1
|
Vilela J, Rasga C, Santos JX, Martiniano H, Marques AR, Oliveira G, Vicente AM. Bridging Genetic Insights with Neuroimaging in Autism Spectrum Disorder-A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4938. [PMID: 38732157 PMCID: PMC11084239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094938] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an early onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Family studies show that ASD is highly heritable, and hundreds of genes have previously been implicated in the disorder; however, the etiology is still not fully clear. Brain imaging and electroencephalography (EEG) are key techniques that study alterations in brain structure and function. Combined with genetic analysis, these techniques have the potential to help in the clarification of the neurobiological mechanisms contributing to ASD and help in defining novel therapeutic targets. To further understand what is known today regarding the impact of genetic variants in the brain alterations observed in individuals with ASD, a systematic review was carried out using Pubmed and EBSCO databases and following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This review shows that specific genetic variants and altered patterns of gene expression in individuals with ASD may have an effect on brain circuits associated with face processing and social cognition, and contribute to excitation-inhibition imbalances and to anomalies in brain volumes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joana Vilela
- Departamento de Promoção da Saúde e Doenças Não Transmissíveis, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.V.); (C.R.); (J.X.S.); (H.M.); (A.R.M.)
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Célia Rasga
- Departamento de Promoção da Saúde e Doenças Não Transmissíveis, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.V.); (C.R.); (J.X.S.); (H.M.); (A.R.M.)
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Xavier Santos
- Departamento de Promoção da Saúde e Doenças Não Transmissíveis, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.V.); (C.R.); (J.X.S.); (H.M.); (A.R.M.)
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Hugo Martiniano
- Departamento de Promoção da Saúde e Doenças Não Transmissíveis, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.V.); (C.R.); (J.X.S.); (H.M.); (A.R.M.)
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Marques
- Departamento de Promoção da Saúde e Doenças Não Transmissíveis, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.V.); (C.R.); (J.X.S.); (H.M.); (A.R.M.)
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Guiomar Oliveira
- Unidade de Neurodesenvolvimento e Autismo, Serviço do Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Centro de Investigação e Formação Clínica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal;
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University Clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Astrid Moura Vicente
- Departamento de Promoção da Saúde e Doenças Não Transmissíveis, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.V.); (C.R.); (J.X.S.); (H.M.); (A.R.M.)
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, C8, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schulz SE, Luszawski M, Hannah KE, Stevenson RA. Sensory Gating in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Scoping Review. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1005-1019. [PMID: 37014483 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01058-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
This review aimed to explore the current understanding of sensory gating in neurodevelopmental disorders as a possible transdiagnostic mechanism. We applied methods according to the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis, following the population, concept, and context scoping review eligibility criteria. Using a comprehensive search strategy in five relevant research databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Scopus), we searched for relevant peer-reviewed, primary research articles and unpublished data. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts, full-texts, and completed data extraction. We identified a total of 81 relevant articles and used descriptive analyses to summarize the characteristics and outcomes of all identified studies. Literature regarding sensory gating was most common in autistic populations with relatively fewer studies examining attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, tic disorders, and childhood-onset fluency disorder (COFD). The methods to assess sensory gating varied widely both within and between groups and included measures such as habituation, prepulse inhibition, affect-modulated inhibition, medication and other intervention trials. Most consistently, when participants complete questionnaires about their sensory experiences, those who have neurodevelopmental disorders report differences in their sensory gating. Affect-modulated inhibition appears to be discrepant between samples with and without neurodevelopmental disorder diagnoses. Habituation was the most commonly reported phenomenon and many differences in habituation have been found in autistic individuals and individuals with tic disorders whereas concerns with inhibition seemed more common in COFD. Overall, the evidence is inconsistent within and between disorders suggesting there is still much to learn about sensory gating in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha E Schulz
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michelle Luszawski
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kara E Hannah
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan A Stevenson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gerhardt S, Berhe O, Moessnang C, Horning M, Kiefer F, Tost H, Vollstädt-Klein S. Lack of amygdala habituation to negative emotional faces in alcohol use disorder and the relation to adverse childhood experiences. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13251. [PMID: 36577733 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant limbic circuit reactivity to negative stimuli might be related to alterations in emotion processing and regulation in alcohol use disorder (AUD). The current study tested for the first time in AUD the hypothesis of aberrant amygdala habituation to repeated aversive stimuli-a robust and reliable neuroimaging marker for emotion processing. We explored the link between deficits in habituation to adverse childhood experience (ACE), a common risk factor for impaired emotion regulation and AUD. AUD individuals (N = 36) and healthy controls (HC; N = 26) participated in an observational case-control functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. An established habituation index was used to investigate processing of aversive emotional faces of the amygdala. AUD individuals showed an overall deficit in amygdala habituation (right: t = 4.26, pFWE = 0.004; left: t = 4.79, pFWE ≤ 0.001). Amygdala habituation was significantly related to increased exposure to ACE in HC (t = 3.88, pFWE = 0.012), whereas this association was not observed in AUD individuals (T = 1.80, pFWE = 0.662). Further, a significant association between higher alcohol consumption and reduced amygdala habituation (right: R2 = -0.356, F = 8.736, p = 0.004; left: R2 = -0.309, F = 6.332, p = 0.015) was observed. We found novel evidence for neural alterations in emotion processing in AUD individuals, indexed by deficient amygdala habituation to negative emotional content. We replicated a prior report on a link between ACE and amygdala habituation, a well-established environmental risk factor for mental disorders and emotion dysregulation, in our control sample. Additionally, deficient amygdala habituation related to the amount of alcohol consumption in the overall sample might indicate a short-term substance effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Gerhardt
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolin Moessnang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maibritt Horning
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Feuerlein Center on Translational Addiction Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sabine Vollstädt-Klein
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
van Eijndhoven P, Collard R, Vrijsen J, Geurts DEM, Vasquez AA, Schellekens A, van den Munckhof E, Brolsma S, Duyser F, Bergman A, van Oort J, Tendolkar I, Schene A. Measuring Integrated Novel Dimensions in Neurodevelopmental and Stress-Related Mental Disorders (MIND-SET): Protocol for a Cross-sectional Comorbidity Study From a Research Domain Criteria Perspective. JMIRX MED 2022; 3:e31269. [PMID: 37725542 PMCID: PMC10414459 DOI: 10.2196/31269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is widely acknowledged that comorbidity between psychiatric disorders is common. Shared and diverse underpinnings of psychiatric disorders cannot be systematically understood based on symptom-based categories of mental disorders, which map poorly onto pathophysiological mechanisms. In the Measuring Integrated Novel Dimensions in Neurodevelopmental and Stress-Related Mental Disorders (MIND-SET) study, we make use of current concepts of comorbidity that transcend the current diagnostic categories. We test this approach to psychiatric problems in patients with frequently occurring psychiatric disorders and their comorbidities (excluding psychosis). OBJECTIVE The main aim of the MIND-SET project is to determine the shared and specific mechanisms of neurodevelopmental and stress-related psychiatric disorders at different observational levels. METHODS This is an observational cross-sectional study. Data from different observational levels as defined in the Research Domain Criteria (genetics, physiology, neuropsychology, system-level neuroimaging, behavior, self-report, and experimental