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He J, Antonyan L, Zhu H, Ardila K, Li Q, Enoma D, Zhang W, Liu A, Chekouo T, Cao B, MacDonald ME, Arnold PD, Long Q. A statistical method for image-mediated association studies discovers genes and pathways associated with four brain disorders. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:48-69. [PMID: 38118447 PMCID: PMC10806749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain imaging and genomics are critical tools enabling characterization of the genetic basis of brain disorders. However, imaging large cohorts is expensive and may be unavailable for legacy datasets used for genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Using an integrated feature selection/aggregation model, we developed an image-mediated association study (IMAS), which utilizes borrowed imaging/genomics data to conduct association mapping in legacy GWAS cohorts. By leveraging the UK Biobank image-derived phenotypes (IDPs), the IMAS discovered genetic bases underlying four neuropsychiatric disorders and verified them by analyzing annotations, pathways, and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). A cerebellar-mediated mechanism was identified to be common to the four disorders. Simulations show that, if the goal is identifying genetic risk, our IMAS is more powerful than a hypothetical protocol in which the imaging results were available in the GWAS dataset. This implies the feasibility of reanalyzing legacy GWAS datasets without conducting additional imaging, yielding cost savings for integrated analysis of genetics and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingni He
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Lilit Antonyan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Harold Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Karen Ardila
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David Enoma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Andy Liu
- Sir Winston Churchill High School, Calgary, AB, Canada; College of Letters and Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thierry Chekouo
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Bo Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - M Ethan MacDonald
- The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Paul D Arnold
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Quan Long
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Abstract
Background Emotion regulation is one of the key factors that influence mental health outcomes in autistic and nonautistic populations. Recent research has also identified self-compassion as a negative correlate of depression and positive correlate of psychological well-being in autistic adults. Empirical evidence from the general population supports the notion that being kind and compassionate toward oneself during stressful and difficult moments can help with one's ability to regulate negative emotions, which then has flow-on effects on mental health outcomes. However, the inter-relationship between self-compassion, emotion regulation, and mental health has not been examined in autistic samples. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if emotion regulation mediates the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety or depression in a sample of autistic adults. Methods Participants were 153 adults (meanage = 35.70, standard deviationage = 12.62) who had either self-reported a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or self-identified as autistic. They completed an online survey capturing self-compassion, emotion regulation, anxiety, and depression. We hypothesized that emotion regulation would mediate the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety or depression, and self-compassion would not mediate the relationship between emotion regulation and anxiety or depression. Results As predicted, only emotion regulation mediated the relationship between self-compassion and mental health outcomes. Self-compassion did not mediate the relationship between emotion regulation and mental health outcomes. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence for the role that self-compassion plays in improving emotion regulation and mental health in autistic adults. If this mechanism of emotion regulation mediating the relationship between self-compassion and mental health is consistently found in future studies, then it would be helpful for future research to examine the clinical benefits of including a self-compassion component in emotion regulation interventions to improve mental health outcomes of autistic adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Ying Cai
- Aspect Research Centre for Autism Practice, Autism Spectrum Australia, Frenchs Forest, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Abigail Love
- Aspect Research Centre for Autism Practice, Autism Spectrum Australia, Frenchs Forest, Australia
| | - Ainslie Robinson
- Aspect Research Centre for Autism Practice, Autism Spectrum Australia, Frenchs Forest, Australia
| | - Vicki Gibbs
- Aspect Research Centre for Autism Practice, Autism Spectrum Australia, Frenchs Forest, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
