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Furnier SM, Ellis Weismer S, Rubenstein E, Gangnon R, Rosenberg S, Nadler C, Wiggins LD, Durkin MS. Using adaptive behavior scores to convey level of functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from the Study to Explore Early Development. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1135-1149. [PMID: 37609907 PMCID: PMC10884350 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231193194] [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] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic people are often described as "low-" or "high-functioning" based on their scores on cognitive tests. These terms are common in publications and in everyday communication. However, recent research and feedback from the autistic community suggests that relying on cognitive ability alone to describe functioning may miss meaningful differences in the abilities of autistic children and adults and in the kinds of support they may need. Additional methods are needed to describe "functioning" in autistic children. We examined whether scores from a test measuring adaptive behaviors would provide information on the functional abilities of children with autism that is different from cognitive ability and autism symptom severity. Adaptive behaviors include age-appropriate skills that allow people to function in their everyday lives and social interactions. We found that a large amount of the variation in adaptive behavior scores was not explained by cognitive development, autism symptom severity, and behavioral and emotional problems. In addition, there was a wide range of adaptive ability levels in children with autism in our study, including in those with low, average, or high cognitive scores. Our results suggest that adaptive behavior scores could provide useful information about the strengths and support needs of autistic children above and beyond measures of cognitive ability and autism symptom severity. Adaptive behavior scores provide important information on the needs of autistic people.
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2
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Akhgari A, Michel TM, Vafaee MS. Dendritic spines and their role in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders. Rev Neurosci 2024; 0:revneuro-2023-0151. [PMID: 38440811 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0151] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Since Cajal introduced dendritic spines in the 19th century, they have attained considerable attention, especially in neuropsychiatric and neurologic disorders. Multiple roles of dendritic spine malfunction and pathology in the progression of various diseases have been reported. Thus, it is inevitable to consider these structures as new therapeutic targets for treating neuropsychiatric and neurologic disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, dementia, Down syndrome, etc. Therefore, we attempted to prepare a narrative review of the literature regarding the role of dendritic spines in the pathogenesis of aforementioned diseases and to shed new light on their pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisan Akhgari
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Golgasht Street, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Tanja Maria Michel
- Research Unit for Psychiatry, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winsløws Vej 4, Odense 5000, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense 5230, Denmark
| | - Manouchehr Seyedi Vafaee
- Research Unit for Psychiatry, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winsløws Vej 4, Odense 5000, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense 5230, Denmark
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3
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Lin Q, Shi Y, Huang H, Jiao B, Kuang C, Chen J, Rao Y, Zhu Y, Liu W, Huang R, Lin J, Ma L. Functional brain network alterations in the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:369-380. [PMID: 36800038 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02165-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two highly prevalent and commonly co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders. The neural mechanisms underpinning the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD (ASD + ADHD) remain unclear. We focused on the topological organization and functional connectivity of brain networks in ASD + ADHD patients versus ASD patients without ADHD (ASD-only). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 114 ASD and 161 typically developing (TD) individuals were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II. The ASD patients comprised 40 ASD + ADHD and 74 ASD-only individuals. We constructed functional brain networks for each group and performed graph-theory and network-based statistic (NBS) analyses. Group differences between ASD + ADHD and ASD-only were analyzed at three levels: nodal, global, and connectivity. At the nodal level, ASD + ADHD exhibited topological disorganization in the temporal and occipital regions, compared with ASD-only. At the global level, ASD + ADHD and ASD-only displayed no significant differences. At the connectivity level, the NBS analysis revealed that ASD + ADHD showed enhanced functional connectivity between the prefrontal and frontoparietal regions, as well as between the orbitofrontal and occipital regions, compared with ASD-only. The hippocampus was the shared region in aberrant functional connectivity patterns in ASD + ADHD and ASD-only compared with TD. These findings suggests that ASD + ADHD displays altered topology and functional connectivity in the brain regions that undertake social cognition, language processing, and sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Lin
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yafei Shi
- School of Fundamental Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiyuan Huang
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingqing Jiao
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Changyi Kuang
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuyang Rao
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunpeng Zhu
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenting Liu
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiabao Lin
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
- Institut Des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS UMR 5229, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
| | - Lijun Ma
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, University Town, No.232, Huandong Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Saponaro S, Lizzi F, Serra G, Mainas F, Oliva P, Giuliano A, Calderoni S, Retico A. Deep learning based joint fusion approach to exploit anatomical and functional brain information in autism spectrum disorders. Brain Inform 2024; 11:2. [PMID: 38194126 PMCID: PMC10776521 DOI: 10.1186/s40708-023-00217-4] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The integration of the information encoded in multiparametric MRI images can enhance the performance of machine-learning classifiers. In this study, we investigate whether the combination of structural and functional MRI might improve the performances of a deep learning (DL) model trained to discriminate subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with respect to typically developing controls (TD). MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed both structural and functional MRI brain scans publicly available within the ABIDE I and II data collections. We considered 1383 male subjects with age between 5 and 40 years, including 680 subjects with ASD and 703 TD from 35 different acquisition sites. We extracted morphometric and functional brain features from MRI scans with the Freesurfer and the CPAC analysis packages, respectively. Then, due to the multisite nature of the dataset, we implemented a data harmonization protocol. The ASD vs. TD classification was carried out with a multiple-input DL model, consisting in a neural network which generates a fixed-length feature representation of the data of each modality (FR-NN), and a Dense Neural Network for classification (C-NN). Specifically, we implemented a joint fusion approach to multiple source data integration. The main advantage of the latter is that the loss is propagated back to the FR-NN during the training, thus creating informative feature representations for each data modality. Then, a C-NN, with a number of layers and neurons per layer to be optimized during the model training, performs the ASD-TD discrimination. The performance was evaluated by computing the Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve within a nested 10-fold cross-validation. The brain features that drive the DL classification were identified by the SHAP explainability framework. RESULTS The AUC values of 0.66±0.05 and of 0.76±0.04 were obtained in the ASD vs. TD discrimination when only structural or functional features are considered, respectively. The joint fusion approach led to an AUC of 0.78±0.04. The set of structural and functional connectivity features identified as the most important for the two-class discrimination supports the idea that brain changes tend to occur in individuals with ASD in regions belonging to the Default Mode Network and to the Social Brain. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the multimodal joint fusion approach outperforms the classification results obtained with data acquired by a single MRI modality as it efficiently exploits the complementarity of structural and functional brain information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Saponaro
- Medical Physics School, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Francesca Lizzi
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giacomo Serra
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- INFN, Cagliari Division, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesca Mainas
- INFN, Cagliari Division, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Piernicola Oliva
- INFN, Cagliari Division, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Alessia Giuliano
- Unit of Medical Physics, Pisa University Hospital "Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana", Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Calderoni
- Developmental Psychiatry Unit - IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Retico
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, Pisa, Italy
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Shen L, Zhang J, Fan S, Ping L, Yu H, Xu F, Cheng Y, Xu X, Yang C, Zhou C. Cortical thickness abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:65-77. [PMID: 36542200 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-02133-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The pathological mechanism of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. Nowadays, surface-based morphometry (SBM) based on structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) techniques have reported cortical thickness (CT) variations in ASD. However, the findings were inconsistent and heterogeneous. This current meta-analysis conducted a whole-brain vertex-wise coordinate-based meta-analysis (CBMA) on CT studies to explore the most noticeable and robust CT changes in ASD individuals by applying the seed-based d mapping (SDM) program. A total of 26 investigations comprised 27 datasets were included, containing 1,635 subjects with ASD and 1470 HC, along with 94 coordinates. Individuals with ASD exhibited significantly altered CT in several regions compared to HC, including four clusters with thicker CT in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG.R), the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG.L), the left anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyri, the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG.R, medial orbital parts), as well as three clusters with cortical thinning including the left parahippocampal gyrus (PHG.L), the right precentral gyrus (PCG.R) and the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG.L). Adults with ASD only demonstrated CT thinning in the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG.R), revealed by subgroup meta-analyses. Meta-regression analyses found that CT in STG.R was positively correlated with age. Meanwhile, CT in MFG.L and PHG.L had negative correlations with the age of ASD individuals. These results suggested a complicated and atypical cortical development trajectory in ASD, and would provide a deeper understanding of the neural mechanism underlying the cortical morphology in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liancheng Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, Shandong Daizhuang Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Junqing Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Daizhuang Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Shiran Fan
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Liangliang Ping
- Department of Psychiatry, Xiamen Xianyue Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Hao Yu
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Fangfang Xu
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Yuqi Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiufeng Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Chunyan Yang
- School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
| | - Cong Zhou
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
- Department of Psychology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
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6
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Ali MT, Gebreil A, ElNakieb Y, Elnakib A, Shalaby A, Mahmoud A, Sleman A, Giridharan GA, Barnes G, Elbaz AS. A personalized classification of behavioral severity of autism spectrum disorder using a comprehensive machine learning framework. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17048. [PMID: 37813914 PMCID: PMC10562430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43478-z] [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: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with a heterogeneous nature, influenced by genetics and exhibiting diverse clinical presentations. In this study, we dissect Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) into its behavioral components, mirroring the diagnostic process used in clinical settings. Morphological features are extracted from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, found in the publicly available dataset ABIDE II, identifying the most discriminative features that differentiate ASD within various behavioral domains. Then, each subject is categorized as having severe, moderate, or mild ASD, or typical neurodevelopment (TD), based on the behavioral domains of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Through this study, multiple artificial intelligence (AI) models are utilized for feature selection and classifying each ASD severity and behavioural group. A multivariate feature selection algorithm, investigating four different classifiers with linear and non-linear hypotheses, is applied iteratively while shuffling the training-validation subjects to find the set of cortical regions with statistically significant association with ASD. A set of six classifiers are optimized and trained on the selected set of features using 5-fold cross-validation for the purpose of severity classification for each behavioural group. Our AI-based model achieved an average accuracy of 96%, computed as the mean accuracy across the top-performing AI models for feature selection and severity classification across the different behavioral groups. The proposed AI model has the ability to accurately differentiate between the functionalities of specific brain regions, such as the left and right caudal middle frontal regions. We propose an AI-based model that dissects ASD into behavioral components. For each behavioral component, the AI-based model is capable of identifying the brain regions which are associated with ASD as well as utilizing those regions for diagnosis. The proposed system can increase the speed and accuracy of the diagnostic process and result in improved outcomes for individuals with ASD, highlighting the potential of AI in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed T Ali
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
- UT Southwestern Medical Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ahmad Gebreil
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Yaser ElNakieb
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
- UT Southwestern Medical Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ahmed Elnakib
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Penn State Erie-The Behrend College, Erie, PA, 16563, USA
| | - Ahmed Shalaby
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ali Mahmoud
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Ahmed Sleman
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | | | - Gregory Barnes
- Department of Neurology and Pediatric Research Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Ayman S Elbaz
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA.
