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Kang J, Li Y, Lv S, Hao P, Li X. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on brain activity and cortical functional connectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1407267. [PMID: 38812483 PMCID: PMC11135472 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1407267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a therapeutic option to mitigate symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our study investigated the effects of a two-week regimen of tDCS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in children with ASD, examining changes in rhythmic brain activity and alterations in functional connectivity within key neural networks: the default mode network (DMN), sensorimotor network (SMN), and dorsal attention network (DAN). Methods We enrolled twenty-six children with ASD and assigned them randomly to either an active stimulation group (n=13) or a sham stimulation group (n=13). The active group received tDCS at an intensity of 1mA to the left DLPFC for a combined duration of 10 days. Differences in electrical brain activity were pinpointed using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA), while functional connectivity was assessed via lagged phase synchronization. Results Compared to the typically developing children, children with ASD exhibited lower current source density across all frequency bands. Post-treatment, the active stimulation group demonstrated a significant increase in both current source density and resting state network connectivity. Such changes were not observed in the sham stimulation group. Conclusion tDCS targeting the DLPFC may bolster brain functional connectivity in patients with ASD, offering a substantive groundwork for potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Kang
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Yuqi Li
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Shuaikang Lv
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Pengfei Hao
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Cakar ME, Okada NJ, Cummings KK, Jung J, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M, Green SA. Functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum in autism: associations with sensory over-responsivity. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1337921. [PMID: 38590791 PMCID: PMC10999625 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1337921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been consistently shown to be atypical in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, despite its known role in sensorimotor function, there is limited research on its association with sensory over-responsivity (SOR), a common and impairing feature of ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum in ASD compared to typically developing (TD) youth and investigate whether cerebellar connectivity is associated with SOR. Resting-state functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum was examined in 54 ASD and 43 TD youth aged 8-18 years. Using a seed-based approach, connectivity of each sensorimotor cerebellar region (defined as lobules I-IV, V-VI and VIIIA&B) with the whole brain was examined in ASD compared to TD youth, and correlated with parent-reported SOR severity. Across all participants, the sensorimotor cerebellum was functionally connected with sensorimotor and visual regions, though the three seed regions showed distinct connectivity with limbic and higher-order sensory regions. ASD youth showed differences in connectivity including atypical connectivity within the cerebellum and increased connectivity with hippocampus and thalamus compared to TD youth. More severe SOR was associated with stronger connectivity with cortical regions involved in sensory and motor processes and weaker connectivity with cognitive and socio-emotional regions, particularly prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that atypical cerebellum function in ASD may play a role in sensory challenges in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis E. Cakar
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nana J. Okada
- Department of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kaitlin K. Cummings
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jiwon Jung
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Susan Y. Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Shulamite A. Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Wang W, Li H, Wang Y, Liu L, Qian Q. Changes in effective connectivity during the visual-motor integration tasks: a preliminary f-NIRS study. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:4. [PMID: 38468270 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00232-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visual-motor integration (VMI) is an essential skill in daily life. The present study aimed to use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology to explore the effective connectivity (EC) changes among brain regions during VMI activities of varying difficulty levels. METHODS A total of 17 healthy participants were recruited for the study. Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A), and Beery VMI test were used to evaluate attention performance, executive function, and VMI performance. Granger causality analysis was performed for the VMI task data to obtain the EC matrix for all participants. One-way ANOVA analysis was used to identify VMI load-dependent EC values among different task difficulty levels from brain network and channel perspectives, and partial correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between VMI load-dependent EC values and behavioral performance. RESULTS We found that the EC values of dorsal attention network (DAN) → default mode network (DMN), DAN → ventral attention network (VAN), DAN → frontoparietal network (FPN), and DAN → somatomotor network (SMN) in the complex condition were higher than those in the simple and moderate conditions. Further channel analyses indicated that the EC values of the right superior parietal lobule (SPL) → right superior frontal gyrus (SFG), right middle occipital gyrus (MOG) → left SFG, and right MOG → right postcentral gyrus (PCG) in the complex condition were higher than those in the simple and moderate conditions. Subsequent partial correlation analysis revealed that the EC values from DAN to DMN, VAN, and SMN were positively correlated with executive function and VMI performance. Furthermore, the EC values of right MOG → left SFG and right MOG → right PCG were positively correlated with attention performance. CONCLUSIONS The DAN is actively involved during the VMI task and thus may play a critical role in VMI processes, in which two key brain regions (right SPL, right MOG) may contribute to the EC changes in response to increasing VMI load. Meanwhile, bilateral SFG and right PCG may also be closely related to the VMI performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchen Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, 100191, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Haimei Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, 100191, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, 100191, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, 100191, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Qiujin Qian
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, 100191, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
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You W, Li Q, Chen L, He N, Li Y, Long F, Wang Y, Chen Y, McNamara RK, Sweeney JA, DelBello MP, Gong Q, Li F. Common and distinct cortical thickness alterations in youth with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. BMC Med 2024; 22:92. [PMID: 38433204 PMCID: PMC10910790 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03313-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are neurodevelopmental disorders with overlapping behavioral features and genetic etiology. While brain cortical thickness (CTh) alterations have been reported in ASD and ADHD separately, the degree to which ASD and ADHD are associated with common and distinct patterns of CTh changes is unclear. METHODS We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Science Direct from inception to 8 December 2023 and included studies of cortical thickness comparing youth (age less than 18) with ASD or ADHD with typically developing controls (TDC). We conducted a comparative meta-analysis of vertex-based studies to identify common and distinct CTh alterations in ASD and ADHD. RESULTS Twelve ASD datasets involving 458 individuals with ASD and 10 ADHD datasets involving 383 individuals with ADHD were included in the analysis. Compared to TDC, ASD showed increased CTh in bilateral superior frontal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and right superior parietal lobule (SPL) and decreased CTh in right temporoparietal junction (TPJ). ADHD showed decreased CTh in bilateral precentral gyri, right postcentral gyrus, and right TPJ relative to TDC. Conjunction analysis showed both disorders shared reduced TPJ CTh located in default mode network (DMN). Comparative analyses indicated ASD had greater CTh in right SPL and TPJ located in dorsal attention network and thinner CTh in right TPJ located in ventral attention network than ADHD. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest shared thinner TPJ located in DMN is an overlapping neurobiological feature of ASD and ADHD. This alteration together with SPL alterations might be related to altered biological motion processing in ASD, while abnormalities in sensorimotor systems may contribute to behavioral control problems in ADHD. The disorder-specific thinner TPJ located in disparate attention networks provides novel insight into distinct symptoms of attentional deficits associated with the two neurodevelopmental disorders. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42022370620. Registered on November 9, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanfang You
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lizhou Chen
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning He
- Department of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Fenghua Long
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaxuan Wang
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yufei Chen
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Robert K McNamara
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Melissa P DelBello
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Lmaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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Gibson JM, Vazquez AH, Yamashiro K, Jakkamsetti V, Ren C, Lei K, Dentel B, Pascual JM, Tsai PT. Cerebellar contribution to autism-relevant behaviors in fragile X syndrome models. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113533. [PMID: 38048226 PMCID: PMC10831814 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar dysfunction has been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Although cerebellar pathology has been observed in individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and in mouse models of the disorder, a cerebellar functional contribution to ASD-relevant behaviors in FXS has yet to be fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrate a critical cerebellar role for Fmr1 (fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1) in ASD-relevant behaviors. First, we identify reduced social behaviors, sensory hypersensitivity, and cerebellar dysfunction, with loss of cerebellar Fmr1. We then demonstrate that cerebellar-specific expression of Fmr1 is sufficient to impact social, sensory, cerebellar dysfunction, and cerebro-cortical hyperexcitability phenotypes observed in global Fmr1 mutants. Moreover, we demonstrate that targeting the ASD-implicated cerebellar region Crus1 ameliorates behaviors in both cerebellar-specific and global Fmr1 mutants. Together, these results demonstrate a critical role for the cerebellar contribution to FXS-related behaviors, with implications for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Gibson
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Anthony Hernandez Vazquez
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kunihiko Yamashiro
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vikram Jakkamsetti
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chongyu Ren
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Katherine Lei
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Brianne Dentel
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Juan M Pascual
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Peter T Tsai
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Mosconi MW, Stevens CJ, Unruh KE, Shafer R, Elison JT. Endophenotype trait domains for advancing gene discovery in autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:41. [PMID: 37993779 PMCID: PMC10664534 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with a diverse range of etiological processes, including both genetic and non-genetic causes. For a plurality of individuals with ASD, it is likely that the primary causes involve multiple common inherited variants that individually account for only small levels of variation in phenotypic outcomes. This genetic landscape creates a major challenge for detecting small but important pathogenic effects associated with ASD. To address similar challenges, separate fields of medicine have identified endophenotypes, or discrete, quantitative traits that reflect genetic likelihood for a particular clinical condition and leveraged the study of these traits to map polygenic mechanisms and advance more personalized therapeutic strategies for complex diseases. Endophenotypes represent a distinct class of biomarkers useful for understanding genetic contributions to psychiatric and developmental disorders because they are embedded within the causal chain between genotype and clinical phenotype, and they are more proximal to the action of the gene(s) than behavioral traits. Despite their demonstrated power for guiding new understanding of complex genetic structures of clinical conditions, few endophenotypes associated with ASD have been identified and integrated into family genetic studies. In this review, we argue that advancing knowledge of the complex pathogenic processes that contribute to ASD can be accelerated by refocusing attention toward identifying endophenotypic traits reflective of inherited mechanisms. This pivot requires renewed emphasis on study designs with measurement of familial co-variation including infant sibling studies, family trio and quad designs, and analysis of monozygotic and dizygotic twin concordance for select trait dimensions. We also emphasize that clarification of endophenotypic traits necessarily will involve integration of transdiagnostic approaches as candidate traits likely reflect liability for multiple clinical conditions and often are agnostic to diagnostic boundaries. Multiple candidate endophenotypes associated with ASD likelihood are described, and we propose a new focus on the analysis of "endophenotype trait domains" (ETDs), or traits measured across multiple levels (e.g., molecular, cellular, neural system, neuropsychological) along the causal pathway from genes to behavior. To inform our central argument for research efforts toward ETD discovery, we first provide a brief review of the concept of endophenotypes and their application to psychiatry. Next, we highlight key criteria for determining the value of candidate endophenotypes, including unique considerations for the study of ASD. Descriptions of different study designs for assessing endophenotypes in ASD research then are offered, including analysis of how select patterns of results may help prioritize candidate traits in future research. We also present multiple candidate ETDs that collectively cover a breadth of clinical phenomena associated with ASD, including social, language/communication, cognitive control, and sensorimotor processes. These ETDs are described because they represent promising targets for gene discovery related to clinical autistic traits, and they serve as models for analysis of separate candidate domains that may inform understanding of inherited etiological processes associated with ASD as well as overlapping neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
| | - Cassandra J Stevens
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Kathryn E Unruh
