concept of the theory of mind (ToM), according to which we need internal inferences or simulations for gaining access to the hidden mental states of others. Since a deficit in ToM is a widely accepted explanation for difficulties of individuals with ASD in social interactions, limitations in cognitive empathy are accordingly assumed. Regarding affective empathy, there are contradictory results using various methods, showing an impaired affective empathy. The main aim of the paper is to present ASD primarily as a disorder of shared interpersonal and interaffective experiences and thus of affective empathy by means of a phenomenological analysis considering empirical studies. In this framework, a deficit of the ToM is accepted but criticized as a central explanatory approach for ASD since (1) it assumes a fundamental inaccessibility of other people, which does not correspond to our everyday social situations, and (2) it manifests developmentally long after the first signs of ASD, which means that its deficit cannot explain the basic autistic difficulties in social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Schnitzler
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Fuchs
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Thurman AJ, Dimachkie Nunnally A. Joint attention performance in preschool-aged boys with autism or fragile X syndrome. Front Psychol 2022; 13:918181. [PMID: 36003114 PMCID: PMC9393518 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.918181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Early development marks a period of rapid learning facilitated by children's natural curiosity about the people around them. In children with typical development, these early social attentional preferences set the foundation for learning about and from the surrounding world of people. Much of this learning happens using joint attention, the ability to coordinate attention between people and objects of mutual interest. It is well documented that decreased gaze use is commonly observed in individuals with autism and individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS). Despite the growing body of research comparing phenotypic similarities between individuals with autism and individuals with FXS, no studies have directly compared joint attention performance between these groups. In the present study, we considered the similarities and differences in joint attention between preschool-aged boys with autism or FXS, and the relation between joint attention, language, and other phenotypic characteristics known to differ between boys with autism and boys with FXS. Although joint attention appeared similar, between-group differences emerged when controlling for the influence of age, non-verbal IQ, and autism symptom severity. Differences were also observed when considering how joint attention performance related to other aspects of the phenotype. For example, strong positive associations were observed between joint attention and language performance in boys with autism but not boys with FXS, even after controlling for non-verbal IQ. In contrast, the negative association between joint attention and anxiety symptom severity was significant and stronger in boys with FXS than in autism. These data offer preliminary insights into the similarities and differences between the autism and FXS phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela John Thurman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Angela John Thurman,
| | - Amanda Dimachkie Nunnally
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
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Whelan S, Mannion A, Madden A, Berger F, Costello R, Ghadiri S, Leader G. Examining the Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Social Functioning, and Behavior Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Nat Sci Sleep 2022; 14:675-695. [PMID: 35444482 PMCID: PMC9015051 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s239622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Over forty percent of autistic children experience poor sleep quality, and social interaction difficulties are a core characteristic of autism. However, the relationship between sleep quality and social functioning and behavior remains poorly understood. This systematic review examined the evidence concerning the impact of sleep quality on the social functioning and behavior problems in autistic children and adolescents. It also identified key related factors and evaluated how this issue has been researched to date. Seven key journals were hand-searched and five databases were systematically searched, using keywords. Titles and abstracts of 4123 items were screened against eligibility criteria by two researchers. Relevant studies were retained if they were peer-reviewed empirical papers, published in English between 2000 and 2021. Then, the full text of 97 papers was screened and if they met the eligibility criteria, their reference lists were hand-searched. Forty-six studies were included in the final review. Data were systematically extracted and two authors critically appraised the strengths and weaknesses of studies using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools. Key themes were identified, because a meta-analysis was not possible due to the studies' heterogeneity. The review identified that sleep quality and social functioning are associated with one another and there is a small amount of evidence that a bi-directional causal relationship may exist. Evidence suggests that several nights of suboptimal sleep duration and a lack of deep continuous sleep negatively impact externalizing and internalizing behavior. Sleep quality is also reduced by anxiety and sensory sensitivity. However, longitudinal studies with larger samples are needed to establish causality. Future research needs to examine confounding factors and to develop consensus regarding best-practice processes for the objective measurement of sleep with autistic children. Additional research also needs to further examine the consequences of poor sleep quality on internalizing behavior, and the impact of socio-cultural practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Whelan
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Arlene Mannion
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Azeem Madden
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Fine Berger
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Rachel Costello
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Saeid Ghadiri
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Geraldine Leader
- Irish Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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Pasqualotto A, Mazzoni N, Bentenuto A, Mulè A, Benso F, Venuti P. Effects of Cognitive Training Programs on Executive Function in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1280. [PMID: 34679345 PMCID: PMC8534174 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder is often associated with deficits in executive functions (EFs), which is contributing significantly to individuals with ASD's difficulties in conducting an independent life, particularly considering social skills. Technologies offer promising opportunities to structure EF intervention programs for children on the autistic spectrum. METHODS This study aimed to review the effectiveness of randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies of EF interventions delivered to children and young people (up to 23 years old) with a diagnosis of ASD. A special focus was dedicated to document the effectiveness of computerized and non-computerized cognitive training on (1) EFs and on (2) ASD symptomatology and social skills. Of 2601 studies retrieved, 19 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. RESULTS Most of the interventions identified were effective in enhancing EFs and reducing symptoms in children and young people with ASD. Limited evidence is available on their generalization to untrained skills (i.e., social abilities) as well as long-term effects. CONCLUSIONS There is growing evidence for overall effectiveness of EF training, particularly when computerized. However, caution should be taken when interpreting these findings owing to methodological limitations, the minimal number of papers retrieved, and a small samples of included studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Pasqualotto
- Laboratory of Observational, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (N.M.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (F.B.); (P.V.)
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Noemi Mazzoni
- Laboratory of Observational, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (N.M.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (F.B.); (P.V.)
- Laboratory for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Arianna Bentenuto
- Laboratory of Observational, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (N.M.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (F.B.); (P.V.)
| | - Anna Mulè
- Laboratory of Observational, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (N.M.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (F.B.); (P.V.)
| | - Francesco Benso
- Laboratory of Observational, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (N.M.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (F.B.); (P.V.)
| | - Paola Venuti
- Laboratory of Observational, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (N.M.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (F.B.); (P.V.)
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Importance of body representations in social-cognitive development: New insights from infant brain science. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2020; 254:25-48. [PMID: 32859291 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
There is significant interest in the ways the human body, both one's own and that of others, is represented in the human brain. In this chapter we focus on body representations in infancy and synthesize relevant findings from both infant cognitive neuroscience and behavioral experiments. We review six experiments in infant neuroscience that have used novel EEG and MEG methods to explore infant neural body maps. We then consider results from behavioral studies of social imitation and examine what they contribute to our understanding of infant body representations at a psychological level. Finally, we interweave both neuroscience and behavioral lines of research to ground new theoretical claims about early infant social cognition. We propose, based on the evidence, that young infants can represent the bodily acts of others and their own bodily acts in commensurate terms. Infants initially recognize correspondences between self and other-they perceive that others are "like me" in terms of bodies and bodily actions. This capacity for registering and using self-other equivalence mappings has far-reaching implications for mechanisms of developmental change. Infants can learn about the affordances and powers of their own body by watching adults' actions and their causal consequences. Reciprocally, infants can enrich their understanding of other people's internal states by taking into account the way they themselves feel when they perform similar acts. The faces, bodies, and matching actions of people are imbued with unique meaning because they can be mapped to the infant's own body and behavior.