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7
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Chavoshnejad P, Vallejo L, Zhang S, Guo Y, Dai W, Zhang T, Razavi MJ. Mechanical hierarchy in the formation and modulation of cortical folding patterns. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13177. [PMID: 37580340 PMCID: PMC10425471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40086-9] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The important mechanical parameters and their hierarchy in the growth and folding of the human brain have not been thoroughly understood. In this study, we developed a multiscale mechanical model to investigate how the interplay between initial geometrical undulations, differential tangential growth in the cortical plate, and axonal connectivity form and regulate the folding patterns of the human brain in a hierarchical order. To do so, different growth scenarios with bilayer spherical models that features initial undulations on the cortex and uniform or heterogeneous distribution of axonal fibers in the white matter were developed, statistically analyzed, and validated by the imaging observations. The results showed that the differential tangential growth is the inducer of cortical folding, and in a hierarchal order, high-amplitude initial undulations on the surface and axonal fibers in the substrate regulate the folding patterns and determine the location of gyri and sulci. The locations with dense axonal fibers after folding settle in gyri rather than sulci. The statistical results also indicated that there is a strong correlation between the location of positive (outward) and negative (inward) initial undulations and the locations of gyri and sulci after folding, respectively. In addition, the locations of 3-hinge gyral folds are strongly correlated with the initial positive undulations and locations of dense axonal fibers. As another finding, it was revealed that there is a correlation between the density of axonal fibers and local gyrification index, which has been observed in imaging studies but not yet fundamentally explained. This study is the first step in understanding the linkage between abnormal gyrification (surface morphology) and disruption in connectivity that has been observed in some brain disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Moreover, the findings of the study directly contribute to the concept of the regularity and variability of folding patterns in individual human brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poorya Chavoshnejad
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Liam Vallejo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Songyao Zhang
- Brain Decoding Research Center and School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanchen Guo
- Department of Computer Science, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Weiying Dai
- Department of Computer Science, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Brain Decoding Research Center and School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, China
| | - Mir Jalil Razavi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA.
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8
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Caldani S, Humeau E, Delorme R, Bucci MP. Inhibition functions can be improved in children with autism spectrum disorders: An eye-tracking study. Int J Dev Neurosci 2023; 83:431-441. [PMID: 37218472 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive remediation therapy interventions could improve cognitive functioning in subjects with autism. To investigate the benefit of a short cognitive training rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on pursuit and fixation performances. We recruited two groups (G1 and G2) of 30 children with ASD, sex-, IQ- and age-matched (mean 11.6 ± 0.5 years), and pursuit and fixation eye movements were recorded twice at T1 and T2. Between T1 and T2, a 10-min cognitive training was performed by the G1 group only, whereas the G2 group had a 10-min of rest. For all children with ASD enrolled in the study, there was a positive correlation between restricted and repetitive behaviour scores of both Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the number of saccades recorded during the fixation task at T1. At T1, oculomotor performances were similar for both groups of ASD children (G1 and G2). At T2, we observed a significant reduction in the number of saccades made during both pursuit and fixation tasks. Our findings underlined the importance to promote cognitive training rehabilitation for children with ASD, leading to a better performance in inhibitory and attention functioning responsible for pursuit and fixation eye movement's performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
- EFEE-Center for the Functional Exploration of Balance in Children, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Elise Humeau
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Fondation, Paris, France
- Paris University, Paris, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Fondation, Paris, France
- Paris University, Paris, France
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
- EFEE-Center for the Functional Exploration of Balance in Children, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
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9
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Tilwani D, Bradshaw J, Sheth A, O'Reilly C. ECG Recordings as Predictors of Very Early Autism Likelihood: A Machine Learning Approach. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:827. [PMID: 37508854 PMCID: PMC10376813 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10070827] [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: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a rise in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The diagnosis of ASD requires behavioral observation and standardized testing completed by highly trained experts. Early intervention for ASD can begin as early as 1-2 years of age, but ASD diagnoses are not typically made until ages 2-5 years, thus delaying the start of intervention. There is an urgent need for non-invasive biomarkers to detect ASD in infancy. While previous research using physiological recordings has focused on brain-based biomarkers of ASD, this study investigated the potential of electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings as an ASD biomarker in 3-6-month-old infants. We recorded the heart activity of infants at typical and elevated familial likelihood for ASD during naturalistic interactions with objects and caregivers. After obtaining the ECG signals, features such as heart rate variability (HRV) and sympathetic and parasympathetic activities were extracted. Then we evaluated the effectiveness of multiple machine learning classifiers for classifying ASD likelihood. Our findings support our hypothesis that infant ECG signals contain important information about ASD familial likelihood. Amongthe various machine learning algorithms tested, KNN performed best according to sensitivity (0.70 ± 0.117), F1-score (0.689 ± 0.124), precision (0.717 ± 0.128), accuracy (0.70 ± 0.117, p-value = 0.02), and ROC (0.686 ± 0.122, p-value = 0.06). These results suggest that ECG signals contain relevant information about the likelihood of an infant developing ASD. Future studies should consider the potential of information contained in ECG, and other indices of autonomic control, for the development of biomarkers of ASD in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa Tilwani
- Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Institute for Mind and Brain, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Jessica Bradshaw
- Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Institute for Mind and Brain, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Amit Sheth
- Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Christian O'Reilly
- Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Institute for Mind and Brain, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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10
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Ahtam B, Yun HJ, Vyas R, Pienaar R, Wilson JH, Goswami CP, Berto LF, Warfield SK, Sahin M, Grant PE, Peters JM, Im K. Morphological Features of Language Regions in Individuals with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06004-8. [PMID: 37222965 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06004-8] [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] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A significant number of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) exhibit language difficulties. Here, we examined the language-related brain morphometry in 59 participants (7 participants with TSC and comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (TSC + ASD), 13 with TSC but no ASD (TSC-ASD), 10 with ASD-only (ASD), and 29 typically developing (TD) controls). A hemispheric asymmetry was noted in surface area and gray matter volume of several cortical language areas in TD, ASD, and TSC-ASD groups, but not in TSC + ASD group. TSC + ASD group demonstrated increased cortical thickness and curvature values in multiple language regions for both hemispheres, compared to other groups. After controlling for tuber load in the TSC groups, within-group differences stayed the same but the differences between TSC-ASD and TSC + ASD were no longer statistically significant. These preliminary findings suggest that comorbid ASD in TSC as well as tuber load in TSC is associated with changes in the morphometry of language regions. Future studies with larger sample sizes will be needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Ahtam
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Hyuk Jin Yun
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rutvi Vyas
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rudolph Pienaar
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Josephine H Wilson
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Caroline P Goswami
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Laura F Berto
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - P Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kiho Im
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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11
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Xu MX, Ju XD. Abnormal Brain Structure Is Associated with Social and Communication Deficits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Analysis. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13050779. [PMID: 37239251 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13050779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies have shown abnormalities in the brain structure of ASD patients, but the relationship between structural changes and social communication problems is still unclear. This study aims to explore the structural mechanisms of clinical dysfunction in the brain of ASD children through voxel-based morphometry (VBM). After screening T1 structural images from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database, 98 children aged 8-12 years old with ASD were matched with 105 children aged 8-12 years old with typical development (TD). Firstly, this study compared the differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between the two groups. Then, this study evaluated the relationship between GMV and the subtotal score of communications and social interaction on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) in ASD children. Research has found that abnormal brain structures in ASD include the midbrain, pontine, bilateral hippocampus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left temporal pole, left middle temporal gyrus and left superior occipital gyrus. In addition, in ASD children, the subtotal score of communications and social interaction on the ADOS were only significantly positively correlated with GMV in the left hippocampus, left superior temporal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus. In summary, the gray matter structure of ASD children is abnormal, and different clinical dysfunction in ASD children is related to structural abnormalities in specific regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Xiang Xu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Xing-Da Ju
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Development, Changchun 130024, China
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12