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Robin Shafer
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Caldani S, Humeau E, Delorme R, Bucci MP. Inhibition functions can be improved in children with autism spectrum disorders: An eye-tracking study. Int J Dev Neurosci 2023; 83:431-441. [PMID: 37218472 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive remediation therapy interventions could improve cognitive functioning in subjects with autism. To investigate the benefit of a short cognitive training rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on pursuit and fixation performances. We recruited two groups (G1 and G2) of 30 children with ASD, sex-, IQ- and age-matched (mean 11.6 ± 0.5 years), and pursuit and fixation eye movements were recorded twice at T1 and T2. Between T1 and T2, a 10-min cognitive training was performed by the G1 group only, whereas the G2 group had a 10-min of rest. For all children with ASD enrolled in the study, there was a positive correlation between restricted and repetitive behaviour scores of both Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the number of saccades recorded during the fixation task at T1. At T1, oculomotor performances were similar for both groups of ASD children (G1 and G2). At T2, we observed a significant reduction in the number of saccades made during both pursuit and fixation tasks. Our findings underlined the importance to promote cognitive training rehabilitation for children with ASD, leading to a better performance in inhibitory and attention functioning responsible for pursuit and fixation eye movement's performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
- EFEE-Center for the Functional Exploration of Balance in Children, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Elise Humeau
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Fondation, Paris, France
- Paris University, Paris, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Fondation, Paris, France
- Paris University, Paris, France
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
- EFEE-Center for the Functional Exploration of Balance in Children, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
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Yang Y, Ye C, Ma T. A deep connectome learning network using graph convolution for connectome-disease association study. Neural Netw 2023; 164:91-104. [PMID: 37148611 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2023.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Multivariate analysis approaches provide insights into the identification of phenotype associations in brain connectome data. In recent years, deep learning methods including convolutional neural network (CNN) and graph neural network (GNN), have shifted the development of connectome-wide association studies (CWAS) and made breakthroughs for connectome representation learning by leveraging deep embedded features. However, most existing studies remain limited by potentially ignoring the exploration of region-specific features, which play a key role in distinguishing brain disorders with high intra-class variations, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here, we propose a multivariate distance-based connectome network (MDCN) that addresses the local specificity problem by efficient parcellation-wise learning, as well as associating population and parcellation dependencies to map individual differences. The approach incorporating an explainable method, parcellation-wise gradient and class activation map (p-GradCAM), is feasible for identifying individual patterns of interest and pinpointing connectome associations with diseases. We demonstrate the utility of our method on two largely aggregated multicenter public datasets by distinguishing ASD and ADHD from healthy controls and assessing their associations with underlying diseases. Extensive experiments have demonstrated the superiority of MDCN in classification and interpretation, where MDCN outperformed competitive state-of-the-art methods and achieved a high proportion of overlap with previous findings. As a CWAS-guided deep learning method, our proposed MDCN framework may narrow the bridge between deep learning and CWAS approaches, and provide new insights for connectome-wide association studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwu Yang
- Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology at Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China; Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Chenfei Ye
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China; International Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Harbin Institute of Technology at Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Ting Ma
- Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology at Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China; Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China; International Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Harbin Institute of Technology at Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aerospace Communication and Networking Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China.
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9
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Miller HL, Templin TN, Fears NE, Sherrod GM, Patterson RM, Bugnariu NL. Movement smoothness during dynamic postural control to a static target differs between autistic and neurotypical children. Gait Posture 2023; 99:76-82. [PMID: 36335658 PMCID: PMC10644903 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autistic children and adults have known differences in motor performance, including postural instability and atypical gross motor control. Few studies have specifically tested dynamic postural control. This is the first study to quantify movement smoothness and its relationship to task performance during lateral dynamic postural control tasks in autism. RESEARCH QUESTION We sought to test the hypothesis that autistic children would have less smooth movements to lateral static targets compared to neurotypical children, and that this difference would relate to specific movement strategies. METHODS We used camera-based motion-capture to measure spatiotemporal characteristics of lateral movement of a marker placed on the C7 vertebrae, and of markers comprising trunk and pelvis segments during a dynamic postural movements to near and far targets administered in an immersive virtual environment. We tested a sample of 15 autistic children and 11 age-matched neurotypical children. We quantified movement smoothness using log dimensionless jerk. RESULTS Autistic children exhibited more medial-lateral pelvic position range of motion compared to neurotypical children, and used a stepping strategy more often compared to neurotypical children. Autistic children also had higher log dimensionless jerk than neurotypical children for motion of the C7 marker. All participants had higher log dimensionless jerk for far targets than for near targets. Autistic children had longer trial durations than neurotypical children, and younger children had longer trial durations than older children across diagnostic groups. SIGNIFICANCE The stepping strategy observed more often in the autistic group likely contributed to log dimensionless jerk and reduced movement smoothness. This strategy is indicative of either an attempt to prevent an impending loss of balance, or an attempt to compensate for and recover from a loss of balance once it is detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haylie L Miller
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Health Professions, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA; University of Michigan, 830 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48170, USA.
| | - Tylan N Templin
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Health Professions, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA; Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
| | - Nicholas E Fears
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Health Professions, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA; University of Michigan, 830 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48170, USA; Louisiana State University, School of Kinesiology, 1246 Pleasant Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Gabriela M Sherrod
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Health Professions, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA; University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Rita M Patterson
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA
| | - Nicoleta L Bugnariu
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Health Professions, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA; University of the Pacific, School of Health Sciences, 3200 Fifth Ave., Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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10
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Di Y, Diao Z, Zheng Q, Li J, Cheng Q, Li Z, Fang S, Wang H, Wei C, Zheng Q, Liu Y, Han J, Liu Z, Fan J, Ren W, Tian Y. Differential Alterations in Striatal Direct and Indirect Pathways Mediate Two Autism-like Behaviors in Valproate-Exposed Mice. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7833-7847. [PMID: 36414013 PMCID: PMC9581566 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0623-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is characterized by two key diagnostic criteria including social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Although recent studies implicated ventral striatum in social deficits and dorsal striatum in repetitive behaviors, here we revealed coexisting and opposite morphologic and functional alterations in the dorsostriatal direct and indirect pathways, and such alterations in these two pathways were found to be responsible, respectively, for the two abovementioned different autism-like behaviors exhibited by male mice prenatally exposed to valproate. The alteration in direct pathway was characterized by a potentiated state of basal activity, with impairment in transient responsiveness of D1-MSNs during social exploration. Concurrent alteration in indirect pathway was a depressed state of basal activity, with enhancement in transient responsiveness of D2-MSNs during repetitive behaviors. A causal relationship linking such differential alterations in these two pathways to the coexistence of these two autism-like behaviors was demonstrated by the cell type-specific correction of abnormal basal activity in the D1-MSNs and D2-MSNs of valproate-exposed mice. The findings support those differential alterations in two striatal pathways mediate the two coexisting autism-like behavioral abnormalities, respectively. This result will help in developing therapeutic options targeting these circuit alterations.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Autism is characterized by two key diagnostic criteria including social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Although a number of recent studies have implicated ventral striatum in social deficits and dorsal striatum in repetitive behaviors, but social behaviors need to be processed by a series of actions, and repetitive behaviors, especially the high-order repetitive behaviors such as restrictive interests, have its scope to cognitive and emotional domains. The current study, for the first time, revealed that prenatal valproate exposure induced coexisting and differential alterations in the dorsomedial striatal direct and indirect pathways, and that these alterations mediate the two coexisting autism-like behavioral abnormalities, respectively. This result will help in developing therapeutic options targeting these circuit alterations to address the behavioral abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Di
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Zhijun Diao
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Qi Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Jin Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Qiangqiang Cheng
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Zhongqi Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Suwen Fang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Chunling Wei
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Qiaohua Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Yingxun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Jing Han
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Juan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Wei Ren
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
- Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
| | - Yingfang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710062, China
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
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11
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Prany W, Patrice C, Franck D, Fabrice W, Mahdi M, Pierre D, Christian M, Jean-Marc G, Fabian G, Francis E, Jean-Marc B, Bérengère GG. EEG resting-state functional connectivity: evidence for an imbalance of external/internal information integration in autism. J Neurodev Disord 2022; 14:47. [PMID: 36030210 PMCID: PMC9419397 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-022-09456-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with atypical neural activity in resting state. Most of the studies have focused on abnormalities in alpha frequency as a marker of ASD dysfunctions. However, few have explored alpha synchronization within a specific interest in resting-state networks, namely the default mode network (DMN), the sensorimotor network (SMN), and the dorsal attention network (DAN). These functional connectivity analyses provide relevant insight into the neurophysiological correlates of multimodal integration in ASD. Methods Using high temporal resolution EEG, the present study investigates the functional connectivity in the alpha band within and between the DMN, SMN, and the DAN. We examined eyes-closed EEG alpha lagged phase synchronization, using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) in 29 participants with ASD and 38 developing (TD) controls (age, sex, and IQ matched). Results We observed reduced functional connectivity in the ASD group relative to TD controls, within and between the DMN, the SMN, and the DAN. We identified three hubs of dysconnectivity in ASD: the posterior cingulate cortex, the precuneus, and the medial frontal gyrus. These three regions also presented decreased current source density in the alpha band. Conclusion These results shed light on possible multimodal integration impairments affecting the communication between bottom-up and top-down information. The observed hypoconnectivity between the DMN, SMN, and DAN could also be related to difficulties in switching between externally oriented attention and internally oriented thoughts. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11689-022-09456-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wantzen Prany
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France.,Université de Paris, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Clochon Patrice
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Doidy Franck
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Wallois Fabrice
- INSERM UMR-S 1105, GRAMFC, Université de Picardie-Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025, Amiens, France
| | - Mahmoudzadeh Mahdi
- INSERM UMR-S 1105, GRAMFC, Université de Picardie-Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025, Amiens, France
| | - Desaunay Pierre
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Mille Christian
- Centre Ressources Autisme Picardie, Service de Psychopathologie Enfants et Adolescents, CHU, 4 rue Grenier et Bernard, 80000, Amiens, France
| | - Guilé Jean-Marc
- INSERM UMR-S 1105, GRAMFC, Université de Picardie-Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025, Amiens, France.,Centre Ressources Autisme Picardie, Service de Psychopathologie Enfants et Adolescents, CHU, 4 rue Grenier et Bernard, 80000, Amiens, France
| | - Guénolé Fabian
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Eustache Francis
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Baleyte Jean-Marc
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France.,Service de Psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, Centre Hospitalier Interuniversitaire de Créteil, 94000, Créteil, France
| | - Guillery-Girard Bérengère
- Normandie univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France.