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Li M, Wang Y, Tachibana M, Rahman S, Kagitani-Shimono K. Atypical structural connectivity of language networks in autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Autism Res 2022; 15:1585-1602. [PMID: 35962721 PMCID: PMC9546367 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show pervasive and complex language impairments that are closely associated with aberrant structural connectivity of language networks. However, the characteristics of white matter connectivity in ASD have remained inconclusive in previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies. The current meta‐analysis aimed to comprehensively elucidate the abnormality in language‐related white matter connectivity in individuals with ASD. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline databases to identify relevant studies. The standardized mean difference was calculated to measure the pooled difference in DTI metrics in each tract between the ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. The moderating effects of age, sex, language ability, and symptom severity were investigated using subgroup and meta‐regression analysis. Thirty‐three DTI studies involving 831 individuals with ASD and 836 TD controls were included in the meta‐analysis. ASD subjects showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy or higher mean diffusivity across language‐associated tracts than TD controls. These abnormalities tended to be more prominent in the left language networks than in the right. In addition, children with ASD exhibit more pronounced and pervasive disturbances in white matter connectivity than adults. These results support the under‐connectivity hypothesis and demonstrate the widespread abnormal microstructure of language‐related tracts in patients with ASD. Otherwise, white matter abnormalities in the autistic brain could vary depending on the developmental stage and hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yide Wang
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Tachibana
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shafiur Rahman
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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Lautarescu A, Bonthrone AF, Pietsch M, Batalle D, Cordero-Grande L, Tournier JD, Christiaens D, Hajnal JV, Chew A, Falconer S, Nosarti C, Victor S, Craig MC, Edwards AD, Counsell SJ. Maternal depressive symptoms, neonatal white matter, and toddler social-emotional development. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:323. [PMID: 35945202 PMCID: PMC9363426 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02073-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal prenatal depression is associated with increased likelihood of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions in offspring. The relationship between maternal depression and offspring outcome may be mediated by in-utero changes in brain development. Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have enabled in vivo investigations of neonatal brains, minimising the effect of postnatal influences. The aim of this study was to examine associations between maternal prenatal depressive symptoms, infant white matter, and toddler behaviour. 413 mother-infant dyads enrolled in the developing Human Connectome Project. Mothers completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (median = 5, range = 0-28, n = 52 scores ≥ 11). Infants (n = 223 male) (median gestational age at birth = 40 weeks, range 32.14-42.29) underwent MRI (median postmenstrual age at scan = 41.29 weeks, range 36.57-44.71). Fixel-based fibre metrics (mean fibre density, fibre cross-section, and fibre density modulated by cross-section) were calculated from diffusion imaging data in the left and right uncinate fasciculi and cingulum bundle. For n = 311, internalising and externalising behaviour, and social-emotional abilities were reported at a median corrected age of 18 months (range 17-24). Statistical analysis used multiple linear regression and mediation analysis with bootstrapping. Maternal depressive symptoms were positively associated with infant fibre density in the left (B = 0.0005, p = 0.003, q = 0.027) and right (B = 0.0006, p = 0.003, q = 0.027) uncinate fasciculus, with left uncinate fasciculus fibre density, in turn, positively associated with social-emotional abilities in toddlerhood (B = 105.70, p = 0.0007, q = 0.004). In a mediation analysis, higher maternal depressive symptoms predicted toddler social-emotional difficulties (B = 0.342, t(307) = 3.003, p = 0.003), but this relationship was not mediated by fibre density in the left uncinate fasciculus (Sobel test p = 0.143, bootstrapped indirect effect = 0.035, SE = 0.02, 95% CI: [-0.01, 0.08]). There was no evidence of an association between maternal depressive and cingulum fibre properties. These findings suggest that maternal perinatal depressive symptoms are associated with neonatal uncinate fasciculi microstructure, but not fibre bundle size, and toddler behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lautarescu
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Alexandra F Bonthrone
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Maximilian Pietsch
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dafnis Batalle
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lucilio Cordero-Grande
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - J-Donald Tournier