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Butera C, Kaplan J, Kilroy E, Harrison L, Jayashankar A, Loureiro F, Aziz-Zadeh L. The relationship between alexithymia, interoception, and neural functional connectivity during facial expression processing in autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychologia 2023; 180:108469. [PMID: 36610493 PMCID: PMC9898240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neural processing differences of emotional facial expressions, while common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may be related to co-occurring alexithymia and interoceptive processing differences rather than autism per se. Here, we investigate relationships between alexithymia, interoceptive awareness of emotions, and functional connectivity during observation of facial expressions in youth (aged 8-17) with ASD (n = 28) compared to typically developing peers (TD; n = 37). Behaviorally, we found no significant differences between ASD and TD groups in interoceptive awareness of emotions, though alexithymia severity was significantly higher in the ASD group. In the ASD group, increased alexithymia was significantly correlated with lower interoceptive sensation felt during emotion. Using psycho-physiological interaction (PPI) analysis, the ASD group showed higher functional connectivity between the left ventral anterior insula and the left lateral prefrontal cortex than the TD group when viewing facial expressions. Further, alexithymia was associated with reduced left anterior insula-right precuneus connectivity and reduced right dorsal anterior insula-left ventral anterior insula connectivity when viewing facial expressions. In the ASD group, the degree of interoceptive sensation felt during emotion was positively correlated with left ventral anterior insula-right IFG connectivity when viewing facial expressions. However, across all participants, neither alexithymia nor interoceptive awareness of emotions predicted connectivity between emotion-related brain regions when viewing emotional facial expressions. To summarize, we found that in ASD compared to TD: 1) there is stronger connectivity between the insula and lateral prefrontal cortex; and 2) differences in interhemispheric and within left hemisphere connectivity between the insula and other emotion-related brain regions are related to individual differences in interoceptive processing and alexithymia. These results highlight complex relationships between alexithymia, interoception, and brain processing in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Butera
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Jonas Kaplan
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Emily Kilroy
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Laura Harrison
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Aditya Jayashankar
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Fernanda Loureiro
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Lisa Aziz-Zadeh
- Brain & Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Division of Occupational Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
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13
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Cheng W, Sun Z, Cai K, Wu J, Dong X, Liu Z, Shi Y, Yang S, Zhang W, Chen A. Relationship between Overweight/Obesity and Social Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorder Children: Mediating Effect of Gray Matter Volume. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020180. [PMID: 36831723 PMCID: PMC9954689 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
With advances in medical diagnostic technology, the healthy development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is receiving more and more attention. In this article, the mediating effect of brain gray matter volume (GMV) between overweight/obesity and social communication (SC) was investigated through the analysis of the relationship between overweight/obesity and SC in autism spectrum disorder children. In total, 101 children with ASD aged 3-12 years were recruited from three special educational centers (Yangzhou, China). Overweight/obesity in children with ASD was indicated by their body mass index (BMI); the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2) was used to assess their social interaction ability, and structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI) was used to measure GMV. A mediation model was constructed using the Process plug-in to analyze the mediating effect of GMV between overweight/obesity and SC in children with ASD. The results revealed that: overweight/obesity positively correlated with SRS-2 total points (p = 0.01); gray matter volume in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (Frontal_Sup_L GMV) negatively correlated with SRS-2 total points (p = 0.001); and overweight/obesity negatively correlated with Frontal_Sup_L GMV (p = 0.001). The Frontal_Sup_L GMV played a partial mediating role in the relationship between overweight/obesity and SC, accounting for 36.6% of total effect values. These findings indicate the significant positive correlation between overweight/obesity and SC; GMV in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus plays a mediating role in the relationship between overweight/obesity and SC. The study may provide new evidence toward comprehensively revealing the overweight/obesity and SC relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Cheng
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Zhiyuan Sun
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Kelong Cai
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Jingjing Wu
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Dong
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Zhimei Liu
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Yifan Shi
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Sixin Yang
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Weike Zhang
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Aiguo Chen
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Institute of Sports, Exercise and Brain, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-139-5272-5968
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14
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Karavallil Achuthan S, Coburn KL, Beckerson ME, Kana RK. Amplitude of low frequency fluctuations during resting state fMRI in autistic children. Autism Res 2023; 16:84-98. [PMID: 36349875 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) provides an excellent platform for examining the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF), which are key indices of brain functioning. However, ALFF and fALFF have been used only sporadically to study autism. rs-fMRI data from 69 children (40 autistic, mean age = 8.47 ± 2.20 years; age range: 5.2 to 13.2; and 29 non-autistic, mean age = 9.02 ± 1.97 years; age range 5.9 to 12.9) were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE II). ALFF and fALFF were measured using CONN connectivity toolbox and SPM12, at whole-brain & network-levels. A two-sampled t-test and a 2 Group (autistic, non-autistic) × 7 Networks ANOVA were conducted to test group differences in ALFF and fALFF. The whole-brain analysis identified significantly reduced ALFF values for autistic participants in left parietal opercular cortex, precuneus, and right insula. At the network level, there was a significant effect of diagnostic group and brain network on ALFF values, and only significant effect of network, not group, on fALFF values. Regression analyses indicated a significant effect of age on ALFF values of certain networks in autistic participants. Such intrinsically different network-level responses in autistic participants may have implications for task-level recruitment and synchronization of brain areas, which may in turn impact optimal cognitive functioning. Moreover, differences in low frequency fluctuations of key networks, such as the DMN and SN, may underlie alterations in brain responses in autism that are frequently reported in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smitha Karavallil Achuthan
- Department of Psychology & The Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Kelly L Coburn
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Meagan E Beckerson
- Department of Psychology & The Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology & The Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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15
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Sun F, Chen Y, Gao Q, Zhao Z. Abnormal gray matter structure in children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 327:111564. [PMID: 36384063 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the brain structural mechanisms underlying clinical dysfunction in patients with ASD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After screening T1 structural images from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database, 111 children and adolescents with high-functioning ASD and 151 typically developing (TD) subjects matched were included in this study. We first compared the differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and gray matter density (GMD) between the two groups. Then, the relationships between GMV/GMD and clinical assessments in ASD patients were evaluated. We found that compared with the TD group, the ASD group showed increased GMV/GMD in the precuneus, thalamus, hippocampus and cingulate gyrus. Moreover, in the ASD group, social interaction was negatively correlated with GMD in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus and limbic system; communication was positively correlated with GMD in the right middle temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and anterior cingulate gyrus; and repetitive behavior was positively correlated with GMD in the cerebellum and negatively correlated with GMV in the prefrontal cortex. In conclusion, the gray matter structure in children and adolescents with ASD was abnormal, and different clinical dysfunctions in ASD patients were related to structural abnormalities in specific regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenfen Sun
- Center for Brain, Mind, and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China; Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Center for Brain, Mind, and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China; Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Qiyang Gao
- Center for Brain, Mind, and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China; Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
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16
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Sultan S. Translating neuroimaging changes to neuro-endophenotypes of autistic spectrum disorder: a narrative review. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROSURGERY 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s41983-022-00578-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Autism-spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder with heterogeneity in etiopathogenesis and clinical presentation. Neuroanatomical and neurophysiological abnormalities may represent neural endophenotypes for autism spectrum disorders which may help identify subgroups of patients seemingly similar in clinical presentation yet different in their pathophysiological underpinnings. Furthermore, a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of disease can pave the way to effective treatments, prevention, and prognostic predictions. The aim of this review is to identify the predominant neural endophenotypes in autism-spectrum disorder. The evidence was researched at the following electronic databases: Pubmed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE.
Results
Enlarged brain, especially frontotemporal cortices have been consistently reported by structural neuroimaging, whereas functional neuroimaging has revealed frontotemporal dysconnectivity.
Conclusions
Regrettably, many of these findings have not been consistent. Therefore, translating these findings into neural endophenotype is by far an attempt in its budding stage. The structural and functional neuroimaging changes may represent neural endophenotypes unique to autism-spectrum disorder. Despite inconsistent results, a clinically meaningful finding may require combined efforts of autism-spectrum-disorder researchers focused on different aspects of basic, genetic, neuroimaging, and clinical research.
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17
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Social Functioning and Autistic Behaviors in Youth Following Acquired Brain Injury. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9111648. [PMID: 36360376 PMCID: PMC9688193 DOI: 10.3390/children9111648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Children and adolescents who survive the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with an acquired brain injury (ABI) often demonstrate a variety of physical, cognitive, emotional/behavioral, and social sequelae termed post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Social communication and interaction challenges have also been observed clinically, and there is growing literature documenting these occurrences in youth following ABI. The extent of these social changes varies among patients, and a subset of patients go on to exhibit social and behavioral profiles closely resembling those of autistic youth. We reviewed empirical research regarding social functioning in youth following ABI, as well as the overlap between individuals with ABI and autistic youth, published from January 2009 to August 2022 on PubMed and Scopus databases. Clinical case examples from a well-established post-PICU follow-up program are also provided to exemplify the complexity of this phenomenon.
