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Qin T, Wang Z, Li X, Zhang S. Selective Attentional Networks Deficits in Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From Attention Network Test. Psychiatry Investig 2023; 20:721-729. [PMID: 37559453 PMCID: PMC10460981 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2022.0248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We primarily aimed to investigate the attention network function among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the Attention Network Test (ANT). The secondary objective was to observe whether the three attention networks of all participants were related to each other. METHODS We included 28 parents of children with ASD and 28 well-matched parents of typically developing children. All participants underwent the neuropsychological assessment and ANT test. The three distinct attention networks, including alerting, orienting, and executive control, were also measured. RESULTS Compared with controls, parents of children with ASD showed less-efficient alerting and executive control network (all p<0.05), but not orienting network (p=0.74). No significant correlation was found between the alerting, orienting, and executive control network for either group. CONCLUSION Our findings showed that parents of children with ASD had deficits in alerting and executive control attention functions. The deficits are indications of a broad autism phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Qin
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zihan Wang
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Shunhua Zhang
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
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Anquetil M, Roche-Labarbe N, Rossi S. Tactile sensory processing as a precursor of executive attention: Toward early detection of attention impairments and neurodevelopmental disorders. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022:e1640. [PMID: 36574728 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies in developmental neuroscience tend to show the existence of neural attention networks from birth. Their construction is based on the first sensory experiences that allow us to learn the patterns of the world surrounding us and preserve our limited attentional resources. Touch is the first sensory modality to develop, although it is still little studied in developmental psychology in contrast to distal modalities such as audition or vision. Atypical tactile sensory processing at an early age could predict later attention dysfunction, both of them being part of the symptomatology of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). We review the state of knowledge on tactile sensory processing and its links with attention, executive attention (EA) in particular, and propose that abnormal tactile sensory processing at an early age could provide markers of EA dysfunctions, contributing to the early detection of NDD. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Attention.
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Sabag M, Geva R. Hyper and hypo attention networks activations affect social development in children with autism spectrum disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:902041. [PMID: 36034110 PMCID: PMC9403843 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.902041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a range of social and non-social attention deficits. To date, most studies assessed the neurological framework or discrete behavioral traits related to one attention network, leaving a gap in the understanding of the developmental cascade affecting the inter-relations among attention networks in ASD in a pervasive manner. We propose a theoretical framework that integrates the behavioral deficits and neurological manifestations through a cohesive developmental prism of attention networks’ activations while assessing their impact on social deficits in children with ASD. Insights arising from the model suggest hyper-and-hypoactivation of posterior attention networks leads to an altered prefrontal anterior attention network weight in ways that conjointly impact social performance in ASD. This perspective on how attention networks develop and interact in ASD may inform future research directions regarding ASD and attention development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Sabag
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Developmental Neuropsychology Lab, The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ronny Geva
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Developmental Neuropsychology Lab, The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- *Correspondence: Ronny Geva,
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4
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Psychophysiological aspects of autism spectrum disorder. Int J Health Sci (Qassim) 2022. [DOI: 10.53730/ijhs.v6ns1.6096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental illness marked by chronic difficulties with mutual social interaction and communication, as well as restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. ASD symptoms commonly appear in early childhood and can be identified by the age of 2 years. Early detection of ASD allows for better therapeutic interventions and management, which has been shown to lessen children's long-term intellectual, behavioral, and functional deficits while also improving family consequences. In the present review, we are focusing on important psychophysiological aspects of autism spectrum disorders.
