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Arutiunian V, Santhosh M, Neuhaus E, Borland H, Tompkins C, Bernier RA, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M, Gupta AR, Jack A, Jeste S, McPartland JC, Naples A, Van Horn JD, Pelphrey KA, Webb SJ. The relationship between gamma-band neural oscillations and language skills in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their first-degree relatives. Mol Autism 2024; 15:19. [PMID: 38711098 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00598-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have co-occurring language impairments and some of these autism-specific language difficulties are also present in their non-autistic first-degree relatives. One of the possible neural mechanisms associated with variability in language functioning is alterations in cortical gamma-band oscillations, hypothesized to be related to neural excitation and inhibition balance. METHODS We used a high-density 128-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to register brain response to speech stimuli in a large sex-balanced sample of participants: 125 youth with ASD, 121 typically developing (TD) youth, and 40 unaffected siblings (US) of youth with ASD. Language skills were assessed with Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals. RESULTS First, during speech processing, we identified significantly elevated gamma power in ASD participants compared to TD controls. Second, across all youth, higher gamma power was associated with lower language skills. Finally, the US group demonstrated an intermediate profile in both language and gamma power, with nonverbal IQ mediating the relationship between gamma power and language skills. LIMITATIONS We only focused on one of the possible neural contributors to variability in language functioning. Also, the US group consisted of a smaller number of participants in comparison to the ASD or TD groups. Finally, due to the timing issue in EEG system we have provided only non-phase-locked analysis. CONCLUSIONS Autistic youth showed elevated gamma power, suggesting higher excitation in the brain in response to speech stimuli and elevated gamma power was related to lower language skills. The US group showed an intermediate pattern of gamma activity, suggesting that the broader autism phenotype extends to neural profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardan Arutiunian
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Megha Santhosh
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Emily Neuhaus
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute of Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Heather Borland
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Chris Tompkins
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute of Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raphael A Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Abha R Gupta
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Allison Jack
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Shafali Jeste
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Adam Naples
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John D Van Horn
- School of Data Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Sara Jane Webb
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Institute of Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Shen G, Green HL, Franzen RE, Berman JI, Dipiero M, Mowad TG, Bloy L, Liu S, Airey M, Goldin S, Ku M, McBride E, Blaskey L, Kuschner ES, Kim M, Konka K, Roberts TPL, Edgar JC. Resting-State Activity in Children: Replicating and Extending Findings of Early Maturation of Alpha Rhythms in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1961-1976. [PMID: 36932271 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05926-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Resting-state alpha brain rhythms provide a foundation for basic as well as higher-order brain processes. Research suggests atypical maturation of the peak frequency of resting-state alpha activity (= PAF) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study examined resting-state alpha activity in young school-aged children, obtaining magnetoencephalographic (MEG) eyes-closed resting-state data from 47 typically developing (TD) males and 45 ASD males 6.0 to 9.3 years old. Results confirmed a higher PAF in ASD versus TD, and demonstrated that alpha power differences between groups were linked to the shift of PAF in ASD. Additionally, a higher PAF was associated with better cognitive performance in TD but not ASD. Finding thus suggested functional consequences of group differences in resting-state alpha activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guannan Shen
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Heather L Green
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rose E Franzen
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey I Berman
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marissa Dipiero
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Theresa G Mowad
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Luke Bloy
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Song Liu
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Megan Airey
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sophia Goldin
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew Ku
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emma McBride
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa Blaskey
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Autism Research, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily S Kuschner
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Autism Research, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mina Kim
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly Konka
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timothy P L Roberts
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Christopher Edgar
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Arutiunian V, Arcara G, Buyanova I, Fedorov M, Davydova E, Pereverzeva D, Sorokin A, Tyushkevich S, Mamokhina U, Danilina K, Dragoy O. Abnormalities in both stimulus-induced and baseline MEG alpha oscillations in the auditory cortex of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02802-7. [PMID: 38683212 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02802-7] [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: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The neurobiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is hypothetically related to the imbalance between neural excitation (E) and inhibition (I). Different studies have revealed that alpha-band (8-12 Hz) activity in magneto- and electroencephalography (MEG and EEG) may reflect E and I processes and, thus, can be of particular interest in ASD research. Previous findings indicated alterations in event-related and baseline alpha activity in different cortical systems in individuals with ASD, and these abnormalities were associated with core and co-occurring conditions of ASD. However, the knowledge on auditory alpha oscillations in this population is limited. This MEG study investigated stimulus-induced (Event-Related Desynchronization, ERD) and baseline alpha-band activity (both periodic and aperiodic) in the auditory cortex and also the relationships between these neural activities and behavioral measures of children with ASD. Ninety amplitude-modulated tones were presented to two groups of children: 20 children with ASD (5 girls, Mage = 10.03, SD = 1.7) and 20 typically developing controls (9 girls, Mage = 9.11, SD = 1.3). Children with ASD had a bilateral reduction of alpha-band ERD, reduced baseline aperiodic-adjusted alpha power, and flattened aperiodic exponent in comparison to TD children. Moreover, lower raw baseline alpha power and aperiodic offset in the language-dominant left auditory cortex were associated with better language skills of children with ASD measured in formal assessment. The findings highlighted the alterations of E / I balance metrics in response to basic auditory stimuli in children with ASD and also provided evidence for the contribution of low-level processing to language difficulties in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardan Arutiunian
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States of America.