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18
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Rhodus EK, Barber J, Kryscio RJ, Abner EL, Bahrani AA, Lewis KES, Carey B, Nelson PT, Van Eldik LJ, Jicha GA. Frontotemporal neurofibrillary tangles and cerebrovascular lesions are associated with autism spectrum behaviors in late-life dementia. J Neurol 2022; 269:5105-5113. [PMID: 35596794 PMCID: PMC9644295 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11167-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The pathologic substrates or neuroanatomic regions responsible for similarities in behavioral features seen in autism spectrum disorder and late-life dementia remain unknown. The present study examined the neuropathologic features of late-life dementia in research volunteers with and without antemortem behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders. METHODS Antemortem cross-sectional assessment of autistic spectrum behaviors proximal to death in persons with diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia was completed using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, 2nd edition (GARS-2), followed by postmortem quantitative and semiquantitative neuropathologic assessment. All individuals who completed the GARS-2 prior to autopsy were included (n = 56) and we note that no participants had known diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The GARS-2 was used as an antemortem screening tool to stratify participants into two groups: "Autism Possible/Very Likely" or "Autism Unlikely." Data were analyzed using nonparametric statistics comparing location and scale to evaluate between-group differences in pathologic features. RESULTS Neurofibrillary tangles (NFT; p = 0.028) density and tau burden (p = 0.032) in the frontal region, the NFT density (p = 0.048) and neuritic plaque burden (p = 0.042), and the tau burden (p = 0.032) of the temporal region, were significantly different in scale between groups. For measures with significant group differences, the medians of the Autism Possible/Very Likely group were roughly equal to the 75th percentile of the Autism Unlikely group (i.e., the distributions were shifted to the right). DISCUSSION This study links behaviors characteristic of autism to increased pathologic tau burden in the frontal and temporal lobes in persons with late-life dementia. Additional studies are needed to determine causal factors and treatment options for behaviors characteristic of autism behaviors in late-life dementias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Rhodus
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Justin Barber
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Richard J Kryscio
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Erin L Abner
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Ahmed A Bahrani
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Kristine E Shady Lewis
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Brandi Carey
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- Department of Pathology and Division of Neuropathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Linda J Van Eldik
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Gregory A Jicha
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 1030 S. Broadway, Ste 5, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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19
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Zhao X, Zhu S, Cao Y, Cheng P, Lin Y, Sun Z, Li Y, Jiang W, Du Y. Regional homogeneity of adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and its association with symptom severity. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2693. [PMID: 35816591 PMCID: PMC9392530 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Previous studies have revealed abnormal regional homogeneity (ReHo) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, there is little consistency across the findings within these studies, partly due to small sample size and great heterogeneity among participants between studies. Additionally, few studies have explored the association between ReHo aberrance and clinical symptoms in individuals with ASD. METHODS Forty-eight adolescents with high-functioning ASD and 63 group-matched typically developing (TD) controls received functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest. Group-level analysis was performed to detect differences in ReHo between ASD and TD. Evaluation of symptom severity in individuals with ASD was based on the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Voxel-wise correlation analysis was undergone to examine the correlations between the symptom severity and ReHo map in individuals with ASD within brain areas with ReHo abnormalities. RESULTS Compared with the TD controls, individuals with ASD exhibited increased ReHo in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, left caudate, right posterior cerebellum (cerebellar tonsil), and bilateral brainstem and decreased ReHo in the left precentral gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, bilateral postcentral gyrus, and right anterior cerebellum (culmen). The correlation analysis indicated that the ReHo value in the brainstem was negatively associated with the ABC total scores and the scores of Relating factor, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicated that widespread ReHo abnormalities occurred in ASD, shedding light on the underlying neurobiology of pathogenesis and symptomatology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxin Zhao
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyi Zhu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Peipei Cheng
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuxiong Lin
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhixin Sun
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqing Jiang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yasong Du
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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20
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Sader M, Williams JHG, Waiter GD. A meta-analytic investigation of grey matter differences in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2022; 30:560-579. [PMID: 35526083 PMCID: PMC9543727 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent research reports Anorexia Nervosa (AN) to be highly dependent upon neurobiological function. Some behaviours, particularly concerning food selectivity are found in populations with both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and AN, and there is a proportionally elevated number of anorexic patients exhibiting symptoms of ASD. We performed a systematic review of structural MRI literature with the aim of identifying common structural neural correlates common to both AN and ASD. Across 46 ASD publications, a meta‐analysis of volumetric differences between ASD and healthy controls revealed no consistently affected brain regions. Meta‐analysis of 23 AN publications revealed increased volume within the orbitofrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe, and adult‐only AN literature revealed differences within the genu of the anterior cingulate cortex. The changes are consistent with alterations in flexible reward‐related learning and episodic memory reported in neuropsychological studies. There was no structural overlap between ASD and AN. Findings suggest no consistent neuroanatomical abnormality associated with ASD, and evidence is lacking to suggest that reported behavioural similarities between those with AN and ASD are due to neuroanatomical structural similarities. Findings related to neuroanatomical structure in AN/ASD demonstrate overlap and require revisiting. Meta‐analytic findings show structural increase/decrease versus healthy controls (LPFC/MTL/OFC) in AN, but no clusters found in ASD. The neuroanatomy associated with ASD is inconsistent, but findings in AN reflect condition‐related impairment in executive function and sociocognitive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Sader
- Translational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Justin H G Williams
- Translational Neuroscience, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Gordon D Waiter
- Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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21
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Deemyad T. Lateralized Changes in Language Associated Auditory and Somatosensory Cortices in Autism. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:787448. [PMID: 35300070 PMCID: PMC8923120 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.787448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lateralized specialization of the two cerebral hemispheres is a fundamental structural hallmark of the human brain and underlies many cognitive functions and behavioral abilities. In typical developing individuals the influence of handedness on performance of various sensory modalities and the cortical processing has been well recognized. Increasing evidence suggests that several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with abnormal patterns of cerebral lateralization. Individuals with ASD exhibit abnormal structural and functional lateralization of circuits subserving motor, auditory, somatosensory, visual face processing, and language-related functions. Furthermore, a high prevalence of atypical handedness has been reported in ASD individuals. While the hemispheric dominance is also related to functions other than handedness, there is a clear relationship between handedness and language-related cortical dominance. This minireview summarizes these recent findings on asymmetry in somatosensory and auditory cortical structures associated with language processing in ASD. I will also discuss the importance of cortical dominance and interhemispheric disruption of balance between excitatory and inhibitory synapses as pathophysiological mechanisms in ASD.
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22
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Wu C, Zheng H, Wu H, Tang Y, Li F, Wang D. Age-related Brain Morphological Alteration of Medication-naive Boys With High Functioning Autism. Acad Radiol 2022; 29 Suppl 3:S28-S35. [PMID: 33160862 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE To investigate age-related brain morphological changes of boys with high functioning autism (HFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-six medication-naive boys with HFA and 48 age-matched typically developing boys (4-12 years old) were included in this study. Structural brain images were processed with FreeSurfer to calculate the brain morphometric features including regional volume, surface area, average cortical thickness, and Gaussian curvature. General linear model was used to identify significant effects of diagnosis and age-by-diagnosis interaction. Correlations between age and the brain morphometric variables of significant clusters were explored. RESULTS Primarily, most of the regions with statistically significant intergroup differences were located in the temporal lobe gyri. Importantly, the volume of bilateral superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the average cortical thickness of the right STG demonstrated significantly age-related intergroup differences. Further age-stratified analysis also revealed morphological alterations of STG among subgroups of preschool and school-aged children with or without HFA. CONCLUSION The findings demonstrated abnormal age-related volume and cortical thickness atrophy of the STG in HFA children, which reflect brain development trajectories of ASD may initiate to diverge from early overgrowth in childhood period. The anatomical localization of specific brain regions would help us better understand the neurobiology alterations of HFA patients and indicate the effect of age should be carefully delineated and examined in future studies about HFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenqing Wu
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoting Wu
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Tang
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Li
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dengbin Wang
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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23
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Lucibello S, Bertè G, Verdolotti T, Lucignani M, Napolitano A, D’Abronzo R, Cicala MG, Pede E, Chieffo D, Mariotti P, Colosimo C, Mercuri E, Battini R. Cortical Thickness and Clinical Findings in Prescholar Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:776860. [PMID: 35197818 PMCID: PMC8858962 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.776860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a wide variability of clinical presentation, and this clinical heterogeneity seems to reflect a still unclear multifactorial etiopathogenesis, encompassing different genetic risk factors and susceptibility to environmental factors. Several studies and many theories recognize as mechanisms of autism a disruption of brain development and maturation time course, suggesting the existence of common neurobiological substrates, such as defective synaptic structure and aberrant brain connectivity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in both assessment of region-specific structural changes and quantification of specific alterations in gray or white matter, which could lead to the identification of an MRI biomarker. In this study, we performed measurement of cortical thickness in a selected well-known group of preschool ASD subjects with the aim of finding correlation between cortical metrics and clinical scores to understand the underlying mechanism of symptoms and to support early clinical diagnosis. Our results confirm that recent brain MRI techniques combined with clinical data can provide some useful information in defining the cerebral regions involved in ASD although large sample studies with homogeneous analytical and multisite approaches are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Lucibello
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna Bertè
- Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Verdolotti
- UOC Radiologia e Neuroradiologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Lucignani
- Medical Physics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Napolitano
- Medical Physics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa D’Abronzo
- Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria G. Cicala
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Pede
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Chieffo
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Mariotti
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cesare Colosimo
- Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- UOC Radiologia e Neuroradiologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Mercuri
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Centro Clinico Nemo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Battini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
- *Correspondence: Roberta Battini,
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24
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Ali MT, ElNakieb Y, Elnakib A, Shalaby A, Mahmoud A, Ghazal M, Yousaf J, Abu Khalifeh H, Casanova M, Barnes G, El-Baz A. The Role of Structure MRI in Diagnosing Autism. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:165. [PMID: 35054330 PMCID: PMC8774643 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12010165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study proposes a Computer-Aided Diagnostic (CAD) system to diagnose subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The CAD system identifies morphological anomalies within the brain regions of ASD subjects. Cortical features are scored according to their contribution in diagnosing a subject to be ASD or typically developed (TD) based on a trained machine-learning (ML) model. This approach opens the hope for developing a new CAD system for early personalized diagnosis of ASD. We propose a framework to extract the cerebral cortex from structural MRI as well as identifying the altered areas in the cerebral cortex. This framework consists of the following five main steps: (i) extraction of cerebral cortex from structural MRI; (ii) cortical parcellation to a standard atlas; (iii) identifying ASD associated cortical markers; (iv) adjusting feature values according to sex and age; (v) building tailored neuro-atlases to identify ASD; and (vi) artificial neural networks (NN) are trained to classify ASD. The system is tested on the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE I) sites achieving an average balanced accuracy score of 97±2%. This paper demonstrates the ability to develop an objective CAD system using structure MRI and tailored neuro-atlases describing specific developmental patterns of the brain in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed T. Ali
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA; (M.T.A.); (Y.E.); (A.E.); (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Yaser ElNakieb
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA; (M.T.A.); (Y.E.); (A.E.); (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Ahmed Elnakib
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA; (M.T.A.); (Y.E.); (A.E.); (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Ahmed Shalaby
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA; (M.T.A.); (Y.E.); (A.E.); (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Ali Mahmoud
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA; (M.T.A.); (Y.E.); (A.E.); (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Mohammed Ghazal
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi 59911, United Arab Emirates; (M.G.); (J.Y.); (H.A.K.)
| | - Jawad Yousaf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi 59911, United Arab Emirates; (M.G.); (J.Y.); (H.A.K.)
| | - Hadil Abu Khalifeh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi 59911, United Arab Emirates; (M.G.); (J.Y.); (H.A.K.)
| | - Manuel Casanova
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine Greenville, University of South Carolina, Greenville, SC 29425, USA;
| | - Gregory Barnes
- Department of Neurology, Norton Children’s Autism Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA;
| | - Ayman El-Baz
- Bioengineering Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA; (M.T.A.); (Y.E.); (A.E.); (A.S.); (A.M.)
