1
|
Ong LT, Fan SWD. Morphological and Functional Changes of Cerebral Cortex in Autism Spectrum Disorder. INNOVATIONS IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 20:40-47. [PMID: 38193097 PMCID: PMC10773605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by early-onset impairments in socialization, communication, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests. ASD exhibits considerable heterogeneity, with clinical presentations varying across individuals and age groups. The pathophysiology of ASD is hypothesized to be due to abnormal brain development influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. One of the most consistent morphological parameters for assessing the abnormal brain structures in patients with ASD is cortical thickness. Studies have shown changes in the cortical thickness within the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes of individuals with ASD. These changes in cortical thickness often correspond to specific clinical features observed in individuals with ASD. Furthermore, the aberrant brain anatomical features and cortical thickness alterations may lead to abnormal brain connectivity and synaptic structure. Additionally, ASD is associated with cortical hyperplasia in early childhood, followed by a cortical plateau and subsequent decline in later stages of development. However, research in this area has yielded contradictory findings regarding the cortical thickness across various brain regions in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leong Tung Ong
- Both authors are with Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Si Wei David Fan
- Both authors are with Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Noel JP, Angelaki DE. A theory of autism bridging across levels of description. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:631-641. [PMID: 37183143 PMCID: PMC10330321 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Autism impacts a wide range of behaviors and neural functions. As such, theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are numerous and span different levels of description, from neurocognitive to molecular. We propose how existent behavioral, computational, algorithmic, and neural accounts of ASD may relate to one another. Specifically, we argue that ASD may be cast as a disorder of causal inference (computational level). This computation relies on marginalization, which is thought to be subserved by divisive normalization (algorithmic level). In turn, divisive normalization may be impaired by excitatory-to-inhibitory imbalances (neural implementation level). We also discuss ASD within similar frameworks, those of predictive coding and circular inference. Together, we hope to motivate work unifying the different accounts of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Noel
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Dora E Angelaki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA; Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Field DT, Cracknell RO, Eastwood JR, Scarfe P, Williams CM, Zheng Y, Tavassoli T. High-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression. Hum Psychopharmacol 2022; 37:e2852. [PMID: 35851507 PMCID: PMC9787829 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Vitamins B6 and B12 are involved in metabolic processes that decrease neural excitation and increase inhibition. This double-blind study investigated the effects of supplementation for 1 month with a high-dose of B6 or B12, compared to placebo, on a range of behavioural outcome measures connected to the balance between neural inhibition and excitation. METHODS 478 young adults were recruited over five linked phases. Self-reported anxiety (N = 265) and depression (N = 146) were assessed at baseline and after supplementation. Several sensory measures acted as assays of inhibitory function and were assessed post-supplementation only; these were surround suppression of visual contrast detection (N = 307), binocular rivalry reversal rate (N = 172), and a battery of tactile sensitivity tests (N = 180). RESULTS Vitamin B6 supplementation reduced self-reported anxiety and induced a trend towards reduced depression, as well as increased surround suppression of visual contrast detection, but did not reliably influence the other outcome measures. Vitamin B12 supplementation produced trends towards changes in anxiety and visual processing. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that high-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation increases inhibitory GABAergic neural influences, which is consistent with its known role in the synthesis of GABA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David T. Field
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Rebekah O. Cracknell
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Jessica R. Eastwood
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Peter Scarfe
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Claire M. Williams
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Ying Zheng
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Teresa Tavassoli
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Park S, Zikopoulos B, Yazdanbakhsh A. Visual illusion susceptibility in autism: A neural model. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:4246-4265. [PMID: 35701859 PMCID: PMC9541695 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
