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Garvey MH, Nash T, Kippenhan JS, Kohn P, Mervis CB, Eisenberg DP, Ye J, Gregory MD, Berman KF. Contrasting neurofunctional correlates of face- and visuospatial-processing in children and adolescents with Williams syndrome: convergent results from four fMRI paradigms. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10304. [PMID: 38705917 PMCID: PMC11070425 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60460-5] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding neurogenetic mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism is complicated by their inherent clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Williams syndrome (WS), a rare neurodevelopmental condition in which both the genetic alteration (hemideletion of ~ twenty-six 7q11.23 genes) and the cognitive/behavioral profile are well-defined, offers an invaluable opportunity to delineate gene-brain-behavior relationships. People with WS are characterized by increased social drive, including particular interest in faces, together with hallmark difficulty in visuospatial processing. Prior work, primarily in adults with WS, has searched for neural correlates of these characteristics, with reports of altered fusiform gyrus function while viewing socioemotional stimuli such as faces, along with hypoactivation of the intraparietal sulcus during visuospatial processing. Here, we investigated neural function in children and adolescents with WS by using four separate fMRI paradigms, two that probe each of these two cognitive/behavioral domains. During the two visuospatial tasks, but not during the two face processing tasks, we found bilateral intraparietal sulcus hypoactivation in WS. In contrast, during both face processing tasks, but not during the visuospatial tasks, we found fusiform hyperactivation. These data not only demonstrate that previous findings in adults with WS are also present in childhood and adolescence, but also provide a clear example that genetic mechanisms can bias neural circuit function, thereby affecting behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline H Garvey
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
| | - Tiffany Nash
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - J Shane Kippenhan
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Philip Kohn
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Carolyn B Mervis
- Neurodevelopmental Sciences Laboratory, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Daniel P Eisenberg
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jean Ye
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Michael D Gregory
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Karen F Berman
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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Orefice C, Cardillo R, Lonciari I, Zoccante L, Mammarella IC. "Picture this from there": spatial perspective-taking in developmental visuospatial disorder and developmental coordination disorder. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1349851. [PMID: 38708023 PMCID: PMC11066165 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1349851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Either Developmental Visuospatial Disorder (DVSD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) present with difficulties in visuospatial processing, even though entailing different degrees of impairment. Among the visuospatial domain, spatial perspective taking is essential to interact with the environment and is significantly involved in many daily activities (e.g., environment navigation and spatial orienting). Notwithstanding, no previous studies have investigated this spatial domain in children with DVSD and limited evidence is available regarding DCD. Consistent with a transdiagnostic approach, the first goal of the present study was to compare spatial perspective taking abilities of these groups, also including a control group of not diagnosed peers (ND). Secondly, the role of different fine-motor and visuo-spatial predictors on the spatial perspective taking performance was considered. Method A total of 85 participants (DVSD = 26; DCD = 26; ND = 33), aged between 8 and 16 years old, were included in the study. Tasks assessing spatial perspective taking, fine-motor, visual imagery, and mental rotation skills, as well as visuo-spatial working memory were administered. Results and Discussion Overall, our results confirmed weaknesses in spatial perspective taking in both clinical groups, with the DVSD obtaining the lowest scores. Similarities and differences in the predictors accounting for the performance in the spatial perspective taking task emerged, suggesting the possible employment of different fine-motor or visuospatial strategies by group. Findings are discussed considering the potential impact they may have both in research and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Orefice
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Ramona Cardillo
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Isabella Lonciari
- Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, University Pediatric Hospital “IRCCS Burlo Garofolo”, Trieste, Italy
| | - Leonardo Zoccante
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Irene C. Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Vagnetti R, Vicovaro M, Spoto A, Battaglini L, Attanasio M, Valenti M, Mazza M. Atypical Time to Contact Estimation in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06352-z. [PMID: 38635130 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06352-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present atypical sensory processing in the perception of moving stimuli and biological motion. The present study aims to explore the performance of young adults with ASD in a time to contact (TTC) estimation task involving social and non-social stimuli. TTC estimation involves extrapolating the trajectory of a moving target concealed by an occluder, based on the visible portion of its path, to predict the target's arrival time at a specific position. Sixteen participants with a diagnosis of level-1 ASD (M = 19.2 years, SE = 0.54 years; 3 F, 13 M) and sixteen participants with TD (M = 22.3 years, SE = 0.44 years; 3 F, 13 M) took part in the study and underwent a TTC estimation task. The task presented two object types (a car and a point-light walker), different object speeds, occluder lengths, motion directions and motion congruency. For the car object, a larger overestimation of TTC emerged for ASDs than for TDs, whereas no difference between ASDs and TDs emerged for the point-light walker. ASDs exhibited a larger TTC overestimation for the car object than for the point-light walker, whereas no difference between object types emerged for TDs. Our results indicated an atypical TTC estimation process in young adults with ASD. Given its importance in daily life, future studies should further explore this skill. Significant effects that emerged from the analysis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vagnetti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Michele Vicovaro
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Andrea Spoto
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Luca Battaglini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Margherita Attanasio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Marco Valenti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Autism (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per l'Autismo), Abruzzo Region Local Health Agency 1 (ASL 1), L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Monica Mazza
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Autism (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per l'Autismo), Abruzzo Region Local Health Agency 1 (ASL 1), L'Aquila, Italy
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Larson C, Bochynska A, Vulchanova M. Mental rotation and language in autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2024; 17:785-798. [PMID: 38563047 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3128] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Though visuospatial skills are often considered a relative strength in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), unexplained difficulties relative to neurotypical (NT) peers have also been observed. Dissociations between spatial cognition and language skills in ASD may explain these difficulties given that these systems are linked in NT individuals. The current study examined performance on a mental rotation task that systematically varied stimulus features and the degree to which performance was associated with language in ASD relative to NT peers. Participants were children and young adults with ASD and 25 pairwise age- and IQ-matched NT peers (p's>0.53). The mental rotation task involved four conditions: two-dimensional (2D) abstract figures, three-dimensional (3D) abstract figures, 2D common objects, and 3D common objects. Structural language was measured using the grammar subscale from the Test of Language Development: Intermediate adapted for Norwegian. Mixed-effects model results indicated that autistic individuals were less accurate and had slower reaction time across mental rotation task conditions than NT peers. Language was associated with mental rotation accuracy for both groups across conditions, but with reaction time only for the NT group. The current study demonstrated selective associations between language and performance on a classic spatial cognition task in autistic individuals. Namely, there was a dissociation between language and in-the-moment efficiency in the ASD group, and this dissociation may reflect a broader dissociation between visuospatial and language systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Larson
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Agata Bochynska
- University of Oslo Library, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mila Vulchanova
- Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Ostrolenk A, Courchesne V, Mottron L. A longitudinal study on language acquisition in monozygotic twins concordant for autism and hyperlexia. Brain Cogn 2023; 173:106099. [PMID: 37839243 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106099] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hyperlexia, a strong orientation towards written materials, along with a discrepancy between the precocious acquisition of decoding skills and weaker comprehension abilities, characterizes up to 20% of autistic children. Sometimes perceived as an obstacle to oral language acquisition, hyperlexia may alternatively be the first step in a non-social pathway of language acquisition in autism. METHOD We describe two monozygotic twin brothers, both autistic and hyperlexic, from the ages of 4 to 8 years old. Following an in-depth diagnostic assessment, we investigated cross-sectionally and longitudinally their verbal and non-verbal cognitive abilities, language, reading and writing skills, interests, and strengths. RESULTS The twins' features, including their high non-verbal level of intelligence, their special interests, and their skills in various domains, were highly similar. Their language consisted exclusively of letters and numbers until their fourth year. After that, their vocabulary broadened until they developed full sentences, and their perception-related interests expanded and merged over time to serve the development of other skills. CONCLUSION Our results show that hyperlexic skills can be harnessed to favor oral language development. Given the strong concordance between the twins' cognitive and behavioral phenotypes, we discuss the environmental and genetic influence that could explain their abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Ostrolenk
- Département de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Québec, Canada; Montreal Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montréal, 7070 boulevard Perras, Montreal, QC H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Valérie Courchesne
- Montreal Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montréal, 7070 boulevard Perras, Montreal, QC H1E 1A4, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Département de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Québec, Canada; Montreal Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montréal, 7070 boulevard Perras, Montreal, QC H1E 1A4, Canada.