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25
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Das S, Zomorrodi R, Enticott PG, Kirkovski M, Blumberger DM, Rajji TK, Desarkar P. Resting state electroencephalography microstates in autism spectrum disorder: A mini-review. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:988939. [PMID: 36532178 PMCID: PMC9752812 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.988939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Atypical spatial organization and temporal characteristics, found via resting state electroencephalography (EEG) microstate analysis, have been associated with psychiatric disorders but these temporal and spatial parameters are less known in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). EEG microstates reflect a short time period of stable scalp potential topography. These canonical microstates (i.e., A, B, C, and D) and more are identified by their unique topographic map, mean duration, fraction of time covered, frequency of occurrence and global explained variance percentage; a measure of how well topographical maps represent EEG data. We reviewed the current literature for resting state microstate analysis in ASD and identified eight publications. This current review indicates there is significant alterations in microstate parameters in ASD populations as compared to typically developing (TD) populations. Microstate parameters were also found to change in relation to specific cognitive processes. However, as microstate parameters are found to be changed by cognitive states, the differently acquired data (e.g., eyes closed or open) resting state EEG are likely to produce disparate results. We also review the current understanding of EEG sources of microstates and the underlying brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmit Das
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Reza Zomorrodi
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Melissa Kirkovski
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.,Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel M Blumberger
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tarek K Rajji
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pushpal Desarkar
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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26
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Kelly C, Martin R, Saravanan V. The Links Between Fibromyalgia, Hypermobility and Neurodivergence. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2022. [DOI: 10.17925/rmd.2022.1.1.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia and joint hypermobility are common coexisting conditions among younger females that are often accompanied with additional features of autonomic dysfunction. Mental health is frequently impacted with these conditions and an association with neurodivergence has been recently established. Neurodivergence is also prevalent among close relatives. Reasons for this association are poorly understood, although genetics, adverse early life experiences and autoimmunity all contribute. Pharmacological responses may differ in neurodivergence, while psychological support requires adaptation for individual sensitivities. Screening patients with fibromyalgia and hypermobility for neurodivergent traits and vice versa may facilitate diagnosis and management.
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27
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Yin S, Hong SJ, Di Martino A, Milham MP, Park BY, Benkarim O, Bethlehem RAI, Bernhardt BC, Paquola C. OUP accepted manuscript. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4565-4575. [PMID: 35059701 PMCID: PMC9574241 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety disorders (ANX) are common neurodevelopmental conditions with several overlapping symptoms. Notably, many children and adolescents with ASD also have an ANX diagnosis, suggesting shared pathological mechanisms. Here, we leveraged structural imaging and phenotypic data from 112 youth (33 ASD, 37 ANX, 42 typically developing controls) to assess shared and distinct cortical thickness patterns of the disorders. ANX was associated with widespread increases in cortical thickness, while ASD related to a mixed pattern of subtle increases and decreases across the cortical mantle. Despite the qualitative difference in the case–control contrasts, the statistical maps from the ANX-vs-controls and ASD-vs-controls analyses were significantly correlated when correcting for spatial autocorrelation. Dimensional analysis, regressing trait anxiety and social responsiveness against cortical thickness measures, partially recapitulated diagnosis-based findings. Collectively, our findings provide evidence for a common axis of neurodevelopmental disturbances as well as distinct effects of ASD and ANX on cortical thickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelly Yin
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Seok-Jun Hong
- Center for the Developing Brain and Autism Research Centre, Child Mind Institute, New York City, NY 10022, USA
| | - Adriana Di Martino
- Center for the Developing Brain and Autism Research Centre, Child Mind Institute, New York City, NY 10022, USA
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain and Autism Research Centre, Child Mind Institute, New York City, NY 10022, USA
| | - Bo-Yong Park
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Oualid Benkarim
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal H3A 2B4, Canada
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28
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Rong P, Fu Q, Zhang X, Liu H, Zhao S, Song X, Gao P, Ma R. A bibliometrics analysis and visualization of autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:884600. [PMID: 35923445 PMCID: PMC9339633 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.884600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increased rapidly in the last 20 years. Although related research has developed rapidly, little is known about its etiology, diagnostic marker, or drug treatment, which forces researchers to review and summarize its development process and look for the future development direction. METHODS We used bibliometrics to analyze papers of ASD in the Web of Science from 1998 to 2021, to draw the network of authors, institutions, countries, and keywords in the ASD field, and visualize the results. RESULTS A total of 40,597 papers were included with a continually increasing trend. It turns out that the research on ASD is mainly concentrated in universities. The United States has the largest number of ASD studies, followed by England and Canada. The quality of papers related to ASD is generally high, which shows that ASD research has become a hot spot of scientific research. The keywords of ASD etiology and diagnostic markers can be classified into at least 7 aspects. The detection of keywords shows that ASD research is mostly based on its subtypes, takes children as the study population, focuses on neurodevelopmental imaging or genetics, and pays attention to individual differences. And ASD research has changed greatly under the impact of Corona Virus Disease 2019 in the past 2 years. CONCLUSION We consider the future development direction should be based on the improvement of case identification, accurate clinical phenotype, large-scale cohort study, the discovery of ASD etiology and diagnostic markers, drug randomized controlled trials, and telehealth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Rong
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Qianfang Fu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Xilian Zhang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Hui Liu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuyi Zhao
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinxin Song
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Puxing Gao
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Rong Ma
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
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29
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Assari S. Cingulo-opercular and Cingulo-parietal Brain Networks Functional Connectivity in Pre-adolescents: Multiplicative Effects of Race, Ethnicity, and Parental Education. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 6:76-99. [PMID: 34734154 DOI: 10.22158/rhs.v6n2p76] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Introduction A growing body of research has shown a diminished association between socioeconomic status (SES) indicators and a wide range of neuroimaging indicators for racial and ethnic minorities compared to majority groups. However, less is known about these effects for resting-state functional connectivity between various brain networks. Purpose This study investigated racial and ethnic variation in the correlation between parental education and resting-state functional connectivity between the cingulo-opercular (CO) and cingulo-parietal (CP) networks in children. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study; we analyzed the resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rsfMRI) data of 8,464 American pre-adolescents between the ages of 9 and 10. The main outcome measured was resting-state functional connectivity between the CO and CP networks calculated using rsfMRI. The independent variable was parental education, which was treated as a nominal variable. Age, sex, and family marital status were the study covariates. Race and ethnicity were the moderators. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis, with and without interaction terms between parental education and race and ethnicity. Results Higher parental education was associated with higher resting-state functional connectivity between the CO and CP networks. Race and ethnicity both showed statistically significant interactions with parental education on children's resting-state functional connectivity between CO and CP networks, suggesting that the correlation between parental education and the resting-state functional connectivity was significantly weaker for Black and Hispanic pre-adolescents compared to White and non-Hispanic pre-adolescents. Conclusions In line with the Minorities' Diminished Returns theory, the association between parental education and pre-adolescents resting-state functional connectivity between CO and CP networks may be weaker in Black and Hispanic children than in White and non-Hispanic children. The weaker link between parental education and brain functional connectivity for Blacks and Hispanics than for Whites and non-Hispanics may reflect racism, racialization, and social stratification that collectively minimize the returns of SES indicators, such as parental education for non-Whites, who become others in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shervin Assari
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.,Department of Urban Public Health, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.,Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs) Research Center, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA
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30
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Restoration of FMRP expression in adult V1 neurons rescues visual deficits in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. Protein Cell 2021; 13:203-219. [PMID: 34714519 PMCID: PMC8901859 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many people affected by fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism spectrum disorders have sensory processing deficits, such as hypersensitivity to auditory, tactile, and visual stimuli. Like FXS in humans, loss of Fmr1 in rodents also cause sensory, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. However, the neural mechanisms underlying sensory impairment, especially vision impairment, remain unclear. It remains elusive whether the visual processing deficits originate from corrupted inputs, impaired perception in the primary sensory cortex, or altered integration in the higher cortex, and there is no effective treatment. In this study, we used a genetic knockout mouse model (Fmr1KO), in vivo imaging, and behavioral measurements to show that the loss of Fmr1 impaired signal processing in the primary visual cortex (V1). Specifically, Fmr1KO mice showed enhanced responses to low-intensity stimuli but normal responses to high-intensity stimuli. This abnormality was accompanied by enhancements in local network connectivity in V1 microcircuits and increased dendritic complexity of V1 neurons. These effects were ameliorated by the acute application of GABAA receptor activators, which enhanced the activity of inhibitory neurons, or by reintroducing Fmr1 gene expression in knockout V1 neurons in both juvenile and young-adult mice. Overall, V1 plays an important role in the visual abnormalities of Fmr1KO mice and it could be possible to rescue the sensory disturbances in developed FXS and autism patients.