neurocognitive paradigms) are collected over four time points. Included are adult (aged ≥18 years), nonpsychotic, psychiatric patients with a clinical diagnosis of a stress-related disorder (mood disorder, anxiety disorder, or substance use disorder) or a neurodevelopmental disorder (autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Individuals with no current or past psychiatric diagnosis are included as neurotypical controls. Data collection started in June 2016 with the aim to include a total of 650 patients and 150 neurotypical controls by 2021. The data collection procedure includes online questionnaires and three subsequent sessions with (1) standardized clinical examination, physical examination, and blood sampling; (2) psychological constructs, neuropsychological tests, and biological marker sampling; and (3) neuroimaging measures. RESULTS We aim to include a total of 650 patients and 150 neurotypical control participants in the time period between 2016 and 2022. In October 2021, we are at 95% of our target. CONCLUSIONS The MIND-SET study enables us to investigate the mechanistic underpinnings of nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders transdiagnostically. We will identify both shared and disorder-specific markers at different observational levels that can be used as targets for future diagnostic and treatment approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip van Eijndhoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rose Collard
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Janna Vrijsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Pro Persona Mental Health Care, Depression Expertise Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Dirk E M Geurts
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Arias Vasquez
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Arnt Schellekens
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Nijmegen Institute of Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Eva van den Munckhof
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sophie Brolsma
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Fleur Duyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Annemiek Bergman
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jasper van Oort
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Indira Tendolkar
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- LVR-Klinikum Essen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Aart Schene
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chernikova MA, Flores GD, Kilroy E, Labus JS, Mayer EA, Aziz-Zadeh L. The Brain-Gut-Microbiome System: Pathways and Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13124497. [PMID: 34960049 PMCID: PMC8704412 DOI: 10.3390/nu13124497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal dysfunction is one of the most prevalent physiological symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A growing body of largely preclinical research suggests that dysbiotic gut microbiota may modulate brain function and social behavior, yet little is known about the mechanisms that underlie these relationships and how they may influence the pathogenesis or severity of ASD. While various genetic and environmental risk factors have been implicated in ASD, this review aims to provide an overview of studies elucidating the mechanisms by which gut microbiota, associated metabolites, and the brain interact to influence behavior and ASD development, in at least a subgroup of individuals with gastrointestinal problems. Specifically, we review the brain-gut-microbiome system and discuss findings from current animal and human studies as they relate to social-behavioral and neurological impairments in ASD, microbiota-targeted therapies (i.e., probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation) in ASD, and how microbiota may influence the brain at molecular, structural, and functional levels, with a particular interest in social and emotion-related brain networks. A deeper understanding of microbiome-brain-behavior interactions has the potential to inform new therapies aimed at modulating this system and alleviating both behavioral and physiological symptomatology in individuals with ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A. Chernikova
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Psychology Department, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
| | - Genesis D. Flores
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Psychology Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768, USA
| | - Emily Kilroy
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jennifer S. Labus
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Gonda (Goldschmied) Neuroscience and Genetics Research Center, Brain Research Institute UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Emeran A. Mayer
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: (E.A.M.); (L.A.-Z.)
| | - Lisa Aziz-Zadeh
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Correspondence: (E.A.M.); (L.A.-Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Holz NE, Häge A, Plichta MM, Boecker-Schlier R, Jennen-Steinmetz C, Baumeister S, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Laucht M, Banaschewski T, Brandeis D. Early Maternal Care and Amygdala Habituation to Emotional Stimuli in Adulthood. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:1100-1110. [PMID: 33963390 PMCID: PMC8483279 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab059] [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: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that maternal care constitutes a protective factor for psychopathology which may be conditional on the level of family adversity. Given that psychopathology is frequently linked with social deficits, and the amygdala with social functioning, we investigated the impact of early maternal care on amygdala function under high versus low familial risk for psychopathology. Amygdala activity and habituation during an emotional face-matching paradigm was analyzed in participants of an epidemiological cohort study followed since birth (N=172, 25 years). Early mother-infant interaction was assessed during a standardized nursing and play setting at the age of 3 months. Information on familial risk during the offspring's childhood and on the participants' lifetime psychopathology was obtained with diagnostic interviews. An interaction between maternal stimulation and familial risk was found on amygdala habituation but not on activation, with higher maternal stimulation predicting stronger amygdala habituation in the familial risk group only. Furthermore, amygdala habituation correlated inversely with ADHD diagnoses. The findings underline the long-term importance of early maternal care on the offspring´s socioemotional neurodevelopment and of interventions targeting maternal sensitivity early in life, particularly by increasing maternal interactive behavior in those with familial risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie E Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Häge
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Michael M Plichta
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Hoffmann-Str. 10, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
| | - Regina Boecker-Schlier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Christine Jennen-Steinmetz
- Department of Biostatistics, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, Mannheim 68159, Germany
| | - Sarah Baumeister
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Manfred Laucht
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Neumünsterallee 9, Zurich 8032, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Brandeis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Neumünsterallee 9, Zurich 8032, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.,Center for Integrative Human Physiology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Oxytocinergic Modulation of Threat-Specific Amygdala Sensitization in Humans Is Critically Mediated by Serotonergic Mechanisms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:1081-1089. [PMID: 33894423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overarching conceptualizations propose that the complex social-emotional effects of oxytocin (OXT) in humans are partly mediated by interactions with other neurotransmitter systems. Recent animal models suggest that the anxiolytic effects of OXT are critically mediated by the serotonin (5-HT) system, yet direct evidence in humans is lacking. METHODS To determine the role of 5-HT in OXT-induced attenuation of amygdala threat reactivity and sensitization/desensitization, we conducted a parallel-group, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment during which 121 healthy subjects underwent a transient decrease in 5-HT signaling via acute tryptophan depletion or the corresponding placebo-control protocol before the administration of intranasal OXT or placebo intranasal spray, respectively. Mean and repetition-dependent changes in threat-specific amygdala reactivity toward threatening stimuli (angry faces) as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging served as the primary outcome. RESULTS No main or interaction effects of treatment on amygdala threat reactivity were observed, yet OXT switched bilateral amygdala threat sensitization to desensitization, and this effect was significantly attenuated during decreased central 5-HT signaling via pretreatment with acute tryptophan depletion. CONCLUSIONS The present findings provide the first evidence for a role of OXT in threat-specific amygdala desensitization in humans and suggest that these effects are critically mediated by the 5-HT system. OXT may have a therapeutic potential to facilitate amygdala desensitization, and adjunct upregulation of 5-HT neurotransmission may facilitate OXT's anxiolytic potential.