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Daan Christiaens
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joseph V Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Andrew Chew
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Shona Falconer
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Suresh Victor
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Neonatal Unit, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Michael C Craig
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Female Hormone Clinic, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - A David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Neonatal Unit, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- EPSRC/Wellcome Centre for Medical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
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5
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Tanguy D, Batrancourt B, Estudillo-Romero A, Baxter JSH, Le Ber I, Bouzigues A, Godefroy V, Funkiewiez A, Chamayou C, Volle E, Saracino D, Rametti-Lacroux A, Morandi X, Jannin P, Levy R, Migliaccio R. An ecological approach to identify distinct neural correlates of disinhibition in frontotemporal dementia. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 35:103079. [PMID: 35700600 PMCID: PMC9194654 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Disinhibition is a core symptom of many neurodegenerative diseases, particularly frontotemporal dementia, and is a major cause of stress for caregivers. While a distinction between behavioural and cognitive disinhibition is common, an operational definition of behavioural disinhibition is still missing. Furthermore, conventional assessment of behavioural disinhibition, based on questionnaires completed by the caregivers, often lacks ecological validity. Therefore, their neuroanatomical correlates are non-univocal. In the present work, we used an original behavioural approach in a semi-ecological situation to assess two specific dimensions of behavioural disinhibition: compulsivity and social disinhibition. First, we investigated disinhibition profile in patients compared to controls. Then, to validate our approach, compulsivity and social disinhibition scores were correlated with classic cognitive tests measuring disinhibition (Hayling Test) and social cognition (mini-Social cognition & Emotional Assessment). Finally, we disentangled the anatomical networks underlying these two subtypes of behavioural disinhibition, taking in account the grey (voxel-based morphometry) and white matter (diffusion tensor imaging tractography). We included 17 behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia patients and 18 healthy controls. We identified patients as more compulsive and socially disinhibited than controls. We found that behavioural metrics in the semi-ecological task were related to cognitive performance: compulsivity correlated with the Hayling test and both compulsivity and social disinhibition were associated with the emotion recognition test. Based on voxel-based morphometry and tractography, compulsivity correlated with atrophy in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex, the right temporal region and subcortical structures, as well as with alterations of the bilateral cingulum and uncinate fasciculus, the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus and the right arcuate fasciculus. Thus, the network of regions related to compulsivity matched the "semantic appraisal" network. Social disinhibition was associated with bilateral frontal atrophy and impairments in the forceps minor, the bilateral cingulum and the left uncinate fasciculus, regions corresponding to the frontal component of the "salience" network. Summarizing, this study validates our semi-ecological approach, through the identification of two subtypes of behavioural disinhibition, and highlights different neural networks underlying compulsivity and social disinhibition. Taken together, these findings are promising for clinical practice by providing a better characterisation of inhibition disorders, promoting their detection and consequently a more adapted management of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Tanguy
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Bénédicte Batrancourt
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | - John S H Baxter
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Isabelle Le Ber
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, IM2A, Paris, France
| | - Arabella Bouzigues
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Godefroy
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Funkiewiez
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, IM2A, Paris, France
| | - Céline Chamayou
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, IM2A, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Dario Saracino
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, IM2A, Paris, France
| | - Armelle Rametti-Lacroux
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Xavier Morandi
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Pierre Jannin
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Richard Levy
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, IM2A, Paris, France
| | - Raffaella Migliaccio
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, IM2A, Paris, France.