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Pudło M, Pisula E. Efficiency of attentional processes in attention network theory and autistic symptoms in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:950245. [PMID: 36311533 PMCID: PMC9614655 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.950245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attentional impairments in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been studied extensively, particularly in toddlers and young children. Attentional processes in teenagers with ASD are not fully understood, nor are the relationships between attentional deficits and ASD symptoms in this group. METHOD The aim of this study was to measure the attentional characteristics that attention network theory posits as being related to attention processes: alerting, orientating, and executive attention. We included 37 adolescents (aged 12-20) with ASD and Wechsler IQ in the normal range (≥70) and 37 neurotypical counterparts (NT) matched in terms of age, gender, and IQ. Symptoms of ASD were measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R). RESULTS The adolescents with ASD reacted more slowly in all task conditions of the Attention Network Test and committed more errors in six of seven task conditions of this test. There were no group differences in the effects of alerting, orienting, and executive attention. We found moderate correlations of the effect of executive attention with three scales of ADOS-2 (communication, social functioning, and restricted behavior), as well as with the social scale and restricted behavior of ADI-R. CONCLUSION The results indicate that adolescents with ASD performed tasks requiring alerting and orienting attention less efficiently than their counterparts in terms of correctness and reaction time. The relationships between executive attention measures and communication and social affect is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Pudło
- Department of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Pisula
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Attention allows us to select relevant information from the background. Although several studies have described that cannabis use induces deleterious effects on attention, it remains unclear if cannabis dependence affects the attention network systems differently. OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether customary consumption of cannabis or cannabis dependence impacts the alerting, orienting, and executive control systems in young adults; to find out whether it is related to tobacco or alcohol dependence and if cannabis use characteristics are associated with the attention network systems. METHOD One-hundred and fifty-four healthy adults and 102 cannabis users performed the Attention Network Test (ANT) to evaluate the alerting, orienting, and executive control systems. RESULTS Cannabis use enhanced the alerting system but decreased the orienting system. Moreover, those effects seem to be associated with cannabis dependence. Out of all the cannabis-using variables, only the age of onset of cannabis use significantly predicted the efficiency of the orienting and executive control systems. CONCLUSION Cannabis dependence favors tonic alertness but reduces selective attention ability; earlier use of cannabis worsens the efficiency of selective attention and resolution of conflicts.
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7
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Venker CE, Mathée J, Neumann D, Edwards J, Saffran J, Ellis Weismer S. Competing Perceptual Salience in a Visual Word Recognition Task Differentially Affects Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:1147-1162. [PMID: 33372400 PMCID: PMC8192461 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Differences in visual attention have long been recognized as a central characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Regardless of social content, children with ASD show a strong preference for perceptual salience-how interesting (i.e., striking) certain stimuli are, based on their visual properties (e.g., color, geometric patterning). However, we do not know the extent to which attentional allocation preferences for perceptual salience persist when they compete with top-down, linguistic information. This study examined the impact of competing perceptual salience on visual word recognition in 17 children with ASD (mean age 31 months) and 17 children with typical development (mean age 20 months) matched on receptive language skills. A word recognition task presented two images on a screen, one of which was named (e.g., Find the bowl!). On Neutral trials, both images had high salience (i.e., were colorful and had geometric patterning). On Competing trials, the distracter image had high salience but the target image had low salience, creating competition between bottom-up (i.e., salience-driven) and top-down (i.e., language-driven) processes. Though both groups of children showed word recognition in an absolute sense, competing perceptual salience significantly decreased attention to the target only in the children with ASD. These findings indicate that perceptual properties of objects can disrupt attention to relevant information in children with ASD, which has implications for supporting their language development. Findings also demonstrate that perceptual salience affects attentional allocation preferences in children with ASD, even in the absence of social stimuli. LAY SUMMARY: This study found that visually striking objects distract young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from looking at relevant (but less striking) objects named by an adult. Language-matched, younger children with typical development were not significantly affected by this visual distraction. Though visual distraction could have cascading negative effects on language development in children with ASD, learning opportunities that build on children's focus of attention are likely to support positive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Venker
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, Michigan, USA
| | - Janine Mathée
- Waisman Center and Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Dominik Neumann
- College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Jan Edwards
- Waisman Center and Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Maryland Science Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Jenny Saffran
- Waisman Center and Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Susan Ellis Weismer