| | | | - Irina Buyanova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
- University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Makar Fedorov
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Davydova
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
- Chair of Differential Psychology and Psychophysiology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Darya Pereverzeva
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Sorokin
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Svetlana Tyushkevich
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Uliana Mamokhina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kamilla Danilina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
- Scientific Research and Practical Center of Pediatric Psychoneurology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Dragoy
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Chan MMY, Choi CXT, Tsoi TCW, Zhong J, Han YMY. Clinical and neuropsychological correlates of theta-band functional excitation-inhibition ratio in autism: An EEG study. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 163:56-67. [PMID: 38703700 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.004] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE How abnormal brain signaling impacts cognition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remained elusive. This study aimed to investigate the local and global brain signaling in ASD indicated by theta-band functional excitation-inhibition (fE/I) ratio and explored psychophysiological relationships between fE/I, cognitive deficits, and ASD symptomatology. METHODS A total of 83 ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals participated in this study. Participants' interference control and set-shifting abilities were assessed. Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) was used for estimating theta-band fE/I ratio. RESULTS ASD individuals (n = 31 without visual EEG abnormality; n = 22 with visual EEG abnormality) generally performed slower in a cognitive task tapping interference control and set-maintenance abilities, but only ASD individuals with visually abnormal EEG performed significantly slower than their TD counterparts (Bonferroni-corrected ps < .001). Heightened theta-band fE/I ratios at the whole-head level, left and right hemispheres were observed in the ASD subgroup without visual EEG abnormality only (Bonferroni-corrected ps < .001), which remained highly significant when only data from medication-naïve participants were analyzed. In addition, higher left hemispheric fE/I ratios in ASD individuals without visual EEG abnormality were significantly correlated with faster interference control task performance, in turn faster reaction time was significantly associated with less severe restricted, repetitive behavior (Bonferroni-corrected ps ≤ .0017). CONCLUSIONS Differential theta-band fE/I within the ASD population. Heightened theta-band fE/I in ASD without visual EEG abnormality may be associated with more efficient filtering of distractors and a less severe ASD symptom manifestation. SIGNIFICANCE Brain signaling, indicated by theta-band fE/I, was different in ASD subgroups. Only ASD with visually-normal EEG showed heightened theta-band fE/I, which was associated with faster processing of visual distractors during a cognitive task. More efficient distractor filtering was associated with less restricted, repetitive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody M Y Chan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Coco X T Choi
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Tom C W Tsoi
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Junpei Zhong
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yvonne M Y Han
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience (UBSN), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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5
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Mazzi C, Mele S, Bagattini C, Sanchez-Lopez J, Savazzi S. Coherent activity within and between hemispheres: cortico-cortical connectivity revealed by rTMS of the right posterior parietal cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1362742. [PMID: 38516308 PMCID: PMC10954802 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1362742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Low frequency (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS) applied over right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) has been shown to reduce cortical excitability both of the stimulated area and of the interconnected contralateral homologous areas. In the present study, we investigated the whole pattern of intra- and inter-hemispheric cortico-cortical connectivity changes induced by rTMS over rPPC. Methods To do so, 14 healthy participants underwent resting state EEG recording before and after 30 min of rTMS at 1 Hz or sham stimulation over the rPPC (electrode position P6). Real stimulation was applied at 90% of motor threshold. Coherence values were computed on the electrodes nearby the stimulated site (i.e., P4, P8, and CP6) considering all possible inter- and intra-hemispheric combinations for the following frequency bands: delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12Hz), low beta (12-20 Hz), high beta (20-30 Hz), and gamma (30-50 Hz). Results and discussion Results revealed a significant increase in coherence in delta, theta, alpha and beta frequency bands between rPPC and the contralateral homologous sites. Moreover, an increase in coherence in theta, alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands was found between rPPC and right frontal sites, reflecting the activation of the fronto-parietal network within the right hemisphere. Summarizing, subthreshold rTMS over rPPC revealed cortico-cortical inter- and intra-hemispheric connectivity as measured by the increase in coherence among these areas. Moreover, the present results further confirm previous evidence indicating that the increase of coherence values is related to intra- and inter-hemispheric inhibitory effects of rTMS. These results can have implications for devising evidence-based rehabilitation protocols after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazzi