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Danis E, Nader AM, Degré-Pelletier J, Soulières I. Semantic and Visuospatial Fluid Reasoning in School-Aged Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4719-4730. [PMID: 36136200 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05746-1] [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] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
In light of the known visuoperceptual strengths and altered language skills in autism, we investigated the impact of problem content (semantic/visuospatial) combined with complexity and presence of lures on fluid reasoning in 43 autistic and 41 typical children (6-13 years old). Increased complexity and presence of lures diminished performance, but less so as the children's age increased. Typical children were slightly more accurate overall, whereas autistic children were faster at solving complex visuospatial problems. Thus, reasoning could rely more extensively on visuospatial strategies in autistic versus typical children. A combined speed-accuracy measure revealed similar performance in both groups, suggesting a similar pace in fluid reasoning development. Visual presentation of conceptual information seems to suit the reasoning processes of autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliane Danis
- Department of Psychology, University of Québec in Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CIUSSS NIM Research Center, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Nader
- Department of Psychology, University of Québec in Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CIUSSS NIM Research Center, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Québec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Department of Psychology, University of Québec in Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CIUSSS NIM Research Center, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Department of Psychology, University of Québec in Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- CIUSSS NIM Research Center, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Su WC, Culotta M, Mueller J, Tsuzuki D, Bhat AN. Autism-Related Differences in Cortical Activation When Observing, Producing, and Imitating Communicative Gestures: An fNIRS Study. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1284. [PMID: 37759885 PMCID: PMC10527424 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13091284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in gestural communication during social interactions. However, the neural mechanisms involved in naturalistic gestural communication remain poorly understood. In this study, cortical activation patterns associated with gestural communication were examined in thirty-two children with and without ASD (mean age: 11.0 years, SE: 0.6 years). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to record cortical activation while children produced, observed, or imitated communicative gestures. Children with ASD demonstrated more spatial and temporal errors when performing and imitating communicative gestures. Although both typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD showed left-lateralized cortical activation during gesture production, children with ASD showed hyperactivation in the middle/inferior frontal gyrus (MIFG) during observation and imitation, and hypoactivation in the middle/superior temporal gyrus (MSTG) during gesture production compared to their TD peers. More importantly, children with ASD exhibited greater MSTG activation during imitation than during gesture production, suggesting that imitation could be an effective intervention strategy to engage cortical regions crucial for processing and producing gestures. Our study provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying gestural communication difficulties in ASD, while also identifying potential neurobiomarkers that could serve as objective measures for evaluating intervention effectiveness in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Chun Su
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (W.-C.S.); (M.C.)
- Biomechanics and Movement Science Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - McKenzie Culotta
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (W.-C.S.); (M.C.)
- Biomechanics and Movement Science Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Jessica Mueller
- Department of Behavioral Health, Swank Autism Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA;
| | - Daisuke Tsuzuki
- Department of Information Sciences, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520, Japan;
| | - Anjana N. Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (W.-C.S.); (M.C.)
- Biomechanics and Movement Science Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
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Thérien VD, Degré-Pelletier J, Barbeau EB, Samson F, Soulières I. Different levels of visuospatial abilities linked to differential brain correlates underlying visual mental segmentation processes in autism. Cereb Cortex 2023:bhad195. [PMID: 37317036 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of enhanced locally oriented visual processing that are specific to autistics with a Wechsler's Block Design (BD) peak are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the brain correlates underlying visual segmentation associated with the well-established autistic superior visuospatial abilities in distinct subgroups using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This study included 31 male autistic adults (15 with (AUTp) and 16 without (AUTnp) a BD peak) and 28 male adults with typical development (TYP). Participants completed a computerized adapted BD task with models having low and high perceptual cohesiveness (PC). Despite similar behavioral performances, AUTp and AUTnp showed generally higher occipital activation compared with TYP participants. Compared with both AUTnp and TYP participants, the AUTp group showed enhanced task-related functional connectivity within posterior visuoperceptual regions and decreased functional connectivity between frontal and occipital-temporal regions. A diminished modulation in frontal and parietal regions in response to increased PC was also found in AUTp participants, suggesting heavier reliance on low-level processing of global figures. This study demonstrates that enhanced visual functioning is specific to a cognitive phenotypic subgroup of autistics with superior visuospatial abilities and reinforces the need to address autistic heterogeneity by good cognitive characterization of samples in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique D Thérien
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Elise B Barbeau
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Fabienne Samson
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
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Su WC, Culotta M, Mueller J, Tsuzuki D, Bhat A. fNIRS-Based Differences in Cortical Activation during Tool Use, Pantomimed Actions, and Meaningless Actions between Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Brain Sci 2023; 13:876. [PMID: 37371356 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with tool use and pantomime actions. The current study utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the neural mechanisms underlying these gestural difficulties. Thirty-one children with and without ASD (age (mean ± SE) = 11.0 ± 0.6) completed a naturalistic peg-hammering task using an actual hammer (hammer condition), pantomiming hammering actions (pantomime condition), and performing meaningless actions with similar joint motions (meaningless condition). Children with ASD exhibited poor praxis performance (praxis error: TD = 17.9 ± 1.7; ASD = 27.0 ± 2.6, p < 0.01), which was significantly correlated with their cortical activation (R = 0.257 to 0.543). Both groups showed left-lateralized activation, but children with ASD demonstrated more bilateral activation during all gestural conditions. Compared to typically developing children, children with ASD showed hyperactivation of the inferior parietal lobe and hypoactivation of the middle/inferior frontal and middle/superior temporal regions. Our findings indicate intact technical reasoning (typical left-IPL activation) but atypical visuospatial and proprioceptive processing (hyperactivation of the right IPL) during tool use in children with ASD. These results have important implications for clinicians and researchers, who should focus on facilitating/reducing the burden of visuospatial and proprioceptive processing in children with ASD. Additionally, fNIRS-related biomarkers could be used for early identification through early object play/tool use and to examine neural effects following gesture-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Chun Su
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - McKenzie Culotta
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Jessica Mueller
- Department of Behavioral Health, Swank Autism Center, A. I. du Pont Nemours Children's Hospital, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
| | - Daisuke Tsuzuki
- Department of Information Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
| | - Anjana Bhat
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate (ING) Program, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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Mottron L, Gagnon D. Prototypical autism: New diagnostic criteria and asymmetrical bifurcation model. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2023; 237:103938. [PMID: 37187094 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.103938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The current "autism spectrum" DSM 5 diagnostic criteria and autism standardized diagnostic instruments promote considerable heterogeneity or clinical indecision and may be detrimental to the advancement of fundamental research on autism mechanisms. To increase clinical specificity and reorient research towards core autistic presentations, we propose new diagnostic criteria for prototypical autism during the age of 2- to 5-years. We include autism within other non-dominant, familiarly aggregated phenomena sharing asymmetrical developmental bifurcations, such as twin pregnancy, left handedness, and breech presentation/delivery. Following this model, nature, trajectory, and positive/negative signs structure of autism would result from the polarized problem of whether or not language and information is processed in a socially biased manner. Prototypical autism would follow a canonical developmental trajectory by which a gradual decline in social bias in the processing of incoming information, overtly beginning at the end of the first year, bifurcates into a prototypical autistic presentation in the second half of the second year of life. This bifurcation event is followed by a plateau, in which these atypicalities show maximal stringency and distinctiveness, and then ultimately, in most cases, by partial normalization. During the plateau period, the orientation towards, and processing of, information is considerably modified, with an absence of bias for social information, contrasting with a high level of interest in complex, unbiased information, independently of its social or non-social nature. Integrating autism into asymmetrical developmental bifurcations would explain the absence of deleterious neurological and genetic markers and the presence of familial transmission in canonical autistic presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Mottron
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montreal, 2900 blvd Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, Qc H3T 1J4, Canada; CIUSSS-NIM Research Center, Riviere-des-Prairies Hospital, 7070, blvd Perras, Montreal, QC H1E 1A4, Canada.
| | - David Gagnon
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montreal, 2900 blvd Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, Qc H3T 1J4, Canada; CIUSSS-NIM Research Center, Riviere-des-Prairies Hospital, 7070, blvd Perras, Montreal, QC H1E 1A4, Canada
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Rabot J, Rødgaard EM, Joober R, Dumas G, Bzdok D, Bernhardt B, Jacquemont S, Mottron L. Genesis, modelling and methodological remedies to autism heterogeneity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105201. [PMID: 37116771 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Diagnostic criteria used in autism research have undergone a shift towards the inclusion of a larger population, paralleled by increasing, but variable, estimates of autism prevalence across clinical settings and continents. A categorical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is now consistent with large variations in language, intelligence, comorbidity, and severity, leading to a heterogeneous sample of individuals, increasingly distant from the initial prototypical descriptions. We review the history of autism diagnosis and subtyping, and the evidence of heterogeneity in autism at the cognitive, neurological, and genetic levels. We describe two strategies to address the problem of heterogeneity: clustering, and truncated-compartmentalized enrollment strategy based on prototype recognition. The advances made using clustering methods have been modest. We present an alternative, new strategy for dissecting autism heterogeneity, emphasizing incorporation of prototypical samples in research cohorts, comparison of subgroups defined by specific ranges of values for the clinical specifiers, and retesting the generality of neurobiological results considered to be acquired from the entire autism spectrum on prototypical cohorts defined by narrow specifiers values.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eya-Mist Rødgaard
- Department of Psychology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark,.
| | - Ridha Joober
- Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada,.