Collapse
|
8
|
Caplan B, Blacher J, Eisenhower A, Baker BL, Lee SS. Gene x responsive parenting interactions in social development: Characterizing heterogeneity in autism spectrum disorder. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1082-1097. [PMID: 33511631 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Emerging research suggests that caregiving environments and genetic variants independently contribute to social functioning in children with typical development or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, biologically plausible interactive models and complimentary assessment of mechanisms are needed to: (a) explain considerable social heterogeneity, (b) resolve inconsistencies in the literature, and (c) develop and select optimal treatments based on individual differences. This study examined the role of child genotypes and responsive parenting in the social development of 104 children with ASD (ages 4-7 years). We utilized a longitudinal, multi-informant design and structural equation models to evaluate: (a) the additive and interactive effects of biologically plausible candidate genes (5-HTTLPR, OXTR, DRD4) and responsive parenting in predicting prospective social development in ASD across three time points spanning 1.5 years, and (b) whether child emotion regulation mediated observed gene x environment interactions (GxEs). Responsive parenting positively predicted prospective change in child social skills; these associations were moderated by 5-HTTLPR and DRD4 in teacher-report models, and DRD4 in parent-report models. No GxE effects were found for OXTR. Emotion regulation did not significantly mediate the GxEs involving 5-HTTLPR and DRD4. Acknowledging the complexities of GxE research, implications for future research, and targeted intervention efforts are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Caplan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jan Blacher
- Department of Education, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Abbey Eisenhower
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bruce L Baker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steve S Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kryza-Lacombe M, Iturri N, Monk CS, Wiggins JL. Face Emotion Processing in Pediatric Irritability: Neural Mechanisms in a Sample Enriched for Irritability With Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:1380-1391. [PMID: 31541675 PMCID: PMC9831686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Characterizing the pathophysiology of irritability symptoms from a dimensional perspective above and beyond diagnostic boundaries is key to developing mechanism-based interventions that can be applied broadly. Face emotion processing deficits are present in youths with elevated levels of irritability. The present study aimed to identify the neural mechanisms of face emotion processing in a sample enriched for irritability by including youths with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD). METHOD Youths (N = 120, age = 8.3-19.2 years) completed an implicit face emotion task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We evaluated how irritability, measured dimensionally, above and beyond diagnostic group, relates to whole-brain neural activation and amygdala connectivity in response to face emotions. RESULTS Both neural activation and amygdala connectivity differed as a function of irritability level and face emotion in the prefrontal cortex. Youths with higher irritability levels had decreased activation in response to both fearful and happy faces in the left middle frontal gyrus and to happy faces in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Furthermore, increased irritability levels were associated with altered right amygdala connectivity to the left superior frontal gyrus when viewing fearful and sad faces. CONCLUSION The neural mechanisms of face emotion processing differ in youths with higher irritability compared to their less irritable peers. The findings suggest that these irritability mechanisms may be common to both typically developing and HF-ASD youths. Understanding the neural mechanisms of pediatric irritability symptoms that cut across diagnostic boundaries may be leveraged for future intervention development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kryza-Lacombe
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego.
| | | | | | - Jillian Lee Wiggins
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology and the Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Serotonin differentially modulates the temporal dynamics of the limbic response to facial emotions in male adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a randomised placebo-controlled single-dose crossover trial. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:2248-2256. [PMID: 32388538 PMCID: PMC7784897 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0693-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Emotion processing-including signals from facial expressions-is often altered in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The biological basis of this is poorly understood but may include neurochemically mediated differences in the responsivity of key 'limbic' regions (including amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)). Emerging evidence also suggests that ASD may be a disorder of brain temporal dynamics. Moreover, serotonin (5-HT) has been shown to be a key regulator of both facial-emotion processing and brain dynamics, and 5-HT abnormalities have been consistently implicated in ASD. To date, however, no one has examined how 5-HT influences the dynamics of facial-emotion processing in ASD. Therefore, we compared the influence of 5-HT on the responsivity of brain dynamics during facial-emotion processing in individuals with and without ASD. Participants completed a facial-emotion processing fMRI task at least 8 days apart using a randomised double-blind crossover design. At each visit they received either a single 20-mg oral dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram or placebo. We found that citalopram (which increases levels of 5-HT) caused sustained activation in key limbic regions during processing of negative facial emotions in adults with ASD-but not in neurotypical adults. The neurotypical adults' limbic response reverted more rapidly to baseline following a 5-HT-challenge. Our results suggest that serotonergic homoeostatic control of the temporal dynamics in limbic regions is altered in adults with ASD, and provide a fresh perspective on the biology of ASD.