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Sonia Mele
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Bagattini
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Javier Sanchez-Lopez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Silvia Savazzi
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Li J, Kong X, Sun L, Chen X, Ouyang G, Li X, Chen S. Identification of autism spectrum disorder based on electroencephalography: A systematic review. Comput Biol Med 2024; 170:108075. [PMID: 38301514 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 100 children worldwide has autism. With the global prevalence of ASD, timely and accurate diagnosis has been essential in enhancing the intervention effectiveness for ASD children. Traditional ASD diagnostic methods rely on clinical observations and behavioral assessment, with the disadvantages of time-consuming and lack of objective biological indicators. Therefore, automated diagnostic methods based on machine learning and deep learning technologies have emerged and become significant since they can achieve more objective, efficient, and accurate ASD diagnosis. Electroencephalography (EEG) is an electrophysiological monitoring method that records changes in brain spontaneous potential activity, which is of great significance for identifying ASD children. By analyzing EEG data, it is possible to detect abnormal synchronous neuronal activity of ASD children. This paper gives a comprehensive review of the EEG-based ASD identification using traditional machine learning methods and deep learning approaches, including their merits and potential pitfalls. Additionally, it highlights the challenges and the opportunities ahead in search of more effective and efficient methods to automatically diagnose autism based on EEG signals, which aims to facilitate automated ASD identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384, China
| | - Xiaoli Kong
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384, China
| | - Linlin Sun
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission of China, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xu Chen
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, 100120, China; The Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100032, China
| | - Gaoxiang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shengyong Chen
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384, China
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Cruz S, Zubizarreta SCP, Costa AD, Araújo R, Martinho J, Tubío-Fungueiriño M, Sampaio A, Cruz R, Carracedo A, Fernández-Prieto M. Is There a Bias Towards Males in the Diagnosis of Autism? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 2024:10.1007/s11065-023-09630-2. [PMID: 38285291 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09630-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Autism is more frequently diagnosed in males, with evidence suggesting that females are more likely to be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. Possibly, the male/female ratio imbalance relates to phenotypic and camouflaging differences between genders. Here, we performed a comprehensive approach to phenotypic and camouflaging research in autism addressed in two studies. First (Study 1 - Phenotypic Differences in Autism), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of gender differences in autism phenotype. The electronic datasets Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsychInfo were searched. We included 67 articles that compared females and males in autism core symptoms, and in cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioural phenotypes. Autistic males exhibited more severe symptoms and social interaction difficulties on standard clinical measures than females, who, in turn, exhibited more cognitive and behavioural difficulties. Considering the hypothesis of camouflaging possibly underlying these differences, we then conducted a meta-analysis of gender differences in camouflaging (Study 2 - Camouflaging Differences in Autism). The same datasets as the first study were searched. Ten studies were included. Females used more compensation and masking camouflage strategies than males. The results support the argument of a bias in clinical procedures towards males and the importance of considering a 'female autism phenotype'-potentially involving camouflaging-in the diagnostic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Cruz
- Psychology of Development Research Center, Lusiada University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Sabela Conde-Pumpido Zubizarreta
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana Daniela Costa
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Rita Araújo
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | | | - María Tubío-Fungueiriño
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Genetics Group, GC05, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, U-711, Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Adriana Sampaio
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Raquel Cruz
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, U-711, Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Angel Carracedo
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Genetics Group, GC05, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, U-711, Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Fundación Pública Galega de Medicina Xenómica, Servicio Galego de Saúde (SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Montse Fernández-Prieto
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Genetics Group, GC05, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, U-711, Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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8