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- Department of Psychiatry & Addictology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada, Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada,.
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, Canada, Department of Biomedical Engineering, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, H3A 2B4, QC, Canada,.
| | - Boris Bernhardt
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada,.
| | - Sebastien Jacquemont
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montréal, Quebec, H3T 1C5, Canada,.
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Department of Psychiatry & Addictology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada, CIUSSS-NIM, Research Center, Montréal, QC, H1E 1A4, Canada,.
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12
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Hong SJ, Mottron L, Park BY, Benkarim O, Valk SL, Paquola C, Larivière S, Vos de Wael R, Degré-Pelletier J, Soulieres I, Ramphal B, Margolis A, Milham M, Di Martino A, Bernhardt BC. A convergent structure-function substrate of cognitive imbalances in autism. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:1566-1580. [PMID: 35552620 PMCID: PMC9977381 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac156] [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: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental diagnosis showing substantial phenotypic heterogeneity. A leading example can be found in verbal and nonverbal cognitive skills, which vary from elevated to impaired compared with neurotypical individuals. Moreover, deficits in verbal profiles often coexist with normal or superior performance in the nonverbal domain. METHODS To study brain substrates underlying cognitive imbalance in ASD, we capitalized categorical and dimensional IQ profiling as well as multimodal neuroimaging. RESULTS IQ analyses revealed a marked verbal to nonverbal IQ imbalance in ASD across 2 datasets (Dataset-1: 155 ASD, 151 controls; Dataset-2: 270 ASD, 490 controls). Neuroimaging analysis in Dataset-1 revealed a structure-function substrate of cognitive imbalance, characterized by atypical cortical thickening and altered functional integration of language networks alongside sensory and higher cognitive areas. CONCLUSION Although verbal and nonverbal intelligence have been considered as specifiers unrelated to autism diagnosis, our results indicate that intelligence disparities are accentuated in ASD and reflected by a consistent structure-function substrate affecting multiple brain networks. Our findings motivate the incorporation of cognitive imbalances in future autism research, which may help to parse the phenotypic heterogeneity and inform intervention-oriented subtyping in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Jun Hong
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, South Korea.,Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Centre de Recherche du CIUSSSNIM and Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, 7070 boulevard Perras, Montréal, Quebec H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Bo-Yong Park
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, South Korea.,Department of Data Science, Inha Univerisity, Incheon 22212, South Korea
| | - Oualid Benkarim
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
| | - Sofie L Valk
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Otto Hahn group Cognitive neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraβe 1A. Leipzig D-04103, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, Jülich 52425, Germany.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University, Moorenstr. 5, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Casey Paquola
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, Jülich 52425, Germany
| | - Sara Larivière
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
| | - Reinder Vos de Wael
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec H2X 3P2, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulieres
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec H2X 3P2, Canada
| | - Bruce Ramphal
- Department of Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, United States
| | - Amy Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, United States
| | - Michael Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States.,Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962, United States
| | - Adriana Di Martino
- Autism Center, Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada
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13
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Thérien VD, Degré-Pelletier J, Barbeau EB, Samson F, Soulières I. Differential neural correlates underlying mental rotation processes in two distinct cognitive profiles in autism. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103221. [PMID: 36228483 PMCID: PMC9668634 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Enhanced visuospatial abilities characterize the cognitive profile of a subgroup of autistics. However, the neural correlates underlying such cognitive strengths are largely unknown. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated the neural underpinnings of superior visuospatial functioning in different autistic subgroups. Twenty-seven autistic adults, including 13 with a Wechsler's Block Design peak (AUTp) and 14 without (AUTnp), and 23 typically developed adults (TYP) performed a classic mental rotation task. As expected, AUTp participants were faster at the task compared to TYP. At the neural level, AUTp participants showed enhanced bilateral parietal and occipital activation, stronger occipito-parietal and fronto-occipital connectivity, and diminished fronto-parietal connectivity compared to TYP. On the other hand, AUTnp participants presented greater activation in right and anterior regions compared to AUTp. In addition, reduced connectivity between occipital and parietal regions was observed in AUTnp compared to AUTp and TYP participants. A greater reliance on posterior regions is typically reported in the autism literature. Our results suggest that this commonly reported finding may be specific to a subgroup of autistic individuals with enhanced visuospatial functioning. Moreover, this study demonstrated that increased occipito-frontal synchronization was associated with superior visuospatial abilities in autism. This finding contradicts the long-range under-connectivity hypothesis in autism. Finally, given the relationship between distinct cognitive profiles in autism and our observed differences in brain functioning, future studies should provide an adequate characterization of the autistic subgroups in their research. The main limitations are small sample sizes and the inclusion of male-only participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique D. Thérien
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada,Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada,Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Elise B. Barbeau
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Fabienne Samson
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada,Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada,Corresponding author at: Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-ville, Montréal (Québec) H3C 3P8, Canada.
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14
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Loconsole M, Regolin L. Are prime numbers special? Insights from the life sciences. Biol Direct 2022; 17:11. [PMID: 35619145 PMCID: PMC9137056 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-022-00326-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prime numbers have been attracting the interest of scientists since the first formulation of Euclid’s theorem in 300 B.C. Nowadays, physicists and mathematicians continue to formulate new theorems about prime numbers, trying to comprehensively explain their articulated properties. However, evidence from biology and experimental psychology suggest that prime numbers possess distinctive natural properties that pre-exist human grasping. The present work aims at reviewing the existing literature on prime numbers in the life sciences, including some recent experimental contributions employing newly hatched domestic chicks as animal model to test for spontaneous mechanisms allowing discrimination of primes from non-primes. Our overarching goal is that of discussing some instances of prime numbers in nature, with particular reference to their peculiar, non-mathematical, perceptual properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Loconsole
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Lucia Regolin
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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15
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Cardillo R, Lievore R, Mammarella IC. Do children with and without autism spectrum disorder use different visuospatial processing skills to perform the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test? Autism Res 2022; 15:1311-1323. [PMID: 35384343 PMCID: PMC9325558 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Visuospatial organization abilities are closely related to other visuospatial processing skills, such as visuomotor coordination, perceptual abilities, mental rotation, and working memory (WM). One task that enables visuospatial organization abilities to be investigated is the Rey–Osterrieth complex figure test (ROCFT). When examining visuospatial functioning, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have proved capable of operating both locally and globally, depending on the sub‐domain embraced, with a preference for a locally‐oriented processing of visuospatial information. The present research aimed to establish whether different underlying visuospatial skills might account for performance in the ROCFT in children and adolescents with ASD, compared with typically developing (TD), by considering the role of local/global visuospatial processing. The study involved 39 participants who have ASD without intellectual disability, and 57 TD aged 8–16 years. The participants were administered tasks assessing visuospatial organization abilities, manual dexterity, visual perception, mental rotation, spatial‐sequential, spatial‐simultaneous WM, and visuospatial processing. Our results suggest that manual dexterity and visuospatial processing similarly explain performance in both groups, while differences in visuospatial WM account for the two groups' visuospatial organization abilities. Spatial‐simultaneous WM predicted performance in copy and recall conditions in the TD group but not in the ASD group, while spatial‐sequential WM only did so in the latter group, reinforcing the tendency of children with ASD towards local bias in the visuospatial organization domain. The implications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Cardillo
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova
| | - Rachele Lievore
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova
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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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Bled C, Guillon Q, Soulières I, Bouvet L. Thinking in pictures in everyday life situations among autistic adults. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255039. [PMID: 34293061 PMCID: PMC8297849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autistic individuals are often described as thinking in pictures. The aim of this study was to investigate the phenomenological characteristics of mental representations and inner experiences of autistic individuals. A total of 39 autistic adults and 80 control adults answered an online questionnaire. Autistic participants reported a more frequent use of visual mental representations than controls for different types of everyday situations. Moreover, autistic individuals defined their visual mental representations as more detailed than control participants. Furthermore, when describing their inner experiences, autistic participants used perceptive visual themes whereas control participants relied more on the description of events and memories. Our results support the hypothesis that some autistic individuals indeed “think in pictures”. We discuss the impact of such a visual way of thinking in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bled
- Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A. 7411, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Quentin Guillon
- Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A. 7411, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Psychology Department, C.P. 8888 Succursale Centre-Ville, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Lucie Bouvet
- Laboratoire CERPPS-E.A. 7411, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France
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18
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Measuring the Emergence of Specific Abilities in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Example of Early Hyperlexic Traits. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060692. [PMID: 34070294 PMCID: PMC8225194 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of a restricted interest in written materials, including an early ability to name and recognize letters and numbers, is regularly reported in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). There is, however, scarce information on this early ability akin to emerging hyperlexic traits in preschoolers with ASD younger than 3 years old. Here, we defined a measure of early naming and recognition of letters and numbers in 155 preschoolers with ASD using a sliding window approach combined with a 90th percentile threshold criterion, and subsequently compared the profiles of children with ASD with and without early hyperlexic traits. Using this measure, we found that 9% of children with ASD showed early hyperlexic traits. The early ability to name and recognize letters and numbers was associated with a higher level of restricted and repetitive behaviors yet more social-oriented behaviors at baseline and with better expressive and written communication at baseline and one year later. This study contributes to a better definition of the profile of children with ASD with an early ability in letters and numbers akin to emerging hyperlexic traits, a skill that is associated with promising social strengths and language abilities in this subgroup of children.