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Olivé G, Slušná D, Vaquero L, Muchart-López J, Rodríguez-Fornells A, Hinzen W. Structural connectivity in ventral language pathways characterizes non-verbal autism. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:1817-1829. [PMID: 35286477 PMCID: PMC9098538 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02474-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Language capacities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) range from normal scores on standardized language tests to absence of functional language in a substantial minority of 30% of individuals with ASD. Due to practical difficulties of scanning at this severe end of the spectrum, insights from MRI are scarce. Here we used manual deterministic tractography to investigate, for the first time, the integrity of the core white matter tracts defining the language connectivity network in non-verbal ASD (nvASD): the three segments of the arcuate (AF), the inferior fronto-occipital (IFOF), the inferior longitudinal (ILF) and the uncinate (UF) fasciculi, and the frontal aslant tract (FAT). A multiple case series of nine individuals with nvASD were compared to matched individuals with verbal ASD (vASD) and typical development (TD). Bonferroni-corrected repeated measure ANOVAs were performed separately for each tract-Hemisphere (2:Left/Right) × Group (3:TD/vASD/nvASD). Main results revealed (i) a main effect of group consisting in a reduction in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the IFOF in nvASD relative to TD; (ii) a main effect of group revealing lower values of radial diffusivity (RD) in the long segment of the AF in nvASD compared to vASD group; and (iii) a reduced volume in the left hemisphere of the UF when compared to the right, in the vASD group only. These results do not replicate volumetric differences of the dorsal language route previously observed in nvASD, and instead point to a disruption of the ventral language pathway, in line with semantic deficits observed behaviourally in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Olivé
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dominika Slušná
- Department of Translation and Language Sciences, Campus Poblenou, Pompeu Fabra University, 08018, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Vaquero
- Legal Medicine, Psychiatry, and Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, ICREA, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wolfram Hinzen
- Department of Translation and Language Sciences, Campus Poblenou, Pompeu Fabra University, 08018, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, ICREA, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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7
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Toller G, Mandelli ML, Cobigo Y, Rosen HJ, Kramer JH, Miller BL, Gorno-Tempini ML, Rankin KP. Right uncinate fasciculus supports socioemotional sensitivity in health and neurodegenerative disease. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 34:102994. [PMID: 35487131 PMCID: PMC9125782 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.102994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The uncinate fasciculus (UF) connects fronto-insular and temporal gray matter regions involved in visceral emotional reactivity and semantic appraisal, but the precise role of this tract in socioemotional functioning is not well-understood. Using the Revised-Self Monitoring (RSMS) informant questionnaire, we examined whether fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right UF corresponded to socioemotional sensitivity during face-to-face interactions in 145 individuals (40 healthy older adults [NC], and 105 patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration [FTLD] syndromes in whom this tract is selectively vulnerable, including 31 behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia [bvFTD], 39 semantic variant primary progressive aphasia [svPPA], and 35 nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia [nfvPPA]). Voxelwise and region-of-interest-based DWI analyses revealed that FA in the right but not left UF significantly predicted RSMS score in the full sample, and in NC and svPPA subgroups alone. Right UF integrity did not predict RSMS score in the bvFTD group, but gray matter volume in the right orbitofrontal cortex adjacent to the UF was a significant predictor. Our results suggest that better socioemotional sensitivity is specifically supported by right UF white matter, highlighting a key neuro-affective relationship found in both healthy aging and neurologically affected individuals. The finding that poorer socioemotional sensitivity corresponded to right UF damage in svPPA but was more robustly influenced by gray matter atrophy adjacent to the UF in bvFTD may have important implications for endpoint selection in clinical trial design for patients with FTLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianina Toller
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
| | - Maria Luisa Mandelli
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
| | - Yann Cobigo
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
| | - Howard J Rosen
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
| | - Joel H Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
| | | | - Katherine P Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
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8