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Chung H, Wilkinson CL, Job Said A, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Evaluating early EEG correlates of restricted and repetitive behaviors for toddlers with or without autism. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3871138. [PMID: 38313269 PMCID: PMC10836096 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3871138/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Background Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) are among the primary characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite the potential impact on later developmental outcomes, our understanding of the neural underpinnings of RRBs is limited. Alterations in EEG alpha activity have been observed in ASD and implicated in RRBs, however, developmental changes within the alpha band requires careful methodological considerations when studying its role in brain-behavior relationships during infancy and early childhood. Novel approaches now enable the parameterization of the power spectrum into periodic and aperiodic components. This study aimed to characterize the neural correlates of RRBs in infancy by (1) comparing infant resting-state measures (periodic alpha and aperiodic activity) between infants who develop ASD, elevated likelihood infants without ASD, and low likelihood infants without ASD, and (2) evaluate whether these infant EEG measures are associated with frequency of RRBs measured at 24 months. Methods Baseline non-task related EEG data were collected from 12-to-14-month-old infants with and without elevated likelihood of autism (N=160), and periodic alpha activity (periodic alpha power, individual peak alpha frequency and amplitude), and aperiodic activity measures (aperiodic exponent) were calculated. Parent-reported RRBs were obtained at 24 months using the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised questionnaire. Group differences in EEG measures were evaluated using ANCOVA, and multiple linear regressions were conducted to assess relationships between EEG and RRB measures. Results No group-level differences in infant EEG measures were observed. Marginal effects analysis of linear regressions revealed significant associations within the ASD group, such that higher periodic alpha power, lower peak alpha frequency, and lower aperiodic exponent, were associated with elevated RRBs at 24 months. No significant associations were observed for non-ASD outcome groups. Limitations The sample size for ASD (N=19) was modest for examining brain-behavior relations. Larger sample sizes are needed to increase statistical power. Conclusion For infants with later ASD diagnoses, measures of alpha and aperiodic activity measured at 1-year of age were associated with later manifestation of RRBs at 2-years. Longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate whether the early trajectory of these EEG measures and their dynamic relations in development influence manifestations of RRBs in ASD.
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Neo WS, Foti D, Keehn B, Kelleher B. Resting-state EEG power differences in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:389. [PMID: 38097538 PMCID: PMC10721649 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Narrative reviews have described various resting-state EEG power differences in autism across all five canonical frequency bands, with increased power for low and high frequencies and reduced power for middle frequencies. However, these differences have yet to be quantified using effect sizes and probed robustly for consistency, which are critical next steps for clinical translation. Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of published and gray literature on resting-state EEG power in autism. We performed 10 meta-analyses to synthesize and quantify differences in absolute and relative resting-state delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma EEG power in autism. We also conducted moderator analyses to determine whether demographic characteristics, methodological details, and risk-of-bias indicators might account for heterogeneous study effect sizes. Our literature search and study selection processes yielded 41 studies involving 1,246 autistic and 1,455 neurotypical individuals. Meta-analytic models of 135 effect sizes demonstrated that autistic individuals exhibited reduced relative alpha (g = -0.35) and increased gamma (absolute: g = 0.37, relative: g = 1.06) power, but similar delta (absolute: g = 0.06, relative: g = 0.10), theta (absolute: g = -0.03, relative: g = -0.15), absolute alpha (g = -0.17), and beta (absolute: g = 0.01, relative: g = 0.08) power. Substantial heterogeneity in effect sizes was observed across all absolute (I2: 36.1-81.9%) and relative (I2: 64.6-84.4%) frequency bands. Moderator analyses revealed that age, biological sex, IQ, referencing scheme, epoch duration, and use of gold-standard autism diagnostic instruments did not moderate study effect sizes. In contrast, resting-state paradigm type (eyes-closed versus eyes-open) moderated absolute beta, relative delta, and relative alpha power effect sizes, and resting-state recording duration moderated relative alpha power effect sizes. These findings support further investigation of resting-state alpha and gamma power as potential biomarkers for autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Siong Neo
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Dan Foti
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Brandon Keehn
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Bridgette Kelleher
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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10
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Neuhaus E, Santhosh M, Kresse A, Aylward E, Bernier R, Bookheimer S, Jeste S, Jack A, McPartland JC, Naples A, Van Horn JD, Pelphrey K, Webb SJ. Frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in youth with autism: Sex differences and social-emotional correlates. Autism Res 2023; 16:2364-2377. [PMID: 37776030 PMCID: PMC10840952 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3032] [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: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