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19
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Lebreton K, Malvy J, Bon L, Hamel-Desbruères A, Marcaggi G, Clochon P, Guénolé F, Moussaoui E, Bowler DM, Bonnet-Brilhault F, Eustache F, Baleyte JM, Guillery-Girard B. Local Processing Bias Impacts Implicit and Explicit Memory in Autism. Front Psychol 2021; 12:622462. [PMID: 33967890 PMCID: PMC8104079 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.622462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical perception, including processing that is biased toward local details rather than global configurations. This bias may impact on memory. The present study examined the effect of this perception on both implicit (Experiment 1) and explicit (Experiment 2) memory in conditions that promote either local or global processing. The first experiment consisted of an object identification priming task using two distinct encoding conditions: one favoring local processing (Local condition) and the other favoring global processing (Global condition) of drawings. The second experiment focused on episodic (explicit) memory with two different cartoon recognition tasks that favored either local (i.e., processing specific details) or a global processing (i.e., processing each cartoon as a whole). In addition, all the participants underwent a general clinical cognitive assessment aimed at documenting their cognitive profile and enabling correlational analyses with experimental memory tasks. Seventeen participants with ASD and 17 typically developing (TD) controls aged from 10 to 16 years participated to the first experiment and 13 ASD matched with 13 TD participants were included for the second experiment. Experiment 1 confirmed the preservation of priming effects in ASD but, unlike the Comparison group, the ASD group did not increase his performance as controls after a globally oriented processing. Experiment 2 revealed that local processing led to difficulties in discriminating lures from targets in a recognition task when both lures and targets shared common details. The correlation analysis revealed that these difficulties were associated with processing speed and inhibition. These preliminary results suggest that natural perceptual processes oriented toward local information in ASD may impact upon their implicit memory by preventing globally oriented processing in time-limited conditions and induce confusion between explicit memories that share common details.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Lebreton
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Joëlle Malvy
- UMR 1253, iBrain, INSERM, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Laetitia Bon
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France.,Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Alice Hamel-Desbruères
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France.,Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Geoffrey Marcaggi
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France.,Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Patrice Clochon
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Fabian Guénolé
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France.,Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Edgar Moussaoui
- Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Dermot M Bowler
- Autism Research Group, City, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Francis Eustache
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Jean-Marc Baleyte
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France.,Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Intercommunal de Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Bérengère Guillery-Girard
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
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20
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Nair A, Jalal R, Liu J, Tsang T, McDonald NM, Jackson L, Ponting C, Jeste SS, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Altered Thalamocortical Connectivity in 6-Week-Old Infants at High Familial Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:4191-4205. [PMID: 33866373 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence from neuroimaging studies has revealed altered connectivity in cortical-subcortical networks in youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Comparatively little is known about the development of cortical-subcortical connectivity in infancy, before the emergence of overt ASD symptomatology. Here, we examined early functional and structural connectivity of thalamocortical networks in infants at high familial risk for ASD (HR) and low-risk controls (LR). Resting-state functional connectivity and diffusion tensor imaging data were acquired in 52 6-week-old infants. Functional connectivity was examined between 6 cortical seeds-prefrontal, motor, somatosensory, temporal, parietal, and occipital regions-and bilateral thalamus. We found significant thalamic-prefrontal underconnectivity, as well as thalamic-occipital and thalamic-motor overconnectivity in HR infants, relative to LR infants. Subsequent structural connectivity analyses also revealed atypical white matter integrity in thalamic-occipital tracts in HR infants, compared with LR infants. Notably, aberrant connectivity indices at 6 weeks predicted atypical social development between 9 and 36 months of age, as assessed with eye-tracking and diagnostic measures. These findings indicate that thalamocortical connectivity is disrupted at both the functional and structural level in HR infants as early as 6 weeks of age, providing a possible early marker of risk for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Nair
- Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Rhideeta Jalal
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Janelle Liu
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tawny Tsang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Nicole M McDonald
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lisa Jackson
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Carolyn Ponting
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Shafali S Jeste
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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21
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Switching between the Forest and the Trees: The Contribution of Global to Local Switching to Spatial Constructional Abilities in Typically Developing Children. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120955. [PMID: 33317055 PMCID: PMC7764214 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Spatial analysis encompasses the ability to perceive the visual world by arranging the local elements (“the trees”) into a coherent global configuration (“the forest”). During childhood, this ability gradually switches from a local to a global precedence, which contributes to changes in children’s spatial construction abilities, such as drawing or building blocks. At present, it is not clear whether enhanced global or local processing or, alternatively, whether switching between these two levels best accounts for children’s spatial constructional abilities. Methods: We assessed typically developing children 7 to 8 years old on a global/local switching task and on two widely used spatial construction tasks (the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure and the Block Design test). Results: The ability to switch from global to local level, rather than a global or a local advantage, best accounted for children’s performance on both spatial construction tasks. Conclusions: The present findings contribute to elucidate the relationship between visual perception and spatial construction in children showing that the ease with which children switch perception from global to local processing is an important factor in their performance on tasks requiring complex drawing and block assembling.
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22
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Freschl J, Melcher D, Carter A, Kaldy Z, Blaser E. Seeing a Page in a Flipbook: Shorter Visual Temporal Integration Windows in 2-Year-Old Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 14:946-958. [PMID: 33174396 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience differences in visual temporal processing, the part of vision responsible for parsing continuous input into discrete objects and events. Here we investigated temporal processing in 2-year-old toddlers diagnosed with ASD and age-matched typically developing (TD) toddlers. We used a visual search task where the visibility of the target was determined by the pace of a display sequence. On integration trials, each display viewed alone had no visible target, but if integrated over time, the target became visible. On segmentation trials, the target became visible only when displays were perceptually segmented. We measured the percent of trials when participants fixated the target as a function of the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between displays. We computed the crossover point of the integration and segmentation performance functions for each group, an estimate of the temporal integration window (TIW), the period in which visual input is combined. We found that both groups of toddlers had significantly longer TIWs (125 ms) than adults (65 ms) from previous studies using the same paradigm, and that toddlers with ASD had significantly shorter TIWs (108 ms) than chronologically age-matched TD controls (142 ms). LAY SUMMARY: We investigated how young children, with and without autism, organize dynamic visual information across time, using a visual search paradigm. We found that toddlers with autism had higher temporal resolution than typically developing (TD) toddlers of the same age - that is, they are more likely to be able to detect rapid change across time, relative to TD toddlers. These differences in visual temporal processing can impact how one sees, interprets, and interacts with the world. Autism Res 2021, 14: 946-958. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Freschl
- University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Psychology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Melcher
- University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Psychology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,University of Trento, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alice Carter
- University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Psychology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zsuzsa Kaldy
- University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Psychology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Erik Blaser
- University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Psychology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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23
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Barbeau EB, Klein D, Soulières I, Petrides M, Bernhardt B, Mottron L. Age of Speech Onset in Autism Relates to Structural Connectivity in the Language Network. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa077. [PMID: 34296136 PMCID: PMC8152885 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa077] [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: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Speech onset delays (SOD) and language atypicalities are central aspects of the autism spectrum (AS), despite not being included in the categorical diagnosis of AS. Previous studies separating participants according to speech onset history have shown distinct patterns of brain organization and activation in perceptual tasks. One major white matter tract, the arcuate fasciculus (AF), connects the posterior temporal and left frontal language regions. Here, we used anatomical brain imaging to investigate the properties of the AF in adolescent and adult autistic individuals with typical levels of intelligence who differed by age of speech onset. The left AF of the AS group showed a significantly smaller volume than that of the nonautistic group. Such a reduction in volume was only present in the younger group. This result was driven by the autistic group without SOD (SOD−), despite their typical age of speech onset. The autistic group with SOD (SOD+) showed a more typical AF as adults relative to matched controls. This suggests that, along with multiple studies in AS-SOD+ individuals, atypical brain reorganization is observable in the 2 major AS subgroups and that such reorganization applies mostly to the language regions in SOD− and perceptual regions in SOD+ individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise B Barbeau
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Denise Klein
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montreal, Montreal, QC H2X 3P2, Canada
| | - Michael Petrides
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Boris Bernhardt
- Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Département de Psychiatrie et d'addictologie, de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
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24
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Pennisi P, Giallongo L, Milintenda G, Cannarozzo M. Autism, autistic traits and creativity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cogn Process 2020; 22:1-36. [PMID: 33057954 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-020-00992-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Psychometric, historiometric and psychiatric studies are controversial on a hypothetical link between psychopathology and creativity. In this study, we will try to contribute to this debate by analysing the case of autism. Is there a relationship between autism and creativity? If so, can we find the same relationship in a watered-down form in subjects with autistic traits? In order to answer these questions, we carried out a systematic literature review of the studies on this topic published in the last 10 years. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We also conducted a meta-analysis of data. We found that in the clinical population there are fewer creative performances than in control groups; nonetheless, it is possible to delineate a medium creative profile of subjects with autism. The average creative profile of people with autism shows that they are inhibited in fluency and flexibility, but that they display a high level of detail and a particularly high level of originality in works either generated during tests or created in private time. In particular, the level of detail reached in the latter condition seems to be higher in the autistic population than in the control groups. Better linguistic skills appear to be linked to better creative performances. Linguistic tests, if compared with visual and performative tests, seem to favour the expression of originality in subjects with autism. Although our data on autistic traits are compatible with the hypothesis that a high level of autistic traits is a watered-down replica of the cognitive profile of subjects with autism, we have no sufficient data to support this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Pennisi
- Department of Adult and Childhood, Human Pathology "Gaetano Barresi"; Hospital G. Martino, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria snc, 98125, Messina, Italy.