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Fu L, Li C, Li Y, Cheng X, Cui X, Jiang J, Ding N, Fang H, Tang T, Ke X. Heritability of abnormalities in limbic networks of autism spectrum disorder children: Evidence from an autism spectrum disorder twin study. Autism Res 2022; 15:628-640. [PMID: 35212461 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Although the limbic system is closely related to emotion and social behaviors, little is known about the integrity of limbic pathways and how genetics influence the anatomical abnormalities of limbic networks in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, we used an ASD twin study design to evaluate the microstructural integrity and autism-related differences in limbic pathways of young children with ASD and to estimate the heritability of limbic tracts microstructure variance. We obtained diffusion tensor imaging scans from 33 pairs of twins with ASD aged 2-9 years and 20 age-matched typically developing children. The ACE model was used to estimate the relative effects of additive genetic factors (A), shared environmental factors (C) and specific environmental factors (E) on the variability of diffusivity measurements. We found a significant decrease in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral fornix and uncinate fasciculus (UF), as well as increased mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) in the bilateral fornix and right UF of ASD children. Correlation analysis showed that FA, MD, and lateralization indices of UF were correlated with autism diagnostic observation schedule scores. The ACE model revealed that genetic effects may drive some of the variability of microstructure in the bilateral fornix, cingulum, and left UF. In conclusion, in children with ASD, there are abnormalities in the white matter microstructure of the limbic system, which is related to the core symptoms; these abnormalities may be related to the relative contribution of genetic and environmental effects on specific tracts. LAY SUMMARY: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children have abnormal white matter structure in limbic system related to ASD symptoms, and genetic factors play an important role in the development of limbic tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyan Fu
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong General Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Li
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiwen Cui
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiying Jiang
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ning Ding
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Fang
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianyu Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Ke
- Children's Mental Health Research Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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9
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Tsai CJ, Lin HY, Tseng IWY, Gau SSF. White matter microstructural integrity correlates of emotion dysregulation in children with ADHD: A diffusion imaging tractography study. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 110:110325. [PMID: 33857524 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotion dysregulation (ED) is prevalent in youths with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and causes more social impairment and poor adaptive function. Alterations in the integrity of white matter (WM) tracts might have important implications for affective processing related to ED. However, little is known about the WM correlates underpinning ED in ADHD. METHODS Using diffusion spectrum image tractography, we obtained generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) values of 76 WM tracts in 77 children with ADHD and 105 typically developing controls (TDC). ED severity was defined by the dysregulation profile from the child behavior checklist. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was performed to identify modes that relate WM microstructural property to ED severity and cognitive measures. RESULTS The application of CCA identified one significant mode (r = 0.638, FWE-corrected p = 0.046) of interdependencies between WM property patterns and diagnosis, ADHD total symptom levels, dysregulation by diagnosis interaction, and full-scale intellectual quotient (FIQ). GFA values of 19 WM tracts that were linked to affective-processing, sensory-processing and integration, and cognitive control circuitry were positively correlated with ED severity in TDC but negatively correlated with ED severity in ADHD. ADHD symptom severity and diagnosis were negatively associated with the GFA patterns of this set of tract bundles. In contrast, FIQ was positively correlated with this set of tract bundles. CONCLUSIONS This study used the CCA to show that children with ADHD and TDC had distinct multivariate associations between ED severity (diagnosis by ED interaction) and microstructural property in a set of WM tracts. These tracts interconnect the cortical regions that are principally involved in emotion processing, integration, and cognitive control in multiple brain systems. The WM microstructure integrity impairment might be an essential correlate of emotion dysregulation in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Jui Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Yuan Lin
- Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Isaac Wen-Yih Tseng
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences and Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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10
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Yoshikawa H, Kitamura S, Matsuoka K, Takahashi M, Ishida R, Kishimoto N, Yasuno F, Yasuda Y, Hashimoto R, Miyasaka T, Kichikawa K, Kishimoto T, Makinodan M. Adverse Childhood Experience Is Associated With Disrupted White Matter Integrity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:823260. [PMID: 35046859 PMCID: PMC8761790 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.823260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an increased risk of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than typically developed (TD) children. Since multiple lines of studies have suggested that ACEs are related to myelination in the frontal lobe, an exposure to ACEs can be associated with white matter microstructural disruption in the frontal lobe, which may be implicated in subsequential psychological deficits after the adulthood. In this study, we investigated the relationship between ACEs and microstructural integrity on frontal lobe-related white matter tracts using diffusion tensor imaging in 63 individuals with ASD and 38 