In youth broadly, EEG frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) associates with affective style and vulnerability to psychopathology, with relatively stronger right activity predicting risk for internalizing and externalizing behaviors. In autistic youth, FAA has been related to ASD diagnostic features and to internalizing symptoms. Among our large, rigorously characterized, sex-balanced participant group, we attempted to replicate findings suggestive of altered FAA in youth with an ASD diagnosis, examining group differences and impact of sex assigned at birth. Second, we examined relations between FAA and behavioral variables (ASD features, internalizing, and externalizing) within autistic youth, examining effects by sex. Third, we explored whether the relation between FAA, autism features, and mental health was informed by maternal depression history. In our sample, FAA did not differ by diagnosis, age, or sex. However, youth with ASD had lower total frontal alpha power than youth without ASD. For autistic females, FAA and bilateral frontal alpha power correlated with social communication features, but not with internalizing or externalizing symptoms. For autistic males, EEG markers correlated with social communication features, and with externalizing behaviors. Exploratory analyses by sex revealed further associations between youth FAA, behavioral indices, and maternal depression history. In summary, findings suggest that individual differences in FAA may correspond to social-emotional and mental health behaviors, with different patterns of association for females and males with ASD. Longitudinal consideration of individual differences across levels of analysis (e.g., biomarkers, family factors, and environmental influences) will be essential to parsing out models of risk and resilience among autistic youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Neuhaus
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute; Center on Child Health, Behavior & Development
- University of Washington Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
| | - Megha Santhosh
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute; Center on Child Health, Behavior & Development
| | - Anna Kresse
- Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Elizabeth Aylward
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Integrative Brain Research
| | | | - Susan Bookheimer
- University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
- University of California Los Angeles, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center
| | - Shafali Jeste
- University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
- University of California Los Angeles, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center
| | | | | | | | - John D. Van Horn
- University of Virginia, Dept. of Psychology
- University of Virginia, School of Data Science
| | - Kevin Pelphrey
- University of Virginia, Dept. of Psychology
- University of Virginia, Dept. of Neurology, Brain Institute & School of Education & Human Development
| | - Sara Jane Webb
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute; Center on Child Health, Behavior & Development
- University of Washington Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
- University of Washington, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center
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11
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Arutiunian V, Arcara G, Buyanova I, Buivolova O, Davydova E, Pereverzeva D, Sorokin A, Tyushkevich S, Mamokhina U, Danilina K, Dragoy O. Event-Related Desynchronization of MEG Alpha-Band Oscillations during Simultaneous Presentation of Audio and Visual Stimuli in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1313. [PMID: 37759914 PMCID: PMC10526124 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13091313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-band (8-12 Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD) or a decrease in alpha power in electro- and magnetoencephalography (EEG and MEG) reflects the involvement of a neural tissue in information processing. It is known that most children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in information processing, and, thus, investigation of alpha oscillations is of particular interest in this population. Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in this neural activity in individuals with ASD; however, little is known about alpha ERD during simultaneous presentation of auditory and visual stimuli in children with and without ASD. As alpha oscillations are intimately related to attention, and attention deficit is one of the common co-occurring conditions of ASD, we predict that children with ASD can have altered alpha ERD in one of the sensory domains. In the present study, we used MEG to investigate alpha ERD in groups of 20 children with ASD and 20 age-matched typically developing controls. Simple amplitude-modulated tones were presented together with a fixation cross appearing on the screen. The results showed that children with ASD had a bilateral reduction in alpha-band ERD in the auditory but not visual cortex. Moreover, alterations in the auditory cortex were associated with a higher presence of autistic traits measured in behavioral assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardan Arutiunian
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 70 Via Alberoni, Lido, 30126 Venice, Italy;
| | - Irina Buyanova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, 3 Krivokolenny Pereulok, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (I.B.); (O.B.); (O.D.)
| | - Olga Buivolova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, 3 Krivokolenny Pereulok, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (I.B.); (O.B.); (O.D.)
| | - Elizaveta Davydova
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
- Chair of Differential Psychology and Psychophysiology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 2A Shelepikhinaskaya Naberezhnaya, 123290 Moscow, Russia
| | - Darya Pereverzeva
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Alexander Sorokin
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
- Haskins Laboratories, 300 George St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Svetlana Tyushkevich
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Uliana Mamokhina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Kamilla Danilina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
- Scientific Research and Practical Center of Pediatric Psychoneurology, 74 Michurinskiy Prospekt, 119602 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Dragoy
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, 3 Krivokolenny Pereulok, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (I.B.); (O.B.); (O.D.)
- Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 1/1 Bolshoy Kislovsky Ln, 125009 Moscow, Russia
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12
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Shan J, Gu Y, Zhang J, Hu X, Wu H, Yuan T, Zhao D. A scoping review of physiological biomarkers in autism. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1269880. [PMID: 37746140 PMCID: PMC10512710 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1269880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by pervasive deficits in social interaction, communication impairments, and the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. This complex disorder is a significant public health concern due to its escalating incidence and detrimental impact on quality of life. Currently, extensive investigations are underway to identify prospective susceptibility or predictive biomarkers, employing a physiological biomarker-based framework. However, knowledge regarding physiological biomarkers in relation to Autism is sparse. We performed a scoping review to explore putative changes in physiological activities associated with behaviors in individuals with Autism. We identified studies published between January 2000 and June 2023 from online databases, and searched keywords included electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), electrodermal activity markers (EDA), eye-tracking markers. We specifically detected social-related symptoms such as impaired social communication in ASD patients. Our results indicated that the EEG/ERP N170 signal has undergone the most rigorous testing as a potential biomarker, showing promise in identifying subgroups within ASD and displaying potential as an indicator of treatment response. By gathering current data from various physiological biomarkers, we can obtain a comprehensive understanding of the physiological profiles of individuals with ASD, offering potential for subgrouping and targeted intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiatong Shan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Brain Health Institute, National Center for Mental Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunhao Gu
- Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoqing Hu
- Department of Psychology, The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU, Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, Macau, China
| | - Tifei Yuan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Brain Health Institute, National Center for Mental Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Brain Health Institute, National Center for Mental Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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13
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Scaffei E, Mazziotti R, Conti E, Costanzo V, Calderoni S, Stoccoro A, Carmassi C, Tancredi R, Baroncelli L, Battini R. A Potential Biomarker of Brain Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot fNIRS Study in Female Preschoolers. Brain Sci 2023; 13:951. [PMID: 37371429 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a neurodevelopmental condition whose detection still remains challenging in young females due to the heterogeneity of the behavioral phenotype and the capacity of camouflage. The availability of quantitative biomarkers to assess brain function may support in the assessment of ASD. Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive and flexible tool that quantifies cortical hemodynamic responses (HDR) that can be easily employed to describe brain activity. Since the study of the visual phenotype is a paradigmatic model to evaluate cerebral processing in many neurodevelopmental conditions, we hypothesized that visually-evoked HDR (vHDR) might represent a potential biomarker in ASD females. We performed a case-control study comparing vHDR in a cohort of high-functioning preschooler females with ASD (fASD) and sex/age matched peers. We demonstrated the feasibility of visual fNIRS measurements in fASD, and the possibility to discriminate between fASD and typical subjects using different signal features, such as the amplitude and lateralization of vHDR. Moreover, the level of response lateralization was correlated to the severity of autistic traits. These results corroborate the cruciality of sensory symptoms in ASD, paving the way for the validation of the fNIRS analytical tool for diagnosis and treatment outcome monitoring in the ASD population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Scaffei
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Mazziotti
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Eugenia Conti
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Valeria Costanzo
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Calderoni
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Stoccoro
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Laura Baroncelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberta Battini
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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14
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Zhao Q, Luo Y, Mei X, Shao Z. Resting-state EEG patterns of preschool-aged boys with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2023:1-8. [PMID: 37172019 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2023.2211702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Defective cognition development during preschool years is believed to be linked with core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neurophysiological research on mechanisms underly the cognitive disabilities of preschool-aged children with ASD is scarce currently. This pilot study aimed to compare the resting spectral EEG power of preschool-aged boys with ASD with their matched typically developing peers. Children in the ASD group demonstrated reduced central and posterior absolute delta (1-4 Hz) and enhanced frontal absolute beta (12-30 Hz) and gamma (30-45 Hz). The relative power of the ASD group was elevated in delta, theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), beta, and gamma bands as compared to the controls. The theta/beta ratio decreased in the frontal regions and enhanced at Cz and Pz electrodes in the ASD group. Correlations between the inhibition and metacognition indices of the behavior rating inventory of executive function-preschool version (BRIEF-P) and the theta/beta ratio for children of both groups were significant. In conclusion, the present study revealed atypical resting spectral characteristics of boys with ASD at preschool ages. Future large-sampled studies for the generalization of our findings and a better understanding of the relationships between brain oscillations and phenotypes of ASD are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhao
- Rehabilitation Center for Children with Autism of Chongqing, Department of Child Health Care, Ninth People's Hospital of Chongqing, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Department of Child Health Care, Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Xinjie Mei
- Department of Child Health Care, Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhi Shao
- Rehabilitation Center for Children with Autism of Chongqing, Department of Child Health Care, Ninth People's Hospital of Chongqing, Beibei, Chongqing, China
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15
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Sex-Related Changes in the Clinical, Genetic, Electrophysiological, Connectivity, and Molecular Presentations of ASD: A Comparison between Human and Animal Models of ASD with Reference to Our Data. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043287. [PMID: 36834699 PMCID: PMC9965966 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is genetic, environmental, and epigenetic. In addition to sex differences in the prevalence of ASD, which is 3-4 times more common in males, there are also distinct clinical, molecular, electrophysiological, and pathophysiological differences between sexes. In human, males with ASD have more externalizing problems (i.e., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), more severe communication and social problems, as well as repetitive movements. Females with ASD generally exhibit fewer severe communication problems, less repetitive and stereotyped behavior, but more internalizing problems, such as depression and anxiety. Females need a higher load of genetic changes related to ASD compared to males. There are also sex differences in brain structure, connectivity, and electrophysiology. Genetic or non-genetic experimental animal models of ASD-like behavior, when studied for sex differences, showed some neurobehavioral and electrophysiological differences between male and female animals depending on the specific model. We previously carried out studies on behavioral and molecular differences between male and female mice treated with valproic acid, either prenatally or early postnatally, that exhibited ASD-like behavior and found distinct differences between the sexes, the female mice performing better on tests measuring social interaction and undergoing changes in the expression of more genes in the brain compared to males. Interestingly, co-administration of S-adenosylmethionine alleviated the ASD-like behavioral symptoms and the gene-expression changes to the same extent in both sexes. The mechanisms underlying the sex differences are not yet fully understood.