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Spanos M, Chandrasekhar T, Kim SJ, Hamer RM, King BH, McDougle CJ, Sanders KB, Gregory SG, Kolevzon A, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Sikich L. Rationale, design, and methods of the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) network Study of Oxytocin in Autism to improve Reciprocal Social Behaviors (SOARS-B). Contemp Clin Trials 2020; 98:106103. [PMID: 32777383 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the rationale, design, and methods of the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) network Study of Oxytocin in Autism to improve Reciprocal Social Behaviors (SOARS-B). METHOD This phase 2 clinical trial was designed to evaluate the use of intranasal oxytocin treatment to improve social difficulties in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In total, 290 participants ages 3 to 17 years with a DSM-5 diagnosis of ASD were enrolled to receive 24 weeks of treatment with either oxytocin or a matched placebo at one of seven collaborating sites. Participants were subsequently treated with open-label oxytocin for 24 additional weeks. Post-treatment assessments were done approximately 4 weeks after treatment discontinuation. Plasma oxytocin and oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation level were measured at baseline, and week 8, 24 and 36 to explore potential relationships between these biomarkers and treatment response. RESULTS This report describes the rationale, design, and methods of the SOARS-B clinical trial. CONCLUSIONS There is a tremendous unmet need for safe and effective pharmacological treatment options that target the core symptoms of ASD. Several studies support the hypothesis that intranasal oxytocin could improve social orienting and the salience of social rewards in ASD, thereby enhancing reciprocal social behaviors. However, due to conflicting results from a number of pilot studies on the prosocial effects of exogenous oxytocin, this hypothesis remains controversial and inconclusive. SOARS-B is the best powered study to date to address this hypothesis and promises to improve our understanding of the safety and efficacy of intranasal oxytocin in the treatment of social deficits in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Spanos
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States of America.
| | - Tara Chandrasekhar
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Soo-Jeong Kim
- Seattle Children's Autism Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington; Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Robert M Hamer
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Bryan H King
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Kevin B Sanders
- Neuroscience Product Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America; Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Alexander Kolevzon
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute; Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, United States of America
| | - Linmarie Sikich
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States of America
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Creativity in Autism: An Examination of General and Mathematical Creative Thinking Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Typical Development. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:3833-3844. [PMID: 31183666 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04094-x] [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: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated creative thinking abilities among two groups of 20 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) compared to 20 children with typical development ages 9-11. The study compared performance on two different creativity tests: general creativity (Pictorial Multiple Solutions-PMS) test versus mathematical creativity (Creating Equal Number-CEN) test, and investigated relationships between general and mathematical creative thinking across various cognitive measures including non-verbal IQ, verbal and non-verbal working memory and Attention. Results of the study demonstrate significant correlations among the measures of creativity indicating that the PMS and the CEN tasks represent different skills, or perhaps, different domains of creativity. Findings suggest that creativity can be found among individuals with ASD.
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Valeri G, Casula L, Napoli E, Stievano P, Trimarco B, Vicari S, Scalisi TG. Executive Functions and Symptom Severity in an Italian Sample of Intellectually Able Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 50:3207-3215. [PMID: 31190199 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04102-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A novel battery (BAFE; Valeri et al. 2015) was used in order to assess three executive function (EF) abilities (working memory, inhibition and shifting) in a sample of 27 intellectually able preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with 27 typically developing children matched on age and nonverbal IQ. Differences in EF skills were analyzed in participants with distinct ASD symptom severity. Children with ASD performed worse than typical controls on both set-shifting and inhibition, but not on visuo-spatial working memory. Additionally, children with more severe ASD symptoms showed a worse performance on inhibition than children with milder symptoms. These results confirm the presence of EF deficits and highlight a link between ASD symptoms and EF impairments in preschool age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Valeri
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Casula
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Napoli
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Barbara Trimarco
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Gloria Scalisi
- Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Greene RK, Walsh E, Mosner MG, Dichter GS. A potential mechanistic role for neuroinflammation in reward processing impairments in autism spectrum disorder. Biol Psychol 2019; 142:1-12. [PMID: 30552950 PMCID: PMC6401269 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be conceptualized within a framework of reward processing impairments. The Social Motivation Theory of Autism posits that reduced motivation to interact with people and decreased pleasure derived from social interactions may derail typical social development and contribute to the emergence of core social communication deficits in ASD. Neuroinflammation may disrupt the development of mesolimbic dopaminergic systems that are critical for optimal functioning of social reward processing systems. This neuroinflammation-induced disturbance of mesolimbic dopaminergic functioning has been substantiated using maternal immune activation rodent models whose offspring show aberrant dopaminergic corticostriatal function, as well as behavioral characteristics of ASD model systems. Preclinical findings are in turn supported by clinical evidence of increased mesolimbic neuroinflammatory responses in individuals with ASD. This review summarizes evidence for reward processing deficits and neuroinflammatory impairments in ASD and examines how immune inflammatory dysregulation may impair the development of dopaminergic mesolimbic circuitry in ASD. Finally, future research directions examining neuroinflammatory effects on reward processing in ASD are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Greene
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Erin Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Maya G Mosner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Gabriel 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.
