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Lassen J, Oranje B, Vestergaard M, Foldager M, Kjaer TW, Arnfred S, Aggernaes B. Reduced mismatch negativity in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is associated with their impaired adaptive functioning. Autism Res 2022; 15:1469-1481. [PMID: 35545929 PMCID: PMC9546157 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2738] [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: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Children and adolescents on the autism spectrum display sensory disturbances, rigid and repetitive behavior, social communication problems and a high prevalence of impaired adaptive functioning. Autism is associated with slowed behavioral and neural habituation to repeated sensory input and decreased responses to sensory deviations. Mismatch negativity (MMN) reflects a pre‐attentive difference in the neural response to sensory deviations relative to regularities and studies overall suggest that children and adolescents with autism tend to have smaller MMN. However, it remains unclear whether reduced MMN in autism is coupled to severity of specific autistic symptoms or more generally to lower level of adaptive functioning. To address these questions, the present study used electroencephalography (EEG) to assess whether auditory MMN in 59 children and adolescents with autism aged 7–14 years compared to 59 typically developing children and adolescents were related to specific autistic symptoms or level in adaptive functioning. As hypothesized, the autism group had a lower MMN amplitude than controls. Smaller MMN amplitudes were specifically associated with lower adaptive functioning in the autistic subjects but not in controls while no apparent relationships were observed with autistic‐like social interaction and communication problems, atypical language, rigidity, stereotypy or sensory sensitivity symptoms. Our findings indicate that a blunted response to changes in sensory input may underlie or contribute to the generalized difficulties with adapting to daily life circumstances seen in children and adolescents with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lassen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Psychiatry Region Zealand, Roskilde, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bob Oranje
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR) & Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Copenhagen University Hospital, Psychiatric Center Glostrup, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Martin Vestergaard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Psychiatry Region Zealand, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Malene Foldager
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Psychiatry Region Zealand, Roskilde, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Troels W Kjaer
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neurology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Sidse Arnfred
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Psychiatric Research Unit, Region Zealand, Denmark, Research Unit for Psychotherapy & Psychopathology, Mental Health Service West, Copenhagen University Hospital - Psychiatry Region Zealand, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Bodil Aggernaes
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Psychiatry Region Zealand, Roskilde, Denmark.,PP Clinic Copenhagen, Gentofte, Denmark
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Sun C, Zhao Z, Cheng L, Tian R, Zhao W, Du J, Zhang Y, Wang C. Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the Mismatch Negativity Features of Deviated Stimuli in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:721987. [PMID: 35221894 PMCID: PMC8863939 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.721987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a devastating mental disorder in children. Currently, there is no effective treatment for ASD. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which is a non-invasive brain stimulation neuromodulation technology, is a promising method for the treatment of ASD. However, the manner in which tDCS changes the electrophysiological process in the brain is still unclear. In this study, we used tDCS to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex area of children with ASD (one group received anode tDCS, and the other received sham tDCS) and investigated the changes in evoked EEG signals and behavioral abilities before and after anode and sham stimulations. In addition to tDCS, all patients received conventional rehabilitation treatment. Results show that although conventional treatment can effectively improve the behavioral ability of children with ASD, the use of anode tDCS with conventional rehabilitation can boost this improvement, thus leading to increased treatment efficacy. By analyzing the electroencephalography pre- and post-treatment, we noticed a decrease in the mismatch negativity (MMN) latency and an increase in the MMN amplitude in both groups, these features are considered similar to MMN features from healthy children. However, no statistical difference between the two groups was observed after 4 weeks of treatment. In addition, the MMN features correlate well with the aberrant behavior checklist (ABC) scale, particularly the amplitude of MMN, thus suggesting the feasibility of using MMN features to assess the behavioral ability of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changcheng Sun
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuoyue Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
| | - Longlong Cheng
- China Electronics Cloud Brain (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Rong Tian
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenchang Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingang Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
| | - Chunfang Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medical, Tianjin Union Medical Centre, Tianjin, China