While atypical sensory perception is reported among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the underlying neural mechanisms of autism that give rise to disruptions in sensory perception remain unclear. We developed a neural model with key physiological, functional and neuroanatomical parameters to investigate mechanisms underlying the range of representations of visual illusions related to orientation perception in typically developed subjects compared to individuals with ASD. Our results showed that two theorized autistic traits, excitation/inhibition imbalance and weakening of top‐down modulation, could be potential candidates for reduced susceptibility to some visual illusions. Parametric correlation between cortical suppression, balance of excitation/inhibition, feedback from higher visual areas on one hand and susceptibility to a class of visual illusions related to orientation perception on the other hand provide the opportunity to investigate the contribution and complex interactions of distinct sensory processing mechanisms in ASD. The novel approach used in this study can be used to link behavioural, functional and neuropathological studies; estimate and predict perceptual and cognitive heterogeneity in ASD; and form a basis for the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sangwook Park
- Computational Neuroscience and Vision Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Basilis Zikopoulos
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arash Yazdanbakhsh
- Computational Neuroscience and Vision Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zoltowski AR, Lyu I, Failla M, Mash LE, Dunham K, Feldman JI, Woynaroski TG, Wallace MT, Barquero LA, Nguyen TQ, Cutting LE, Kang H, Landman BA, Cascio CJ. Cortical Morphology in Autism: Findings from a Cortical Shape-Adaptive Approach to Local Gyrification Indexing. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5188-5205. [PMID: 34195789 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been challenging to elucidate the differences in brain structure that underlie behavioral features of autism. Prior studies have begun to identify patterns of changes in autism across multiple structural indices, including cortical thickness, local gyrification, and sulcal depth. However, common approaches to local gyrification indexing used in prior studies have been limited by low spatial resolution relative to functional brain topography. In this study, we analyze the aforementioned structural indices, utilizing a new method of local gyrification indexing that quantifies this index adaptively in relation to specific sulci/gyri, improving interpretation with respect to functional organization. Our sample included n = 115 autistic and n = 254 neurotypical participants aged 5-54, and we investigated structural patterns by group, age, and autism-related behaviors. Differing structural patterns by group emerged in many regions, with age moderating group differences particularly in frontal and limbic regions. There were also several regions, particularly in sensory areas, in which one or more of the structural indices of interest either positively or negatively covaried with autism-related behaviors. Given the advantages of this approach, future studies may benefit from its application in hypothesis-driven examinations of specific brain regions and/or longitudinal studies to assess brain development in autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alisa R Zoltowski
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Ilwoo Lyu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Michelle Failla
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,College of Nursing, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lisa E Mash
- San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Kacie Dunham
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jacob I Feldman
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Tiffany G Woynaroski
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Laura A Barquero
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Tin Q Nguyen
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Laurie E Cutting
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Hakmook Kang
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Bennett A Landman
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Carissa J Cascio
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.,Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jagtap AR, Brascamp JW. Does Cortical Inhibition Explain the Correlation Between Bistable Perception Paradigms? Iperception 2021; 12:20416695211020018. [PMID: 34104385 PMCID: PMC8161874 DOI: 10.1177/20416695211020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
When observers view a perceptually bistable stimulus, their perception changes stochastically. Various studies have shown across-observer correlations in the percept durations for different bistable stimuli including binocular rivalry stimuli and bistable moving plaids. Previous work on binocular rivalry posits that neural inhibition in the visual hierarchy is a factor involved in the perceptual fluctuations in that paradigm. Here, in order to investigate whether between-observer variability in cortical inhibition underlies correlated percept durations between binocular rivalry and bistable moving plaid perception, we used center-surround suppression as a behavioral measure of cortical inhibition. We recruited 217 participants in a test battery that included bistable perception paradigms as well as a center-surround suppression paradigm. While we were able to successfully replicate the correlations between binocular rivalry and bistable moving plaid perception, we did not find a correlation between center-surround suppression strength and percept durations for any form of bistable perception. Moreover, the results from a mediation analysis indicate that center-surround suppression is not the mediating factor in the correlation between binocular rivalry and bistable moving plaids. These results do not support the idea that cortical inhibition can explain the between-observer correlation in mean percept duration between binocular rivalry and bistable moving plaid perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhilasha R. Jagtap