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12
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McKinney WS, Kelly SE, Unruh KE, Shafer RL, Sweeney JA, Styner M, Mosconi MW. Cerebellar Volumes and Sensorimotor Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:821109. [PMID: 35592866 PMCID: PMC9113114 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.821109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sensorimotor issues are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though their neural bases are not well understood. The cerebellum is vital to sensorimotor control and reduced cerebellar volumes in ASD have been documented. Our study examined the extent to which cerebellar volumes are associated with multiple sensorimotor behaviors in ASD. Materials and Methods Fifty-eight participants with ASD and 34 typically developing (TD) controls (8-30 years) completed a structural MRI scan and precision grip testing, oculomotor testing, or both. Force variability during precision gripping as well as absolute error and trial-to-trial error variability of visually guided saccades were examined. Volumes of cerebellar lobules, vermis, and white matter were quantified. The relationships between each cerebellar region of interest (ROI) and force variability, saccade error, and saccade error variability were examined. Results Relative to TD controls, individuals with ASD showed increased force variability. Individuals with ASD showed a reduced volume of cerebellar vermis VI-VII relative to TD controls. Relative to TD females, females with ASD showed a reduced volume of bilateral cerebellar Crus II/lobule VIIB. Increased volume of Crus I was associated with increased force variability. Increased volume of vermal lobules VI-VII was associated with reduced saccade error for TD controls but not individuals with ASD. Increased right lobule VIII and cerebellar white matter volumes as well as reduced right lobule VI and right lobule X volumes were associated with greater ASD symptom severity. Reduced volumes of right Crus II/lobule VIIB were associated with greater ASD symptom severity in only males, while reduced volumes of right Crus I were associated with more severe restricted and repetitive behaviors only in females. Conclusion Our finding that increased force variability in ASD is associated with greater cerebellar Crus I volumes indicates that disruption of sensory feedback processing supported by Crus I may contribute to skeletomotor differences in ASD. Results showing that volumes of vermal lobules VI-VII are associated with saccade precision in TD but not ASD implicates atypical organization of the brain systems supporting oculomotor control in ASD. Associations between volumes of cerebellar subregions and ASD symptom severity suggest cerebellar pathological processes may contribute to multiple developmental challenges in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walker S. McKinney
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Shannon E. Kelly
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Kathryn E. Unruh
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Robin L. Shafer
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Martin Styner
- Department of Psychiatry and Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Matthew W. Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew W. Mosconi,
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13
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Lepping RJ, McKinney WS, Magnon GC, Keedy SK, Wang Z, Coombes SA, Vaillancourt DE, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Visuomotor brain network activation and functional connectivity among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 43:844-859. [PMID: 34716740 PMCID: PMC8720186 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25692] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor abnormalities are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and predictive of functional outcomes, though their neural underpinnings remain poorly understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined both brain activation and functional connectivity during visuomotor behavior in 27 individuals with ASD and 30 typically developing (TD) controls (ages 9–35 years). Participants maintained a constant grip force while receiving visual feedback at three different visual gain levels. Relative to controls, ASD participants showed increased force variability, especially at high gain, and reduced entropy. Brain activation was greater in individuals with ASD than controls in supplementary motor area, bilateral superior parietal lobules, and contralateral middle frontal gyrus at high gain. During motor action, functional connectivity was reduced between parietal‐premotor and parietal‐putamen in individuals with ASD compared to controls. Individuals with ASD also showed greater age‐associated increases in functional connectivity between cerebellum and visual, motor, and prefrontal cortical areas relative to controls. These results indicate that visuomotor deficits in ASD are associated with atypical activation and functional connectivity of posterior parietal, premotor, and striatal circuits involved in translating sensory feedback information into precision motor behaviors, and that functional connectivity of cerebellar–cortical sensorimotor and nonsensorimotor networks show delayed maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Lepping
- Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Walker S McKinney
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Grant C Magnon
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah K Keedy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Stephen A Coombes
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
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14
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Baizer JS. Functional and Neuropathological Evidence for a Role of the Brainstem in Autism. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:748977. [PMID: 34744648 PMCID: PMC8565487 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.748977] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The brainstem includes many nuclei and fiber tracts that mediate a wide range of functions. Data from two parallel approaches to the study of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) implicate many brainstem structures. The first approach is to identify the functions affected in ASD and then trace the neural systems mediating those functions. While not included as core symptoms, three areas of function are frequently impaired in ASD: (1) Motor control both of the limbs and body and the control of eye movements; (2) Sensory information processing in vestibular and auditory systems; (3) Control of affect. There are critical brainstem nuclei mediating each of those functions. There are many nuclei critical for eye movement control including the superior colliculus. Vestibular information is first processed in the four nuclei of the vestibular nuclear complex. Auditory information is relayed to the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei and subsequently processed in multiple other brainstem nuclei. Critical structures in affect regulation are the brainstem sources of serotonin and norepinephrine, the raphe nuclei and the locus ceruleus. The second approach is the analysis of abnormalities from direct study of ASD brains. The structure most commonly identified as abnormal in neuropathological studies is the cerebellum. It is classically a major component of the motor system, critical for coordination. It has also been implicated in cognitive and language functions, among the core symptoms of ASD. This structure works very closely with the cerebral cortex; the cortex and the cerebellum show parallel enlargement over evolution. The cerebellum receives input from cortex via relays in the pontine nuclei. In addition, climbing fiber input to cerebellum comes from the inferior olive of the medulla. Mossy fiber input comes from the arcuate nucleus of the medulla as well as the pontine nuclei. The cerebellum projects to several brainstem nuclei including the vestibular nuclear complex and the red nucleus. There are thus multiple brainstem nuclei distributed at all levels of the brainstem, medulla, pons, and midbrain, that participate in functions affected in ASD. There is direct evidence that the cerebellum may be abnormal in ASD. The evidence strongly indicates that analysis of these structures could add to our understanding of the neural basis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan S. Baizer
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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15
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Papaioannou AG, Kalantzi E, Papageorgiou CC, Korombili K, Βokou A, Pehlivanidis A, Papageorgiou CC, Papaioannou G. Complexity analysis of the brain activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) due to cognitive loads/demands induced by Aristotle's type of syllogism/reasoning. A Power Spectral Density and multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07984. [PMID: 34611558 PMCID: PMC8477216 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07984] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aim to investigate whether EEG dynamics differ in adults with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders), ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), compared with healthy subjects during the performance of an innovative cognitive task: Aristotle's valid and invalid syllogisms. We follow the Neuroanatomical differences type of criterion in assessing the results of our study in supporting or not the dual-process theory of Kahneman, 2011) (Systems I & II of thinking). METHOD We recorded EEGs from 14 scalp electrodes in 30 adults with ADHD, 30 with ASD and 24 healthy, normal subjects. The subjects were exposed in a set of innovative cognitive tasks (inducing varying cognitive loads), the Aristotle's four types of syllogism mentioned above. The multiscale entropy (MSE), a nonlinear information-theoretic measure or tool was computed to extract features that quantify the complexity of the EEG. RESULTS The dynamics of the curves of the grand average of MSE values of the ADHD and ASD participants was significantly in higher levels for the majority of time scales, than the healthy subjects over a number of brain regions (electrodes locations), during the performance of both valid and invalid types of syllogism. This result is seemingly not in accordance of the broadly accepted 'theory' of complexity loss in 'pathological' subjects, but actually this is not the case as explained in the text. ADHD subjects are engaged in System II of thinking, for both Valid and Invalid syllogism, ASD and Control in System I for valid and invalid syllogism, respectively. A surprising and 'provocative' result of this paper, as shown in the next sections, is that the Complexity-variability of ASD and ADHD subjects, when they face Aristotle's types of syllogisms, is higher than that of the control subjects. An explanation is suggested as described in the text. Also, in the case of invalid type of Aristotelian syllogisms, the linguistic and visuo-spatial systems are both engaged ONLY in the temporal and occipital regions of the brain, respectively, of ADHD subjects. In the case of valid type, both above systems are engaged in the temporal and occipital regions of the brain, respectively, of both ASD and ADHD subjects, while in the control subjects only the visuo-spatial type is engaged (Goel et al., 2000; Knauff, 2007). CONCLUSION Based on the results of the analysis described in this work, the differences in the EEG complexity between the three groups of participants lead to the conclusion that cortical information processing is changed in ASD and ADHD adults, therefore their level of cortical activation may be insufficient to meet the peculiar cognitive demand of Aristotle's reasoning. SIGNIFICANCE The present paper suggest that MSE, is a powerful and efficient nonlinear measure in detecting neural dysfunctions in adults with ASD and ADHD characteristics, when they are called on to perform in a very demanding as well as innovative set of cognitive tasks, that can be considered as a new diagnostic 'benchmark' in helping detecting more effectively such type of disorders. A linear measure alone, as the typical PSD, is not capable in making such a distinction. The work contributes in shedding light on the neural mechanisms of syllogism/reasoning of Aristotelian type, as well as toward understanding how humans reason logically and why 'pathological' subjects deviate from the norms of formal logic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia G. Papaioannou
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS”, (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
| | - Eva Kalantzi
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Kalliopi Korombili
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Βokou