Collapse
|
11
|
Bilek E, Itz ML, Stößel G, Ma R, Berhe O, Clement L, Zang Z, Robnik L, Plichta MM, Neukel C, Schmahl C, Kirsch P, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H. Deficient Amygdala Habituation to Threatening Stimuli in Borderline Personality Disorder Relates to Adverse Childhood Experiences. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:930-938. [PMID: 31366446 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heightened amygdala response to threatening cues has been repeatedly observed in borderline personality disorder (BPD). A previous report linked hyperactivation to deficient amygdala habituation to repeated stimuli, but the biological underpinnings are incompletely understood. METHODS We examined a sample of 120 patients with BPD and 115 healthy control subjects with a well-established functional magnetic resonance imaging emotional face processing task to replicate the previously reported amygdala habituation deficit in BPD and probed this neural phenotype for associations with symptom severity and early social risk exposure. RESULTS Our results confirm a significant reduction in amygdala habituation to repeated negative stimuli in BPD (pFWE = .015, peak-level familywise error [FWE] corrected for region of interest). Post hoc comparison and regression analysis did not suggest a role for BPD clinical state (pFWE > .56) or symptom severity (pFWE > .45) for this phenotype. Furthermore, deficient amygdala habituation was significantly related to increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences (pFWE = .013, region of interest corrected). CONCLUSIONS Our data replicate a prior report on deficient amygdala habituation in BPD and link this neural phenotype to early adversity, a well-established social environmental risk factor for emotion dysregulation and psychiatric illness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edda Bilek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Marlena L Itz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gabriela Stößel
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ren Ma
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Laura Clement
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Zhenxiang Zang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lydia Robnik
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael M Plichta
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Corinne Neukel
- Department of Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bas‐Hoogendam JM, van Steenbergen H, Blackford JU, Tissier RLM, van der Wee NJA, Westenberg PM. Impaired neural habituation to neutral faces in families genetically enriched for social anxiety disorder. Depress Anxiety 2019; 36:1143-1153. [PMID: 31600020 PMCID: PMC6916167 DOI: 10.1002/da.22962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is an incapacitating disorder running in families. Previous work associated social fearfulness with a failure to habituate, but the habituation response to neutral faces has, as of yet, not been investigated in patients with SAD and their family members concurrently. Here, we examined whether impaired habituation to neutral faces is a putative neurobiological endophenotype of SAD by using data from the multiplex and multigenerational Leiden Family Lab study on SAD. METHODS Participants (n = 110; age, 9.2 - 61.5 years) performed a habituation paradigm involving neutral faces, as these are strong social stimuli with an ambiguous meaning. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate whether brain activation related to habituation was associated with the level of social anxiety within the families. Furthermore, the heritability of the neural habituation response was estimated. RESULTS Our data revealed a relationship between impaired habituation to neutral faces and social anxiety in the right hippocampus and right amygdala. In addition, our data indicated that this habituation response displayed moderate - to-moderately high heritability in the right hippocampus. CONCLUSION The present results provide support for altered habituation as a candidate SAD endophenotype; impaired neural habitation cosegregrated with the disorder within families and was heritable. These findings shed light on the genetic susceptibility to SAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janna M. Bas‐Hoogendam
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of PsychologyLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands,Department of PsychiatryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands,Leiden Institute for Brain and CognitionLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Henk van Steenbergen
- Leiden Institute for Brain and CognitionLeidenThe Netherlands,Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of PsychologyUniversity of LeidenLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennessee,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterResearch Service, Research and DevelopmentNashvilleTennessee
| | - Renaud L. M. Tissier
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of PsychologyLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Nic J. A. van der Wee
- Department of PsychiatryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands,Leiden Institute for Brain and CognitionLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - P. Michiel Westenberg
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of PsychologyLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands,Leiden Institute for Brain and CognitionLeidenThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hein TC, Mattson WI, Dotterer HL, Mitchell C, Lopez-Duran N, Thomason ME, Peltier SJ, Welsh RC, Hyde LW, Monk CS. Amygdala habituation and uncinate fasciculus connectivity in adolescence: A multi-modal approach. Neuroimage 2018; 183:617-626. [PMID: 30172004 PMCID: PMC6197897 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.08.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite prior extensive investigations of the interactions between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, few studies have simultaneously considered activation and structural connectivity in this circuit, particularly as it pertains to adolescent socioemotional development. The current multi-modal study delineated the correspondence between uncinate fasciculus (UF) connectivity and amygdala habituation in a large adolescent sample that was drawn from a population-based sample. We then examined the influence of demographic variables (age, gender, and pubertal status) on the relation between UF connectivity and amygdala habituation. 106 participants (15-17 years) completed DTI and an fMRI emotional face processing task. Left UF fractional anisotropy was associated with left amygdala habituation to fearful faces, suggesting that increased structural connectivity of the UF may facilitate amygdala regulation. Pubertal status moderated this structure-function relation, such that the association was stronger in those who were less mature. Therefore, UF connectivity may be particularly important for emotion regulation during early puberty. This study is the first to link structural and functional limbic circuitry in a large adolescent sample with substantial representation of ethnic minority participants, providing a more comprehensive understanding of socioemotional development in an understudied population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler C Hein
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Whitney I Mattson
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center for Behavioral Health at the Research Institute of Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Hailey L Dotterer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Colter Mitchell
- Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Population Studies Center of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Scott J Peltier
- Functional MRI Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Robert C Welsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Luke W Hyde
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christopher S Monk
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Tanaka M, Sato A, Kasai S, Hagino Y, Kotajima-Murakami H, Kashii H, Takamatsu Y, Nishito Y, Inagaki M, Mizuguchi M, Hall FS, Uhl GR, Murphy D, Sora I, Ikeda K. Brain hyperserotonemia causes autism-relevant social deficits in mice. Mol Autism 2018; 9:60. [PMID: 30498565 PMCID: PMC6258166 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0243-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hyperserotonemia in the brain is suspected to be an endophenotype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reducing serotonin levels in the brain through modulation of serotonin transporter function may improve ASD symptoms. Methods We analyzed behavior and gene expression to unveil the causal mechanism of ASD-relevant social deficits using serotonin transporter (Sert) knockout mice. Results Social deficits were observed in both heterozygous knockout mice (HZ) and homozygous knockout mice (KO), but increases in general anxiety were only observed in KO mice. Two weeks of dietary restriction of the serotonin precursor tryptophan ameliorated both brain hyperserotonemia and ASD-relevant social deficits in Sert HZ and KO mice. The expression of rather distinct sets of genes was altered in Sert HZ and KO mice, and a substantial portion of these genes was also affected by tryptophan depletion. Tryptophan depletion in Sert HZ and KO mice was associated with alterations in the expression of genes involved in signal transduction pathways initiated by changes in extracellular serotonin or melatonin, a derivative of serotonin. Only expression of the AU015836 gene was altered in both Sert HZ and KO mice. AU015836 expression and ASD-relevant social deficits normalized after dietary tryptophan restriction. Conclusions These findings reveal a Sert gene dose-dependent effect on brain hyperserotonemia and related behavioral sequelae in ASD and a possible therapeutic target to normalize brain hyperserotonemia and ASD-relevant social deficits. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0243-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miho Tanaka