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Naples AJ, Foss-Feig JH, Wolf JM, Srihari VH, McPartland JC. Predictability modulates neural response to eye contact in ASD. Mol Autism 2022; 13:42. [PMID: 36309762 PMCID: PMC9618208 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00519-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficits in establishing and maintaining eye-contact are early and persistent vulnerabilities of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the neural bases of these deficits remain elusive. A promising hypothesis is that social features of autism may reflect difficulties in making predictions about the social world under conditions of uncertainty. However, no research in ASD has examined how predictability impacts the neural processing of eye-contact in naturalistic interpersonal interactions. METHOD We used eye tracking to facilitate an interactive social simulation wherein onscreen faces would establish eye-contact when the participant looked at them. In Experiment One, receipt of eye-contact was unpredictable; in Experiment Two, receipt of eye-contact was predictable. Neural response to eye-contact was measured via the N170 and P300 event-related potentials (ERPs). Experiment One included 23 ASD and 46 typically developing (TD) adult participants. Experiment Two included 25 ASD and 43 TD adult participants. RESULTS When receipt of eye-contact was unpredictable, individuals with ASD showed increased N170 and increased, but non-specific, P300 responses. The magnitude of the N170 responses correlated with measures of sensory and anxiety symptomology, such that increased response to eye-contact was associated with increased symptomology. However, when receipt of eye-contact was predictable, individuals with ASD, relative to controls, exhibited slower N170s and no differences in the amplitude of N170 or P300. LIMITATIONS Our ASD sample was composed of adults with IQ > 70 and included only four autistic women. Thus, further research is needed to evaluate how these results generalize across the spectrum of age, sex, and cognitive ability. Additionally, as analyses were exploratory, some findings failed to survive false-discovery rate adjustment. CONCLUSIONS Neural response to eye-contact in ASD ranged from attenuated to hypersensitive depending on the predictability of the social context. These findings suggest that the vulnerabilities in eye-contact during social interactions in ASD may arise from differences in anticipation and expectation of eye-contact in addition to the perception of gaze alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Naples
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Jennifer H Foss-Feig
- Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie M Wolf
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vinod H Srihari
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James C McPartland
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Center for Brain and Mind Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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17
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Simhal AK, Carpenter KLH, Kurtzberg J, Song A, Tannenbaum A, Zhang L, Sapiro G, Dawson G. Changes in the geometry and robustness of diffusion tensor imaging networks: Secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial of young autistic children receiving an umbilical cord blood infusion. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1026279. [PMID: 36353577 PMCID: PMC9637553 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1026279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used as an outcome measure in clinical trials for several psychiatric disorders but has rarely been explored in autism clinical trials. This is despite a large body of research suggesting altered white matter structure in autistic individuals. The current study is a secondary analysis of changes in white matter connectivity from a double-blind placebo-control trial of a single intravenous cord blood infusion in 2-7-year-old autistic children (1). Both clinical assessments and DTI were collected at baseline and 6 months after infusion. This study used two measures of white matter connectivity: change in node-to-node connectivity as measured through DTI streamlines and a novel measure of feedback network connectivity, Ollivier-Ricci curvature (ORC). ORC is a network measure which considers both local and global connectivity to assess the robustness of any given pathway. Using both the streamline and ORC analyses, we found reorganization of white matter pathways in predominantly frontal and temporal brain networks in autistic children who received umbilical cord blood treatment versus those who received a placebo. By looking at changes in network robustness, this study examined not only the direct, physical changes in connectivity, but changes with respect to the whole brain network. Together, these results suggest the use of DTI and ORC should be further explored as a potential biomarker in future autism clinical trials. These results, however, should not be interpreted as evidence for the efficacy of cord blood for improving clinical outcomes in autism. This paper presents a secondary analysis using data from a clinical trial that was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov(NCT02847182).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish K. Simhal
- Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kimberly L. H. Carpenter
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Joanne Kurtzberg
- Marcus Center for Cellular Cures, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Allen Song
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Allen Tannenbaum
- Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Lijia Zhang
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Guillermo Sapiro
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Geraldine Dawson
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