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Artemios Pehlivanidis
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Charalabos C. Papageorgiou
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS”, (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
| | - George Papaioannou
- Center for Research of Nonlinear Systems (CRANS), Department of Mathematics, University of Patras, Patra, Greece
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16
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Park S, Haak KV, Cho HB, Valk SL, Bethlehem RAI, Milham MP, Bernhardt BC, Di Martino A, Hong SJ. Atypical Integration of Sensory-to-Transmodal Functional Systems Mediates Symptom Severity in Autism. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:699813. [PMID: 34489757 PMCID: PMC8417581 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.699813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A notable characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is co-occurring deficits in low-level sensory processing and high-order social interaction. While there is evidence indicating detrimental cascading effects of sensory anomalies on the high-order cognitive functions in ASD, the exact pathological mechanism underlying their atypical functional interaction across the cortical hierarchy has not been systematically investigated. To address this gap, here we assessed the functional organisation of sensory and motor areas in ASD, and their relationship with subcortical and high-order trandmodal systems. In a resting-state fMRI data of 107 ASD and 113 neurotypical individuals, we applied advanced connectopic mapping to probe functional organization of primary sensory/motor areas, together with targeted seed-based intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) analyses. In ASD, the connectopic mapping revealed topological anomalies (i.e., excessively more segregated iFC) in the motor and visual areas, the former of which patterns showed association with the symptom severity of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Moreover, the seed-based analysis found diverging patterns of ASD-related connectopathies: decreased iFCs within the sensory/motor areas but increased iFCs between sensory and subcortical structures. While decreased iFCs were also found within the higher-order functional systems, the overall proportion of this anomaly tends to increase along the level of cortical hierarchy, suggesting more dysconnectivity in the higher-order functional networks. Finally, we demonstrated that the association between low-level sensory/motor iFCs and clinical symptoms in ASD was mediated by the high-order transmodal systems, suggesting pathogenic functional interactions along the cortical hierarchy. Findings were largely replicated in the independent dataset. These results highlight that atypical integration of sensory-to-high-order systems contributes to the complex ASD symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinwon Park
- Institute for Basic Science, Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Koen V. Haak
- Donders Institute of Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Han Byul Cho
- Institute for Basic Science, Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Sofie L. Valk
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Richard A. I. Bethlehem
- Department of Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Boris C. Bernhardt
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Seok-Jun Hong
- Institute for Basic Science, Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States
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17
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Unruh KE, McKinney WS, Bojanek EK, Fleming KK, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Initial action output and feedback-guided motor behaviors in autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2021; 12:52. [PMID: 34246292 PMCID: PMC8272343 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00452-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sensorimotor issues are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), related to core symptoms, and predictive of worse functional outcomes. Deficits in rapid behaviors supported primarily by feedforward mechanisms, and continuous, feedback-guided motor behaviors each have been reported, but the degrees to which they are distinct or co-segregate within individuals and across development are not well understood. METHODS We characterized behaviors that varied in their involvement of feedforward control relative to feedback control across skeletomotor (precision grip force) and oculomotor (saccades) control systems in 109 individuals with ASD and 101 age-matched typically developing controls (range: 5-29 years) including 58 individuals with ASD and 57 controls who completed both grip and saccade tests. Grip force was examined across multiple force (15, 45, and 85% MVC) and visual gain levels (low, medium, high). Maximum grip force also was examined. During grip force tests, reaction time, initial force output accuracy, variability, and entropy were examined. For the saccade test, latency, accuracy, and trial-wise variability of latency and accuracy were examined. RESULTS Relative to controls, individuals with ASD showed similar accuracy of initial grip force but reduced accuracy of saccadic eye movements specific to older ages of our sample. Force variability was greater in ASD relative to controls, but saccade gain variability (across trials) was not different between groups. Force entropy was reduced in ASD, especially at older ages. We also find reduced grip strength in ASD that was more severe in dominant compared to non-dominant hands. LIMITATIONS Our age-related findings rely on cross-sectional data. Longitudinal studies of sensorimotor behaviors and their associations with ASD symptoms are needed. CONCLUSIONS We identify reduced accuracy of initial motor output in ASD that was specific to the oculomotor system implicating deficient feedforward control that may be mitigated during slower occurring behaviors executed in the periphery. Individuals with ASD showed increased continuous force variability but similar levels of trial-to-trial saccade accuracy variability suggesting that feedback-guided refinement of motor commands is deficient specifically when adjustments occur rapidly during continuous behavior. We also document reduced lateralization of grip strength in ASD implicating atypical hemispheric specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Unruh
- Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Walker S McKinney
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Erin K Bojanek
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | | | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
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18
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Lu X, Inoue KI, Ohmae S, Uchida Y. New Cerebello-Cortical Pathway Involved in Higher-Order Oculomotor Control. THE CEREBELLUM 2021; 19:401-408. [PMID: 32076936 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01108-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum and the basal ganglia play an important role in the control of voluntary eye movement associated with complex behavior, but little is known about how cerebellar projections project to cortical eye movement areas. Here we used retrograde transneuronal transport of rabies virus to identify neurons in the cerebellar nuclei that project via the thalamus to supplementary eye field (SEF) of the frontal cortex of macaques. After rabies injections into the SEF, many neurons in the restricted region, the ventral aspects of the dentate nucleus (DN), the caudal pole of the DN, and the posterior interpositus nucleus (PIN) were labeled disynaptically via the thalamus, whereas no neuron labeling was found in the anterior interpositus nucleus (AIN). The distribution of the labeled neurons was dorsoventrally different from that of DN and PIN neurons labeled from the motor cortex. In the basal ganglia, a large number of labeled neurons were confined to the dorsomedial portion of the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi) as more neurons were labeled in the inner portion of the GPi (GPii) than in the outer portion of the GPi (GPio). This is the first evidence of a projection between cerebellum/basal ganglia and the SEF that could enable the cerebellum to modulate the cognitive control of voluntary eye movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Lu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA.
- Brain Science Center, Veterans Administration Medical Center, One Veterans Drive, Bldg 49, Rm 240, Minneapolis, MN, 55417-2399, USA.
- Department of Neurophysiology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
| | - Ken-Ichi Inoue
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Shogo Ohmae
- Department of Neurophysiology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yusuke Uchida
- Department of Neurophysiology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Science and Technology, Meijo University 1-501 Shiogamaguchi, Tempaku, Nagoya, 468-8502, Japan
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19
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Mihaylova MS, Bocheva NB, Totev TT, Staykova SN. Visual Noise Effect on Contour Integration and Gaze Allocation in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:623663. [PMID: 33633537 PMCID: PMC7900628 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.623663] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Contradictory results have been obtained in the studies that compare contour integration abilities in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and typically developing individuals. The present study aimed to explore the limiting factors of contour integration ability in ASD and verify the role of the external visual noise by a combination of psychophysical and eye-tracking approaches. To this aim, 24 children and adolescents with ASD and 32 age-matched participants with typical development had to detect the presence of contour embedded among similar Gabor elements in a Yes/No procedure. The results obtained showed that the responses in the group with ASD were not only less accurate but also were significantly slower compared to the control group at all noise levels. The detection performance depended on the group differences in addition to the effect of the intellectual functioning of the participants from both groups. The comparison of the agreement and accuracy of the responses in the double-pass experiment showed that the results of the participants with ASD are more affected by the increase of the external noise. It turned out that the internal noise depends on the level of the added external noise: the difference between the two groups was non-significant at the low external noise and significant at the high external noise. In accordance with the psychophysical results, the eye-tracking data indicated a larger gaze allocation area in the group with autism. These findings may imply higher positional uncertainty in ASD due to the inability to maintain the information of the contour location from previous presentations and interference from noise elements in the contour vicinity. Psychophysical and eye-tracking data suggest lower efficiency in using stimulus information in the ASD group that could be caused by fixation instability and noisy and unstable perceptual template that affects noise filtering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Slavcheva Mihaylova
- Department of Sensory Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Nadejda Bogdanova Bocheva
- Department of Sensory Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Tsvetalin Totev Totev
- Department of Sensory Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
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20
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Executive Function in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis of fMRI Studies. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 50:4022-4038. [PMID: 32200468 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04461-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities in executive function (EF) are clinical markers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the neural mechanisms underlying abnormal EF in ASD remain unclear. This meta-analysis investigated the construct, abnormalities, and age-related changes of EF in ASD. Thirty-three fMRI studies of inhibition, updating, and switching in individuals with high-functioning ASD were included (n = 1114; age range 7-57 years). The results revealed that the EF construct in ASD could be unitary (i.e., common EF) in children/adolescents, but unitary and diverse (i.e., common EF and inhibition) in adults. Abnormalities in this EF construct were found across development in individuals with ASD in comparison with typically developing individuals. Implications and recommendations are discussed for EF theory and for practice in ASD.