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Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neurological Status (RBANS) performance in non-clinical individuals with high levels of autistic traits. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-017-9738-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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11
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Garon N, Smith IM, Bryson SE. Early executive dysfunction in ASD: Simple versus complex skills. Autism Res 2017; 11:318-330. [PMID: 29149519 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Despite the strong evidence of executive function (EF) impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), findings in the preschool period have been inconsistent. Whereas some research has supported an early deficit, many studies have not found early differences in EF. The present study assessed simple and complex components of three EF abilities: working memory, inhibition, and shifting, using a novel battery, the Preschool EF Battery (PEFB; Garon, Smith & Bryson, Child Neuropsychology, 20, 713-736, 2014). Previous research has indicated that the PEFB is sensitive to age differences in typically developing (TD) children aged 18-60 months. Current participants were 34 preschoolers (M = 54.79 months) diagnosed with ASD and 255 TD preschoolers (M = 42.98 months). Results indicated significant differences between the two groups in the three EF abilities, but specific findings were moderated by mental and chronological age. The findings highlight the importance of testing simpler EF skills in very young children with ASD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 318-330. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Given that executive functions (EF) have been found to predict various outcomes such as academic ability and occupational success, sensitive early assessment is important. The current study suggests the presence of early EF deficits in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder. The study highlights the importance of considering how EF develops during early life in typically developing children in order to design sensitive EF measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Garon
- Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
| | - Isabel M Smith
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
| | - Susan E Bryson
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
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12
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Meltzoff AN. Roots of Social Cognition. MINNESOTA SYMPOSIA ON CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119466864.ch2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Pellicano E, Kenny L, Brede J, Klaric E, Lichwa H, McMillin R. Executive function predicts school readiness in autistic and typical preschool children. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Zheng Z, Fu Q, Zhao H, Swanson AR, Weitlauf AS, Warren ZE, Sarkar N. Design of an Autonomous Social Orienting Training System (ASOTS) for Young Children With Autism. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2017; 25:668-678. [PMID: 28644796 PMCID: PMC5582800 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2016.2598727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Social communication is among the core areas of impairment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The training of social orientation is important for improving social communication of children with ASD. In recent years, technology-assisted ASD intervention had gained momentum due to its potential advantages in terms of precision, sustainability, flexibility and cost. In this paper, we propose a closed-loop autonomous computer system, named ASOTS, for training social orientation skills to young children with ASD. This system is designed to detect and track a child's attention in response to social orientation bids and help the child towards appropriate social orientation when needed. Response to name, an important social orientation skill, was used to demonstrate the functionality of the proposed system. Ten toddlers with ASD participated in a pilot user study to show whether the system could be used on young children who have been diagnosed with ASD. Another pilot user study with 10 TD infants tested whether this system has a potential to be applied for early detection for infants who were younger than the age when ASD diagnoses can be done. This was done intentionally to separately demonstrate utility and functionality for the clinical population of interest and to demonstrate functionality beyond current clinical identification capacity (i.e., infants). The results showed that the proposed system and the protocol were well tolerated by both groups, successfully captured young children's attention, and elicited the desired behavior.
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Candidate Biomarkers in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of MRI Studies. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:219-237. [PMID: 28283808 PMCID: PMC5360855 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0118-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Searching for effective biomarkers is one of the most challenging tasks in the research field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a non-invasive and powerful tool for investigating changes in the structure, function, maturation, connectivity, and metabolism of the brain of children with ASD. Here, we review the more recent MRI studies in young children with ASD, aiming to provide candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of childhood ASD. The review covers structural imaging methods, diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state functional MRI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Future advances in neuroimaging techniques, as well as cross-disciplinary studies and large-scale collaborations will be needed for an integrated approach linking neuroimaging, genetics, and phenotypic data to allow the discovery of new, effective biomarkers.
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Gardiner E, Hutchison SM, Müller U, Kerns KA, Iarocci G. Assessment of executive function in young children with and without ASD using parent ratings and computerized tasks of executive function. Clin Neuropsychol 2017; 31:1283-1305. [DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2017.1290139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Gardiner
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sarah M. Hutchison
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Ulrich Müller
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | | | - Grace Iarocci
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
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17
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Theory of Mind and Executive Control Deficits in Typically Developing Adults and Adolescents with High Levels of Autism Traits. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 46:2072-2087. [PMID: 26886468 PMCID: PMC4860196 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2735-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterised by profound difficulties in empathic processing and executive control. Whilst the links between these processes have been frequently investigated in populations with autism, few studies have examined them at the subclinical level. In addition, the contribution of alexithymia, a trait characterised by impaired interoceptive awareness and empathy, and elevated in those with ASD, is currently unclear. The present two-part study employed a comprehensive battery of tasks to examine these processes. Findings support the notion that executive function and theory of mind are related abilities. They also suggest that individuals with elevated levels of autism-like traits experience a partially similar pattern of social and executive function difficulties to those diagnosed with ASD, and that these impairments are not explained by co-occurring alexithymia.
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18
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Liberati A, Fadda R, Doneddu G, Congiu S, Javarone MA, Striano T, Chessa A. A Statistical Physics Perspective to Understand Social Visual Attention in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Perception 2017; 46:889-913. [PMID: 28056653 DOI: 10.1177/0301006616685976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated social visual attention in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and with typical development (TD) in the light of Brockmann and Geisel's model of visual attention. The probability distribution of gaze movements and clustering of gaze points, registered with eye-tracking technology, was studied during a free visual exploration of a gaze stimulus. A data-driven analysis of the distribution of eye movements was chosen to overcome any possible methodological problems related to the subjective expectations of the experimenters about the informative contents of the image in addition to a computational model to simulate group differences. Analysis of the eye-tracking data indicated that the scanpaths of children with TD and ASD were characterized by eye movements geometrically equivalent to Lévy flights. Children with ASD showed a higher frequency of long saccadic amplitudes compared with controls. A clustering analysis revealed a greater dispersion of eye movements for these children. Modeling of the results indicated higher values of the model parameter modulating the dispersion of eye movements for children with ASD. Together, the experimental results and the model point to a greater dispersion of gaze points in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Liberati
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari, Complesso Universitario di Monserrato, Italy
| | - Roberta Fadda
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Doneddu
- Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Sara Congiu
- Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marco A Javarone
- DUMAS-Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Sassari, Italy
| | - Tricia Striano
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, New York, NY, USA
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19
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Harrison AJ, Lu Z(L, McLean RL, Sheinkopf SJ. Cognitive and adaptive correlates of an ADOS-derived joint attention composite. RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2016; 29-30:66-78. [PMID: 28168003 PMCID: PMC5291343 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Joint attention skills have been shown to predict language outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Less is known about the relationship between joint attention (JA) abilities in children with ASD and cognitive and adaptive abilities. In the current study, a subset of items from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), designed to quantify JA abilities, were used to investigate social attention among an unusually large cross-sectional sample of children with ASD (n = 1061). An examination of the association between JA and a range of functional correlates (cognitive and adaptive) revealed JA was significantly related to verbal (VIQ) and non-verbal (NVIQ) cognitive ability as well as all domains of adaptive functioning (socialization, communication, and daily living skills). Additional analyses examined the degree to which the relation between adaptive abilities (socialization, communication, and daily living skills) and JA was maintained after taking into account the potentially mediating role of verbal and nonverbal cognitive ability. Results revealed that VIQ fully mediated the relation between JA and adaptive functioning, whereas the relation between these adaptive variables and JA was only partially mediated by NVIQ. Moderation analyses were also conducted to examine how verbal and non-verbal cognitive ability and gender impacted the relation between JA and adaptive functioning. In line with research showing a relation between language and JA, this indicates that while JA is significantly related to functional outcomes, this appears to be mediated specifically through a verbal cognitive pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rebecca L. McLean
- New England Pediatric Institute of Neurodevelopment, Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Stephen J. Sheinkopf
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, United States
- Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
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20
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Nakagawa Y, Chiba K. Involvement of Neuroinflammation during Brain Development in Social Cognitive Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 358:504-15. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.116.234476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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21
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Predicting Outcome of Community-Based Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 43:1271-82. [PMID: 25778537 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-015-0002-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We examined predictors of outcome (IQ, adaptive behavior, and ASD severity) after 12 and 24 months of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) in 71, 20-59 months old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were enrolled in publicly-funded, community-based agencies. Predictors included social engagement (combining variables loading onto a single factor: social approach, joint attention, and imitation) and sensorimotor rituals. Younger age and higher IQ at intake predicted favorable outcomes at both 12 and 24 months. Adjusting for age, IQ, baseline predictor scores, EIBI hours, treatment site, and sensorimotor rituals, social engagement predicted superior later IQ and adaptive behavior. In contrast, sensorimotor rituals did not predict outcome. Although limited by the absence of a control group, the study indicates social engagement predicts some EIBI outcomes.