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan.,2Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.,3Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sato
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan.,4Department of Pediatrics, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Kasai
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan
| | - Yoko Hagino
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan
| | - Hiroko Kotajima-Murakami
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan
| | - Hirofumi Kashii
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan
| | - Yukio Takamatsu
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan
| | - Yasumasa Nishito
- 5Center for Basic Technology Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masumi Inagaki
- 3Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masashi Mizuguchi
- 6Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - F Scott Hall
- 7Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
| | - George R Uhl
- 8Branch of Molecular Neurobiology, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD USA.,9Research Service, New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Dennis Murphy
- 10Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Ichiro Sora
- 11Department of Psychiatry, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Ikeda
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506 Japan.,2Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Piel JH, Lett TA, Wackerhagen C, Plichta MM, Mohnke S, Grimm O, Romanczuk-Seiferth N, Degenhardt F, Tost H, Witt S, Nöthen M, Rietschel M, Heinz A, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Walter H, Erk S. The effect of 5-HTTLPR and a serotonergic multi-marker score on amygdala, prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex reactivity and habituation in a large, healthy fMRI cohort. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:415-427. [PMID: 29358097 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by low mood for at least two weeks. Impaired emotion regulation has been suggested to be the consequence of dysfunctional serotonergic regulation of limbic and prefrontal regions, especially the amygdala, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The impact of genetic variation on brain function can be investigated with intermediate phenotypes. A suggested intermediate phenotype of MDD is emotion recognition: The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of SLC6A4 as well as other serotonergic genes have been associated with amygdala and prefrontal function during emotion recognition. Previously, it has been suggested that habituation is a more reliable index of emotion recognition than functional activation. We examined the relationship of genes involved in serotonergic signaling with amygdala as well as prefrontal functional activation and habituation during an emotion recognition task in 171 healthy subjects. While effects of 5-HTTLPR and of a serotonergic multi-marker score (5-HTTLPR, TPH1(rs1800532), TPH2(rs4570625), HTR1A(rs6295) and HTR2A(rs6311)) on amygdala activation did not withstand correction for multiple regions of interest, we observed a strong correlation of the multi-marker score and habituation in the amygdala, DLPFC, and ACC. We replicated a well-studied intermediate phenotype for association with 5-HTTLPR and provided additional evidence for polygenic involvement. Furthermore, we showed that task habituation may be influenced by genetic variation in serotonergic signaling, particularly by a serotonergic multi-marker score. We provided preliminary evidence that PFC activation is an important intermediate phenotype of MDD. Future studies are needed to corroborate the results in larger samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J H Piel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - T A Lett
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - C Wackerhagen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - M M Plichta
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - S Mohnke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - O Grimm
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - N Romanczuk-Seiferth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - F Degenhardt
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - H Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - S Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - M Nöthen
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - M Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - H Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Erk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Vivanti G, Hocking DR, Fanning PAJ, Uljarevic M, Postorino V, Mazzone L, Dissanayake C. Attention to novelty versus repetition: Contrasting habituation profiles in Autism and Williams syndrome. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 29:54-60. [PMID: 28130077 PMCID: PMC6987850 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormalities in habituation have been documented in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Williams syndrome (WS). Such abnormalities have been proposed to underlie the distinctive social and non-social difficulties that define ASD, including sensory features and repetitive behaviours, and the distinctive social phenotype characterizing WS. METHODS We measured habituation in 39 preschoolers with ASD, 20 peers with WS and 19 typically developing (TD) children using an eye-tracking protocol that measured participants' duration of attention in response to a repeating stimulus and a novel stimulus presented side by side across multiple trials. RESULTS Participants in the TD group and the WS group decreased their attention toward the repeating stimulus and increased their attention to the novel stimulus over time. Conversely, the ASD group showed a similar attentional response to the novel and repeating stimuli. Habituation was correlated with social functioning in the WS but not in the ASD group. Contrary to predictions, slower habituation in ASD was associated with lower severity of repetitive behaviours. CONCLUSIONS Habituation appears to be intact in WS and impaired in ASD. More research is needed to clarify the nature of the syndrome-specific patterns of correlations between habituation and social and non-social functioning in these neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Vivanti
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3734, USA; Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Darren R Hocking
- Developmental Neuromotor & Cognition Lab, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Peter A J Fanning
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Mirko Uljarevic
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Valentina Postorino
- The Marcus Autism Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 1920 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 1920 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; I.R.C.C.S. Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
| | - Luigi Mazzone
- I.R.C.C.S. Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy; Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Italy.
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tam FI, King JA, Geisler D, Korb FM, Sareng J, Ritschel F, Steding J, Albertowski KU, Roessner V, Ehrlich S. Altered behavioral and amygdala habituation in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder: an fMRI study. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13611. [PMID: 29051601 PMCID: PMC5648793 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14097-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Habituation to repeatedly presented stimuli is an important adaptive property of the nervous system. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been associated with reduced neural habituation, for example in the amygdala, which may be related to social impairments. The main focus of this study was to investigate habituation effects on the level of behavioral responses as well as amygdala responses in adults with ASD during a working memory task flanked by task-irrelevant face stimuli. Twenty-two patients with high-functioning autism and 24 healthy controls (HC) were included in this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. We employed an established habituation index to investigate habituation effects. Suggestive of altered habituation, the habituation index showed a decrement of reaction time over the course of the experiment in the HC but not in the ASD group. Similarly, an expected pattern of habituation was evident in amygdala activation in HC but absent in ASD participants. These results provide evidence that habituation may be altered not only on a neural, but also on a behavioral level in ASD. While more research is needed to develop a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms, the current findings support the possibility that deficient habituation may be a biomarker of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Friederike I Tam
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital C. G. Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel Geisler
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska M Korb
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Juliane Sareng
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital C. G. Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Ritschel
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.,Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julius Steding