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21
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Aykan S, Gürses E, Tokgöz-Yılmaz S, Kalaycıoğlu C. Auditory Processing Differences Correlate With Autistic Traits in Males. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:584704. [PMID: 33192419 PMCID: PMC7588834 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.584704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has high prevalence among males compared to females but mechanisms underlying the differences between sexes are poorly investigated. Moreover, autistic symptoms show a continuity in the general population and are referred to as autistic traits in people without an ASD diagnosis. One of the symptoms of ASD is sensory processing differences both in sensitivity and perception. To investigate sensory processing differences in autistic traits, we examined auditory and visual processing in a healthy population. We recruited 75 individuals (39 females and 36 males, mean age = 23.01 years, SD = 3.23 years) and assessed autistic traits using the Autism Spectrum Quotient, and sensory sensitivity using the Sensory Sensitivity Scales. Sensory processing in the visual domain was examined with the radial motion stimulus and the auditory domain was assessed with the 1,000 Hz pure tone stimulus with electroencephalography-evoked potentials. The results showed that the auditory sensitivity scores of the males (raud (34) = 0.396, paud = 0.017) and the visual sensitivity scores of females were correlated with autistic traits (rvis (37) = 0.420, pvis = 0.008). Moreover, the P2 latency for the auditory stimulus was prolonged in the participants with a higher level of autistic traits (rs (61) = 0.411, p = 0.008), and this correlation was only observed in males (rs (31) = 0.542, p = 0.001). We propose that auditory processing differences are related to autistic traits in neurotypicals, particularly in males. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering sex differences in autistic traits and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simge Aykan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Emre Gürses
- Department of Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Suna Tokgöz-Yılmaz
- Department of Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.,Audiology, Speech and Balance Diagnosis and Rehabilitation Center, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Canan Kalaycıoğlu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
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22
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Alsaedi RH. An Assessment of the Motor Performance Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Gulf Region. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10090607. [PMID: 32899306 PMCID: PMC7564795 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to determine the prevalence, severity, and nature of the motor abnormalities seen in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as well as to elucidate the associated developmental profiles. The short-form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2) was used to assess various aspects of the motor performance of 119 children with ASD and 30 typically developing children (age range: 6–12 years) from three Gulf states. The results revealed the high prevalence of motor abnormalities among the ASD group when compared with the normative data derived from the BOT-2 manual as well as with the data concerning the typically developing group. The results also indicated that the motor performance of the children with ASD fell within the below-average range according to the BOT-2 cut-off score. Further, the results suggested that the age variable may influence the overall motor performance of children with ASD, since the children’s motor abnormalities may decrease with maturation. The results concerning the specific motor dysfunction profiles seen in individuals with ASD could help practitioners, parents, and educators to better understand the nature of the motor deficits exhibited by children with ASD, which could assist with the design and implementation of treatment and rehabilitation programs for such children. Overall, motor performance represents an important aspect that should be considered during the clinical evaluation of ASD and that should not be ignored during early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rehab H. Alsaedi
- Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4059, Australia;
- Department of Special Education, Taibah University, Madinah 41477, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Kayarian FB, Jannati A, Rotenberg A, Santarnecchi E. Targeting Gamma-Related Pathophysiology in Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Transcranial Electrical Stimulation: Opportunities and Challenges. Autism Res 2020; 13:1051-1071. [PMID: 32468731 PMCID: PMC7387209 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A range of scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities correlates with the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Among these are alterations of brain oscillations in the gamma-frequency EEG band in adults and children with ASD, whose origin has been linked to dysfunctions of inhibitory interneuron signaling. While therapeutic interventions aimed to modulate gamma oscillations are being tested for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and frontotemporal dementia, the prospects for therapeutic gamma modulation in ASD have not been extensively studied. Accordingly, we discuss gamma-related alterations in the setting of ASD pathophysiology, as well as potential interventions that can enhance gamma oscillations in patients with ASD. Ultimately, we argue that transcranial electrical stimulation modalities capable of entraining gamma oscillations, and thereby potentially modulating inhibitory interneuron circuitry, are promising methods to study and mitigate gamma alterations in ASD. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1051-1071. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Brain functions are mediated by various oscillatory waves of neuronal activity, ranging in amplitude and frequency. In certain neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, reduced high-frequency oscillations in the "gamma" band have been observed, and therapeutic interventions to enhance such activity are being explored. Here, we review and comment on evidence of reduced gamma activity in ASD, arguing that modalities used in other disorders may benefit individuals with ASD as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fae B. Kayarian
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Division of Cognitive Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ali Jannati
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Division of Cognitive Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Neuromodulation Program and Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Division of Cognitive Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Neuromodulation Program and Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Division of Cognitive Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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24
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Abnormal EEG Power Spectrum in Individuals with High Autistic Personality Traits: an eLORETA Study. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-019-09777-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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25
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Caldani S, Steg S, Lefebvre A, Atzori P, Peyre H, Delorme R, Bucci MP. Oculomotor behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2019; 24:670-679. [PMID: 31680545 DOI: 10.1177/1362361319882861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
To identify quantitative indicators of social communication dysfunctions, we explored the oculomotor performances in subjects with autism spectrum disorders. Discordant findings in the literature have been reported for oculomotor behavior in subjects with autism spectrum disorders. This study aimed to explore reflexive and voluntary saccadic performance in a group of 32 children with autism spectrum disorders (mean age: 12.1 ± 0.5 years) compared to 32 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched typically developing children (control group). We used different types of reflexive and voluntary saccades: gap, step, overlap, and anti-saccades. Eye movements were recorded using an eye tracker (Mobile EBT®) and we measured latency, percentage of anticipatory and express saccades, errors of anti-saccades and gain. Children with autism spectrum disorders reported similar latency values with respect to typically developing children for reflexive and voluntary saccades; in contrast, they made more express and anticipatory saccades overall, as shown in paradigm testing (gap, step, overlap, and anti-saccades). Our findings support previous evidence of the atypicality of the cortical network, which is involved in saccade triggering and attentional processes in children with autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- Paris Diderot University, France.,Robert Debré Hospital, France
| | - Sarah Steg
- Paris Diderot University, France.,Robert Debré Hospital, France
| | - Aline Lefebvre
- Paris Diderot University, France.,Robert Debré Hospital, France
| | - Paola Atzori
- Robert Debré Hospital, France.,FondaMental Foundation, France
| | - Hugo Peyre
- Paris Diderot University, France.,Robert Debré Hospital, France.,FondaMental Foundation, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Paris Diderot University, France.,Robert Debré Hospital, France.,FondaMental Foundation, France
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- Paris Diderot University, France.,Robert Debré Hospital, France
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26
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Ethridge LE, De Stefano LA, Schmitt LM, Woodruff NE, Brown KL, Tran M, Wang J, Pedapati EV, Erickson CA, Sweeney JA. Auditory EEG Biomarkers in Fragile X Syndrome: Clinical Relevance. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:60. [PMID: 31649514 PMCID: PMC6794497 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory hypersensitivities are common and distressing features of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). While there are many drug interventions that reduce behavioral deficits in Fmr1 mice and efforts to translate these preclinical breakthroughs into clinical trials for FXS, evidence-based clinical interventions are almost non-existent potentially due to lack of valid neural biomarkers. Local circuit function in sensory networks is dependent on the dynamic balance of activity in inhibitory/excitatory synapses. Studies are needed to examine the association of electrophysiological alterations in neural systems with sensory and other clinical features of FXS to establish their clinical relevance. Adolescents and adults with FXS (n = 38, Mean age = 25.5, std = 10.1; 13 females) and age matched typically developing controls (n = 40, Mean age = 27.7, std = 12.1; 17 females) completed auditory chirp and auditory habituation tasks while undergoing dense array electroencephalography (EEG). Amplitude, latency, and percent change (habituation) in N1 and P2 event-related potential (ERP) components were characterized for the habituation task; time-frequency calculations using Morlet wavelets characterized phase-locking and single trial power for the habituation and chirp tasks. FXS patients showed increased amplitude but some evidence for reduced habituation of the N1 ERP, and reduced phase-locking in the low and high gamma frequency range and increased low gamma power to the chirp stimulus. FXS showed increased theta power in both tasks. While the habituation finding was weaker than previously found, the remaining findings replicate our previous work in a new sample of patients with FXS. Females showed less deficit in the chirp task but not the habituation task. Abnormal increases in gamma power were related to more severe behavioral and psychiatric features as well as reductions in neurocognitive abilities. Replicating electrophysiological deficits in a new group of patients using different EEG equipment at a new data collection site with differing levels of environmental noise that were robust to data processing techniques utilizing multiple researchers, indicates a potential for scalability to multi-site clinical trials. Given the robust replicability, relevance to clinical measures, and preclinical evidence for sensitivity of these EEG measures to pharmacological intervention, the observed abnormalities may provide novel translational markers of target engagement and potentially outcome measures in large-scale studies evaluating new treatments targeting neural hyperexcitability in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Ethridge
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.,Department of Psychology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Lisa A De Stefano
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Lauren M Schmitt
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Nicholas E Woodruff
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Kara L Brown
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Morgan Tran
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Ernest V Pedapati
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Child Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Craig A Erickson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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27
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Unruh KE, Martin LE, Magnon G, Vaillancourt DE, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Cortical and subcortical alterations associated with precision visuomotor behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1330-1341. [PMID: 31314644 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00286.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to core deficits in social-communication abilities and repetitive behaviors and interests, many patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience developmental comorbidities, including sensorimotor issues. Sensorimotor issues are common in ASD and associated with more severe clinical symptoms. Importantly, sensorimotor behaviors are precisely quantifiable and highly translational, offering promising targets for neurophysiological studies of ASD. We used functional MRI to identify brain regions associated with sensorimotor behavior using a visually guided precision gripping task in individuals with ASD (n = 20) and age-, IQ-, and handedness-matched controls (n = 18). During visuomotor behavior, individuals with ASD showed greater force variability than controls. The blood oxygen level-dependent signal for multiple cortical and subcortical regions was associated with force variability, including motor and premotor cortex, posterior parietal cortex, extrastriate cortex, putamen, and cerebellum. Activation in the right premotor cortex scaled with sensorimotor variability in controls but not in ASD. Individuals with ASD showed greater activation than controls in left putamen and left cerebellar lobule VIIb, and activation in these regions was associated with more severe clinically rated symptoms of ASD. Together, these results suggest that greater sensorimotor variability in ASD is associated with altered cortical-striatal processes supporting action selection and cortical-cerebellar circuits involved in feedback-guided reactive adjustments of motor output. Our findings also indicate that atypical organization of visuomotor cortical circuits may result in heightened reliance on subcortical circuits typically dedicated to motor skill acquisition. Overall, these results provide new evidence that sensorimotor alterations in ASD involve aberrant cortical and subcortical organization that may contribute to key clinical issues in patients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first known study to examine functional brain activation during precision visuomotor behavior in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We replicate previous findings of elevated force variability in ASD and find these deficits are associated with atypical function of ventral premotor cortex, putamen, and posterolateral cerebellum, indicating cortical-striatal processes supporting action selection and cortical-cerebellar circuits involved in feedback-guided reactive adjustments of motor output may be key targets for understanding the neurobiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Unruh
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Laura E Martin
- Hoglund Brain Imaging Center and Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Grant Magnon
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, Kansas
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Neely KA, Mohanty S, Schmitt LM, Wang Z, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Motor Memory Deficits Contribute to Motor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2675-2684. [PMID: 27155985 PMCID: PMC5099114 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2806-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Sensorimotor abnormalities are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the processes underlying these deficits remain unclear. This study examined force production with and without visual feedback to determine if individuals with ASD can utilize internal representations to guide sustained force. Individuals with ASD showed a faster rate of force decay in the absence of visual feedback. Comparison of force output and tests of social and verbal abilities demonstrated a link between motor memory impairment and social and verbal deficits in individuals with ASD. This finding suggests that deficits in storage or retrieval of motor memories contribute to sensorimotor deficits and implicates frontoparietal networks involved in short-term consolidation of action dynamics used to optimize ongoing motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina A Neely
- Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, 276 Recreation Building, State College, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Suman Mohanty
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren M Schmitt
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA.