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22
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Chen SF, Chien YL, Wu CT, Shang CY, Wu YY, Gau SS. Deficits in executive functions among youths with autism spectrum disorders: an age-stratified analysis. Psychol Med 2016; 46:1625-1638. [PMID: 26997535 PMCID: PMC4873936 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291715002238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired executive function (EF) is suggested to be one of the core features in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, little is known about whether the extent of worse EF in ASD than typically developing (TD) controls is age-dependent. We used age-stratified analysis to reveal this issue. METHOD We assessed 111 youths with ASD (aged 12.5 ± 2.8 years, male 94.6%) and 114 age-, and sex-matched TD controls with Digit Span and four EF tasks of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB): Spatial Span (SSP), Spatial Working Memory (SWM), Stockings of Cambridge (SOC), and Intradimensional/Extradimensional Shift Test (I/ED). RESULTS Compared to TD controls, youths with ASD performed poorer on the Digit Span, SWM, SOC, and I/ED tasks. The performance of all the tasks improved with age for both groups. Age-stratified analyses were conducted due to significant age × group interactions in visuospatial planning (SOC) and set-shifting (I/ED) and showed that poorer performance on these two tasks in ASD than TD controls was found only in the child (aged 8-12 years) rather than the adolescent (aged 13-18 years) group. By contrast, youths with ASD had impaired working memory, regardless of age. The increased magnitude of group difference in visuospatial planning (SOC) with increased task demands differed between the two age groups but no age moderating effect on spatial working memory. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support deficits in visuospatial working memory and planning in youths with ASD; however, worse performance in set-shifting may only be demonstrated in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.-F. Chen
- Department of Psychiatry,
National Taiwan University Hospital & College of
Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry,
Taipei Tzu Chi General Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi
Medical Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Occupational Therapy,
College of Medicine, National Taiwan
University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Y.-L. Chien
- Department of Psychiatry,
National Taiwan University Hospital & College of
Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine,
College of Medicine, National Taiwan
University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - C.-T. Wu
- Department of Psychiatry,
National Taiwan University Hospital & College of
Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Occupational Therapy,
College of Medicine, National Taiwan
University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - C.-Y. Shang
- Department of Psychiatry,
National Taiwan University Hospital & College of
Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Y.-Y. Wu
- Department of Psychiatry,
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou,
Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - S. S. Gau
- Department of Psychiatry,
National Taiwan University Hospital & College of
Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Occupational Therapy,
College of Medicine, National Taiwan
University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine,
College of Medicine, National Taiwan
University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology,
Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, Graduate
Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National
Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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23
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Ismail MMT, Keynton RS, Mostapha MMMO, ElTanboly AH, Casanova MF, Gimel'farb GL, El-Baz A. Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder with Structural and Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Survey. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:211. [PMID: 27242476 PMCID: PMC4862981 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities have emerged as powerful means that facilitate non-invasive clinical diagnostics of various diseases and abnormalities since their inception in the 1980s. Multiple MRI modalities, such as different types of the sMRI and DTI, have been employed to investigate facets of ASD in order to better understand this complex syndrome. This paper reviews recent applications of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to study autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Main reported findings are sometimes contradictory due to different age ranges, hardware protocols, population types, numbers of participants, and image analysis parameters. The primary anatomical structures, such as amygdalae, cerebrum, and cerebellum, associated with clinical-pathological correlates of ASD are highlighted through successive life stages, from infancy to adulthood. This survey demonstrates the absence of consistent pathology in the brains of autistic children and lack of research investigations in patients under 2 years of age in the literature. The known publications also emphasize advances in data acquisition and analysis, as well as significance of multimodal approaches that combine resting-state, task-evoked, and sMRI measures. Initial results obtained with the sMRI and DTI show good promise toward the early and non-invasive ASD diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa M. T. Ismail
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Robert S. Keynton
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | | | - Ahmed H. ElTanboly
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Manuel F. Casanova
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Sciences, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Ayman El-Baz
- BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
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24
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Heimann M, Nordqvist E, Strid K, Connant Almrot J, Tjus T. Children with autism respond differently to spontaneous, elicited and deferred imitation. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2016; 60:491-501. [PMID: 27018212 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Revised: 01/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imitation, a key vehicle for both cognitive and social development, is often regarded as more difficult for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than for children with Down syndrome (DS) or typically developing (TD) children. The current study investigates similarities and differences in observed elicited, spontaneous and deferred imitation using both actions with objects and gestures as imitation tasks in these groups. METHODS Imitation among 19 children with autism was compared with 20 children with DS and 23 TD children matched for mental and language age. RESULTS Elicited imitation resulted in significantly lower scores for the ASD group compared with the other two groups, an effect mainly carried by a low level of gesture imitation among ASD children. We observed no differences among the groups for spontaneous imitation. However, children with ASD or DS displayed less deferred imitation than the TD group. Proneness to imitate also differed among groups: only 10 (53%) of the children with autism responded in the elicited imitation condition compared with all children with DS and almost all TD children (87%). CONCLUSIONS These findings add to our understanding of the kind of imitation difficulties children with ASD might have. They also point to the necessity of not equating various imitation measures because these may capture different processes and be differently motivating for children with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Heimann
- The Swedish Institute for Disability Research and Division of Psychology, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - E Nordqvist
- The Swedish Institute for Disability Research and Division of Psychology, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - K Strid
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - J Connant Almrot
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Psychologists for Maternal and Child Health Care, Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - T Tjus
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
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25
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Hagmann CE, Wyble B, Shea N, LeBlanc M, Kates WR, Russo N. Children with Autism Detect Targets at Very Rapid Presentation Rates with Similar Accuracy as Adults. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:1762-72. [PMID: 26801777 PMCID: PMC4826818 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2705-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Enhanced perception may allow for visual search superiority by individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but does it occur over time? We tested high-functioning children with ASD, typically developing (TD) children, and TD adults in two tasks at three presentation rates (50, 83.3, and 116.7 ms/item) using rapid serial visual presentation. In the Color task, participants detected a purple target letter amongst black letter distractors. In the Category task, participants detected a letter amongst number distractors. Slower rates resulted in higher accuracy. Children with ASD were more accurate than TD children and similar to adults at the fastest rate when detecting color-marked targets, indicating atypical neurodevelopment in ASD may cause generalized perceptual enhancement relative to typically developing peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Erick Hagmann
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Bradley Wyble
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Nicole Shea
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Megan LeBlanc
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Wendy R Kates
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Natalie Russo
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
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26