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31
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Benkarim O, Paquola C, Park BY, Hong SJ, Royer J, Vos de Wael R, Lariviere S, Valk S, Bzdok D, Mottron L, C Bernhardt B. Connectivity alterations in autism reflect functional idiosyncrasy. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1078. [PMID: 34526654 PMCID: PMC8443598 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02572-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is commonly understood as an alteration of brain networks, yet case-control analyses against typically-developing controls (TD) have yielded inconsistent results. Here, we devised a novel approach to profile the inter-individual variability in functional network organization and tested whether such idiosyncrasy contributes to connectivity alterations in ASD. Studying a multi-centric dataset with 157 ASD and 172 TD, we obtained robust evidence for increased idiosyncrasy in ASD relative to TD in default mode, somatomotor and attention networks, but also reduced idiosyncrasy in lateral temporal cortices. Idiosyncrasy increased with age and significantly correlated with symptom severity in ASD. Furthermore, while patterns of functional idiosyncrasy were not correlated with ASD-related cortical thickness alterations, they co-localized with the expression patterns of ASD risk genes. Notably, we could demonstrate that patterns of atypical idiosyncrasy in ASD closely overlapped with connectivity alterations that are measurable with conventional case-control designs and may, thus, be a principal driver of inconsistency in the autism connectomics literature. These findings support important interactions between inter-individual heterogeneity in autism and functional signatures. Our findings provide novel biomarkers to study atypical brain development and may consolidate prior research findings on the variable nature of connectome level anomalies in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oualid Benkarim
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Casey Paquola
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Bo-Yong Park
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Seok-Jun Hong
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Jessica Royer
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Reinder Vos de Wael
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sara Lariviere
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sofie Valk
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- INM-7, FZ Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laurent Mottron
- Centre de recherche du CIUSSSNIM et Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Park BY, Hong SJ, Valk SL, Paquola C, Benkarim O, Bethlehem RAI, Di Martino A, Milham MP, Gozzi A, Yeo BTT, Smallwood J, Bernhardt BC. Differences in subcortico-cortical interactions identified from connectome and microcircuit models in autism. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2225. [PMID: 33850128 PMCID: PMC8044226 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21732-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiology of autism has been suggested to involve a combination of both macroscale connectome miswiring and microcircuit anomalies. Here, we combine connectome-wide manifold learning with biophysical simulation models to understand associations between global network perturbations and microcircuit dysfunctions in autism. We studied neuroimaging and phenotypic data in 47 individuals with autism and 37 typically developing controls obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange initiative. Our analysis establishes significant differences in structural connectome organization in individuals with autism relative to controls, with strong between-group effects in low-level somatosensory regions and moderate effects in high-level association cortices. Computational models reveal that the degree of macroscale anomalies is related to atypical increases of recurrent excitation/inhibition, as well as subcortical inputs into cortical microcircuits, especially in sensory and motor areas. Transcriptomic association analysis based on postmortem datasets identifies genes expressed in cortical and thalamic areas from childhood to young adulthood. Finally, supervised machine learning finds that the macroscale perturbations are associated with symptom severity scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Together, our analyses suggest that atypical subcortico-cortical interactions are associated with both microcircuit and macroscale connectome differences in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Yong Park
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Data Science, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea.
| | - Seok-Jun Hong
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York City, NY, USA
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Sofie L Valk
- Forschungszentrum, Julich, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Casey Paquola
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Oualid Benkarim
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard A I Bethlehem
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adriana Di Martino
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Alessandro Gozzi
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Centre for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @ UNITN, Rovereto, Italy
| | - B T Thomas Yeo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jonathan Smallwood
- Department of Psychology, York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Gharehgazlou A, Freitas C, Ameis SH, Taylor MJ, Lerch JP, Radua J, Anagnostou E. Cortical Gyrification Morphology in Individuals with ASD and ADHD across the Lifespan: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2653-2669. [PMID: 33386405 PMCID: PMC8023842 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that may impact brain maturation. A number of studies have examined cortical gyrification morphology in both NDDs. Here we review and when possible pool their results to better understand the shared and potentially disorder-specific gyrification features. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases, and 24 and 10 studies met the criteria to be included in the systematic review and meta-analysis portions, respectively. Meta-analysis of local Gyrification Index (lGI) findings across ASD studies was conducted with SDM software adapted for surface-based morphometry studies. Meta-regressions were used to explore effects of age, sex, and sample size on gyrification differences. There were no significant differences in gyrification across groups. Qualitative synthesis of remaining ASD studies highlighted heterogeneity in findings. Large-scale ADHD studies reported no differences in gyrification between cases and controls suggesting that, similar to ASD, there is currently no evidence of differences in gyrification morphology compared with controls. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to further clarify the effects of age, sex, and IQ on cortical gyrification in these NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avideh Gharehgazlou
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carina Freitas
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Neuroscience & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth, & Family Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuroscience & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Neuroscience & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Imaging Mood- and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Mental Health Research Networking Center (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain.,Centre for Psychiatric Research and Education, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuroscience & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Sakuta S, Hashimoto M, Ikeda M, Koyama A, Takasaki A, Hotta M, Fukuhara R, Ishikawa T, Yuki S, Miyagawa Y, Hidaka Y, Kaneda K, Takebayashi M. Clinical features of behavioral symptoms in patients with semantic dementia: Does semantic dementia cause autistic traits? PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247184. [PMID: 33600474 PMCID: PMC7891790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the behavioral characteristics of semantic dementia (SD) using an instrument originally developed for patients with autism spectrum disorder. Methods The behavioral symptoms of 20 patients with SD and 20 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in both the preclinical state and the dementia state were evaluated using the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale (PARS). Results The SD group showed high prevalence in four behaviors related to stereotypy and social impairment: eating very few food items, selfishness, difficulty in recognizing others’ feeling and thoughts, and interpreting language literally. Scores on the PARS short version, which is sensitive for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, were significantly higher in the dementia state than in the preclinical state in both the SD (11.5 ± 6.0 and 1.7 ± 2.5, respectively; t (19) = 6.7, p < 0.001) and AD (6.9 ± 4.6 and 1.7 ± 2.0, respectively; t (19) = 5.1, p < 0.001) groups. PARS short version scores after dementia onset increased in both the SD and AD groups, although the increase was significantly larger in the SD group (F = 5.6, p = 0.023). Additionally, a significantly higher rate of patients exceeded the cutoff score for autism diagnosis in the dementia state in the SD group (75%) than in the AD group (40%; χ2 = 5.0, p = 0.025). PARS scores in the dementia state were significantly correlated with illness duration (r = 0.46, p = 0.04) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores (r = −0.75, p < 0.001) in the SD group only. Conclusions Although SD and autism spectrum disorder are etiologically distinct diseases, patients with semantic dementia behave like those with autism spectrum disorder. Our findings suggest the symptomatic similarity of the two disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizuka Sakuta
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Mamoru Hashimoto
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Manabu Ikeda
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Asuka Koyama
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Akihiro Takasaki
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Maki Hotta
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, Osaka University United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryuji Fukuhara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Ishikawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Seiji Yuki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Miyagawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yosuke Hidaka
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | - Minoru Takebayashi
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Division of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Institute for Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Kure, Hiroshima, Japan
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35
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Kasherman MA, Currey L, Kurniawan ND, Zalucki O, Vega MS, Jolly LA, Burne THJ, Wood SA, Piper M. Abnormal Behavior and Cortical Connectivity Deficits in Mice Lacking Usp9x. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1763-1775. [PMID: 33188399 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic association studies have identified many factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the way these genes shape neuroanatomical structure and connectivity is poorly understood. Recent research has focused on proteins that act as points of convergence for multiple factors, as these may provide greater insight into understanding the biology of neurodevelopmental disorders. USP9X, a deubiquitylating enzyme that regulates the stability of many ASD-related proteins, is one such point of convergence. Loss of function variants in human USP9X lead to brain malformations, which manifest as a neurodevelopmental syndrome that frequently includes ASD, but the underlying structural and connectomic abnormalities giving rise to patient symptoms is unknown. Here, we analyzed forebrain-specific Usp9x knockout mice (Usp9x-/y) to address this knowledge gap. Usp9x-/y mice displayed abnormal communication and social interaction behaviors. Moreover, the absence of Usp9x culminated in reductions to the size of multiple brain regions. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging revealed deficits in all three major forebrain commissures, as well as long-range hypoconnectivity between cortical and subcortical regions. These data identify USP9X as a key regulator of brain formation and function, and provide insights into the neurodevelopmental syndrome arising as a consequence of USP9X mutations in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Kasherman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Laura Currey
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Nyoman D Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Oressia Zalucki
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | | | - Lachlan A Jolly
- University of Adelaide and Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Thomas H J Burne
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, Brisbane 4076, Australia
| | - Stephen A Wood
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Michael Piper
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
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36
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Busatto G, Rosa PG, Serpa MH, Squarzoni P, Duran FL. Psychiatric neuroimaging research in Brazil: historical overview, current challenges, and future opportunities. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PSIQUIATRIA (SAO PAULO, BRAZIL : 1999) 2021; 43:83-101. [PMID: 32520165 PMCID: PMC7861184 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2019-0757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The last four decades have witnessed tremendous growth in research studies applying neuroimaging methods to evaluate pathophysiological and treatment aspects of psychiatric disorders around the world. This article provides a brief history of psychiatric neuroimaging research in Brazil, including quantitative information about the growth of this field in the country over the past 20 years. Also described are the various methodologies used, the wealth of scientific questions investigated, and the strength of international collaborations established. Finally, examples of the many methodological advances that have emerged in the field of in vivo neuroimaging are provided, with discussion of the challenges faced by psychiatric research groups in Brazil, a country of limited resources, to continue incorporating such innovations to generate novel scientific data of local and global relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldo Busatto
- Laboratório de Neuroimagem em Psiquiatria (LIM 21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro G. Rosa
- Laboratório de Neuroimagem em Psiquiatria (LIM 21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Mauricio H. Serpa
- Laboratório de Neuroimagem em Psiquiatria (LIM 21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Paula Squarzoni
- Laboratório de Neuroimagem em Psiquiatria (LIM 21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fabio L. Duran
- Laboratório de Neuroimagem em Psiquiatria (LIM 21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Prillinger K, Radev ST, Amador de Lara G, Klöbl M, Lanzenberger R, Plener PL, Poustka L, Konicar L. Repeated Sessions of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Study Protocol for a Randomized, Double-Blind, and Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:680525. [PMID: 34526918 PMCID: PMC8435587 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.680525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Social-emotional difficulties are a core symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Accordingly, individuals with ASD have problems with social cognition such as recognizing emotions from other peoples' faces. Various results from functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography studies as well as eye-tracking data reveal a neurophysiological basis of these deficits by linking them to abnormal brain activity. Thus, an intervention targeting the neural origin of ASD impairments seems warranted. A safe method able to influence neural activity is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). This non-invasive brain stimulation method has already demonstrated promising results in several neuropsychiatric disorders in adults and children. The aim of this project is to investigate the effects of tDCS on ASD symptoms and their neural correlates in children and adolescents with ASD. Method: This study is designed as a double-blind, randomized, and sham-controlled trial with a target sample size of 20 male participants (aged 12-17 years) diagnosed with ASD. Before randomization, the participants will be stratified into comorbid depression, comorbid ADHS/conduct disorder, or no-comorbidity groups. The intervention phase comprises 10 sessions of anodal or sham tDCS applied over the left prefrontal cortex within 2 consecutive weeks. To engage the targeted brain regions, participants will perform a social cognition training during the stimulation. TDCS-induced effects on ASD symptoms and involved neural circuits will be investigated through psychological, neurophysiological, imaging, and behavioral data at pre- and post-measurements. Tolerability will be evaluated using a standardized questionnaire. Follow-up assessments 1 and 6 months after the intervention will examine long-lasting effects. Discussion: The results of this study will provide insights into the changeability of social impairments in ASD by investigating social and emotional abilities on different modalities following repeated sessions of anodal tDCS with an intra-simulation training. Furthermore, this trial will elucidate the tolerability and the potential of tDCS as a new treatment approach for ASD in adolescents. Clinical Trial Registration: The study is ongoing and has been registered in the German Registry of Clinical Trials (DRKS00017505) on 02/07/2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Prillinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan T Radev
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gabriel Amador de Lara
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul L Plener
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lilian Konicar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Tamouza R, Krishnamoorthy R, Leboyer M. Understanding the genetic contribution of the human leukocyte antigen system to common major psychiatric disorders in a world pandemic context. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 91:731-739. [PMID: 33031918 PMCID: PMC7534661 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a complex genetic system that encodes proteins which predominantly regulate immune/inflammatory processes. It can be involved in a variety of immuno-inflammatory disorders ranging from infections to autoimmunity and cancers. The HLA system is also suggested to be involved in neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity, especially through microglia regulation and synaptic pruning. Consequently, this highly polymorphic gene region has recently emerged as a major player in the etiology of several major psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder and with less evidence for major depressive disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We thus review here the role of HLA genes in particular subgroups of psychiatric disorders and foresee their potential implication in future research. In particular, given the prominent role that the HLA system plays in the regulation of viral infection, this review is particularly timely in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryad Tamouza
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, Laboratoire Neuro-Psychiatrie Translationnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France; AP-HP, Hopital Henri Mondor, Département Medico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie (DMU ADAPT), F-94010, France; Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.