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA.
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Deriving and validating biomarkers associated with autism spectrum disorders from a large-scale resting-state database. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9043. [PMID: 31227769 PMCID: PMC6588618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45465-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to investigate the brain activity related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we applied information from a large-scale dataset, the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE), to clinical applications. We recruited 21 patients with ASD and 23 individuals with neurotypical development (TD). We applied ASD biomarkers derived from ABIDE datasets and subsequently investigated the relationship between the MRI biomarkers and indicators from clinical screening questionnaires, the social responsiveness scale (SRS), and the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Questionnaire IV. The results indicated that the biomarkers generated from the default mode and executive control networks significantly differed between the participants with ASD and TD. In particular, the biomarkers derived from the default mode network were negatively correlated with the raw scores and model factors of the SRS. In summary, this study transferred the efforts of the global autism research community to clinical applications and identified connectivity-based biomarkers in ASD.
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30
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Wang Z, Wang Y, Sweeney JA, Gong Q, Lui S, Mosconi MW. Resting-State Brain Network Dysfunctions Associated With Visuomotor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:17. [PMID: 31213995 PMCID: PMC6554427 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show elevated levels of motor variability that are associated with clinical outcomes. Cortical-cerebellar networks involved in visuomotor control have been implicated in postmortem and anatomical imaging studies of ASD. However, the extent to which these networks show intrinsic functional alterations in patients, and the relationship between intrinsic functional properties of cortical-cerebellar networks and visuomotor impairments in ASD have not yet been clarified. Methods: We examined the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) of cortical and cerebellar brain regions during resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) in 23 individuals with ASD and 16 typically developing (TD) controls. Regions of interest (ROIs) with ALFF values significantly associated with motor variability were identified for for patients and controls respectively, and their functional connectivity (FC) to each other and to the rest of the brain was examined. Results: For TD controls, greater ALFF in bilateral cerebellar crus I, left superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, and left angular gyrus each were associated with greater visuomotor variability. Greater ALFF in cerebellar lobule VIII was associated with less visuomotor variability. For individuals with ASD, greater ALFF in right calcarine cortex, right middle temporal gyrus (including MT/V5), left Heschl's gyrus, left post-central gyrus, right pre-central gyrus, and left precuneus was related to greater visuomotor variability. Greater ALFF in cerebellar vermis VI was associated with less visuomotor variability. Individuals with ASD and TD controls did not show differences in ALFF for any of these ROIs. Individuals with ASD showed greater posterior cerebellar connectivity with occipital and parietal cortices relative to TD controls, and reduced FC within cerebellum and between lateral cerebellum and pre-frontal and other regions of association cortex. Conclusion: Together, these findings suggest that increased resting oscillations within visuomotor networks in ASD are associated with more severe deficits in controlling variability during precision visuomotor behavior. Differences between individuals with ASD and TD controls in the topography of networks showing relationships to visuomotor behavior suggest atypical patterns of cerebellar-cortical specialization and connectivity in ASD that underlies previously documented visuomotor deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Su Lui
- Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Matthew W. Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
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31
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Differences in Oculomotor Function between Children with Sensory Processing Disorder and Typical Development. Optom Vis Sci 2019; 96:172-179. [DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000001343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Takamuku S, Forbes PAG, Hamilton AFDC, Gomi H. Typical use of inverse dynamics in perceiving motion in autistic adults: Exploring computational principles of perception and action. Autism Res 2018; 11:1062-1075. [PMID: 29734504 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence for motor difficulties in many people with autism spectrum condition (ASC). These difficulties could be linked to differences in the use of internal models which represent relations between motions and forces/efforts. The use of these internal models may be dependent on the cerebellum which has been shown to be abnormal in autism. Several studies have examined internal computations of forward dynamics (motion from force information) in autism, but few have tested the inverse dynamics computation, that is, the determination of force-related information from motion information. Here, we examined this ability in autistic adults by measuring two perceptual biases which depend on the inverse computation. First, we asked participants whether they experienced a feeling of resistance when moving a delayed cursor, which corresponds to the inertial force of the cursor implied by its motion-both typical and ASC participants reported similar feelings of resistance. Second, participants completed a psychophysical task in which they judged the velocity of a moving hand with or without a visual cue implying inertial force. Both typical and ASC participants perceived the hand moving with the inertial cue to be slower than the hand without it. In both cases, the magnitude of the effects did not differ between the two groups. Our results suggest that the neural systems engaged in the inverse dynamics computation are preserved in ASC, at least in the observed conditions. Autism Res 2018, 11: 1062-1075. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY We tested the ability to estimate force information from motion information, which arises from a specific "inverse dynamics" computation. Autistic adults and a matched control group reported feeling a resistive sensation when moving a delayed cursor and also judged a moving hand to be slower when it was pulling a load. These findings both suggest that the ability to estimate force information from motion information is intact in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Takamuku
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0198, Japan
| | - Paul A G Forbes
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Alexandra House, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AZ, UK
| | - Antonia F de C Hamilton
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Alexandra House, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AZ, UK
| | - Hiroaki Gomi
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0198, Japan
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Moseley RL, Pulvermüller F. What can autism teach us about the role of sensorimotor systems in higher cognition? New clues from studies on language, action semantics, and abstract emotional concept processing. Cortex 2018; 100:149-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Casellato C, Gandolla M, Crippa A, Pedrocchi A. Robotic set-up to quantify hand-eye behavior in motor execution and learning of children with autism spectrum disorder. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2017; 2017:953-958. [PMID: 28813944 DOI: 10.1109/icorr.2017.8009372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a persistence of social and communication impairment, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. However, motor disorders have also been described, but not objectively assessed. Most studies showed inefficient eye-hand coordination and motor learning in children with ASD; in other experiments, mechanisms of acquisition of internal models in self-generated movements appeared to be normal in autism. In this framework, we have developed a robotic protocol, recording gaze and hand data during upper limb tasks, in which a haptic pen-like handle is moved along specific trajectories displayed on the screen. The protocol includes trials of reaching under a perturbing force field and catching moving targets, with or without visual availability of the whole path. We acquired 16 typically-developing scholar-age children and one child with ASD as a case study. Speed-accuracy tradeoff, motor performance, and gaze-hand spatial coordination have been evaluated. Compared to typically developing peers, in the force field sequence, the child with ASD showed an intact but delayed learning, and more variable gazehand patterns. In the catching trials, he showed less efficient movements, but an intact capability of exploiting the available a-priori plan. The proposed protocol represents a powerful tool, easily tunable, for quantitative (longitudinal) assessment, and for subject-tailored training in ASD.
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35
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Del Rio-Bermudez C, Kim J, Sokoloff G, Blumberg MS. Theta Oscillations during Active Sleep Synchronize the Developing Rubro-Hippocampal Sensorimotor Network. Curr Biol 2017; 27:1413-1424.e4. [PMID: 28479324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.03.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal oscillations comprise a fundamental mechanism by which distant neural structures establish and express functional connectivity. Long-range functional connectivity between the hippocampus and other forebrain structures is enabled by theta oscillations. Here, we show for the first time that the infant rat red nucleus (RN)-a brainstem sensorimotor structure-exhibits theta (4-7 Hz) oscillations restricted primarily to periods of active (REM) sleep. At postnatal day 8 (P8), theta is expressed as brief bursts immediately following myoclonic twitches; by P12, theta oscillations are expressed continuously across bouts of active sleep. Simultaneous recordings from the hippocampus and RN at P12 show that theta oscillations in both structures are coherent, co-modulated, and mutually interactive during active sleep. Critically, at P12, inactivation of the medial septum eliminates theta in both structures. The developmental emergence of theta-dependent functional coupling between the hippocampus and RN parallels that between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Accordingly, disruptions in the early expression of theta could underlie the cognitive and sensorimotor deficits associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Del Rio-Bermudez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jangjin Kim
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Greta Sokoloff
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Mark S Blumberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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Khundrakpam BS, Lewis JD, Kostopoulos P, Carbonell F, Evans AC. Cortical Thickness Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorders Through Late Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood: A Large-Scale MRI Study. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:1721-1731. [PMID: 28334080 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have provided inconsistent evidence of cortical abnormality. This is probably due to the small sample sizes used in most studies, and important differences in sample characteristics, particularly age, as well as to the heterogeneity of the disorder. To address these issues, we assessed abnormalities in ASD within the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange data set, which comprises data from approximately 1100 individuals (~6-55 years). A subset of these data that met stringent quality control and inclusion criteria (560 male subjects; 266 ASD; age = 6-35 years) were used to compute age-specific differences in cortical thickness in ASD and the relationship of any such differences to symptom severity of ASD. Our results show widespread increased cortical thickness in ASD, primarily left lateralized, from 6 years onwards, with differences diminishing during adulthood. The severity of symptoms related to social affect and communication correlated with these cortical abnormalities. These results are consistent with the conjecture that developmental patterns of cortical thickness abnormalities reflect delayed cortical maturation and highlight the dynamic nature of morphological abnormalities in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaH3H2P1
| | | | - Felix Carbonell
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaH3H2P1
| | - Alan C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaH3H2P1
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37
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Wang Z, Kwon M, Mohanty S, Schmitt LM, White SP, Christou EA, Mosconi MW. Increased Force Variability Is Associated with Altered Modulation of the Motorneuron Pool Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E698. [PMID: 28346344 PMCID: PMC5412284 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18040698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Force control deficits have been repeatedly documented in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They are associated with worse social and daily living skill impairments in patients suggesting that developing a more mechanistic understanding of the central and peripheral processes that cause them may help guide the development of treatments that improve multiple outcomes in ASD. The neuromuscular mechanisms underlying force control deficits are not yet understood. Seventeen individuals with ASD and 14 matched healthy controls completed an isometric index finger abduction test at 60% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) during recording of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle to determine the neuromuscular processes associated with sustained force variability. Central modulation of the motorneuron pool activation of the FDI muscle was evaluated at delta (0-4 Hz), alpha (4-10 Hz), beta (10-35 Hz) and gamma (35-60 Hz) frequency bands. ASD patients showed greater force variability than controls when attempting to maintain a constant force. Relative to controls, patients also showed increased central modulation of the motorneuron pool at beta and gamma bands. For controls, reduced force variability was associated with reduced delta frequency modulation of the motorneuron pool activity of the FDI muscle and increased modulation at beta and gamma bands. In contrast, delta, beta, and gamma frequency oscillations were not associated with force variability in ASD. These findings suggest that alterations of central mechanisms that control motorneuron pool firing may underlie the common and often impairing symptoms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical School, Overland Park, KS 66213, USA.