TD participants. Using a tractography-based analysis, we delineated the uncinate fasciculus (UF), dorsal cingulum (Ci), and anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), which are involved in the neural pathology of ASD, and estimated each diffusion parameter. Compared to the TD participants, individuals with ASD displayed significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher radial diffusivity (RD) in the left ATR. Then, ASD individuals exposed to severe ACEs displayed higher RD than those exposed to mild ACEs and TD participants in the left ATR. Moreover, the severity of ACEs, particularly neglect, correlated with lower FA and higher RD in the left UF and ATR in individuals with ASD, which was not observed in TD participants. These results suggest that an exposure to ACEs is associated with abnormality in the frontal lobe-related white matter in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Yoshikawa
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Soichiro Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan.,Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kiwamu Matsuoka
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan.,Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masato Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Rio Ishida
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Naoko Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Yasuno
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Yuka Yasuda
- Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.,Medical Cooperation Foster, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryota Hashimoto
- Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Toshifumi Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
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11
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Liu X, Bautista J, Liu E, Zikopoulos B. Imbalance of laminar-specific excitatory and inhibitory circuits of the orbitofrontal cortex in autism. Mol Autism 2020; 11:83. [PMID: 33081829 PMCID: PMC7574354 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00390-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is involved in assessing the emotional significance of events and stimuli, emotion-based learning, allocation of attentional resources, and social cognition. Little is known about the structure, connectivity and excitatory/inhibitory circuit interactions underlying these diverse functions in human OFC, as well as how the circuit is disrupted in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS We used post-mortem brain tissue from neurotypical adults and individuals with ASD. We examined the morphology and distribution of myelinated axons across cortical layers in OFC, at the single axon level, as a proxy of excitatory pathways. In the same regions, we also examined the laminar distribution of all neurons and neurochemically- and functionally-distinct inhibitory neurons that express the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin (PV), calbindin (CB), and calretinin (CR). RESULTS We found that the density of myelinated axons increased consistently towards layer 6, while the average axon diameter did not change significantly across layers in both groups. However, both the density and diameter of myelinated axons were significantly lower in the ASD group compared with the Control group. The distribution pattern and density of the three major types of inhibitory neurons was comparable between groups, but there was a significant reduction in the density of excitatory neurons across OFC layers in ASD. LIMITATIONS This study is limited by the availability of human post-mortem tissue optimally processed for high-resolution microscopy and immunolabeling, especially from individuals with ASD. CONCLUSIONS The balance between excitation and inhibition in OFC is at the core of its function, assessing and integrating emotional and social cues with internal states and external inputs. Our preliminary results provide evidence for laminar-specific changes in the ratio of excitation/inhibition in OFC of adults with ASD, with an overall weakening and likely disorganization of excitatory signals and a relative strengthening of local inhibition. These changes likely underlie pathology of major OFC communications with limbic or other cortices and the amygdala in individuals with ASD, and may provide the anatomic basis for disrupted transmission of signals for social interactions and emotions in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Liu
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Room 401D, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Julied Bautista
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Room 401D, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Edward Liu
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Room 401D, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Basilis Zikopoulos
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Room 401D, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. .,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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12
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Stephens K, Silk TJ, Anderson V, Hazell P, Enticott PG, Sciberras E. Associations Between Limbic System White Matter Structure and Socio-Emotional Functioning in Children with ADHD + ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 51:2663-2672. [PMID: 33043414 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04738-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) combined with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms (ADHD + ASD) have poorer social and emotional functioning than those with ADHD alone. However, no studies have specifically examined the associations between ASD symptoms, measures of social and emotional functioning and limbic system white matter microstructure. Tractography on the cingulum, uncinate fasciculus and fornix were performed for 151 children with (N = 78) and without (N = 73) ADHD. Participants in the ADHD group who scored 11 or above on the Social Communication Questionnaire were classified as the ADHD + ASD group (N = 16). Significant differences in mean cingulum FA were present between the control group and the ADHD (all) group, however, no significant differences were seen between the ADHD and ADHD + ASD groups. Despite this, significant associations were seen between mean FA of the left cingulum and emotional problems for the ADHD + ASD group. Results give greater insights into the specific biological basis of emotional problems in the ADHD + ASD group, indicating that the cingulum may play a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Stephens