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Faja S, Dawson G, Sullivan K, Meltzoff AN, Estes A, Bernier R. Executive function predicts the development of play skills for verbal preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Res 2016; 9:1274-1284. [PMID: 26890821 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 01/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Executive function and play skills develop in early childhood and are linked to cognitive and language ability. The present study examined these abilities longitudinally in two groups with autism spectrum disorder-a group with higher initial language (n = 30) and a group with lower initial language ability (n = 36). Among the lower language group, concurrent nonverbal cognitive ability contributed most to individual differences in executive function and play skills. For the higher language group, executive function during preschool significantly predicted play ability at age 6 over and above intelligence, but early play did not predict later executive function. These results suggested that factors related to the development of play and executive function differ for subgroups of children with different language abilities and that early executive function skills may be critical in order for verbal children with autism to develop play. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1274-1284. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Faja
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Geraldine Dawson
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pediatrics, and Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Katherine Sullivan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University, New York, New York.,Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Andrew N Meltzoff
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Annette Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Raphael Bernier
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Educational Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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27
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Van Eylen L, Boets B, Steyaert J, Wagemans J, Noens I. Executive functioning in autism spectrum disorders: influence of task and sample characteristics and relation to symptom severity. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2015; 24:1399-417. [PMID: 25697266 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-015-0689-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Impaired executive functioning (EF) has been proposed to underlie symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, insight in the EF profile of ASD individuals is hampered due to task impurity and inconsistent findings. To elucidate these inconsistencies, we investigated the influence of task and sample characteristics on EF in ASD, with an extended test battery designed to reduce task impurity. Additionally, we studied the relation between EF and ASD symptoms. EF (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, generativity, working memory and planning) was measured in open-ended versus structured assessment situations, while controlling for possible confounding EF and non-EF variables. The performance of 50 individuals with ASD was compared with that of 50 age, gender and IQ matched typically developing (TD) individuals. The effects of group (ASD versus TD), age (children versus adolescents) and gender were examined, as well as the correlation between age, IQ, ASD symptoms and EF. Individuals with ASD showed impairments in all EF domains, but deficits were more pronounced in open-ended compared to structured settings. Group differences did not depend on gender and only occasionally on participants' age. This suggests that inconsistencies between studies largely result from differences in task characteristics and less from differences in the investigated sample features. However, age and IQ strongly correlated with EF, indicating that group differences in these factors should be controlled for when studying EF. Finally, EF correlated with both social and non-social ASD symptoms, but further research is needed to clarify the nature of this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Van Eylen
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, Box 3765, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Bart Boets
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Wagemans
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Noens
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, Box 3765, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
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28
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Paul A, Sharda M, Menon S, Arora I, Kansal N, Arora K, Singh NC. The effect of sung speech on socio-communicative responsiveness in children with autism spectrum disorders. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:555. [PMID: 26578923 PMCID: PMC4624858 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
There is emerging evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of music-based interventions for improving social functioning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). While this evidence lends some support in favor of using song over spoken directives in facilitating engagement and receptive intervention in ASD, there has been little research that has investigated the efficacy of such stimuli on socio-communicative responsiveness measures. Here, we present preliminary results from a pilot study which tested whether sung instruction, as compared to spoken directives, could elicit greater number of socio-communicative behaviors in young children with ASD. Using an adapted single-subject design, three children between the ages of 3 and 4 years, participated in a programme consisting of 18 sessions, of which 9 were delivered with spoken directives and 9 with sung. Sessions were counterbalanced and randomized for three play activities-block matching, picture matching and clay play. All sessions were video-recorded for post-hoc observational coding of three behavioral metrics which included performance, frequency of social gesture and eye contact. Analysis of the videos by two independent raters indicated increased socio-communicative responsiveness in terms of frequency of social gesture as well as eye contact during sung compared to spoken conditions, across all participants. Our findings suggest that sung directives may play a useful role in engaging children with ASD and also serve as an effective interventional medium to enhance socio-communicative responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megha Sharda
- National Brain Research Centre Gurgaon, India ; International Laboratory of Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), University of Montreal Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Soumini Menon
- Children First Mental Health Institute New Delhi, India
| | - Iti Arora
- Children First Mental Health Institute New Delhi, India
| | | | - Kavita Arora
- Children First Mental Health Institute New Delhi, India
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29
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Panasiti MS, Puzzo I, Chakrabarti B. Autistic Traits Moderate the Impact of Reward Learning on Social Behaviour. Autism Res 2015; 9:471-9. [PMID: 26280134 PMCID: PMC4949660 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
A deficit in empathy has been suggested to underlie social behavioural atypicalities in autism. A parallel theoretical account proposes that reduced social motivation (i.e., low responsivity to social rewards) can account for the said atypicalities. Recent evidence suggests that autistic traits modulate the link between reward and proxy metrics related to empathy. Using an evaluative conditioning paradigm to associate high and low rewards with faces, a previous study has shown that individuals high in autistic traits show reduced spontaneous facial mimicry of faces associated with high vs. low reward. This observation raises the possibility that autistic traits modulate the magnitude of evaluative conditioning. To test this, we investigated (a) if autistic traits could modulate the ability to implicitly associate a reward value to a social stimulus (reward learning/conditioning, using the Implicit Association Task, IAT); (b) if the learned association could modulate participants’ prosocial behaviour (i.e., social reciprocity, measured using the cyberball task); (c) if the strength of this modulation was influenced by autistic traits. In 43 neurotypical participants, we found that autistic traits moderated the relationship of social reward learning on prosocial behaviour but not reward learning itself. This evidence suggests that while autistic traits do not directly influence social reward learning, they modulate the relationship of social rewards with prosocial behaviour. Autism Res2016, 9: 471–479. © 2015 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Serena Panasiti
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.,Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Ignazio Puzzo
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.,Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Bhismadev Chakrabarti
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
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30
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Bergmann T, Sappok T, Diefenbacher A, Dziobek I. Music in diagnostics: using musical interactional settings for diagnosing autism in adults with intellectual developmental disabilities. NORDIC JOURNAL OF MUSIC THERAPY 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2015.1039567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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31