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States
| | - Jan W. Brascamp
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang M, Jiao J, Hu X, Yang P, Huang Y, Situ M, Guo K, Cai J, Huang Y. Exploring the spatial working memory and visual perception in children with autism spectrum disorder and general population with high autism-like traits. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235552. [PMID: 32645114 PMCID: PMC7347168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study is to compare the spatial working memory and visual perception between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing control (TDC). Furthermore, this study validated whether this impairment was a feature of autism in general population with different autism-like traits (ALTs). This study contains two parts: case-control study and community population study. The ASD group and the control group were enlisted voluntarily (ASD group, n = 52; control group, n = 32). In the population study, we recruited 2994 children. Based on the scores of Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), children were divided into two groups (higher ALTs n = 122, lower ALTs n = 122). The participants completed the cognition tasks focusing on spatial working memory, visual-motor integration, and Intelligence. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted, with potential confounders IQ, age, and gender were controlled. Pearson correlations were computed by controlling the IQ and age as covariate to better understand the relations between visual perception, spatial working memory, and autism-like traits. In the case-control study, the results of cognition tasks focusing on the spatial working memory and visual perception indicated underperformance in children with ASD. In the community population study, we found that individuals with higher ALTs performed worse than children with lower ALTs in spatial working memory. Pearson correlation analysis suggested that a correlation between SWM total errors and visual perception was identified both in the children with ASD and in community population (ASD group, r = -0.592, p<0.001; general population, r = -0.201, p = 0.003). It suggested that spatial working memory deficit was a characteristic of autism, and may be distributed across the general population. Furthermore, we speculated a correlation between spatial working memory and visual perception in children with ASD and in general population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manxue Zhang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jian Jiao
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Pingyuan Yang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingjing Situ
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kuifang Guo
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jia Cai
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Maróthi R, Csigó K, Kéri S. Early-Stage Vision and Perceptual Imagery in Autism Spectrum Conditions. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:337. [PMID: 31632255 PMCID: PMC6781947 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are characterized by multifaceted alterations in visual perception and mental imagery. However, the interaction between early-stage visual perception and imagery has not been explored. We recruited 40 individuals with ASC and 20 neurotypical control volunteers to participate in a lateral masking task. Participants detected a luminance-contrast target pattern (Gabor patch) flanked by two collinear masks. The flanking masks inhibit target detection at small target-mask distances and facilitate target detection at intermediate target-mask distances. In the perceptual task, the masks appeared adjacent to the target. In the imagery task, participants imagined the masks immediately after seeing them. Results revealed that individuals with ASC characterized by exceptional visuoconstructional abilities (enhanced Block Design performance; n = 20) showed weaker inhibition at small target-mask distances and stronger facilitation at intermediate target-mask distances relative to the controls. Visual imagery was markedly dampened in ASC regardless of the visuoconstructional abilities. At the behavioral level, these results indicate increased facilitation via lateral connections in the primary visual cortex (V1) of individuals with ASC who exhibit exceptional visuoconstructional abilities, together with less efficient mental imagery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebeka Maróthi
- Nyírö Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Csigó
- Nyírö Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Kéri