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Timothy J Silk
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Vic, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Vicki Anderson
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Vic, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | | | - Peter G Enticott
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Emma Sciberras
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia. .,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Vic, Australia. .,University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
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13
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Mossad SI, Muscat C, Pang EW, Taylor M. Emerging atypical connectivity networks for processing angry and fearful faces in very preterm born children. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:3794-3806. [PMID: 32533810 PMCID: PMC7416058 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Very preterm born (VPT) children are those born before 32/40 weeks' gestational age and comprise 10% of the 15 million babies born prematurely worldwide each year. Due to advancements in neonatal medicine, the survival rate of VPT birth has increased, but few studies have investigated the nonmedical, social-cognitive morbidities that affect these children. In this study, we examined emotional face processing networks in VPT compared to age and sex matched full-term born (FT) children. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to test VPT and FT born children at 6 years (n = 78) and 8 years (n = 83). Children were assessed using an implicit emotion face-processing task. Happy, fearful, and angry faces were presented for 150 ms, but children were asked to respond by button press to the location of a control pixelated image of the face displayed on the side of the screen opposite to the face. Children rated the valence of the images on a five-point scale. Group differences showed that VPT children rated angry faces more positively than their FT peers. VPT children had reduced connectivity for angry and fearful faces at 8 years in networks including regions such as the bilateral amygdala, superior temporal sulci, and anterior cingulate gyrus. Interventions should target both emotion recognition, as well as higher cognitive processes related to emotional control and thinking about one's own emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah I Mossad
- Department of Diagnostic ImagingThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
- Neurosciences & Mental HealthSickKids Research InstituteTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Christine Muscat
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Elizabeth W. Pang
- Neurosciences & Mental HealthSickKids Research InstituteTorontoOntarioCanada
- Division of NeurologyHospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Margot Taylor
- Department of Diagnostic ImagingThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
- Neurosciences & Mental HealthSickKids Research InstituteTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
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14
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Krug A, Wöhr M, Seffer D, Rippberger H, Sungur AÖ, Dietsche B, Stein F, Sivalingam S, Forstner AJ, Witt SH, Dukal H, Streit F, Maaser A, Heilmann-Heimbach S, Andlauer TFM, Herms S, Hoffmann P, Rietschel M, Nöthen MM, Lackinger M, Schratt G, Koch M, Schwarting RKW, Kircher T. Advanced paternal age as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders: a translational study. Mol Autism 2020; 11:54. [PMID: 32576230 PMCID: PMC7310295 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00345-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced paternal age (APA) is a risk factor for several neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. The potential mechanisms conferring this risk are poorly understood. Here, we show that the personality traits schizotypy and neuroticism correlated with paternal age in healthy subjects (N = 677). Paternal age was further positively associated with gray matter volume (VBM, N = 342) in the right prefrontal and the right medial temporal cortex. The integrity of fiber tracts (DTI, N = 222) connecting these two areas correlated positively with paternal age. Genome-wide methylation analysis in humans showed differential methylation in APA individuals, linking APA to epigenetic mechanisms. A corresponding phenotype was obtained in our rat model. APA rats displayed social-communication deficits and emitted fewer pro-social ultrasonic vocalizations compared to controls. They further showed repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, together with higher anxiety during early development. At the neurobiological level, microRNAs miR-132 and miR-134 were both differentially regulated in rats and humans depending on APA. This study demonstrates associations between APA and social behaviors across species. They might be driven by changes in the expression of microRNAs and/or epigenetic changes regulating neuronal plasticity, leading to brain morphological changes and fronto-hippocampal connectivity, a network which has been implicated in social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Krug
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
- Laboratory for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Dominik Seffer
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Henrike Rippberger