| | | | - Marion Leboyer
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, Laboratoire Neuro-Psychiatrie Translationnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France,AP-HP, Hopital Henri Mondor, Département Medico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d’Addictologie (DMU ADAPT), F-94010, France,Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France
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39
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Cárdenas-de-la-Parra A, Lewis JD, Fonov VS, Botteron KN, McKinstry RC, Gerig G, Pruett JR, Dager SR, Elison JT, Styner MA, Evans AC, Piven J, Collins DL. A voxel-wise assessment of growth differences in infants developing autism spectrum disorder. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 29:102551. [PMID: 33421871 PMCID: PMC7806791 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric neuroimaging study of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Longitudinal Tensor Based Morphometry of the presymptomatic period of ASD. Differences in voxelwise growth trajectories of children with ASD. Regions with differences have been implicated in the core symptoms of ASD.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a phenotypically and etiologically heterogeneous developmental disorder typically diagnosed around 4 years of age. The development of biomarkers to help in earlier, presymptomatic diagnosis could facilitate earlier identification and therefore earlier intervention and may lead to better outcomes, as well as providing information to help better understand the underlying mechanisms of ASD. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of infants at high familial risk, from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS), at 6, 12 and 24 months of age were included in a morphological analysis, fitting a mixed-effects model to Tensor Based Morphometry (TBM) results to obtain voxel-wise growth trajectories. Subjects were grouped by familial risk and clinical diagnosis at 2 years of age. Several regions, including the posterior cingulate gyrus, the cingulum, the fusiform gyrus, and the precentral gyrus, showed a significant effect for the interaction of group and age associated with ASD, either as an increased or a decreased growth rate of the cerebrum. In general, our results showed increased growth rate within white matter with decreased growth rate found mostly in grey matter. Overall, the regions showing increased growth rate were larger and more numerous than those with decreased growth rate. These results detail, at the voxel level, differences in brain growth trajectories in ASD during the first years of life, previously reported in terms of overall brain volume and surface area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - V S Fonov
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - K N Botteron
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - R C McKinstry
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - G Gerig
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - J R Pruett
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - S R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - J T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - M A Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - A C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - J Piven
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - D L Collins
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0G4, Canada
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40
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An fMRI Feature Selection Method Based on a Minimum Spanning Tree for Identifying Patients with Autism. Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12121995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder originating in infancy and childhood that may cause language barriers and social difficulties. However, in the diagnosis of ASD, the current machine learning methods still face many challenges in determining the location of biomarkers. Here, we proposed a novel feature selection method based on the minimum spanning tree (MST) to seek neuromarkers for ASD. First, we constructed an undirected graph with nodes of candidate features. At the same time, a weight calculation method considering both feature redundancy and discriminant ability was introduced. Second, we utilized the Prim algorithm to construct the MST from the initial graph structure. Third, the sum of the edge weights of all connected nodes was sorted for each node in the MST. Then, N features corresponding to the nodes with the first N smallest sum were selected as classification features. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was used to evaluate the discriminant performance of the aforementioned feature selection method. Comparative experiments results show that our proposed method has improved the ASD classification performance, i.e., the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 86.7%, 87.5%, and 85.7%, respectively.
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41
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Nani A, Manuello J, Mancuso L, Liloia D, Costa T, Vercelli A, Duca S, Cauda F. The pathoconnectivity network analysis of the insular cortex: A morphometric fingerprinting. Neuroimage 2020; 225:117481. [PMID: 33122115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain disorders tend to impact on many different regions in a typical way: alterations do not spread randomly; rather, they seem to follow specific patterns of propagation that show a strong overlap between different pathologies. The insular cortex is one of the brain areas more involved in this phenomenon, as it seems to be altered by a wide range of brain diseases. On these grounds we thoroughly investigated the impact of brain disorders on the insular cortices analyzing the patterns of their structural co-alteration. We therefore investigated, applying a network analysis approach to meta-analytic data, 1) what pattern of gray matter alteration is associated with each of the insular cortex parcels; 2) whether or not this pattern correlates and overlaps with its functional meta-analytic connectivity; and, 3) the behavioral profile related to each insular co-alteration pattern. All the analyses were repeated considering two solutions: one with two clusters and another with three. Our study confirmed that the insular cortex is one of the most altered cerebral regions among the cortical areas, and exhibits a dense network of co-alteration including a prevalence of cortical rather than sub-cortical brain regions. Regions of the frontal lobe are the most involved, while occipital lobe is the less affected. Furthermore, the co-alteration and co-activation patterns greatly overlap each other. These findings provide significant evidence that alterations caused by brain disorders are likely to be distributed according to the logic of network architecture, in which brain hubs lie at the center of networks composed of co-altered areas. For the first time, we shed light on existing differences between insula sub-regions even in the pathoconnectivity domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Nani
- GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy
| | - Jordi Manuello
- GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mancuso
- FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy
| | - Donato Liloia
- GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy
| | - Tommaso Costa
- GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Vercelli
- Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Sergio Duca
- GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy
| | - Franco Cauda
- GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi, 10, Turin 10124, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Mihailov A, Philippe C, Gloaguen A, Grigis A, Laidi C, Piguet C, Houenou J, Frouin V. Cortical signatures in behaviorally clustered autistic traits subgroups: a population-based study. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:207. [PMID: 32594096 PMCID: PMC7320967 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00894-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive heterogeneity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has hindered the characterization of consistent biomarkers, which has led to widespread negative results. Isolating homogenized subtypes could provide insight into underlying biological mechanisms and an overall better understanding of ASD. A total of 1093 participants from the population-based "Healthy Brain Network" cohort (Child Mind Institute in the New York City area, USA) were selected based on score availability in behaviors relevant to ASD, aged 6-18 and IQ >= 70. All participants underwent an unsupervised clustering analysis on behavioral dimensions to reveal subgroups with ASD traits, identified by the presence of social deficits. Analysis revealed three socially impaired ASD traits subgroups: (1) high in emotionally dysfunctional traits, (2) high in ADHD-like traits, and (3) high in anxiety and depressive symptoms. 527 subjects had good quality structural MRI T1 data. Site effects on cortical features were adjusted using the ComBat method. Neuroimaging analyses compared cortical thickness, gyrification, and surface area, and were controlled for age, gender, and IQ, and corrected for multiple comparisons. Structural neuroimaging analyses contrasting one combined heterogeneous ASD traits group against controls did not yield any significant differences. Unique cortical signatures, however, were observed within each of the three individual ASD traits subgroups versus controls. These observations provide evidence of ASD traits subtypes, and confirm the necessity of applying dimensional approaches to extract meaningful differences, thus reducing heterogeneity and paving the way to better understanding ASD traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeline Mihailov
- Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191, France.