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Shubrata KS, Sinha S, Seshadri SP, Girimaji S, Subbakrishna DK, Srinath S. Childhood autism spectrum disorders with and without epilepsy: clinical implications. J Child Neurol 2015; 30:476-82. [PMID: 25038126 DOI: 10.1177/0883073814540521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This prospective cross-sectional study compared 25 children with pervasive developmental disorder and epilepsy and 25 children having pervasive developmental disorder without epilepsy on pervasive developmental disorder scores, Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores, language disability, presence of regression, and epileptiform abnormalities. Epilepsy phenotype was also studied. Children with pervasive developmental disorder and epilepsy had higher pervasive developmental disorder scores (P = .001), higher Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores (P = .016), and lower social quotient (P = .09). More than 50% of children with pervasive developmental disorder and epilepsy and 12% of children having pervasive developmental disorder without epilepsy had epileptiform abnormalities in electroencephalography (EEG). Regression of milestones was significantly associated with epilepsy and epileptiform abnormalities. Children with pervasive developmental disorder and epilepsy might have a worse developmental trajectory requiring intensive management. A behavioral phenotype of autism may coexist often in children with epilepsy, EEG abnormalities, and regression. Seizures might be difficult to control in these children despite adequate compliance. Studies with larger sample size and longitudinal follow-up will provide better understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S Shubrata
- Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Shimoga, India
| | - S Sinha
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - S P Seshadri
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - S Girimaji
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - D K Subbakrishna
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - S Srinath
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
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Faja S, Dawson G. Reduced delay of gratification and effortful control among young children with autism spectrum disorders. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2015; 19:91-101. [PMID: 24335116 PMCID: PMC4116476 DOI: 10.1177/1362361313512424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
We explored internal control of behavior using direct observation and parent report. Previous research has found that both the delay of gratification task and parent-reported effortful control predict later social ability and more positive outcomes in typically developing children. Children with autism spectrum disorder have previously been reported to have reduced effortful control, whereas delay of gratification ability has not been tested in a group with autism spectrum disorder. The current study compared 21 children with autism spectrum disorder and 21 typically developing children between 6 and 7 years of age-all of whom had cognitive ability at or above the average range. Children with autism spectrum disorder were less able to delay gratification, and their parents reported significantly reduced effortful control; however, scores on these measures were unrelated within the group with autism spectrum disorder. Among the children with autism spectrum disorder, lower effortful control was associated with more severe clinician-observed social symptoms.
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Green AE, Kenworthy L, Mosner MG, Gallagher NM, Fearon EW, Balhana CD, Yerys BE. Abstract analogical reasoning in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Res 2014; 7:677-86. [PMID: 25255899 PMCID: PMC6100749 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit a deficit in spontaneously recognizing abstract similarities that are crucial for generalizing learning to new situations. This may contribute to deficits in the development of appropriate schemas for navigating novel situations, including social interactions. Analogical reasoning is the central cognitive mechanism that enables typically developing children to understand abstract similarities between different situations. Intriguingly, studies of high-functioning children with ASD point to a relative cognitive strength in basic, nonabstract forms of analogical reasoning. If this analogical reasoning ability extends to abstract analogical reasoning (i.e., between superficially dissimilar situations), it may provide a bridge between a cognitive capability and core ASD deficits in areas such as generalization and categorization. This study tested whether preserved analogical reasoning abilities in ASD can be extended to abstract analogical reasoning, using photographs of real-world items and situations. Abstractness of the analogies was determined via a quantitative measure of semantic distance derived from latent semantic analysis. Children with ASD performed as well as typically developing children at identifying abstract analogical similarities when explicitly instructed to apply analogical reasoning. Individual differences in abstract analogical reasoning ability predicted individual differences in a measure of social function in the ASD group. Preliminary analyses indicated that children with ASD, but not typically developing children, showed an effect of age on abstract analogical reasoning. These results provide new evidence that children with ASD are capable of identifying abstract similarities through analogical reasoning, pointing to abstract analogical reasoning as a potential lever for improving generalization skills and social function in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren Kenworthy
- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Children’s National Medical Center
| | - Maya G. Mosner
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
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Rahimi-Golkhandan S, Piek J, Steenbergen B, Wilson P. Hot executive function in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Evidence for heightened sensitivity to immediate reward. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Daunhauer LA, Fidler DJ, Hahn L, Will E, Lee NR, Hepburn S. Profiles of everyday executive functioning in young children with down syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL ON INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2014; 119:303-18. [PMID: 25007296 PMCID: PMC4512669 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-119.4.303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
We investigated executive functioning (EF) in children with Down syndrome (DS; n = 25) and typically developing (TD) children matched for mental age (MA; n = 23) using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool. We sought to (1) compare children with DS to a developmentally matched control group, and (2) to characterize the EF profile of children with DS. Across teacher and parent reports, significant deficits in working memory and planning were observed in the DS group. Parents, but not teachers, of children with DS also reported difficulties in inhibitory control relative to the comparison group. Results extend earlier findings regarding EF impairments in children with DS. The complementary role inhibitory control may play in this profile is discussed.
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36
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Edwards LA. A Meta-Analysis of Imitation Abilities in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism Res 2014; 7:363-80. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Edwards
- Harvard Graduate School of Education; Cambridge Massachusetts
- Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts
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Simpson EA, Murray L, Paukner A, Ferrari PF. The mirror neuron system as revealed through neonatal imitation: presence from birth, predictive power and evidence of plasticity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2014; 369:20130289. [PMID: 24778381 PMCID: PMC4006187 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is strong evidence that neonates imitate previously unseen behaviours. These behaviours are predominantly used in social interactions, demonstrating neonates' ability and motivation to engage with others. Research on neonatal imitation can provide a wealth of information about the early mirror neuron system (MNS), namely its functional characteristics, its plasticity from birth and its relation to skills later in development. Although numerous studies document the existence of neonatal imitation in the laboratory, little is known about its natural occurrence during parent-infant interactions and its plasticity as a consequence of experience. We review these critical aspects of imitation, which we argue are necessary for understanding the early action-perception system. We address common criticisms and misunderstandings about neonatal imitation and discuss methodological differences among studies. Recent work reveals that individual differences in neonatal imitation positively correlate with later social, cognitive and motor development. We propose that such variation in neonatal imitation could reflect important individual differences of the MNS. Although postnatal experience is not necessary for imitation, we present evidence that neonatal imitation is influenced by experience in the first week of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Simpson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Parma 43215, Italy
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Poolesville, MD 20837, USA
| | - Lynne Murray
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 7BE, UK
- Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Annika Paukner
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Poolesville, MD 20837, USA
| | - Pier F. Ferrari
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Parma 43215, Italy
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Pankert A, Pankert K, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Konrad K, Kohls G. Responsivity to familiar versus unfamiliar social reward in children with autism. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2014; 121:1199-210. [PMID: 24728874 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-014-1210-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In autism spectrum disorders (ASD), social motivation theories suggest that the core social communication problems seen in children with ASD arise from diminished responsiveness to social reward. Although clinical and experimental data support these theories, the extent to which the reward deficit in ASD is unique for social rewards remains unclear. With the present investigation, we aimed to provide insight into the degree to which sociality as well as familiarity of reward incentives impact motivated goal-directed behavior in children with ASD. To do so, we directly compared the influence of familiar versus unfamiliar social reward relative to nonsocial, monetary reward in children with ASD relative to age- and IQ-matched typically developing controls (TDC) using a visual and auditory incentive go/nogo task with reward contingencies for successful response inhibitions. We found that children with ASD responded stronger to visual familiar and unfamiliar social reward as well as to nonsocial, monetary reward than TDC. While the present data are at odds with predictions made by social motivation theories, individual variations beyond clinical diagnosis, such as reward exposure across various social settings, help explain the pattern of results. The findings of this study stress the necessity for additional research on intra-individual as well as environmental factors that contribute to social reward responsiveness in individuals with ASD versus other neuropsychiatric disorders such as ADHD or conduct disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azarakhsh Pankert