| | - Laura Giallongo
- Department of Cognitive Science, Education and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Via Concezione 6/8, IT, 98121, Messina, Italy
| | - Giusy Milintenda
- Department of Cognitive Science, Education and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Via Concezione 6/8, IT, 98121, Messina, Italy
| | - Michela Cannarozzo
- Department of Adult and Childhood, Human Pathology "Gaetano Barresi"; Hospital G. Martino, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria snc, 98125, Messina, Italy
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25
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Exploring the Event‐Related Potentials' Time Course of Associative Recognition in Autism. Autism Res 2020; 13:1998-2016. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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26
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Chi IJ, Lin LY. Relationship Between the Performance of Self-Care and Visual Perception Among Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Developing Children. Autism Res 2020; 14:315-323. [PMID: 32881415 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Studies investigating the performance of self-care and visual perception in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are limited. The relationship between self-care performance and visual perception ability in young children with ASD is not yet clearly understood. Here, self-care performance was evaluated by the caregivers and therapists of children with ASD. The differences in self-care performance and visual perception ability were investigated in 66 children with ASD and 66 typically developing (TD) children between the ages of 48-83 months. The relationships between self-care and visual perception were tested in both two groups. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) and the Chinese version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI-C) were used to assess the children's self-care performance. The Test of Visual Perceptual Skills-Third Edition (TVPS-3) and the Developmental Test of Visual Perception-Third Edition (DTVP-3) were used to evaluate visual perception ability. Young children with ASD obtained significantly lower scores for self-care performance (AMPS and PEDI-C) and visual perception ability (TVPS-3 and DTVP) compared with TD children. Additionally, positive correlations were found between self-care performance and visual perception ability in young children with ASD. The results provide a valuable contribution to our understanding about self-care and visual perception performance of young children with ASD. The findings of this research highlight the need for pediatric practitioners to include self-care and visual-motor integration evaluations for young children with ASD. LAY SUMMARY: Young children with ASD obtained significantly lower scores for self-care performance and visual perception ability compared with TD children. Positive correlations were found between self-care performance and visual perception ability in young children with ASD. The results provide a valuable contribution to our understanding about self-care and visual perception performance of young children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Jou Chi
- Departments of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Yi Lin
- Departments of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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27
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Glennon JM, D'Souza H, Mason L, Karmiloff-Smith A, Thomas MSC. Visuo-attentional correlates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children with Down syndrome: A comparative study with children with idiopathic ASD. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 104:103678. [PMID: 32505966 PMCID: PMC7429984 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased likelihood of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) relative to the general population. To better understand the nature of this comorbidity, we examined the visuo-attentional processes associated with autistic trait expression in children with DS, focusing specifically on attentional disengagement and visual search performance. METHOD We collected eye-tracking data from children with DS (n = 15) and children with idiopathic ASD (iASD, n = 16) matched according to chronological age. Seven children with DS had a formal clinical diagnosis of ASD (DS+ASD). RESULTS In children with iASD, but not DS, higher autistic trait levels were associated with decreased temporal facilitation on a gap-overlap task, implying increased visuospatial orienting efficiency. In all cases, higher autistic trait levels were associated with improved visual search performance according to decreased target detection latency. On a visual search task, children with DS+ASD outperformed their peers with DS-ASD, mirroring the phenotypic advantage associated with iASD. We found no evidence of a relationship between attentional disengagement and visual search performance, providing preliminary evidence of a differentiation in terms of underlying visuo-attentional mechanism. CONCLUSION We illustrate the value of progressing beyond insensitive behavioural measures of phenotypic description to examine, in a more fine-grained way, the attentional features associated with ASD comorbidity in children with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Glennon
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom.
| | - Hana D'Souza
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology & Newnham College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Mason
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom
| | - Annette Karmiloff-Smith
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael S C Thomas
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom
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28
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Cardillo R, Vio C, Mammarella IC. A comparison of local-global visuospatial processing in autism spectrum disorder, nonverbal learning disability, ADHD and typical development. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 103:103682. [PMID: 32442872 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on visuospatial functioning has revealed cognitive challenges for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), nonverbal learning disability (NLD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These disorders are characterized by some overlapping symptoms, making their diagnosis a challenge. AIMS The study aims to clarify the role of visuospatial abilities in their neuropsychological profiles by investigating different visuospatial domains and their interplay with the local-global processing. METHOD AND PROCEDURES Participants (N = 150) with ASD, NLD, or ADHD were compared with typically-developing (TD) children on visuospatial processing speed, visuo-perceptual abilities, visuo-constructive abilities, and visuospatial working memory. Generalized mixed-effects models were performed and receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated to express the usefulness of a local-global processing index in discriminating groups. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS The NLD group was impaired in all domains; children with ADHD revealed a heterogeneous profile, with greater impairments in visuospatial processing speed; ASD and TD groups were comparable. The local-global processing index had predictive power in discriminating among groups in visuo-constructive task. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The study of visuospatial abilities of children with ASD, NLD and ADHD might help to understand strengths and weaknesses in their neuropsychological profile and to differentiate between them. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Cardillo
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Claudio Vio
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, San Donà di Piave, Venice, Italy.