- Waisman Center and Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Huang W, Zhang L, Sun Y, Chen F, Wang K. The Prediction Analysis of Autistic and Schizotypal Traits in Attentional Networks. Psychiatry Investig 2021; 18:417-425. [PMID: 33910323 PMCID: PMC8169336 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2020.0251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Empirical findings confirmed that autistic and schizotypal traits are associated with attentional function as well as include various dimensions. So far, no study has reported which dimension of these traits relates to attentional networks. This study aimed to find out whether there are associations between attentional networks and autistic traits; and between attentional networks and schizotypal traits. METHODS A total of 449 volunteers was included in this study, and autism-spectrum quotient (AQ), schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ), and attention network test (ANT) were used to measure autistic traits and schizotypal traits. The three independent attentional networks, including alerting network, orienting network, and executive control network, were also measured. RESULTS Autistic traits were associated with the orienting network, whereas schizotypal traits were associated with the orienting network and executive control network. Furthermore, attentional networks could be predicted by specific dimensions of autistic and schizotypal traits. AQ-attention switching [0.104 (-1.175- -0.025), p=0.041] and AQ-attention to detail [-0.097 (-0.798- -0.001), p=0.049] were significant predictors of orienting network and gender were significant predictor of executive network (Beta=0.107; 95% CI=-0.476-10.139; p=0.031). Whereas, schizotypal dimension "interpersonal" was a significant predictor of all three attentional networks [Alerting: 0.147 (-0.010-0.861), p=0.045; Orienting: 0.147 (0.018-0.733), p=0.040; Executive: 0.198 (0.215-1.309), p=0.006]. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that autistic and schizotypal traits were associated with attentional networks. The specific dimensions of autistic and schizotypal traits could predict attentional networks. Nevertheless, the attentional networks predicted with these two traits were different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanling Huang
- Department of Neurology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei, China.,Department of Medical Psychology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yaoting Sun
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | | | - Kai Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei, China.,Department of Medical Psychology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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9
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McDougal E, Riby DM, Hanley M. Profiles of academic achievement and attention in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 106:103749. [PMID: 32858397 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic outcomes for autistic individuals are heterogeneous, but the reasons for this are unknown. Attention is known to predict learning in typical development, but there is less evidence about this relationship in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), even though attention is reported as atypical in this group. AIMS To investigate reading and maths achievement profiles for children with and without an ASD, focusing on the role of attention in these profiles and to enable a better understanding of individual differences. METHODS Reading, maths and attention abilities of 22 autistic children (6-16 years) and 59 TD children (6-11 years) were measured using standardised assessments. RESULTS A hierarchical cluster analysis that included all children (N = 81) revealed three distinct transdiagnostic subgroups, characterised by children with good, average, and poorer divided attention and academic achievement respectively. Children with poorer attention and achievement displayed relative weaknesses in maths, while children with average or above-average attention and achievement showed no such weakness. CONCLUSIONS The findings provide a novel insight into the relationship between attention and achievement and understanding individual differences in ASD and typical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily McDougal
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, 20 Sylvan Place, Edinburgh EH9 1UW, UK
| | - Deborah M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Mary Hanley
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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10
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Mash LE, Klein RM, Townsend J. Brief Report: A Gaming Approach to the Assessment of Attention Networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:2607-2615. [PMID: 29948528 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3635-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Attentional impairments are among the earliest identifiable features of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Three attention networks have been extensively studied using the attention network test (ANT), but this long and repetitive task may pose challenges for individuals with ASDs. The AttentionTrip was developed as a more engaging measure of attention network efficiency. In 20 adults with ASDs and 20 typically developing controls, both tasks produced typical network scores (all p < .003, all Cohen's d > 0.78). Reaction time was less variable in the AttentionTrip than the ANT, possibly reflecting improved task engagement. Although the AttentionTrip elicited more consistent responses throughout an experimental session, anomalously low split-half reliability for its executive control network suggests that some changes may be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E Mash
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Raymond M Klein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Jeanne Townsend
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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11
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Boxhoorn S, Bast N, Supèr H, Polzer L, Cholemkery H, Freitag CM. Pupil dilation during visuospatial orienting differentiates between autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:614-624. [PMID: 31853987 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research demonstrated atypical attention in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Regarding visual orienting, findings suggest a differential impairment: Atypical orienting to relatively unexpected targets in ASD, and atypical processing of alerting cues in ADHD. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system plays an important role in exploiting alerting cues to increase attention and task performance. The present study's aim was to examine differential subcortical processes underlying visual orienting in ASD and ADHD with pupil dilation (PD) as index of LC activity. METHODS Pupil dilation (PD) progression metrics during visual orienting were calculated for task-evoked PD locked to cue, stimulus onset, and behavioral response. Group differences in PD and reaction time (RT) were compared between children with ASD without ADHD (ASD-) (N = 18), ADHD without ASD (ADHD-) (N = 28), both disorders (ASD + ADHD) (N = 14), and typically developing children (TD) (N = 31) using linear mixed models (LMM). To further explore the modulatory role of the LC-NE system group differences in the effect of task-evoked PD metrics on RT were examined exploratively. RESULTS ASD (+ADHD) showed slower orienting responses to relatively unexpected spatial target stimuli as compared to TD, which was accompanied by higher PD amplitudes relative to ADHD- and TD. In ADHD-, shorter cue-evoked PD latencies relative to ASD-, ASD + ADHD, and TD were found. Group differences in the effect of cue- and stimulus-evoked PD amplitudes on RT were found in ASD- relative to TD. CONCLUSIONS Study findings provide new evidence for a specific role of the LC-NE system in impaired reflexive orienting responses in ASD, and atypical visual processing of alerting cues in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Boxhoorn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hans Supèr