- Nyírö Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Spiegel A, Mentch J, Haskins AJ, Robertson CE. Slower Binocular Rivalry in the Autistic Brain. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2948-2953.e3. [PMID: 31422885 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Autism has traditionally been regarded as a disorder of the social brain. Recent reports of differences in visual perception have challenged this notion, but little evidence for altered visual processing in the autistic brain exists. We have previously observed slower behaviorally reported rates of a basic visual phenomenon, binocular rivalry, in autism [1, 2]. During rivalry, two images-one presented to each eye-vie for awareness, alternating back and forth in perception. This competition is modeled to rely, in part, on the balance of excitation and inhibition in visual cortex [3-8], which may be altered in autism [2, 9-14]. Yet direct neural evidence for this potential marker of excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in autism is lacking. Here, we report a striking alteration in the neural dynamics of binocular rivalry in individuals with autism. Participants viewed true and simulated frequency-tagged binocular rivalry displays while steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) were measured over occipital cortex using electroencephalography (EEG). First, we replicate our prior behavioral findings of slower rivalry and reduced perceptual suppression in individuals with autism compared with controls. Second, we provide direct neural evidence for slower rivalry in autism compared with controls, which strongly predicted individuals' behavioral switch rates. Finally, using neural data alone, we were able to predict autism symptom severity (ADOS) and correctly classify individuals' diagnostic status (autistic versus control; 87% accuracy). These findings clearly implicate atypical visual processing in the neurobiology of autism. Down the road, this paradigm may serve as a non-verbal marker of autism for developmental and cross-species research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alina Spiegel
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jeff Mentch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Amanda J Haskins
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Caroline E Robertson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Van de Cruys S, Vanmarcke S, Steyaert J, Wagemans J. Intact perceptual bias in autism contradicts the decreased normalization model. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12559. [PMID: 30135505 PMCID: PMC6105689 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31042-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
One recent, promising account of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) situates the cause of the disorder in an atypicality in basic neural information processing, more specifically in how activity of one neuron is modulated by neighboring neurons. The canonical neural computation that implements such contextual influence is called divisive (or suppressive) normalization. The account proposes that this normalization is reduced in ASD. We tested one fundamental prediction of this model for low-level perception, namely that individuals with ASD would show reduced cross-orientation suppression (leading to an illusory tilt perception). 11 young adults with an ASD diagnosis and 12 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched control participants performed a psychophysical orientation perception task with compound grating stimuli. Illusory tilt perception did not differ significantly between groups, indicating typical divisive normalization in individuals with ASD. In fact, all individuals with ASD showed a considerable orientation bias. There was also no correlation between illusory tilt perception and autistic traits as measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale. These results provide clear evidence against the decreased divisive normalization model of ASD in low-level perception, where divisive normalization is best characterized. We evaluate the broader existing evidence for this model and propose ways to salvage and refine the model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sander Van de Cruys
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Steven Vanmarcke
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Johan Wagemans
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wykes KM, Hugrass L, Crewther DP. Autistic Traits Are Not a Strong Predictor of Binocular Rivalry Dynamics. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:338. [PMID: 29867339 PMCID: PMC5967175 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that differences in binocular rivalry switching rates and mixed percept durations in ASD could serve as a biomarker of excitation/inhibition imbalances in the autistic brain. If so, one would expect these differences to extend to neurotypical groups with high vs. low levels of autistic tendency. Previous studies did not detect any correlations between binocular rivalry dynamics and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) scores in neurotypical control groups; however it is unclear whether this was due to the characteristics of the rivalry stimuli that were used. We further investigated this possibility in a sample of neurotypical young adults. The binocular rivalry stimuli were simple gratings, complex objects, or scrambled objects, which were presented dichoptically, either at fixation or in the periphery. A Bayesian correlation analysis showed that individuals with higher AQ scores tended to have lower perceptual switching rates for the centrally presented, simple grating rival stimuli. However, there was no evidence of a relationship between AQ and switching rates, reversal rates or mixed percept durations for any of the other binocular rivalry conditions. Overall, our findings suggest that in the non-clinical population, autistic personality traits are not a strong predictor of binocular rivalry dynamics.