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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29
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Chung S, Son JW. Visual Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Neuroimaging Studies. Soa Chongsonyon Chongsin Uihak 2020; 31:105-120. [PMID: 32665755 PMCID: PMC7350544 DOI: 10.5765/jkacap.200018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairments, patients with ASD frequently manifest atypical sensory behaviors. Recently, atypical sensory perception in ASD has received much attention, yet little is known about its cause or neurobiology. Herein, we review the findings from neuroimaging studies related to visual perception in ASD. Specifically, we examined the neural underpinnings of visual detection, motion perception, and face processing in ASD. Results from neuroimaging studies indicate that atypical visual perception in ASD may be influenced by attention or higher order cognitive mechanisms, and atypical face perception may be affected by disrupted social brain network. However, there is considerable evidence for atypical early visual processing in ASD. It is likely that visual perceptual abnormalities are independent of deficits of social functions or cognition. Importantly, atypical visual perception in ASD may enhance difficulties in dealing with complex and subtle social stimuli, or improve outstanding abilities in certain fields in individuals with Savant syndrome. Thus, future research is required to elucidate the characteristics and neurobiology of autistic visual perception to effectively apply these findings in the interventions of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungwon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Jung-Woo Son
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
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30
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Chokron S, Kovarski K, Zalla T, Dutton G. The inter-relationships between cerebral visual impairment, autism and intellectual disability. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 114:201-210. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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31
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Carter RM, Jung H, Reaven J, Blakeley-Smith A, Dichter GS. A Nexus Model of Restricted Interests in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:212. [PMID: 32581753 PMCID: PMC7283772 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Restricted interests (RIs) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are clinically impairing interests of unusual focus or intensity. They are a subtype of restricted and repetitive behaviors which are one of two diagnostic criteria for the disorder. Despite the near ubiquity of RIs in ASD, the neural basis for their development is not well understood. However, recent cognitive neuroscience findings from nonclinical samples and from individuals with ASD shed light on neural mechanisms that may explain the emergence of RIs. We propose the nexus model of RIs in ASD, a novel conceptualization of this symptom domain that suggests that RIs may reflect a co-opting of brain systems that typically serve to integrate complex attention, memory, semantic, and social communication functions during development. The nexus model of RIs hypothesizes that when social communicative development is compromised, brain functions typically located within the lateral surface of cortex may expand into social processing brain systems and alter cortical representations of various cognitive functions during development. These changes, in turn, promote the development of RIs as an alternative process mediated by these brain networks. The nexus model of RIs makes testable predictions about reciprocal relations between the impaired development of social communication and the emergence of RIs in ASD and suggests novel avenues for treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. McKell Carter
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Heejung Jung
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Judy Reaven
- JFK Partners, Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Audrey Blakeley-Smith
- JFK Partners, Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Gabriel S. Dichter
- School of Medicine, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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32
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Cardillo R, Erbì C, Mammarella IC. Spatial Perspective-Taking in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Predictive Role of Visuospatial and Motor Abilities. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:208. [PMID: 32581750 PMCID: PMC7286568 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its impact on everyday functioning, spatial perspective-taking has rarely been investigated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and previous findings are surprisingly sparse and inconsistent. In the present study, we aimed to investigate spatial perspective-taking abilities in children and adolescents with ASD without intellectual disabilities, comparing them with a group of typically developing (TD) peers. Our objectives were: (i) to test similarities and differences between these groups in a spatial perspective-taking task; and (ii) to see whether similar or different underlying processes (i.e., fine and gross motor skills, and visuospatial abilities) might account for the groups’ performance in the spatial perspective-taking task. A group of children with ASD (N = 36) was compared with a TD group (N = 39), aged from 8 to 16 years. Participants were administered tasks assessing spatial perspective-taking, fine and gross motor skills, visuo-constructive abilities, visuospatial working memory, visual imagery, and mental rotation. Our results revealed that the ASD group had more difficulty with the spatial perspective-taking task than the TD group. The two groups also had some shared and some different processes that predicted their perspective-taking performance: a significant predictive effect of fine motor skills and visuospatial working memory emerged for both groups, while gross motor skills (i.e., walking heel-to-toe) and visuospatial imagery only revealed a role in the TD group. These findings suggest that different abilities might account for the two groups’ performance in the spatial perspective-taking task. Gross motor skills and complex visuospatial abilities seem to be more important in sustaining spatial perspective-taking ability in typical development than in the event of ASD. Some of the clinical and educational implications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Cardillo
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Cristiana Erbì
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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33
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Neufeld J, Hagström A, Van't Westeinde A, Lundin K, Cauvet É, Willfors C, Isaksson J, Lichtenstein P, Bölte S. Global and local visual processing in autism - a co-twin-control study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:470-479. [PMID: 31452200 PMCID: PMC7155117 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with altered global and local visual processing. However, the nature of these alterations remains controversial, with contradictory findings and notions ranging from a reduced drive to integrate information into a coherent 'gestalt' ("weak central coherence" = WCC) to an enhanced perceptual functioning (EPF) in local processing. METHODS This study assessed the association between autism and global/local visual processing, using a large sample of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins (N = 290, 48% females, age = 8-31 years). The Fragmented Pictures Test (FPT) assessed global processing, whereas local processing was estimated with the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) and the Block Design Test (BDT). Autism was assessed both categorically (clinical diagnosis), and dimensionally (autistic traits). Associations between visual tasks and autism were estimated both across the cohort and within-twin pairs where all factors shared between twins are implicitly controlled. RESULTS Clinical diagnosis and autistic traits predicted a need for more visual information for gestalt processing in the FPT across the cohort. For clinical diagnosis, this association remained within-pairs and at trend-level even within MZ twin pairs alone. ASD and higher autistic traits predicted lower EFT and BDT performance across the cohort, but these associations were lost within-pairs. CONCLUSIONS In line with the WCC account, our findings indicate an association between autism and reduced global visual processing in children, adolescents and young adults (but no evidence for EPF). Observing a similar association within MZ twins suggests a non-shared environmental contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - A. Hagström
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - A. Van't Westeinde
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Department of Women's and Children's HealthUnit of Pediatric EndocrinologyKarolinska University HospitalKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - K. Lundin
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - É. Cauvet
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - C. Willfors
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Rare DiseasesKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - J. Isaksson
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry UnitUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - P. Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - S. Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Curtin Autism Research GroupEssential Partner Autism CRCSchool of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech PathologyCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
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Parks KMA, Griffith LA, Armstrong NB, Stevenson RA. Statistical Learning and Social Competency: The Mediating Role of Language. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3968. [PMID: 32132635 PMCID: PMC7055309 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61047-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study sought to examine the contribution of auditory and visual statistical learning on language and social competency abilities as well as whether decreased statistical learning abilities are related to increased autistic traits. To answer these questions, participants' (N = 95) auditory and visual statistical learning abilities, language, social competency, and level of autistic traits were assessed. Although the relationships observed were relatively small in magnitude, our results demonstrated that visual statistical learning related to language and social competency abilities and that auditory learning was more related to autism symptomatology than visual statistical learning. Furthermore, the relationship between visual statistical learning and social competency was mediated by language comprehension abilities, suggesting that impairments in statistical learning may cascade into impairments in language and social abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M A Parks
- Western University, Department of Psychology, London, ON, Canada.
- Western University, Brain and Mind Institute, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Laura A Griffith
- Western University, Department of Psychology, London, ON, Canada
- Western University, Brain and Mind Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Nicolette B Armstrong
- Western University, Department of Psychology, London, ON, Canada
- Western University, Brain and Mind Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan A Stevenson
- Western University, Department of Psychology, London, ON, Canada
- Western University, Brain and Mind Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Western University, Program in Neuroscience, London, ON, Canada
- Western University, Department of Psychiatry, London, ON, Canada
- York University, Centre for Vision Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Mammarella IC, Cornoldi C. Nonverbal learning disability (developmental visuospatial disorder). HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 174:83-91. [PMID: 32977898 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64148-9.00007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nonverbal learning disability is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a core deficit in visuospatial processing with possibly associated problems in attention, motor, academic, and social skills, but without associated neurologic or genetic syndromes. The present chapter, after a brief historic overview of this disorder, will present fresh evidence that clearly shows neuropsychologic and neuroanatomical distinctions between children with nonverbal learning disability and those with other neurodevelopmental disorders. It ends with an attempt to find shared and valid diagnostic criteria. Acknowledging this disorder as a distinct diagnostic category will open up new research avenues with important scientific and clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Cesare Cornoldi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Cardillo R, Lanfranchi S, Mammarella IC. A cross-task comparison on visuospatial processing in autism spectrum disorders. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2019; 24:765-779. [PMID: 31778069 DOI: 10.1177/1362361319888341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to draw a cross-task comparison on visuospatial processing in autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability. Participants with autism spectrum disorder were matched with typically developing individuals on general intelligence and perceptual reasoning index. The two groups were subsequently compared on visuospatial processing speed, visuo-perceptual, visuo-constructive, and visuospatial working memory tasks. Our results revealed similar performances between autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals on measures of visuospatial processing speed and visuospatial working memory. The autism spectrum disorder group showed slower reaction times than the typically developing group in the visuo-perceptual task, when stimuli were characterized by a minimum level of perceptual cohesiveness, revealing weaker spatial integration abilities. Concerning the visuo-constructive domain, no differences between the autism spectrum disorder and the typically developing group emerged for the unsegmented condition, revealing that our participants with autism spectrum disorder were similar to the typically developing group in the local analysis of the stimuli. The discussion takes into account the role of individual differences on visuospatial intelligence, task requirements, and cognitive domains to clarify the visuospatial processing skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
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Guy J, Mottron L, Berthiaume C, Bertone A. A Developmental Perspective of Global and Local Visual Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2706-2720. [PMID: 27371139 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2834-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate superior performances on visuo-spatial tasks emphasizing local information processing; however, findings from studies involving hierarchical stimuli are inconsistent. Wide age ranges and group means complicate their interpretability. Children and adolescents with and without ASD completed a Navon task wherein they identified global and local stimuli composed of either consistent or inconsistent letters. Trajectories of reaction time in global and local conditions were similar within and between groups when consistent and inconsistent stimuli were considered together, but the effect of local-to-global interference was significantly higher in participants with than without ASD. Age was not a significant predictor of local-to-global interference, suggesting that this effect emerges in childhood and persists throughout adolescence in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacalyn Guy
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 1Y2, Canada.