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Neuenhofer Weg 21, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Theory of Mind and Executive Function in Preschoolers with Typical Development Versus Intellectually Able Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2014; 44:2341-54. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2104-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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40
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Faja S, Dawson G. Performance on the dimensional change card sort and backward digit span by young children with autism without intellectual disability. Child Neuropsychol 2013; 20:692-9. [PMID: 24266398 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2013.856395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The early development of executive function (EF) and its relation to autism symptom expression is of considerable theoretical interest, particularly in children without general cognitive delay. Executive function was tested in 23 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability and 20 age- and IQ-matched typically developing children. Even though performance was equivalent between the two groups on tests of general intelligence, flexibility in card sorting was lower for children with ASD. Verbal working memory during the backward digit span did not differ between groups. Among children with ASD, poorer performance on card sorting distinguished a subgroup with worse social-communication functioning above and beyond IQ. Controlling for IQ social and repetitive symptoms of ASD did not differ based on card sorting ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Faja
- a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , University of Washington , Seattle , WA , USA
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41
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Saby JN, Meltzoff AN, Marshall PJ. Infants' somatotopic neural responses to seeing human actions: I've got you under my skin. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77905. [PMID: 24205023 PMCID: PMC3813772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human infants rapidly learn new skills and customs via imitation, but the neural linkages between action perception and production are not well understood. Neuroscience studies in adults suggest that a key component of imitation–identifying the corresponding body part used in the acts of self and other–has an organized neural signature. In adults, perceiving someone using a specific body part (e.g., hand vs. foot) is associated with activation of the corresponding area of the sensory and/or motor strip in the observer’s brain–a phenomenon called neural somatotopy. Here we examine whether preverbal infants also exhibit somatotopic neural responses during the observation of others’ actions. 14-month-old infants were randomly assigned to watch an adult reach towards and touch an object using either her hand or her foot. The scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded and event-related changes in the sensorimotor mu rhythm were analyzed. Mu rhythm desynchronization was greater over hand areas of sensorimotor cortex during observation of hand actions and was greater over the foot area for observation of foot actions. This provides the first evidence that infants’ observation of someone else using a particular body part activates the corresponding areas of sensorimotor cortex. We hypothesize that this somatotopic organization in the developing brain supports imitation and cultural learning. The findings connect developmental cognitive neuroscience, adult neuroscience, action representation, and behavioral imitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joni N. Saby
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrew N. Meltzoff
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Marshall
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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42
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Smithson PE, Kenworthy L, Wills MC, Jarrett M, Atmore K, Yerys BE. Real world executive control impairments in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2013; 43:1967-75. [PMID: 23283628 PMCID: PMC3636150 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-012-1747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
This study examined executive control (EC) in preschoolers with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD) using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). ASD participants were a clinically referred sample of preschoolers; the typically developing control group was selected from the BRIEF-P standardization sample. The ASD group was rated significantly worse on all BRIEF-P scores, and these impairments did not correlate with ASD symptoms. These findings document impairments in real world EC in preschoolers with ASD, and have implications for assessing preschoolers suspected of having an ASD. Furthermore, the findings also converge with BRIEF studies of school-aged children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pontea Etemad Smithson
- Graduate School of Education and Human Development, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lauren Kenworthy
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders/Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Meagan C. Wills
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders/Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Marian Jarrett
- Graduate School of Education and Human Development, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kathleen Atmore
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders/Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Benjamin E. Yerys
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders/Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services, Washington, DC, USA. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Suite 860, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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43
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Faja S, Murias M, Beauchaine TP, Dawson G. Reward-based decision making and electrodermal responding by young children with autism spectrum disorders during a gambling task. Autism Res 2013; 6:494-505. [PMID: 23893954 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we explore reward-based decision making and electrodermal responding (EDR) among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during a children's gambling task. In addition, we examine whether individual behavioral and EDR responses predict social communication, repetitive symptoms, parent reports of executive function, and behavioral challenges. The ability to form advantageous strategies for long-term gain is of interest for children with ASD, who exhibit both difficulty with executive function and atypical responses to reward. Twenty-one children ages 6-7 years with ASD and no intellectual disability, and 21 age- and IQ-matched typically developing children participated. Both groups exhibited a similar pattern of gambling selections, but children with ASD showed less knowledge of the reward contingencies of the decks after playing. In addition, although EDR was similar between groups in anticipation of selections, children with ASD exhibited greater EDR during feedback about rewards as the task progressed. Children with ASD who exhibited the greatest increases in EDR were more likely to exhibit repetitive symptoms, particularly rituals and the need for sameness, as well as internalizing behaviors and reduced executive function in other settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Faja
- Department Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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44
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Jones EJH, Webb SJ, Estes A, Dawson G. Rule learning in autism: the role of reward type and social context. Dev Neuropsychol 2013; 38:58-77. [PMID: 23311315 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2012.727049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Learning abstract rules is central to social and cognitive development. Across two experiments, we used Delayed Non-Matching to Sample tasks to characterize the longitudinal development and nature of rule-learning impairments in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Results showed that children with ASD consistently experienced more difficulty learning an abstract rule from a discrete physical reward than children with DD. Rule learning was facilitated by the provision of more concrete reinforcement, suggesting an underlying difficulty in forming conceptual connections. Learning abstract rules about social stimuli remained challenging through late childhood, indicating the importance of testing executive functions in both social and non-social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J H Jones
- Center on Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
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45