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leonie Polzer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hannah Cholemkery
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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12
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Ridderinkhof A, de Bruin EI, van den Driesschen S, Bögels SM. Attention in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Program. J Atten Disord 2020; 24:681-692. [PMID: 30222027 PMCID: PMC7003152 DOI: 10.1177/1087054718797428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show atypical attention. Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs), with self-regulation of attention as a basic component, could benefit these children. Method: We investigated how 49 children with ASD differed from 51 typically developing (TD) children in their attention systems; and whether their attention systems were improved by an MBP for children and their parents (MYmind), using a cognitive measure of attention, the Attention Network Test. Results: Children with ASD did not differ from TD children in the speed of the attention systems, but were somewhat less accurate in their orienting and executive attention. Also, MYmind did not significantly improve attention, although trend effects indicated improved orienting and executive attention. Robustness checks supported these improvements. Conclusion: Trend effects of the MBP on the attention systems of children with ASD were revealed, as well as minor differences between children with ASD and TD children in their attention systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ridderinkhof
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Anna Ridderinkhof, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Esther I. de Bruin
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Susan M. Bögels
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands,UvA minds, The Netherlands
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13
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Park J, Miller CA, Sanjeevan T, van Hell JG, Weiss DJ, Mainela-Arnold E. Bilingualism and Attention in Typically Developing Children and Children With Developmental Language Disorder. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2019; 62:4105-4118. [PMID: 31652405 DOI: 10.1044/2019_jslhr-l-18-0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The aim of the current study was to investigate whether dual language experience modulates the efficiency of the 3 attentional networks (alerting, orienting, and executive control) in typically developing (TD) children and in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Method We examined the attentional networks in monolingual and bilingual school-aged children (ages 8-12 years) with and without DLD. TD children (35 monolinguals, 23 bilinguals) and children with DLD (17 monolinguals, 9 bilinguals) completed the Attention Network Test (Fan et al., 2002; Fan, McCandliss, Fossella, Flombaum, & Posner, 2005). Results Children with DLD exhibited poorer executive control than TD children, but executive control was not modified by bilingual experience. The bilingual group with DLD and both TD groups exhibited an orienting effect, but the monolingual group with DLD did not. No group differences were found for alerting. Conclusions Children with DLD have weak executive control skills. These skills are minimally influenced by dual language experience, at least in this age range. A potential bilingual advantage in orienting may be present in the DLD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisook Park
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Carol A Miller
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Teenu Sanjeevan
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Janet G van Hell
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Daniel J Weiss
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Elina Mainela-Arnold
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland
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14
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Distractor Inhibition in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence of a Selective Impairment for Individuals with Co-occurring Motor Difficulties. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 49:669-682. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3744-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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15
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Willford JA, Singhabahu D, Herat A, Richardson GA. An examination of the association between prenatal cocaine exposure and brain activation measures of arousal and attention in young adults: An fMRI study using the Attention Network Task. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 69:1-10. [PMID: 29953942 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal drug exposure, including cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, is associated with deficits in behavioral regulation and attention. Using fMRI, the objective of this study was to characterize the association between prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) and the underlying neural substrates associated with behavioral outcomes of attention. Forty-seven young adults were recruited for this study from the ongoing Maternal Health Practices and Child Development (MHPCD) Project, a longitudinal study of the effects of PCE on growth, behavior, and cognitive function. Three groups were compared: 1) prenatal exposure to cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco (CAMT, n = 15), 2) prenatal exposure to alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco (AMT, n = 17), and 3) no prenatal exposure to drugs (Controls, n = 15). Subjects were frequency matched on gender, race, handedness, and 15-year IQ. This study used the theoretical model proposed by Posner and Peterson (1990), which posits three dissociable components of attention: alerting, orienting, and executive attention. Subjects completed a functional MRI (fMRI) scan while performing the Attention Network Task, a validated neuroimaging measure of the 3-network model of attention. Behavioral and fMRI data revealed no associations between PCE and task accuracy, speed of processing, or activation in key brain regions associated with each of the attention networks. The results of this study show that any subtle differences in brain function associated with PCE are not detectable using the ANT task and fMRI. These results should be interpreted in the context of other studies that have found associations between PCE and arousal with emotionally arousing stimuli, compared to this study that found no associations using emotionally neutral stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Willford
- Department of Psychology, Slippery Rock University, 1 Morrow Way, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, United States of America.
| | - Dil Singhabahu
- Department of Mathematics, Slippery Rock University, 1 Morrow Way, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, United States of America.
| | - Athula Herat
- Department of Physics, Slippery Rock University, 1 Morrow Way, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, United States of America.
| | - Gale A Richardson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States of America.