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katja U Albertowski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital C. G. Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital C. G. Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Fernández M, Mollinedo-Gajate I, Peñagarikano O. Neural Circuits for Social Cognition: Implications for Autism. Neuroscience 2017; 370:148-162. [PMID: 28729065 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Social neuroscience, the study of the neurobiological basis of social behavior, has become a major area of current research in behavioral neuroscience and psychiatry, since many psychiatric disorders are characterized by social deficits. Social behavior refers to the behavioral response with regard to socially relevant information, and requires the perception and integration of social cues through a complex cognition process (i.e. social cognition) that involves attention, memory, motivation and emotion. Neurobiological and molecular mechanisms underlying social behavior are highly conserved across species, and inter- and intra-specific variability observed in social behavior can be explained to large extent by differential activity of this conserved neural network. Human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have greatly informed about the brain structures and their connectivity networks that are important for social cognition. Animal research has been crucial for identifying specific circuits and molecular mechanisms that modulate this structural network. From a molecular neurobiology perspective, activity in these brain structures is coordinated by neuronal circuits modulated by several neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. Thus, quantitative variation in the levels, release and/or receptor density of these molecules could affect the observed behavioral response. The present review presents an overall framework of the components of the social brain circuitry and its modulation. By integrating multiple research approaches, from human fMRI studies to animal models we can start shedding light into how dysfunction in these circuits could lead to disorders of social-functioning such as Autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Fernández
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa 48940, Spain
| | - Irene Mollinedo-Gajate
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa 48940, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Olga Peñagarikano
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa 48940, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Klein M, van Donkelaar M, Verhoef E, Franke B. Imaging genetics in neurodevelopmental psychopathology. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2017; 174:485-537. [PMID: 29984470 PMCID: PMC7170264 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders are defined by highly heritable problems during development and brain growth. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and intellectual disability (ID) are frequent neurodevelopmental disorders, with common comorbidity among them. Imaging genetics studies on the role of disease-linked genetic variants on brain structure and function have been performed to unravel the etiology of these disorders. Here, we reviewed imaging genetics literature on these disorders attempting to understand the mechanisms of individual disorders and their clinical overlap. For ADHD and ASD, we selected replicated candidate genes implicated through common genetic variants. For ID, which is mainly caused by rare variants, we included genes for relatively frequent forms of ID occurring comorbid with ADHD or ASD. We reviewed case-control studies and studies of risk variants in healthy individuals. Imaging genetics studies for ADHD were retrieved for SLC6A3/DAT1, DRD2, DRD4, NOS1, and SLC6A4/5HTT. For ASD, studies on CNTNAP2, MET, OXTR, and SLC6A4/5HTT were found. For ID, we reviewed the genes FMR1, TSC1 and TSC2, NF1, and MECP2. Alterations in brain volume, activity, and connectivity were observed. Several findings were consistent across studies, implicating, for example, SLC6A4/5HTT in brain activation and functional connectivity related to emotion regulation. However, many studies had small sample sizes, and hypothesis-based, brain region-specific studies were common. Results from available studies confirm that imaging genetics can provide insight into the link between genes, disease-related behavior, and the brain. However, the field is still in its early stages, and conclusions about shared mechanisms cannot yet be drawn.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marieke Klein
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein van Donkelaar
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Verhoef
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Yang PY, Menga YJ, Li T, Huang Y. Associations of endocrine stress-related gene polymorphisms with risk of autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from an integrated meta-analysis. Autism Res 2017; 10:1722-1736. [PMID: 28656683 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are related to serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) as two most monoaminergic polymorphic variations. However, multiple studies assessing rs4680 and 5-HTTLPR variants in ASD have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, we conducted an integrated meta-analysis to combine case-control and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) studies to determine whether COMT and 5-HTT are associated with ASD. We searched multiple electronic databases (PubMed, EmBase and Web of Science) to identify studies assessing the rs4680 and 5-HTTLPR variants in ASD from Jan 1997 to Dec 2016. Then allelic data from case-control and TDT studies were analyzed by the Catmap package in the R software. A total of 5 studies were eligible for the meta-analysis of rs4680, including 3 case-control, 1 TDT and 1 TDT & case-control studies. Meanwhile, 22 studies of 5-HTTLPR were available, including 16 TDT, 4 case-control and 2 TDT & case-control studies. The current meta-analysis included 814 ASD cases, 741 controls and 311 families related to rs4680; 749 ASD cases, 1,118 controls and 1,861 families relevant to 5-HTTLPR were also evaluated. For rs4680, the pooled OR was 1.18 (95% CI = 0.87-1.59, P = 0.29, Pheterogeneity < 0.00001). There was no significant association of rs4680 with risk of ASD between the two subgroups. For 5-HTTLPR, the pooled OR was 1.05 (95% CI = 0.92-1.20, P = 0.4652, Pheterogeneity < 0.00001). Meanwhile, we found no significant risk in individual case-control or TDT studies. The above findings indicated that neither COMT rs4680 nor 5-HTT 5-HTTLPR polymorphism significantly affects ASD risk. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1722-1736. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Our results showed no evidence of significant association of either COMT rs4680 or 5-HTT 5-HTTLPR variants with ASD, showing that these two genes may not be major susceptible genetic factors in ASD occurrence, and may have a reciprocal action with each other in combination with environmental factors. These findings further provide evidence that a single gene variant may not dictate autism occurrence, but possibly contributes to a specific phenotype or subtype of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Yuan Yang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ya-Jing Menga
- Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Li
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
McDiarmid TA, Bernardos AC, Rankin CH. Habituation is altered in neuropsychiatric disorders-A comprehensive review with recommendations for experimental design and analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:286-305. [PMID: 28579490 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Abnormalities in the simplest form of learning, habituation, have been reported in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders as etiologically diverse as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fragile X syndrome, Schizophrenia, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Migraine. Here we provide the first comprehensive review of what is known about alterations in this form of non-associative learning in each disorder. Across several disorders, abnormal habituation is predictive of symptom severity, highlighting the clinical significance of habituation and its importance to normal cognitive function. Abnormal habituation is discussed within the greater framework of learning theory and how it may relate to disease phenotype either as a cause, symptom, or therapy. Important considerations for the design and interpretation of habituation experiments are outlined with the hope that these will aid both clinicians and basic researchers investigating how this simple form of learning is altered in disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Troy A McDiarmid
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Rm F221, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Aram C Bernardos
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Rm F221, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Catharine H Rankin
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Rm F221, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Velasquez F, Wiggins JL, Mattson WI, Martin DM, Lord C, Monk CS. The influence of 5-HTTLPR transporter genotype on amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex connectivity in autism spectrum disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2016; 24:12-20. [PMID: 28088648 PMCID: PMC5858904 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are linked to amygdala functioning and functional connection between the amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sACC) is involved in the modulation of amygdala activity. Impairments in behavioral symptoms and amygdala activation and connectivity with the sACC seem to vary by serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) variant genotype in diverse populations. The current preliminary investigation examines whether amygdala-sACC connectivity differs by 5-HTTLPR genotype and relates to social functioning in ASD. A sample of 108 children and adolescents (44 ASD) completed an fMRI face-processing task. Youth with ASD and low expressing 5-HTTLPR genotypes showed significantly greater connectivity than youth with ASD and higher expressing genotypes as well as typically developing (TD) individuals with both low and higher expressing genotypes, in the comparison of happy vs. baseline faces and happy vs. neutral faces. Moreover, individuals with ASD and higher expressing genotypes exhibit a negative relationship between amygdala-sACC connectivity and social dysfunction. Altered amygdala-sACC coupling based on 5-HTTLPR genotype may help explain some of the heterogeneity in neural and social function observed in ASD. This is the first ASD study to combine genetic polymorphism analyses and functional connectivity in the context of a social task.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Donna M Martin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, United States