| | - Minhyuk Kwon
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical School, Overland Park, KS 66213, USA.
| | - Suman Mohanty
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Lauren M Schmitt
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical School, Overland Park, KS 66213, USA.
| | - Stormi P White
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Evangelos A Christou
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
- Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical School, Overland Park, KS 66213, USA.
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Connectivity-based parcellation reveals distinct cortico-striatal connectivity fingerprints in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuroimage 2017; 170:412-423. [PMID: 28188914 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been associated with abnormal synaptic development causing a breakdown in functional connectivity. However, when measured at the macro scale using resting state fMRI, these alterations are subtle and often difficult to detect due to the large heterogeneity of the pathology. Recently, we outlined a novel approach for generating robust biomarkers of resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) using connectivity based parcellation of gross morphological structures to improve single-subject reproducibility and generate more robust connectivity fingerprints. Here we apply this novel approach to investigating the organization and connectivity strength of the cortico-striatal system in a large sample of ASD individuals and typically developed (TD) controls (N=130 per group). Our results showed differences in the parcellation of the striatum in ASD. Specifically, the putamen was found to be one single structure in ASD, whereas this was split into anterior and posterior segments in an age, IQ, and head movement matched TD group. An analysis of the connectivity fingerprints revealed that the group differences in clustering were driven by differential connectivity between striatum and the supplementary motor area, posterior cingulate cortex, and posterior insula. Our approach for analysing RS-fMRI in clinical populations has provided clear evidence that cortico-striatal circuits are organized differently in ASD. Based on previous task-based segmentations of the striatum, we believe that the anterior putamen cluster present in TD, but not in ASD, likely contributes to social and language processes.
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39
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Woodward ND, Giraldo-Chica M, Rogers B, Cascio CJ. Thalamocortical dysconnectivity in autism spectrum disorder: An analysis of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 2:76-84. [PMID: 28584881 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit differences in basic sensorimotor processing as well as general cortical excitability. These observations converge to implicate thalamocortical connectivity as a potential unifying neural mechanism. The goal of this study was to clarify mixed findings on thalamocortical functional connectivity in a large sample of individuals with ASD. METHODS Using the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE), we examined thalamocortical functional connectivity in 228 individuals with ASD and a matched comparison group of 228 typically developing individuals. In order to fully characterize thalamocortical functional networks, we employed complementary seed-based approaches that examined connectivity of major cortical divisions (e.g. prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe) with the thalamus and whole-brain connectivity of specific thalamic sub-regions. RESULTS Prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe, and sensorimotor cortex exhibited hyper-connectivity with the thalamus in ASD. In the whole-brain analysis, hyper-connectivity of several thalamic seeds included multiple cortical areas, but tended to converge in temporal cortical areas, including the temporoparietal junction. Follow-up analyses of age effects revealed that the connectivity abnormalities in ASD were more pronounced in adolescents compared to children and adults. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm previous findings of temporal and motor thalamocortical hyper-connectivity in ASD, and extend them to include somatosensory and prefrontal cortex. While not directly addressable with the data available in ABIDE, this widespread hyper-connectivity could theoretically account for sensorimotor symptoms and general cortical excitability in ASD. Future studies should target comprehensive clinical and behavioral characterization in combination with functional connectivity in order to explore this possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil D Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Monica Giraldo-Chica
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Baxter Rogers
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN
| | - Carissa J Cascio
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
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40
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Abstract
We examined the factors that influence ocular fixation control in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including sensory information, individuals' motor characteristics, and inhibitory control. The ASD group showed difficulty in maintaining fixation especially when there was no fixation target. The fixational eye movement characteristics of individuals were consistent regardless of the presence or absence of a fixation target in the controls, but not in the ASD group. Additionally, fixation stability did not correlate with an ability to suppress reflexive saccades measured by an antisaccade task. These findings suggest that ASD adults have deficits in converting alternative sensory information, such as retinal signals in the peripheral visual field or extraretinal signals, to motor commands when the foveal information is unavailable.
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41
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Lee H, Kang H, Chung MK, Lim S, Kim BN, Lee DS. Integrated multimodal network approach to PET and MRI based on multidimensional persistent homology. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 38:1387-1402. [PMID: 27859919 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding underlying relationships among multiple imaging modalities in a coherent fashion is one of the challenging problems in multimodal analysis. In this study, we propose a novel approach based on multidimensional persistence. In the extension of the previous threshold-free method of persistent homology, we visualize and discriminate the topological change of integrated brain networks by varying not only threshold but also mixing ratio between two different imaging modalities. The multidimensional persistence is implemented by a new bimodal integration method called 1D projection. When the mixing ratio is predefined, it constructs an integrated edge weight matrix by projecting two different connectivity information onto the one dimensional shared space. We applied the proposed methods to PET and MRI data from 23 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children, 21 autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and 10 pediatric control subjects. From the results, we found that the brain networks of ASD, ADHD children and controls differ, with ASD and ADHD showing asymmetrical changes of connected structures between metabolic and morphological connectivities. The difference of connected structure between ASD and the controls was mainly observed in the metabolic connectivity. However, ADHD showed the maximum difference when two connectivity information were integrated with the ratio 0.6. These results provide a multidimensional homological understanding of disease-related PET and MRI networks that disclose the network association with ASD and ADHD. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1387-1402, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyekyoung Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyejin Kang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Data Science and Knowledge Creation Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Moo K Chung
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Seonhee Lim
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bung-Nyun Kim
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Soo Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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42
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Zalla T, Seassau M, Cazalis F, Gras D, Leboyer M. Saccadic eye movements in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2016; 22:195-204. [PMID: 29490485 DOI: 10.1177/1362361316667057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we examined the accuracy and dynamics of visually guided saccades in 20 adults with autism spectrum disorder, as compared to 20 typically developed adults using the Step/Overlap/Gap paradigms. Performances in participants with autistic spectrum disorder were characterized by preserved Gap/Overlap effect, but reduced gain and peak velocity, as well as a greater trial-to-trial variability in task performance, as compared to the control group. While visual orienting and attentional engagement were relatively preserved in individuals with autistic spectrum disorder, overall these findings provide evidence that abnormal oculomotor behavior in autistic spectrum disorder reflects an altered sensorimotor control due to cerebellar abnormalities, rather than a deficit in the volitional control of eye movements. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence implicating this structure in the physiopathology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Zalla
- 1 CNRS, UMR 8129, École Normale Supérieure & PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | | | - Fabienne Cazalis
- 1 CNRS, UMR 8129, École Normale Supérieure & PSL Research University, Paris, France.,3 École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), France
| | - Doriane Gras
- 1 CNRS, UMR 8129, École Normale Supérieure & PSL Research University, Paris, France.,4 Sorbonne Paris Cité, France
| | - Marion Leboyer
- 5 INSERM U 955, University Paris Est Creteil & Fondation FondaMental, Creteil, France
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43
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Johnson BP, Lum JAG, Rinehart NJ, Fielding J. Ocular motor disturbances in autism spectrum disorders: Systematic review and comprehensive meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 69:260-79. [PMID: 27527824 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
There has been considerable focus placed on how individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) visually perceive and attend to social information, such as facial expressions or social gaze. The role of eye movements is inextricable from visual perception, however this aspect is often overlooked. We performed a series of meta-analyses based on data from 28 studies of eye movements in ASD to determine whether there is evidence for ocular motor dysfunction in ASD. Tasks assessed included visually-guided saccade tasks, gap/overlap, anti-saccade, pursuit tasks and ocular fixation. These analyses revealed evidence for ocular motor dysfunction in ASD, specifically relating to saccade dysmetria, difficulty inhibiting saccades and impaired tracking of moving targets. However there was no evidence for deficits relating to initiating eye movements, or engaging and disengaging from simple visual targets. Characterizing ocular motor abnormalities in ASD may provide insight into the functional integrity of brain networks in ASD across development, and assist our understanding of visual and social attention in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth P Johnson
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, 18 Innovation Walk, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia.