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16
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Bast N, Poustka L, Freitag CM. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system as pacemaker of attention - a developmental mechanism of derailed attentional function in autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 47:115-125. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy; University Hospital; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; Deutschordenstraße 50 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Medical Faculty Mannheim; Central Institute of Mental Health; Heidelberg University; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Medical Faculty Mannheim; Central Institute of Mental Health; Heidelberg University; Heidelberg Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Göttingen; Medical University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Christine M. Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy; University Hospital; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; Deutschordenstraße 50 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
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17
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Hames EC, Rajmohan R, Fang D, Anderson R, Baker M, Richman DM, O'Boyle M. Attentional Networks in Adolescents with High-functioning Autism: An fMRI Investigation. Open Neuroimag J 2016; 10:102-110. [PMID: 27843514 PMCID: PMC5074002 DOI: 10.2174/1874440001610010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Attentional deficits in Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often noted, but their specific nature remains unclear. Objective: The present study used the child Attentional Network Task (Child ANT) in combination with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine if the consistently cited deficits of orienting attention are truly due to dysfunctions of orienting-based networks. We hypothesized that these observations are, in fact, a reflection of executive dysfunctions. As such, we expected that although ASD adolescents would perform worse on the orienting portion of the Child ANT, the strongest differences in activation between them and the neurotypical (NT) control group would be in areas classically associated with executive functioning (e.g., the frontal gyri and anterior cingulate cortex). Method: The brain activity of six high-functioning adolescents with ASD and six NT adolescents was recorded while these individuals performed the three subcomponents of the Child ANT. Results: ASDs were shown to be more accurate than NTs for the alerting, less accurate for the orienting, and similar in accuracy for the executive portions of the Child ANT. fMRI data showed increased bilateral frontal gyri recruitment, areas conventionally associated with executive control, during the orienting task for the ASD group. Conclusion: We submit that the increased activations represent neurocorrelates of signal fixation attributable to the subset of executive control responsible for sustained maintenance signals, not the main components of orienting. Therefore, excessive fixation in ASD adolescents is likely due to dysfunctions of executive control and not the orienting subcomponent of the attention network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Hames
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Ravi Rajmohan
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Dan Fang
- College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Ronald Anderson
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Mary Baker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - David M Richman
- College of Education, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Michael O'Boyle
- College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
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18
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Leng Y, Shi Y, Yu Q, Van Horn JD, Tang H, Li J, Xu W, Ge X, Tang Y, Han Y, Zhang D, Xiao M, Zhang H, Pang Z, Toga AW, Liu S. Phenotypic and Genetic Correlations Between the Lobar Segments of the Inferior Fronto-occipital Fasciculus and Attention. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33015. [PMID: 27597294 PMCID: PMC5011720 DOI: 10.1038/srep33015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention deficits may present dysfunctions in any one or two components of attention (alerting, orienting, and executive control (EC)). However, these various forms of attention deficits generally have abnormal microstructure integrity of inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF). In this work, we aim to deeply explore: (1) associations between microstructure integrities of IFOF (including frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and insular segments) and attention by means of structural equation models and multiple regression analyses; (2) genetic/environmental effects on IFOF, attention, and their correlations using bivariate genetic analysis. EC function was attributed to the fractional anisotropy (FA) of left (correlation was driven by genetic and environmental factors) and right IFOF (correlation was driven by environmental factors), especially to left frontal part and right occipital part (correlation was driven by genetic factors). Alerting was associated with FA in parietal and insular parts of left IFOF. No significant correlation was found between orienting and IFOF. This study revealed the advantages of lobar-segmental analysis in structure-function correlation study and provided the anatomical basis for kinds of attention deficits. The common genetic/environmental factors implicated in the certain correlations suggested the common physiological mechanisms for two traits, which should promote the discovery of single-nucleotide polymorphisms affecting IFOF and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Leng
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Yonggang Shi
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Qiaowen Yu
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - John Darrell Van Horn
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Haiyan Tang
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Junning Li
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Wenjian Xu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xinting Ge
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yuchun Tang
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yan Han
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 266033 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Min Xiao
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Huaqiang Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 266033 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Zengchang Pang
- Department of Epidemiology, Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 266033 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Arthur W. Toga
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Shuwei Liu
- Research Center for Sectional Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Shandong University School of Medicine, 44 Wen-hua Xi Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China
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