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Stavropoulos KKM, Carver LJ. Research review: Social motivation and oxytocin in autism--implications for joint attention development and intervention. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2013; 54:603-18. [PMID: 23451765 PMCID: PMC3663901 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND SCOPE The social motivation hypothesis (SMH) suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are less intrinsically rewarded by social stimuli than their neurotypical peers. This difference in social motivation has been posited as a factor contributing to social deficits in ASD. Social motivation is thought to involve the neuropeptide oxytocin. Here, we review the evidence for oxytocin effects in ASD, and discuss its potential role in one important social cognitive behavior. METHODS Systematic searches were conducted using the PsychINFO and MEDLINE databases and the search terms 'oxytocin' and 'autism'; the same databases were used for separate searches for 'joint attention', 'intervention', and 'autism', using the same inclusion criteria as an earlier 2011 review but updating it for the period 2010 to October 2012. FINDINGS Several studies suggest that giving oxytocin to both individuals with ASD and neurotypical individuals can enhance performance on social cognitive tasks. Studies that have attempted to intervene in joint attention in ASD suggest that social motivation may be a particular obstacle to lasting effects. CONCLUSIONS The review of the evidence for the SMH suggests a potential role for oxytocin in social motivation deficits in ASD. Because of its importance for later communicative and social development, the focus here is on implications of oxytocin and social motivation in the development of and interventions in joint attention. Joint attention is a central impairment in ASD, and as a result is the focus of several behavioral interventions. In describing this previous research on joint attention interventions in ASD, we pay particular attention to problems encountered in such studies, and propose ways that oxytocin may facilitate behavioral intervention in this area. For future research, integrating behavioral and pharmacological interventions (oxytocin administration) would be a worthwhile experimental direction to improve understanding of the role of oxytocin in ASD and help optimize outcomes for children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leslie J. Carver
- Department of Psychology; University of California; San Diego CA USA
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46
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Wegiel J, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Ma SY, Azmitia EC, Banerjee P, Flory M, Cohen IL, London E, Brown WT, Komich Hare C, Wisniewski T. Contribution of olivofloccular circuitry developmental defects to atypical gaze in autism. Brain Res 2013; 1512:106-22. [PMID: 23558308 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2012] [Revised: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism demonstrate atypical gaze, impairments in smooth pursuit, altered movement perception and deficits in facial perception. The olivofloccular neuronal circuit is a major contributor to eye movement control. This study of the cerebellum in 12 autistic and 10 control subjects revealed dysplastic changes in the flocculus of eight autistic (67%) and two control (20%) subjects. Defects of the oculomotor system, including avoidance of eye contact and poor or no eye contact, were reported in 88% of autistic subjects with postmortem-detected floccular dysplasia. Focal disorganization of the flocculus cytoarchitecture with deficit, altered morphology, and spatial disorientation of Purkinje cells (PCs); deficit and abnormalities of granule, basket, stellate and unipolar brush cells; and structural defects and abnormal orientation of Bergmann glia are indicators of profound disruption of flocculus circuitry in a dysplastic area. The average volume of PCs was 26% less in the dysplastic region than in the unaffected region of the flocculus (p<0.01) in autistic subjects. Moreover, the average volume of PCs in the entire cerebellum was 25% less in the autistic subjects than in the control subjects (p<0.001). Findings from this study and a parallel study of the inferior olive (IO) suggest that focal floccular dysplasia combined with IO neurons and PC developmental defects may contribute to oculomotor system dysfunction and atypical gaze in autistic subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY 10314, United States.
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Keehn B, Müller RA, Townsend J. Atypical attentional networks and the emergence of autism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:164-83. [PMID: 23206665 PMCID: PMC3563720 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Revised: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The sociocommunicative impairments that define autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not present at birth but emerge gradually over the first two years of life. In typical development, basic attentional processes may provide a critical foundation for sociocommunicative abilities. Therefore early attentional dysfunction in ASD may result in atypical development of social communication. Prior research has demonstrated that persons with ASD exhibit early and lifelong impairments in attention. The primary aim of this paper is to provide a review of the extant research on attention in ASD using a framework of functionally independent attentional networks as conceptualized by Posner and colleagues: the alerting, orienting and executive control networks (Posner and Petersen, 1990; Petersen and Posner, 2012). The neural substrates and typical development of each attentional network are briefly discussed, a review of the ASD attention literature is presented, and a hypothesis is proposed that links aberrant attentional mechanisms, specifically impaired disengagement of attention, with the emergence of core ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Keehn
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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48
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Richmond LL, Thorpe M, Berryhill ME, Klugman J, Olson IR. Individual differences in autistic trait load in the general population predict visual working memory performance. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2012; 66:1182-95. [PMID: 23121303 DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2012.734831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Prior studies have reported instances of both intact and impaired working memory (WM) performance in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to investigate the relation between autistic traits that extend into the normal population and WM, 104 normal college-aged students who varied in their levels of autistic traits were tested. The loading of ASD-associated traits in the normal population leads to differing predictions about WM performance. ASD traits related to a local processing style (or "attention to detail") might enhance WM while ASD-associated traits related to difficulty switching attention and reorienting focus (or "social interaction") might impair WM performance. To assess these predictions, participants filled out the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and performed a working memory task with both visual and verbal variants. AQ scores were then broken into "attention to detail" and "social interaction" factors, as proposed by Hoekstra and colleagues. The results showed that AQ scores did not predict verbal WM performance but they did predict visual WM performance. The social interaction and attention to detail factors of the AQ had opposing relationships with visual WM performance: A higher level of social difficulty was associated with significantly poorer visual WM performance while a higher level of attention to detail was associated with enhanced visual WM performance. Further investigation of the relation between AQ and WM using the original five-factor model proposed by Baron-Cohen and colleagues (2001) revealed an association between impoverished imagination and visual WM overall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L Richmond
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
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49
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Schuh JM, Eigsti IM. Working memory, language skills, and autism symptomatology. Behav Sci (Basel) 2012; 2:207-218. [PMID: 25379222 PMCID: PMC4217632 DOI: 10.3390/bs2040207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2012] [Revised: 09/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While many studies have reported working memory (WM) impairments in autism spectrum disorders, others do not. Sample characteristics, WM domain, and task complexity likely contribute to these discrepancies. Although deficits in visuospatial WM have been more consistently documented, there is much controversy regarding verbal WM in autism. The goal of the current study was to explore visuospatial and verbal WM in a well-controlled sample of children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and typical development. Individuals ages 9–17 with HFA (n = 18) and typical development (n = 18), were carefully matched on gender, age, IQ, and language, and were administered a series of standardized visuospatial and verbal WM tasks. The HFA group displayed significant impairment across WM domains. No differences in performance were noted across WM tasks for either the HFA or typically developing groups. Over and above nonverbal cognition, WM abilities accounted for significant variance in language skills and symptom severity. The current study suggests broad WM limitations in HFA. We further suggest that deficits in verbal WM are observed in more complex tasks, as well as in simpler tasks, such as phonological WM. Increased task complexity and linguistic demands may influence WM abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M. Schuh
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology-FWC, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 West Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-414-805-5668; Fax: +1-414-259-9012
| | - Inge-Marie Eigsti
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, U-1020, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; E-Mail:
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50
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Strid K, Heimann M, Tjus T. Pretend play, deferred imitation and parent-child interaction in speaking and non-speaking children with autism. Scand J Psychol 2012; 54:26-32. [PMID: 23121545 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karin Strid
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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