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18
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Zhang Y, Zhang S, Chen B, Jiang L, Li Y, Dong L, Feng R, Yao D, Li F, Xu P. Predicting the Symptom Severity in Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on EEG Metrics. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2022; 30:1898-1907. [PMID: 35788457 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2022.3188564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with the impaired integrating and segregating of related information that is expanded within the large-scale brain network. The varying ASD symptom severities have been explored, relying on their behaviors and related brain activity, but how to effectively predict ASD symptom severity needs further exploration. In this study, we aim to investigate whether the ASD symptom severity could be predicted with electroencephalography (EEG) metrics. Based on a publicly available dataset, the EEG brain networks were constructed, and four types of EEG metrics were calculated. Then, we statistically compared the brain network differences among ASD children with varying severities, i.e., high/low autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) scores, as well as with the typically developing (TD) children. Thereafter, the EEG metrics were utilized to validate whether they could facilitate the prediction of the ASD symptom severity. The results demonstrated that both high- and low-scoring ASD children showed the decreased long-range frontal-occipital connectivity, increased anterior frontal connectivity and altered network properties. Furthermore, we found that the four types of EEG metrics are significantly correlated with the ADOS scores, and their combination can serve as the features to effectively predict the ASD symptom severity. The current findings will expand our knowledge of network dysfunction in ASD children and provide new EEG metrics for predicting the symptom severity.
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Vetri L, Maniscalco L, Diana P, Guidotti M, Matranga D, Bonnet-Brilhault F, Tripi G. A Preliminary Study on Photic Driving in the Electroencephalogram of Children with Autism across a Wide Cognitive and Behavioral Range. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11133568. [PMID: 35806858 PMCID: PMC9267250 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11133568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) is a useful technique in electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the neurophysiological anomalies of brain activity. Although not an active task, IPS has also been explored in ASD; it is thought to capture local potential oscillators at specific frequencies and perhaps tap into rhythmic activity in a way that general resting-state recordings cannot. Previous studies suggest that individuals with ASD showed photic driving reactivity predominantly at lower frequencies of stimulation. In our study we used IPS to measure rhythmic oscillatory activity in a sample of 81 ASD children. We found a significant correlation linking ASD children with photic driving activation only at low frequencies (δθ band) and increased severity of “restricted behavior”. This suggests that ASD children with higher severity of restricted behaviors could have a hypersynchronous θ power and an impaired resonance synchronization at middle-ranged frequencies (α). Furthermore, we found some evidence of hemispherical oscillatory asymmetry linked particularly to behavioral impairments. This result is in line with the EEG pattern model indicating a “U-shaped profile” of electrophysiological power alterations with excess power in low- and high-frequency bands and a reduction of power in the middle-ranged frequencies. IPS technique in electroencephalography is confirmed to reveal EEG biomarkers in autistic children, with a focus on spectral power, coherence, and hemisphere asymmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Vetri
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy;
| | - Laura Maniscalco
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Paola Diana
- Department of Neuropsychiatry of Childhood and Adolescence, S. Marta and S. Venera Hospital, ASP Catania, 95024 Catania, Italy;
| | - Marco Guidotti
- UMR1253, iBrain, University of Tours, INSERM, 37000 Tours, France; (M.G.); (F.B.-B.)
- Excellence Center in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Domenica Matranga
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.M.); (G.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault
- UMR1253, iBrain, University of Tours, INSERM, 37000 Tours, France; (M.G.); (F.B.-B.)
- Excellence Center in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Gabriele Tripi
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.M.); (G.T.)
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Beversdorf DQ, Anagnostou E, Hardan A, Wang P, Erickson CA, Frazier TW, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. Editorial: Precision medicine approaches for heterogeneous conditions such as autism spectrum disorders (The need for a biomarker exploration phase in clinical trials - Phase 2m). Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1079006. [PMID: 36741580 PMCID: PMC9893852 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1079006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David Q Beversdorf
- Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences, William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Antonio Hardan
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Paul Wang
- Clinical Research Associates LLC, Simons Foundation, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Craig A Erickson
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Thomas W Frazier
- Department of Psychology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,NewYork-Presbyterian Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York, NY, United States
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