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du développement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, Canada
| | - Claude Berthiaume
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du développement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, Canada
| | - Armando Bertone
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory for Autism and Development, McGill University, 3724 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 1Y2, Canada
- Centre d'excellence en Troubles envahissants du développement de l'Université de Montréal (CETEDUM), Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Montreal, Canada
- School/Applied Child Psychology, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Maróthi R, Csigó K, Kéri S. Early-Stage Vision and Perceptual Imagery in Autism Spectrum Conditions. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:337. [PMID: 31632255 PMCID: PMC6781947 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are characterized by multifaceted alterations in visual perception and mental imagery. However, the interaction between early-stage visual perception and imagery has not been explored. We recruited 40 individuals with ASC and 20 neurotypical control volunteers to participate in a lateral masking task. Participants detected a luminance-contrast target pattern (Gabor patch) flanked by two collinear masks. The flanking masks inhibit target detection at small target-mask distances and facilitate target detection at intermediate target-mask distances. In the perceptual task, the masks appeared adjacent to the target. In the imagery task, participants imagined the masks immediately after seeing them. Results revealed that individuals with ASC characterized by exceptional visuoconstructional abilities (enhanced Block Design performance; n = 20) showed weaker inhibition at small target-mask distances and stronger facilitation at intermediate target-mask distances relative to the controls. Visual imagery was markedly dampened in ASC regardless of the visuoconstructional abilities. At the behavioral level, these results indicate increased facilitation via lateral connections in the primary visual cortex (V1) of individuals with ASC who exhibit exceptional visuoconstructional abilities, together with less efficient mental imagery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeka Maróthi
- Nyírö Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Csigó
- Nyírö Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Kéri
- Nyírö Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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Hogeveen J, Krug MK, Geddert RM, Ragland JD, Solomon M. Compensatory Hippocampal Recruitment Supports Preserved Episodic Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 5:97-109. [PMID: 31676207 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The degree to which individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) evidence impairments in episodic memory relative to their typically developing (TD) counterparts remains unclear. According to a prominent view, ASD is associated with deficits in encoding associations between items and recollecting precise context details. Here, we evaluated behavioral and neural evidence for this impaired relational binding hypothesis using a task involving relational encoding and recollection during functional magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS Adolescents and young adults (nASD = 47, nTD = 60) performed the Relational and Item-Specific Encoding task during functional magnetic resonance imaging, including item and associative recognition testing. We modeled functional recruitment within the medial temporal lobes (MTLs), and connectivity between MTL and the posterior medial (PM) network thought to underlie relational memory. The impaired relational binding model would predict a behavioral deficit driven by aberrant recruitment and connectivity of MTL and the PM network. RESULTS The ASD and TD groups showed indistinguishable item and associative recognition performance. During relational encoding, the ASD group demonstrated increased hippocampal recruitment, and decreased connectivity between MTL and PM regions relative to the TD group. Within ASD, hippocampal recruitment and MTL-PM connectivity were inversely correlated. CONCLUSIONS The lack of a behavioral deficit in ASD does not support the impaired relational binding hypothesis. Instead, the current data suggest that increased recruitment of the hippocampus compensates for decreased MTL-PM connectivity to support preserved episodic memory in ASD. These findings suggest a compensatory neurodevelopmental mechanism that may support preserved cognitive domains in ASD: local hyperrecruitment may offset connectivity aberrations in individuals with ASD relative to TD subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Hogeveen
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
| | - Marie K Krug
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Raphael M Geddert
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - J Daniel Ragland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Imaging Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Imaging Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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Chiodo L, Mottron L, Majerus S. Preservation of categorical perception for speech in autism with and without speech onset delay. Autism Res 2019; 12:1609-1622. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liliane Chiodo
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research UnitUniversité de Liège Liège Belgium
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Département de PsychiatrieUniversité de Montréal, et Hôpital Rivière‐des‐Prairies, CIUSSS‐NIM Montréal Quebec Canada
| | - Steve Majerus
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research UnitUniversité de Liège Liège Belgium
- Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique F.R.S.‐FNRS Brussels Belgium
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Hetzroni OE, Hessler M, Shalahevich K. Learning new relational categories by children with autism spectrum disorders, children with typical development and children with intellectual disabilities: effects of comparison and familiarity on systematicity. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2019; 63:564-575. [PMID: 30747460 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systematicity principle, used during analogical reasoning, enables building up deeper abstract concepts as part of structure mapping. The purpose of this study was to investigate structure mapping processes that occur during acquisition of new relational categories and to identify the learning patterns and systematicity of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and typical development (TD). Comparison effect and level of familiarity were used to investigate structural mapping processes. METHODS Three groups of 24 children participated in the study. Using a computer program, participants were asked to select a perceptual or relational choice based on one or two standards using illustrations depicting new relational categories in various spatial configurations. Known, partially known and unknown illustrations were used in depicting three levels of familiarity. RESULTS All three groups selected perceptual choices when one standard was available (no comparison). However, when two standards were available, enabling a comparison, children with IDD and TD increased their tendency for selecting abstract relational categories, while children with ASD did not change their preference and continued selecting perceptual choices. Level of familiarity increased selection of relational choices among children with TD and IDD but not among children with ASD. CONCLUSIONS Systematicity principle was evident mostly in the selection of relational choices by children with TD and IDD when the illustrations were known or partially known. Hence, even when an opportunity to compare and to use previously known information was available, structure mapping processes and systematicity were implemented to align information among children TD and IDD but failed to assist the learning of new relational categories among children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- O E Hetzroni
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - M Hessler
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - K Shalahevich
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Slapik M, Kronemer SI, Morgan O, Bloes R, Lieberman S, Mandel J, Rosenthal L, Marvel C. Visuospatial Organization and Recall in Cerebellar Ataxia. THE CEREBELLUM 2019; 18:33-46. [PMID: 29949096 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-018-0948-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Poor visuospatial skills can disrupt activities of daily living. The cerebellum has been implicated in visuospatial processing, and patients with cerebellar injury often exhibit poor visuospatial skills, as measured by impaired memory for the figure within the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure task (ROCF). Visuospatial skills are an inherent aspect of the ROCF; however, figure organization (i.e., the order in which the figure is reconstructed by the participant) can influence recall ability. The objective of this study was to examine and compare visuospatial and organization skills in people with cerebellar ataxia. We administered the ROCF to patients diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia and healthy controls. The cerebellar ataxia group included patients that carried a diagnosis of spinocerebellar ataxia (any subtype), autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia, or cerebellar ataxia with unknown etiology. Primary outcome measures were organization and recall performance on the ROCF, with supplemental information derived from cognitive tests of visuospatial perception, working memory, processing speed, and motor function. Cerebellar ataxia patients revealed impaired figure organization relative to that of controls. Figure copy was impaired in the patients, but their subsequent recall performance was normal, suggesting compensation from initial organization and copying strategies. In controls, figure organization predicted recall performance, but this relationship was not observed in the patients. Instead, processing speed predicted patients' recall accuracy. Supplemental tasks indicated that visual perception was intact in the cerebellar ataxia group and that performance deficits were more closely tied to organization strategies than with visuospatial skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell Slapik
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1620 McElderry St., Reed Hall W102A, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Owen Morgan
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1620 McElderry St., Reed Hall W102A, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ryan Bloes
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1620 McElderry St., Reed Hall W102A, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Seth Lieberman
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Mandel
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1620 McElderry St., Reed Hall W102A, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Liana Rosenthal
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1620 McElderry St., Reed Hall W102A, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Cherie Marvel
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1620 McElderry St., Reed Hall W102A, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Duret P, Samson F, Pinsard B, Barbeau EB, Boré A, Soulières I, Mottron L. Gyrification changes are related to cognitive strengths in autism. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 20:415-423. [PMID: 30128280 PMCID: PMC6095946 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Behavioral, cognitive and functional particularities in autism differ according to autism subgroups and might be associated with domain-specific cognitive strengths. It is unknown whether structural changes support this specialization. We investigated the link between cortical folding, its maturation and cognitive strengths in autism subgroups presenting verbal or visuo-spatial peaks of abilities. Methods We measured gyrification, a structural index related to function, in 55 autistic participants with (AS-SOD, N = 27) or without (AS-NoSOD, N = 28) a speech onset delay (SOD) with similar symptom severity but respectively perceptual and verbal cognitive strengths, and 37 typical adolescents and young adults matched for intelligence and age. We calculated the local Gyrification Index (lGI) throughout an occipito-temporal region of interest and independently modeled age and peak of ability effects for each group. Results Unique gyrification features in both autistic groups were detected in localized clusters. When comparing the three groups, gyrification was found lower in AS-SOD in a fusiform visual area, whereas it was higher in AS-NoSOD in a temporal language-related region. These particular areas presented age-related gyrification differences reflecting contrasting local maturation pathways in AS. As expected, peaks of ability were found in a verbal subtest for the AS-NoSOD group and in the Block Design IQ subtest for the AS-SOD group. Conclusions Irrespective of their direction, regional gyrification differences in visual and language processing areas respectively reflect AS-SOD perceptual and AS-NoSOD language-oriented peaks. Unique regional maturation trajectories in the autistic brain may underline specific cognitive strengths, which are key variables for understanding heterogeneity in autism. Subgrouping the autism spectrum (AS) partly accounts for its heterogeneity. AS individuals with a speech onset delay (SOD) show perceptual cognitive strengths. AS individuals without a SOD show language-related cognitive strengths. AS subgroups show unique gyrification patterns in areas related to their strengths. Cortical structural maturation may be related to domain-specific strengths in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Duret