Collapse
|
12
|
Butler JS, Molholm S, Andrade GN, Foxe JJ. An Examination of the Neural Unreliability Thesis of Autism. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:185-200. [PMID: 27923839 PMCID: PMC5939224 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An emerging neuropathological theory of Autism, referred to here as “the neural unreliability thesis,” proposes greater variability in moment-to-moment cortical representation of environmental events, such that the system shows general instability in its impulse response function. Leading evidence for this thesis derives from functional neuroimaging, a methodology ill-suited for detailed assessment of sensory transmission dynamics occurring at the millisecond scale. Electrophysiological assessments of this thesis, however, are sparse and unconvincing. We conducted detailed examination of visual and somatosensory evoked activity using high-density electrical mapping in individuals with autism (N = 20) and precisely matched neurotypical controls (N = 20), recording large numbers of trials that allowed for exhaustive time-frequency analyses at the single-trial level. Measures of intertrial coherence and event-related spectral perturbation revealed no convincing evidence for an unreliability account of sensory responsivity in autism. Indeed, results point to robust, highly reproducible response functions marked for their exceedingly close correspondence to those in neurotypical controls
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John S Butler
- The Sheryl and Daniel R. Tishman Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,School of Mathematical Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.,Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sophie Molholm
- The Sheryl and Daniel R. Tishman Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Gizely N Andrade
- The Sheryl and Daniel R. Tishman Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - John J Foxe
- The Sheryl and Daniel R. Tishman Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, The Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
van Schalkwyk GI, Volkmar FR, Corlett PR. A Predictive Coding Account of Psychotic Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:1323-1340. [PMID: 28185044 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3065-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The co-occurrence of psychotic and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms represents an important clinical challenge. Here we consider this problem in the context of a computational psychiatry approach that has been applied to both conditions-predictive coding. Some symptoms of schizophrenia have been explained in terms of a failure of top-down predictions or an enhanced weighting of bottom-up prediction errors. Likewise, autism has been explained in terms of similar perturbations. We suggest that this theoretical overlap may explain overlapping symptomatology. Experimental evidence highlights meaningful distinctions and consistencies between these disorders. We hypothesize individuals with ASD may experience some degree of delusions without the presence of any additional impairment, but that hallucinations are likely indicative of a distinct process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred R Volkmar
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Philip R Corlett
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, and little is known about its neurobiology. Much of autism research has focused on the social, communication and cognitive difficulties associated with the condition. However, the recent revision of the diagnostic criteria for autism has brought another key domain of autistic experience into focus: sensory processing. Here, we review the properties of sensory processing in autism and discuss recent computational and neurobiological insights arising from attention to these behaviours. We argue that sensory traits have important implications for the development of animal and computational models of the condition. Finally, we consider how difficulties in sensory processing may relate to the other domains of behaviour that characterize autism.
Collapse
|
15
|
Foss-Feig JH, Adkinson BD, Ji JL, Yang G, Srihari VH, McPartland JC, Krystal JH, Murray JD, Anticevic A. Searching for Cross-Diagnostic Convergence: Neural Mechanisms Governing Excitation and Inhibition Balance in Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:848-861. [PMID: 28434615 PMCID: PMC5436134 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent theoretical accounts have proposed excitation and inhibition (E/I) imbalance as a possible mechanistic, network-level hypothesis underlying neural and behavioral dysfunction across neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). These two disorders share some overlap in their clinical presentation as well as convergence in their underlying genes and neurobiology. However, there are also clear points of dissociation in terms of phenotypes and putatively affected neural circuitry. We highlight emerging work from the clinical neuroscience literature examining neural correlates of E/I imbalance across children and adults with ASD and adults with both chronic and early-course SCZ. We discuss findings from diverse neuroimaging studies across distinct modalities, conducted with electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional magnetic resonance imaging, including effects observed both during task and at rest. Throughout this review, we discuss points of convergence and divergence in the ASD and SCZ literature, with a focus on disruptions in neural E/I balance. We also consider these findings in relation to predictions generated by theoretical neuroscience, particularly computational models predicting E/I imbalance across disorders. Finally, we discuss how human noninvasive neuroimaging can benefit from pharmacological challenge studies to reveal mechanisms in ASD and SCZ. Collectively, we attempt to shed light on shared and divergent neuroimaging effects across disorders with the goal of informing future research examining the mechanisms underlying the E/I imbalance hypothesis across neurodevelopmental disorders. We posit that such translational efforts are vital to facilitate development of neurobiologically informed treatment strategies across neuropsychiatric conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Foss-Feig