| | - Catherine Lord
- Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, Weill Cornell Medicine, United States
| | - Christopher S Monk
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Growth and Human Development, University of Michigan, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Huang WC, Chen Y, Page DT. Hyperconnectivity of prefrontal cortex to amygdala projections in a mouse model of macrocephaly/autism syndrome. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13421. [PMID: 27845329 PMCID: PMC5116076 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple autism risk genes converge on the regulation of mTOR signalling, which is a key effector of neuronal growth and connectivity. We show that mTOR signalling is dysregulated during early postnatal development in the cerebral cortex of germ-line heterozygous Pten mutant mice (Pten+/-), which model macrocephaly/autism syndrome. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) receives input from subcortical-projecting neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Analysis of mPFC to BLA axonal projections reveals that Pten+/- mice exhibit increased axonal branching and connectivity, which is accompanied by increased activity in the BLA in response to social stimuli and social behavioural deficits. The latter two phenotypes can be suppressed by pharmacological inhibition of S6K1 during early postnatal life or by reducing the activity of mPFC-BLA circuitry in adulthood. These findings identify a mechanism of altered connectivity that has potential relevance to the pathophysiology of macrocephaly/autism syndrome and autism spectrum disorders featuring dysregulated mTOR signalling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Chin Huang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA.,The Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, USA
| | - Youjun Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
| | - Damon T Page
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA.,The Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Relationship of the Acoustic Startle Response and Its Modulation to Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Typical Development Children and Those with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:534-43. [PMID: 26362152 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2593-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Auditory hyper-reactivity is a common sensory-perceptual abnormality in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which interrupts behavioral adaptation. We investigated acoustic startle response (ASR) modulations in 17 children with ASD and 27 with typical development (TD). Compared to TD, children with ASD had larger ASR magnitude to weak stimuli and more prolonged peak startle-latency. We could not find significant difference of prepulse inhibition (PPI) or habituation in ASD children compared to TD. However, habituation and PPI at 70-dB prepulses were negatively related to several subscales of Social Responsiveness Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, when considering all children. Comprehensive investigation of ASR and its modulation might increase understanding of the neurophysiological impairments underlying ASD and other mental health problems in children.
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Abnormal fMRI habituation in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has been proposed as a critical component in social impairment. This study investigated habituation to fearful faces and houses in ASD and whether fMRI measures of brain activity discriminate between ASD and typically developing (TD) controls. Two identical fMRI runs presenting masked fearful faces, houses, and scrambled images were collected. We found significantly slower fMRI responses to fearful faces but not houses in ASD. In addition, the pattern of slow to emerge amygdala activation to faces had robust discriminability [ASD vs. TD; area under the curve (AUC) = .852, p < .001]. In contrast, habituation to houses had no predictive value (AUC = .573, p = .365). Amygdala habituation to emotional faces may be useful for quantifying risk in ASD.
Collapse
|
26
|
Muller CL, Anacker AMJ, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. The serotonin system in autism spectrum disorder: From biomarker to animal models. Neuroscience 2016; 321:24-41. [PMID: 26577932 PMCID: PMC4824539 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 308] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Elevated whole blood serotonin, or hyperserotonemia, was the first biomarker identified in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is present in more than 25% of affected children. The serotonin system is a logical candidate for involvement in ASD due to its pleiotropic role across multiple brain systems both dynamically and across development. Tantalizing clues connect this peripheral biomarker with changes in brain and behavior in ASD, but the contribution of the serotonin system to ASD pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. Studies of whole blood serotonin levels in ASD and in a large founder population indicate greater heritability than for the disorder itself and suggest an association with recurrence risk. Emerging data from both neuroimaging and postmortem samples also indicate changes in the brain serotonin system in ASD. Genetic linkage and association studies of both whole blood serotonin levels and of ASD risk point to the chromosomal region containing the serotonin transporter (SERT) gene in males but not in females. In ASD families with evidence of linkage to this region, multiple rare SERT amino acid variants lead to a convergent increase in serotonin uptake in cell models. A knock-in mouse model of one of these variants, SERT Gly56Ala, recapitulates the hyperserotonemia biomarker and shows increased brain serotonin clearance, increased serotonin receptor sensitivity, and altered social, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Data from other rodent models also suggest an important role for the serotonin system in social behavior, in cognitive flexibility, and in sensory development. Recent work indicates that reciprocal interactions between serotonin and other systems, such as oxytocin, may be particularly important for social behavior. Collectively, these data point to the serotonin system as a prime candidate for treatment development in a subgroup of children defined by a robust, heritable biomarker.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C L Muller
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - A M J Anacker
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Mail Unit 78, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - J Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York Presbyterian Hospital; New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Mail Unit 78, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Faja S, Dawson G, Aylward E, Wijsman EM, Webb SJ. Early event-related potentials to emotional faces differ for adults with autism spectrum disorder and by serotonin transporter genotype. Clin Neurophysiol 2016; 127:2436-47. [PMID: 27178863 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test differences in neural sensitivity to facial expressions, including expressions with open versus closed mouths, exhibited by (1) adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical adults, and by (2) short versus long serotonin transporter allele (SLC6A4) carriers. METHODS Event related potentials (ERPs) to happy, fearful, and neutral expressions were collected from neurotypical adults (n=25) and adults with ASD (n=27)-of whom 32 had short and 13 had homozygous long SLC6A4 alleles. RESULTS In the neurotypical group, we confirmed that the N170, VPP and EPN, but not the P1, were influenced by emotional expressions, and determined the EPN was the earliest component modulated by open mouth. Compared to the neurotypical group, individuals with ASD exhibited differences in EPN amplitude in response to open versus closed mouths and in hemispheric distribution. Across groups, short serotonin transporter allele carriers had reduced P1 amplitude compared to long allele carriers. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with ASD exhibited a different pattern of neural response when encoding and recognizing facial expressions at the EPN component. Across groups, SLC6A4 allele type modulated early sensory attention at the P1. SIGNIFICANCE These results provide insight into the nature of early responses to emotional information according to genetic variation and clinical condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Faja
- University of Washington, Department of Psychology, Box 351525, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Geraldine Dawson
- University of Washington, Department of Psychology, Box 351525, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; University of Washington, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Box 356560, Room BB1644, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Elizabeth Aylward
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Ellen M Wijsman
- University of Washington, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, Box 356420, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; University of Washington, Department of Biostatistics, Box 357232, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sara Jane Webb