- Centre d'Excellence en Troubles Envahissants du Développement de l'Université de Montréal, (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada; École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France; Brain Dynamics and Cognition, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Lyon, France & University Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France
| | - F Samson
- Centre d'Excellence en Troubles Envahissants du Développement de l'Université de Montréal, (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada
| | - B Pinsard
- Unité de Neuroimagerie Fonctionnelle, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Canada; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7371, INSERM UMR_S 1146, Laboratoire d'Imagerie Biomédicale, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - E B Barbeau
- Centre d'Excellence en Troubles Envahissants du Développement de l'Université de Montréal, (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada
| | - A Boré
- Unité de Neuroimagerie Fonctionnelle, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - I Soulières
- Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - L Mottron
- Centre d'Excellence en Troubles Envahissants du Développement de l'Université de Montréal, (CETEDUM), Montréal, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
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Tan E, Wu X, Nishida T, Huang D, Chen Z, Yi L. Analogical Reasoning in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From an Eye-Tracking Approach. Front Psychol 2018; 9:847. [PMID: 29899718 PMCID: PMC5989539 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study examined analogical reasoning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its relationship with cognitive and executive functioning and processing strategies. Our findings showed that although children with ASD were less competent in solving analogical problems than typically developing children, this inferior performance was attributable to general cognitive impairments. Eye-movement analyses revealed that children with ASD paid less attention to relational items and showed fewer gaze shifts between relational locations. Nevertheless, these eye-movement patterns did not predict autistic children’s behavioral performance. Together, our findings suggest that ASD per se does not entail impairments in analogical reasoning. The inferior performance of autistic children on analogical reasoning tasks is attributable to deficits in general cognitive and executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enda Tan
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Xueyuan Wu
- Guangzhou Cana School, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Rehabilitation and Research Center for Children with ASD, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tracy Nishida
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Dan Huang
- Guangzhou Cana School, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Rehabilitation and Research Center for Children with ASD, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Li Yi
- Department of Psychology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Gauthier S, Anzalone SM, Cohen D, Zaoui M, Chetouani M, Villa F, Berthoz A, Xavier J. Behavioral Own-Body-Transformations in Children and Adolescents With Typical Development, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Developmental Coordination Disorder. Front Psychol 2018; 9:676. [PMID: 29887813 PMCID: PMC5981221 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In motor imitation, taking a partner's perspective often involves a mental body transformation from an embodied, ego-centered viewpoint to a disembodied, hetero-centered viewpoint. Impairments of both own-body-transformation (OBT) and abnormalities in visual-spatial processing have been reported in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the context of a visual-motor interactive task, studying OBT impairments while disentangling the contribution of visual-spatial impairments associated with motor coordination problems has not been investigated. Methods: 85 children and adolescents (39 controls with typical development, TD; 29 patients with ASD; 17 patients with developmental coordination disorder, DCD), aged 6-19 years, participated in a behavioral paradigm in which participants interacted with a virtual tightrope walker (TW) standing and moving with him. The protocol enables to distinguish ego-centered and hetero-centered perspectives. Results: We show that (1) OBT was possible but difficult for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as for TD children, when the task required the participant to perform a mental rotation in order to adopt a hetero-centered perspective. (2) Using multivariate models, hetero-centered perspective score was significantly associated with age, TW orientation, latency, and diagnosis. ASD and TD groups' performances were close and significantly correlated with age. However, it was not the case for DCD, since this group was specifically handicapped by visual-spatial impairments. (3) ASD and DCD did not perform similarly: motor performance as shown by movement amplitude was better in DCD than ASD. ASD motor response was more ambiguous and hardly readable. Conclusion: Changing perspective in a spatial environment is possible for patients with ASD although delayed compared with TD children. In patients with DCD, their visual-spatial impairments negatively modulated their performances in the experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soizic Gauthier
- Département de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, Paris, France.,CRPMS, EA 3522, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Equipe Berthoz, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | | | - David Cohen
- Département de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Université, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
| | | | - Mohamed Chetouani
- Sorbonne Université, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
| | - François Villa
- CRPMS, EA 3522, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Jean Xavier
- Département de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Université, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
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46
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Superior Visual Search and Crowding Abilities Are Not Characteristic of All Individuals on the Autism Spectrum. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:3499-3512. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3601-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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47
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Foss-Feig JH, Schauder KB, Key AP, Wallace MT, Stone WL. Audition-specific temporal processing deficits associated with language function in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2017; 10:1845-1856. [PMID: 28632303 PMCID: PMC6007978 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Sensory processing alterations are highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neurobiologically-based theories of ASD propose that abnormalities in the processing of temporal aspects of sensory input could underlie core symptoms of ASD. For example, rapid auditory temporal processing is critical for speech perception, and language difficulties are central to the social communication deficits defining the disorder. This study assessed visual and auditory temporal processing abilities and tested their relation to core ASD symptoms. 53 children (26 ASD, 27 TD) completed visual and auditory psychophysical gap detection tasks to measure gap detection thresholds (i.e., the minimum interval between sequential stimuli needed for individuals to perceive an interruption between the stimuli) in each domain. Children were also administered standardized language assessments such that the relation between individual differences in auditory gap detection thresholds and degree of language and communication difficulties among children with ASD could be assessed. Children with ASD had substantially higher auditory gap detection thresholds compared to children with TD, and auditory gap detection thresholds were correlated significantly with several measures of language processing in this population. No group differences were observed in the visual temporal processing. Results indicate a domain-specific impairment in rapid auditory temporal processing in ASD that is associated with greater difficulties in language processing. Findings provide qualified support for temporal processing theories of ASD and highlight the need for future research testing the nature, extent, and universality of auditory temporal processing deficits in this population. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1845-1856. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Sensory symptoms are common in ASD. Temporal processing alterations are often implicated, but understudied. The ability to process rapid sensory information, particularly auditory input, is critical for language functioning. This study tested auditory and visual temporal processing in ASD and controls. Findings suggest that rapid auditory (but not visual) processing is impaired in ASD and related to language functioning. These results could provide mechanistic clues to understanding core symptoms and lead to novel intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H. Foss-Feig
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Psychiatry
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, Seaver Autism Center
| | | | - Alexandra P. Key
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
| | - Mark T. Wallace
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology
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48
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Ostrolenk A, Forgeot d’Arc B, Jelenic P, Samson F, Mottron L. Hyperlexia: Systematic review, neurocognitive modelling, and outcome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 79:134-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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49
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Chowdhury R, Sharda M, Foster NEV, Germain E, Tryfon A, Doyle-Thomas K, Anagnostou E, Hyde KL. Auditory Pitch Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Associated With Nonverbal Abilities. Perception 2017; 46:1298-1320. [PMID: 28683588 DOI: 10.1177/0301006617718715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Atypical sensory perception and heterogeneous cognitive profiles are common features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, previous findings on auditory sensory processing in ASD are mixed. Accordingly, auditory perception and its relation to cognitive abilities in ASD remain poorly understood. Here, children with ASD, and age- and intelligence quotient (IQ)-matched typically developing children, were tested on a low- and a higher level pitch processing task. Verbal and nonverbal cognitive abilities were measured using the Wechsler's Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. There were no group differences in performance on either auditory task or IQ measure. However, there was significant variability in performance on the auditory tasks in both groups that was predicted by nonverbal, not verbal skills. These results suggest that auditory perception is related to nonverbal reasoning rather than verbal abilities in ASD and typically developing children. In addition, these findings provide evidence for preserved pitch processing in school-age children with ASD with average IQ, supporting the idea that there may be a subgroup of individuals with ASD that do not present perceptual or cognitive difficulties. Future directions involve examining whether similar perceptual-cognitive relationships might be observed in a broader sample of individuals with ASD, such as those with language impairment or lower IQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakhee Chowdhury
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Megha Sharda
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicholas E V Foster
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Esther Germain
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ana Tryfon
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, Montréal, QC, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Krissy Doyle-Thomas
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Krista L Hyde
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, Montréal, QC, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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50
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Mottron L. Should we change targets and methods of early intervention in autism, in favor of a strengths-based education? Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 26:815-825. [PMID: 28181042 PMCID: PMC5489637 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-017-0955-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) and its recent variant, naturalist developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) aim to increase socialization and communication, and to decrease repetitive and challenging behaviors in preschool age autistic children. These behaviorist techniques are based on the precocity and intensity of the intervention, face-to-face interaction, errorless learning, and information fragmentation. Once considered to be "scientifically proven", the efficacy of these approaches has been called into question in the last decade due to poor-quality data, small effects, low cost-efficiency, and the evolution of ethical and societal standards. Grounded on a reappraisal of the genetic and cognitive neuroscience of autism, we question three aspects of EIBI/NDBI: their focus on prerequisites for typical socio-communicative behaviors, their lack of consideration of autistic language development and learning modes, and their negative view of repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. We propose alternative predictions for empirical validation, based on the strengths of prototypical autistic children: (a) their non-verbal intelligence should be normally distributed and within the normal range; (b) improving access to non-communicative verbal and written auditory language material should favor their subsequent speech development and
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