| | - Jarrad A G Lum
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin Unviersity, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Nicole J Rinehart
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, 18 Innovation Walk, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia; Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Deakin Unviersity, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Joanne Fielding
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, 18 Innovation Walk, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
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44
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Fuccillo MV. Striatal Circuits as a Common Node for Autism Pathophysiology. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:27. [PMID: 26903795 PMCID: PMC4746330 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by two seemingly unrelated symptom domains-deficits in social interactions and restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavioral output. Whether the diverse nature of ASD symptomatology represents distributed dysfunction of brain networks or abnormalities within specific neural circuits is unclear. Striatal dysfunction is postulated to underlie the repetitive motor behaviors seen in ASD, and neurological and brain-imaging studies have supported this assumption. However, as our appreciation of striatal function expands to include regulation of behavioral flexibility, motivational state, goal-directed learning, and attention, we consider whether alterations in striatal physiology are a central node mediating a range of autism-associated behaviors, including social and cognitive deficits that are hallmarks of the disease. This review investigates multiple genetic mouse models of ASD to explore whether abnormalities in striatal circuits constitute a common pathophysiological mechanism in the development of autism-related behaviors. Despite the heterogeneity of genetic insult investigated, numerous genetic ASD models display alterations in the structure and function of striatal circuits, as well as abnormal behaviors including repetitive grooming, stereotypic motor routines, deficits in social interaction and decision-making. Comparative analysis in rodents provides a unique opportunity to leverage growing genetic association data to reveal canonical neural circuits whose dysfunction directly contributes to discrete aspects of ASD symptomatology. The description of such circuits could provide both organizing principles for understanding the complex genetic etiology of ASD as well as novel treatment routes. Furthermore, this focus on striatal mechanisms of behavioral regulation may also prove useful for exploring the pathogenesis of other neuropsychiatric diseases, which display overlapping behavioral deficits with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc V. Fuccillo
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
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45
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Rothwell PE. Autism Spectrum Disorders and Drug Addiction: Common Pathways, Common Molecules, Distinct Disorders? Front Neurosci 2016; 10:20. [PMID: 26903789 PMCID: PMC4742554 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and drug addiction do not share substantial comorbidity or obvious similarities in etiology or symptomatology. It is thus surprising that a number of recent studies implicate overlapping neural circuits and molecular signaling pathways in both disorders. The purpose of this review is to highlight this emerging intersection and consider implications for understanding the pathophysiology of these seemingly distinct disorders. One area of overlap involves neural circuits and neuromodulatory systems in the striatum and basal ganglia, which play an established role in addiction and reward but are increasingly implicated in clinical and preclinical studies of ASDs. A second area of overlap relates to molecules like Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) and methyl CpG-binding protein-2 (MECP2), which are best known for their contribution to the pathogenesis of syndromic ASDs, but have recently been shown to regulate behavioral and neurobiological responses to addictive drug exposure. These shared pathways and molecules point to common dimensions of behavioral dysfunction, including the repetition of behavioral patterns and aberrant reward processing. The synthesis of knowledge gained through parallel investigations of ASDs and addiction may inspire the design of new therapeutic interventions to correct common elements of striatal dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick E Rothwell
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN, USA
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46
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Furman JM, Osorio MJ, Minshew NJ. Visual and Vestibular Induced Eye Movements in Verbal Children and Adults with Autism. Autism Res 2015; 8:658-67. [PMID: 25846907 PMCID: PMC5083969 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the functionality of vestibular, pursuit, and saccade circuitry in autism across a wide age range. Subjects were 79 individuals with autism (AUT) and 62 controls (CON) aged 5 to 52 years with IQ scores > 70. For vestibular testing, earth-vertical axis rotation was performed in darkness and in a lighted visual surround with a fixation target. Ocular motor testing included assessment of horizontal saccades and horizontal smooth pursuit. No between-group differences were found in vestibular reflexes or in mean saccade velocity or accuracy. Saccade latency was increased in the AUT group with significant age-related effects in the 8-18 year old subgroups. There was a trend toward decreased pursuit gain without age effects. Normal vestibular-induced eye movements and normal saccade accuracy and velocity provide the most substantial evidence to date of the functional integrity of brainstem and cerebellar pathways in autism, suggesting that the histopathological abnormalities described in these structures may not be associated with intrinsic dysfunction but rather reflect developmental alterations related to forebrain cortical systems formation. Increased saccade latency with age effects adds to the extensive existing evidence of altered function and maturation of cortical systems in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Furman
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Maria J Osorio
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Nancy J Minshew
- Departments of Psychiatry & Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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47
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Mosconi MW, Sweeney JA. Sensorimotor dysfunctions as primary features of autism spectrum disorders. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2015; 58:1016-23. [PMID: 26335740 PMCID: PMC5304941 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-015-4894-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Motor impairments in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have received far less research attention than core social-communication and cognitive features. Yet, behavioral, neurophysiological, neuroimaging and histopathological studies have documented abnormal motor system development in the majority of individuals with ASD suggesting that these deficits may be primary to the disorder. There are several unique advantages to studying motor development in ASD. First, the neurophysiological substrates of motor skills have been well-characterized via animal and human lesion studies. Second, many of the single- gene disorders associated with ASD also are characterized by motor dysfunctions. Third, recent evidence suggests that the onset of motor dysfunctions may precede the emergence of social and communication deficits during the first year of life in ASD. Motor deficits documented in ASD indicate disruptions throughout the neuroaxis affecting cortex, striatum, the cerebellum and brainstem. Questions remain regarding the timing and development of motor system alterations in ASD, their association with defining clinical features, and their potential for parsing heterogeneity in ASD. Pursuing these questions through neurobiologically informed translational research holds great promise for identifying gene-brain pathways associated with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9086, USA.
| | - John A Sweeney
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9086, USA
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48
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Bissonette GB, Roesch MR. Rule encoding in dorsal striatum impacts action selection. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 42:2555-67. [PMID: 26275165 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is a hallmark of prefrontal cortical (PFC) function yet little is known about downstream area involvement. The medial dorsal striatum (mDS) receives major projections from the PFC and is uniquely situated to perform the integration of responses with rule information. In this study, we use a novel rule shifting task in rats that mirrors non-human primate and human studies in its temporal precision and counterbalanced responses. We record activity from single neurons in the mDS while rats switch between different rules for reward. Additionally, we pharmacologically inactivate mDS by infusion of a baclofen/muscimol cocktail. Inactivation of mDS impaired the ability to shift to a new rule and increased the number of regressive errors. While recording in mDS, we identified neurons modulated by direction whose activity reflected the conflict between competing rule information. We show that a subset of these neurons was also rule selective, and that the conflict between competing rule cues was resolved as behavioural performance improved. Other neurons were modulated by rule, but not direction. These neurons became selective before behavioural performance accurately reflected the current rule. These data provide an additional locus for investigating the mechanisms underlying behavioural flexibility. Converging lines of evidence from multiple human psychiatric disorders have implicated dorsal striatum as an important and understudied neural substrate of flexible cognition. Our data confirm the importance of mDS, and suggest a mechanism by which mDS mediates abstract cognition functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory B Bissonette
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Matthew R Roesch
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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49
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Mosconi MW, Wang Z, Schmitt LM, Tsai P, Sweeney JA. The role of cerebellar circuitry alterations in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:296. [PMID: 26388713 PMCID: PMC4555040 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been repeatedly implicated in gene expression, rodent model and post-mortem studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). How cellular and molecular anomalies of the cerebellum relate to clinical manifestations of ASD remains unclear. Separate circuits of the cerebellum control different sensorimotor behaviors, such as maintaining balance, walking, making eye movements, reaching, and grasping. Each of these behaviors has been found to be impaired in ASD, suggesting that multiple distinct circuits of the cerebellum may be involved in the pathogenesis of patients' sensorimotor impairments. We will review evidence that the development of these circuits is disrupted in individuals with ASD and that their study may help elucidate the pathophysiology of sensorimotor deficits and core symptoms of the disorder. Preclinical studies of monogenetic conditions associated with ASD also have identified selective defects of the cerebellum and documented behavioral rescues when the cerebellum is targeted. Based on these findings, we propose that cerebellar circuits may prove to be promising targets for therapeutic development aimed at rescuing sensorimotor and other clinical symptoms of different forms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Clinical Child Psychology Program and Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas Lawrence, KS, USA ; Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren M Schmitt
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Peter Tsai
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
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50
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Green RR, Bigler ED, Froehlich A, Prigge MBD, Travers BG, Cariello AN, Anderson JS, Zielinski BA, Alexander A, Lange N, Lainhart JE. Beery VMI performance in autism spectrum disorder. Child Neuropsychol 2015; 22:795-817. [PMID: 26292997 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2015.1056131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have examined the visuomotor integration (VMI) abilities of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An all-male sample consisting of 56 ASD participants (ages 3-23 years) and 36 typically developing (TD) participants (ages 4-26 years) completed the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI) as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. Participants were also administered standardized measures of intellectual functioning and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), which assesses autism and autism-like traits. The ASD group performed significantly lower on the Beery VMI and on all IQ measures compared to the TD group. VMI performance was significantly correlated with full scale IQ (FSIQ), performance IQ (PIQ), and verbal IQ (VIQ) in the TD group only. However, when FSIQ was taken into account, no significant Beery VMI differences between groups were observed. Only one TD participant scored 1.5 standard deviations (SDs) below the Beery VMI normative sample mean, in comparison to 21% of the ASD sample. As expected, the ASD group was rated as having significantly higher levels of social impairment on the SRS compared to the TD group across all major domains. However, level of functioning on the SRS was not associated with Berry VMI performance. These findings demonstrate that a substantial number of individuals with ASD experience difficulties compared to TD in performing VMI-related tasks, and that VMI is likely affected by general cognitive ability. The fact that lowered Beery VMI performance occurred only within a subset of individuals with ASD and did not correlate with SRS would indicate that visuomotor deficits are not a core feature of ASD, even though they present at a higher rate of impairment than observed in TD participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Green
- a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University , Provo , UT , USA
| | - Erin D Bigler
- a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University , Provo , UT , USA.,b Neuroscience Center , Brigham Young University , Provo , UT , USA.,c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Alyson Froehlich
- c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Molly B D Prigge
- c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Brittany G Travers
- d Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA
| | - Annahir N Cariello
- c Department of Psychiatry , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Jeffrey S Anderson
- e Department of Radiology , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Brandon A Zielinski
- f Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, School of Medicine , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Andrew Alexander
- d Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA.,g Department of Medical Physics , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA.,h Department of Psychiatry , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA
| | - Nicholas Lange
- i Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics , Harvard University , Boston , MA , USA.,j Neurostatistics Laboratory , McLean Hospital , Belmont , MA , USA
| | - Janet E Lainhart
- d Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA.,h Department of Psychiatry , University of Wisconsin , Madison , WI , USA
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