- University of Washington, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Box 356560, Room BB1644, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Herrington JD, Miller JS, Pandey J, Schultz RT. Anxiety and social deficits have distinct relationships with amygdala function in autism spectrum disorder. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:907-14. [PMID: 26865425 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Current neural models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety disorders suggest hyperactivation of amygdala in anxiety, but hypoactivation of amygdala in ASD. The objectives of this study were to (i) test the hypothesis that amygdala activity measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) represents a hybrid signal of opposing social functions and anxiety symptoms, and (ii) determine whether longstanding findings of decreased amygdala activation in ASD apply only to those individuals with ASD and low levels of anxiety. During fMRI scanning, 81 youth with ASD and 67 non-ASD control participants completed a face recognition paradigm that elicits robust amygdala activation. Only individuals with ASD and low anxiety levels (a subsample of 28 participants) showed decreased amygdala activation relative to controls. In the ASD group, anxiety symptoms were positively correlated with amygdala activity across the full ASD group, whereas core ASD symptoms (including social deficits) were negatively correlated. Results indicate that hypoactivation of amygdala in ASD, a suggestive finding first reported nearly 20 years ago, can be masked by comorbid anxiety-thus bringing enhanced clarity to this line of work. Amygdala activity represents a hybrid signal of emotion and social processes that cannot be reduced to either alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John D Herrington
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and
| | - Judith S Miller
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Baum SH, Stevenson RA, Wallace MT. Behavioral, perceptual, and neural alterations in sensory and multisensory function in autism spectrum disorder. Prog Neurobiol 2015; 134:140-60. [PMID: 26455789 PMCID: PMC4730891 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Although sensory processing challenges have been noted since the first clinical descriptions of autism, it has taken until the release of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013 for sensory problems to be included as part of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the diagnostic profile. Because sensory information forms the building blocks for higher-order social and cognitive functions, we argue that sensory processing is not only an additional piece of the puzzle, but rather a critical cornerstone for characterizing and understanding ASD. In this review we discuss what is currently known about sensory processing in ASD, how sensory function fits within contemporary models of ASD, and what is understood about the differences in the underlying neural processing of sensory and social communication observed between individuals with and without ASD. In addition to highlighting the sensory features associated with ASD, we also emphasize the importance of multisensory processing in building perceptual and cognitive representations, and how deficits in multisensory integration may also be a core characteristic of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Baum
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ryan A Stevenson
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Autistic spectrum disorders: A review of clinical features, theories and diagnosis. Int J Dev Neurosci 2015; 43:70-7. [PMID: 25862937 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of neurodevelopmental disorders that is among the most severe in terms of prevalence, morbidity and impact to the society. It is characterized by complex behavioral phenotype and deficits in both social and cognitive functions. Although the exact cause of ASD is still not known, the main findings emphasize the role of genetic and environmental factors in the development of autistic behavior. Environmental factors are also likely to interact with the genetic profile and cause aberrant changes in brain growth, neuronal development, and functional connectivity. The past few years have seen an increase in the prevalence of ASD, as a result of enhanced clinical tests and diagnostic tools. Despite growing evidence for the involvement of endogenous biomarkers in the pathophysiology of ASD, early detection of this disorder remains a big challenge. This paper describes the main behavioral and cognitive features of ASD, as well as the symptoms that differentiate autism from other developmental disorders. An attempt will be made to integrate all the available evidence which point to reduced brain connectivity, mirror neurons deficits, and inhibition-excitation imbalance in individuals with ASD. Finally, this review discusses the main factors involved in the pathophysiology of ASD, and illustrates some of the most important markers used for the diagnosis of this debilitating disorder.
Collapse
|
31
|
Britton JC, Suway JG, Clementi MA, Fox NA, Pine DS, Bar-Haim Y. Neural changes with attention bias modification for anxiety: a randomized trial. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2014; 10:913-20. [PMID: 25344944 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsu141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention bias modification (ABM) procedures typically reduce anxiety symptoms, yet little is known about the neural changes associated with this behavioral treatment. Healthy adults with high social anxiety symptoms (n = 53) were randomized to receive either active or placebo ABM. Unlike placebo ABM, active ABM aimed to train individuals' attention away from threat. Using the dot-probe task, threat-related attention bias was measured during magnetic resonance imaging before and after acute and extended training over 4 weeks. A subset of participants completed all procedures (n = 30, 15 per group). Group differences in neural activation were identified using standard analyses. Linear regression tested predictive factors of symptom reduction (i.e., training group, baseline indices of threat bias). The active and placebo groups exhibited different patterns of right and left amygdala activation with training. Across all participants irrespective of group, individuals with greater left amygdala activation in the threat-bias contrast prior to training exhibited greater symptom reduction. After accounting for baseline amygdala activation, greater symptom reduction was associated with assignment to the active training group. Greater left amygdala activation at baseline predicted reductions in social anxiety symptoms following ABM. Further research is needed to clarify brain-behavior mechanisms associated with ABM training.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Britton
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Jenna G Suway
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Michelle A Clementi
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Daniel S Pine
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Yair Bar-Haim
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146 USA, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92120 USA, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204 USA, and School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Plichta MM, Grimm O, Morgen K, Mier D, Sauer C, Haddad L, Tost H, Esslinger C, Kirsch P, Schwarz AJ, Meyer-Lindenberg A. Amygdala habituation: a reliable fMRI phenotype. Neuroimage 2014; 103:383-390. [PMID: 25284303 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.09.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdala function is of high interest for cognitive, social and psychiatric neuroscience, emphasizing the need for reliable assessments in humans. Previous work has indicated unsatisfactorily low within-subject reliability of amygdala activation fMRI measures. Based on basic science evidence for strong habituation of amygdala response to repeated stimuli, we investigated whether a quantification of habituation provides additional information beyond the usual estimate of the overall mean activity. We assessed the within-subject reliability of amygdala habituation measures during a facial emotion matching paradigm in 25 healthy subjects. We extracted the amygdala signal decrement across the course of the fMRI run for the two test-retest measurement sessions and compared reliability estimates with previous findings based on mean response amplitude. Retest-reliability of the session-wise amygdala habituation was significantly higher than the evoked amygdala mean amplitude (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC)=0.53 vs. 0.16). To test the task-specificity of this finding, we compared the retest-reliability of amygdala habituation across two different tasks. Significant amygdala response decrement was also seen in a cognitive task (n-back working memory) that did not per se activate the amygdala, but was totally unreliable in that context (ICC~0.0), arguing for task-specificity. Together the results show that emotion-dependent amygdala habituation is a robust and considerably more reliable index than the mean amplitude, and provides a robust potential endpoint for within-subject designs including pharmaco-fMRI studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Plichta
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Oliver Grimm
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Katrin Morgen
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniela Mier
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carina Sauer
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Leila Haddad
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christine Esslinger
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|