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York; Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York; Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
| | - Brendan D Adkinson
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jie Lisa Ji
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Genevieve Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Vinod H Srihari
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - James C McPartland
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Division of Neurocognition, Neurocomputation, & Neurogenetics (N3), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - John D Murray
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Division of Neurocognition, Neurocomputation, & Neurogenetics (N3), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Alan Anticevic
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Division of Neurocognition, Neurocomputation, & Neurogenetics (N3), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
van Schalkwyk GI, Volkmar FR, Corlett PR. A Predictive Coding Account of Psychotic Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2017. [PMID: 28185044 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3065-928185044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The co-occurrence of psychotic and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms represents an important clinical challenge. Here we consider this problem in the context of a computational psychiatry approach that has been applied to both conditions-predictive coding. Some symptoms of schizophrenia have been explained in terms of a failure of top-down predictions or an enhanced weighting of bottom-up prediction errors. Likewise, autism has been explained in terms of similar perturbations. We suggest that this theoretical overlap may explain overlapping symptomatology. Experimental evidence highlights meaningful distinctions and consistencies between these disorders. We hypothesize individuals with ASD may experience some degree of delusions without the presence of any additional impairment, but that hallucinations are likely indicative of a distinct process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred R Volkmar
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Philip R Corlett
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Attention Determines Contextual Enhancement versus Suppression in Human Primary Visual Cortex. J Neurosci 2015; 35:12273-80. [PMID: 26338337 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1409-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Neural responses in primary visual cortex (V1) depend on stimulus context in seemingly complex ways. For example, responses to an oriented stimulus can be suppressed when it is flanked by iso-oriented versus orthogonally oriented stimuli but can also be enhanced when attention is directed to iso-oriented versus orthogonal flanking stimuli. Thus the exact same contextual stimulus arrangement can have completely opposite effects on neural responses-in some cases leading to orientation-tuned suppression and in other cases leading to orientation-tuned enhancement. Here we show that stimulus-based suppression and enhancement of fMRI responses in humans depends on small changes in the focus of attention and can be explained by a model that combines feature-based attention with response normalization. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) respond to stimuli within a restricted portion of the visual field, termed their "receptive field." However, neuronal responses can also be influenced by stimuli that surround a receptive field, although the nature of these contextual interactions and underlying neural mechanisms are debated. Here we show that the response in V1 to a stimulus in the same context can either be suppressed or enhanced depending on the focus of attention. We are able to explain the results using a simple computational model that combines two well established properties of visual cortical responses: response normalization and feature-based enhancement.
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests as a heterogeneous set of social, cognitive, motor, and perceptual symptoms. This system-wide pervasiveness suggests that, rather than narrowly impacting individual systems such as affection or vision, autism may broadly alter neural computation. Here, we propose that alterations in nonlinear, canonical computations occurring throughout the brain may underlie the behavioral characteristics of autism. One such computation, called divisive normalization, balances a neuron's net excitation with inhibition reflecting the overall activity of the neuronal population. Through neural network simulations, we investigate how alterations in divisive normalization may give rise to autism symptomatology. Our findings show that a reduction in the amount of inhibition that occurs through divisive normalization can account for perceptual consequences of autism, consistent with the hypothesis of an increased ratio of neural excitation to inhibition (E/I) in the disorder. These results thus establish a bridge between an E/I imbalance and behavioral data on autism that is currently absent. Interestingly, our findings implicate the context-dependent, neuronal milieu as a key factor in autism symptomatology, with autism reflecting a less "social" neuronal population. Through a broader discussion of perceptual data, we further examine how altered divisive normalization may contribute to a wide array of the disorder's behavioral consequences. These analyses show how a computational framework can provide insights into the neural basis of autism and facilitate the generation of falsifiable hypotheses. A computational perspective on autism may help resolve debates within the field and aid in identifying physiological pathways to target in the treatment of the disorder.
Collapse
|