| | - Cathy Philippe
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France
| | - Arnaud Gloaguen
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France ,CNRS-Centrale Supélec, 3 rue Joliot-Curie, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Antoine Grigis
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France
| | - Charles Laidi
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France ,APHP, Mondor Univ. Hospitals, DMU IMPACT, INSERM, U955, Translational Neuropsychiatry Team, University of Paris-Est Créteil, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Camille Piguet
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France ,grid.8591.50000 0001 2322 4988Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Josselin Houenou
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France ,APHP, Mondor Univ. Hospitals, DMU IMPACT, INSERM, U955, Translational Neuropsychiatry Team, University of Paris-Est Créteil, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Vincent Frouin
- grid.460789.40000 0004 4910 6535Neurospin, Institut Joliot, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91191 France
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Abstract
Since the initial psychological report by Leo Kanner in 1943, relatively little formal biochemical/neurological research on the cause of autism, other than peripheral searches for genomic mutations, had been carried until the end of the 20th century. As a result of studies on twin sets and the conclusion that autism was largely a hereditary defect, numerous investigations have sought various genetic faults in particular. However, such studies were able to reveal a plausible etiology for this malady in only a small percentage of instances. Key bio-molecular characteristics of this syndrome have been uncovered when the potential roles of the glia were studied in depth. Findings related to biochemical deficiencies appearing early in the newborn, such as depressed IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor #1) in neurogenesis/myelination, are becoming emphasized in many laboratories. Progress leading to timely diagnoses and subsequent prevention of central nervous system dysconnectivity now seems plausible. The tendency for an infant to develop autism may currently be determinable and preventable before irreversible psychosocial disturbances become established. These discussions about glial function will be inter-spersed with comments about their apparent relevance to autism. The concluding portion of this presentation will be a detailed review and summation of this diagnosis and prevention proposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Steinman
- Visiting Researcher, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah Hospital-Hebrew University, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Fu L, Wang Y, Fang H, Xiao X, Xiao T, Li Y, Li C, Wu Q, Chu K, Xiao C, Ke X. Longitudinal Study of Brain Asymmetries in Autism and Developmental Delays Aged 2–5 Years. Neuroscience 2020; 432:137-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Lukito S, Norman L, Carlisi C, Radua J, Hart H, Simonoff E, Rubia K. Comparative meta-analyses of brain structural and functional abnormalities during cognitive control in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Psychol Med 2020; 50:894-919. [PMID: 32216846 PMCID: PMC7212063 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720000574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have abnormalities in frontal, temporal, parietal and striato-thalamic networks. It is unclear to what extent these abnormalities are distinctive or shared. This comparative meta-analysis aimed to identify the most consistent disorder-differentiating and shared structural and functional abnormalities. METHODS Systematic literature search was conducted for whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of cognitive control comparing people with ASD or ADHD with typically developing controls. Regional gray matter volume (GMV) and fMRI abnormalities during cognitive control were compared in the overall sample and in age-, sex- and IQ-matched subgroups with seed-based d mapping meta-analytic methods. RESULTS Eighty-six independent VBM (1533 ADHD and 1295 controls; 1445 ASD and 1477 controls) and 60 fMRI datasets (1001 ADHD and 1004 controls; 335 ASD and 353 controls) were identified. The VBM meta-analyses revealed ADHD-differentiating decreased ventromedial orbitofrontal (z = 2.22, p < 0.0001) but ASD-differentiating increased bilateral temporal and right dorsolateral prefrontal GMV (zs ⩾ 1.64, ps ⩽ 0.002). The fMRI meta-analyses of cognitive control revealed ASD-differentiating medial prefrontal underactivation but overactivation in bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortices and precuneus (zs ⩾ 1.04, ps ⩽ 0.003). During motor response inhibition specifically, ADHD relative to ASD showed right inferior fronto-striatal underactivation (zs ⩾ 1.14, ps ⩽ 0.003) but shared right anterior insula underactivation. CONCLUSIONS People with ADHD and ASD have mostly distinct structural abnormalities, with enlarged fronto-temporal GMV in ASD and reduced orbitofrontal GMV in ADHD; and mostly distinct functional abnormalities, which were more pronounced in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Lukito
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Luke Norman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- The Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christina Carlisi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Imaging of Mood- and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heledd Hart
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emily Simonoff
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Katya Rubia
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Nair A, Jolliffe M, Lograsso YSS, Bearden CE. A Review of Default Mode Network Connectivity and Its Association With Social Cognition in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Early-Onset Psychosis. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:614. [PMID: 32670121 PMCID: PMC7330632 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated substantial phenotypic overlap, notably social impairment, between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of social impairments across these distinct neuropsychiatric disorders has not yet been fully examined. Most neuroimaging studies to date have focused on adults with these disorders, with little known about the neural underpinnings of social impairments in younger populations. Here, we present a narrative review of the literature available through April 2020 on imaging studies of adolescents with either ASD or early-onset psychosis (EOP), to better understand the shared and unique neural mechanisms of social difficulties across diagnosis from a developmental framework. We specifically focus on functional connectivity studies of the default mode network (DMN), as the most extensively studied brain network relevant to social cognition across both groups. Our review included 29 studies of DMN connectivity in adolescents with ASD (Mean age range = 11.2-21.6 years), and 14 studies in adolescents with EOP (Mean age range = 14.2-24.3 years). Of these, 15 of 29 studies in ASD adolescents found predominant underconnectivity when examining DMN connectivity. In contrast, findings were mixed in adolescents with EOP, with five of 14 studies reporting DMN underconnectivity, and an additional six of 14 studies reporting both under- and over-connectivity of the DMN. Specifically, intra-DMN networks were more frequently underconnected in ASD, but overconnected in EOP. On the other hand, inter-DMN connectivity patterns were mixed (both under- and over-connected) for each group, especially DMN connectivity with frontal, sensorimotor, and temporoparietal regions in ASD, and with frontal, temporal, subcortical, and cerebellar regions in EOP. Finally, disrupted DMN connectivity appeared to be associated with social impairments in both groups, less so with other features distinct to each condition, such as repetitive behaviors/restricted interests in ASD and hallucinations/delusions in EOP. Further studies on demographically well-matched groups of adolescents with each of these conditions are needed to systematically explore additional contributing factors in DMN connectivity patterns such as clinical heterogeneity, pubertal development, and medication effects that would better inform treatment targets and facilitate prediction of outcomes in the context of these developmental neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Nair
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, California
| | - Morgan Jolliffe
- Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Yong Seuk S Lograsso
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, California.,Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Leppanen J, Cardi V, Sedgewick F, Treasure J, Tchanturia K. Basal ganglia volume and shape in anorexia nervosa. Appetite 2020; 144:104480. [PMID: 31586464 PMCID: PMC6891247 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Reward-centred models have proposed that anomalies in the basal ganglia circuitry that underlies reward learning and habit formation perpetuate anorexia nervosa (AN). The present study aimed to investigate the volume and shape of key basal ganglia regions, including the bilateral caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and globus pallidus in AN. Methods The present study combined data from two existing studies resulting in a sample size of 46 women with AN and 56 age-matched healthy comparison (HC) women. Group differences in volume and shape of the regions of interest were examined. Within the AN group, the impact of eating disorder characteristics on volume and shape of the basal ganglia regions were also explored. Results The shape analyses revealed inward deformations in the left caudate, right NAcc, and bilateral ventral and internus globus pallidus, and outward deformations in the right middle and posterior globus pallidus in the AN group. Conclusions The present findings appear to fit with the theoretical models suggesting that there are alterations in the basal ganglia regions associated with habit formation and reward processing in AN. Further investigation of structural and functional connectivity of these regions in AN as well as their role in recovery would be of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Leppanen
- Kings' College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Psychological Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Valentina Cardi
- Kings' College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Psychological Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Felicity Sedgewick
- University of Bristol, 35 Berkeley Square, Clifton, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Janet Treasure
- Kings' College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Psychological Medicine, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Tchanturia
- Kings' College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Psychological Medicine, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Illia State University, Department of Psychology, Tbilisi, Georgia
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Mottron L. Autism spectrum disorder. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 174:127-136. [PMID: 32977873 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64148-9.00010-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a frequent, precocious behavioral constellation of social and communicative atypicalities associated with apparently restricted interests and repetitive behavior and paired with an uneven ability profile. Its definition has constantly broadened in the past 75 years, introducing phenotypes increasingly distant from its initial description, heterogeneous in intelligence and speech level, and associated conditions. When it is unassociated with other conditions, its origin is mostly genetic, transmissible, and favored by frequent polymorphisms with small effects present in the general population. Identified de novo rare mutations with large deleterious effects produce phenotypes only loosely related to nonsyndromic autism. Autism is associated with brain reorganization at multiple levels, and with a variant of typical information processing, i.e., the way humans perceive, memorize, manipulate, and attribute emotional value to available information. Its phenotype evolves over the span of life, with an overall reduction of autistic signs, but it still requires some level of support. There is no treatment for this condition; however, it is compatible with high levels of integration into society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Mottron
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Farooq H, Chen Y, Georgiou TT, Tannenbaum A, Lenglet C. Network curvature as a hallmark of brain structural connectivity. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4937. [PMID: 31666510 PMCID: PMC6821808 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12915-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although brain functionality is often remarkably robust to lesions and other insults, it may be fragile when these take place in specific locations. Previous attempts to quantify robustness and fragility sought to understand how the functional connectivity of brain networks is affected by structural changes, using either model-based predictions or empirical studies of the effects of lesions. We advance a geometric viewpoint relying on a notion of network curvature, the so-called Ollivier-Ricci curvature. This approach has been proposed to assess financial market robustness and to differentiate biological networks of cancer cells from healthy ones. Here, we apply curvature-based measures to brain structural networks to identify robust and fragile brain regions in healthy subjects. We show that curvature can also be used to track changes in brain connectivity related to age and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and we obtain results that are in agreement with previous MRI studies. The brain can often continue to function despite lesions in many areas, but damage to particular locations may have serious effects. Here, the authors use the concept of Ollivier-Ricci curvature to investigate the robustness of brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Farooq
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Yongxin Chen
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tryphon T Georgiou
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Allen Tannenbaum
- Departments of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics & Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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The atypical social brain network in autism: advances in structural and functional MRI studies. Curr Opin Neurol 2019; 32:617-621. [DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000000713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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