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Riccioni A, Siracusano M, Vasta M, Ribolsi M, Nastro FF, Gialloreti LE, Di Lorenzo G, Mazzone L. Clinical profile and conversion rate to full psychosis in a prospective cohort study of youth affected by autism spectrum disorder and attenuated psychosis syndrome: A preliminary report. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:950888. [PMID: 36213900 PMCID: PMC9542639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.950888] [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: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychosis can occur at high rates in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the detection of prodromal psychotic symptoms, including attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS), conditions at high risk of converting to full psychosis, has not been extensively investigated in ASD. We longitudinally evaluate a sample of young ASD individuals (age, mean ± SD: 13 ± 2.9) with (n = 13) or without (n = 18) concomitant APS through a standardized assessment of autistic (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition; ADOS-2) and psychotic (Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes, SIPS) symptoms and cognitive and adaptive skills. Individuals with other neuropsychiatric disorders were excluded. We estimated the conversion rate to full psychosis (according to SIPS criteria) over time (39.6 ± 11.5 months) and explored the role of clinical variables at baseline in the transition to full psychosis. A conversion rate to full psychosis of 30.7% was found in ASD/APS. Conversion to full psychosis was not affected by the severity of the autistic and psychotic symptoms. At baseline, young individuals with ASD/APS who later converted to full psychosis showed lower cognitive performance (d = 2.05) and greater impairment of adaptive social functioning profile (d = 1.2) than those with ASD. The results of this preliminary report revealed that nearly a third of young individuals with ASD/APS convert to full psychosis over time. Conversion to full psychosis is affected by decreased cognitive and adaptive skills. Further investigations are needed to confirm the utility of APS detection and to better characterize the psychotic developmental trajectory in ASD, with consequent important implications on prognosis and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assia Riccioni
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV - Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Chair of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Siracusano
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV - Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Vasta
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV - Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Chair of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Michele Ribolsi
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Fiori Nastro
- Chair of Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit, Fondazione PTV - Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giorgio Di Lorenzo
- Chair of Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Mazzone
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV - Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Chair of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Riccioni A, Pro S, Di Criscio L, Terribili M, Siracusano M, Moavero R, Valeriani M, Mazzone L. High Intellectual Potential and High Functioning Autism: Clinical and Neurophysiological Features in a Pediatric Sample. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11121607. [PMID: 34942909 PMCID: PMC8699491 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
High Intellectual Potential (HIP) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) are two different conditions sharing some clinical and neurobiological features. The aim of the present study was to characterize a sample of HIP children (n: 16; M/F: 14/2; median age: 10 years) in comparison to those with HFA (n: 17; M/F: 16/1; median age: 13 years) and to neurotypically developed (NTD) children (n: 10; M/F: 4/6; median age: 11 years) from a clinical and neurophysiological perspective. Specifically, a standardized clinical assessment of cognitive and adaptive skills, autistic symptoms, executive functions and behavioral features was performed. Moreover, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded, referring specifically to the mismatch negativity (MMN) and P300 paradigm. Our data highlighted the presence of similarities between the intellectually gifted individuals and the ones with autism (i.e., a nonhomogeneous intellective profile, an adaptive skills impairment, subthreshold autistic symptoms and increased perfectionism). Interestingly, a distinct neurophysiological characterization between groups came out, with evidence of a reduced MMN amplitude only in the HFA group. Furthermore, no differences within groups in the P300 component emerged. Therefore, our results start to provide a more informative characterization of the HIP phenotype in comparison to those of HFA and NTD, highlighting the potential role of the MMN amplitude index in helping clinicians and researchers to distinguish between HIP and HFA. Nevertheless, further research on the topic is strongly needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assia Riccioni
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.D.C.); (M.T.); (M.S.); (L.M.)
- Systems Medicine Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Montpellier Street 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-2090-0249
| | - Stefano Pro
- Child Neurology Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.P.); (M.V.)
| | - Lorena Di Criscio
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.D.C.); (M.T.); (M.S.); (L.M.)
| | - Monica Terribili
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.D.C.); (M.T.); (M.S.); (L.M.)
| | - Martina Siracusano
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.D.C.); (M.T.); (M.S.); (L.M.)
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Romina Moavero
- Systems Medicine Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Montpellier Street 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
- Child Neurology Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.P.); (M.V.)
| | - Massimiliano Valeriani
- Child Neurology Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.P.); (M.V.)
- Center for Sensory Motor Interaction, Aalborg University, 9100 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Luigi Mazzone
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.D.C.); (M.T.); (M.S.); (L.M.)
- Systems Medicine Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Montpellier Street 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
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