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - A Özge Sungur
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Dietsche
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany
| | - Frederike Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sugirthan Sivalingam
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas J Forstner
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Helene Dukal
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Fabian Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anna Maaser
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heilmann-Heimbach
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Till F M Andlauer
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Herms
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Per Hoffmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Lackinger
- Biochemisch-Pharmakologisches Centrum, Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Biochemisch-Pharmakologisches Centrum, Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Koch
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Brain Research Institute, Centre for Cognitive Sciences, University of Bremen, 28334, Bremen, Germany
| | - Rainer K W Schwarting
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
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15
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Cai W, Zhao M, Liu J, Liu B, Yu D, Yuan K. Right arcuate fasciculus and superior longitudinal fasciculus abnormalities in primary insomnia. Brain Imaging Behav 2020; 13:1746-1755. [PMID: 31327125 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00160-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Primary insomnia (PI) is a very common phenomenon and associated with functional impairments of attention, memory and mood regulation. However, its neurobiology is poorly understood. To date, the studies about integrity of white matter (WM) tracts in PI patients have been still rare. In the present study, we used Automated Fiber Quantification (AFQ), which reliably and efficiently quantified diffusion measurements at multiple locations along the WM trajectory based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to assess WM diffusion properties differences between 23 PI patients and 32 matched healthy controls in 18 tracts. The relationships between neuroimaging differences and sleep behaviors were explored, including Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index Scale (ISI). Compared with healthy control group, right arcuate fasciculus (Arc) and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) showed significant higher fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) along tract length in PI patients (FWE corrected, p < 0.01). Axial diffusivity (AD) for PI patients was higher in right Arc and lower in right SLF. Correlation analyses revealed that FA of right Arc and MD of right SLF were negatively correlated with PSQI score in PI patients, and AD of right Arc and FA of right SLF were positively correlated with PSQI score. Negative correlation was observed between FA of right Arc and AD of right SLF and ISI score in PI patients. Our findings can help us to improve the understanding of the neural mechanisms of primary insomnia at abnormalities in WM microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanye Cai
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710071, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Zhao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710071, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710071, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, 014010, People's Republic of China
| | - Dahua Yu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Image Processing, Information Processing Laboratory, School of Information Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, 014010, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kai Yuan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shanxi, 710071, People's Republic of China. .,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China. .,Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Image Processing, Information Processing Laboratory, School of Information Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, 014010, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Andrews DS, Lee JK, Solomon M, Rogers SJ, Amaral DG, Nordahl CW. A diffusion-weighted imaging tract-based spatial statistics study of autism spectrum disorder in preschool-aged children. J Neurodev Disord 2019; 11:32. [PMID: 31839001 PMCID: PMC6913008 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-019-9291-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are widely theorized to result from altered brain connectivity. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) has been a versatile method for investigating underlying microstructural properties of white matter (WM) in ASD. Despite phenotypic and etiological heterogeneity, DWI studies in majority male samples of older children, adolescents, and adults with ASD have largely reported findings of decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) across several commissural, projection, and association fiber tracts. However, studies in preschool-aged children (i.e., < 30-40 months) suggest individuals with ASD have increased measures of WM FA earlier in development. METHODS We analyzed 127 individuals with ASD (85♂, 42♀) and 54 typically developing (TD) controls (42♂, 26♀), aged 25.1-49.6 months. Voxel-wise effects of ASD diagnosis, sex, age, and their interaction on DWI measures of FA, mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) were investigated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) while controlling mean absolute and relative motion. RESULTS Compared to TD controls, males and females with ASD had significantly increased measures of FA in eight clusters (threshold-free cluster enhancement p < 0.05) that incorporated several WM tracts including regions of the genu, body, and splenium of the corpus callosum, inferior frontal-occipital fasciculi, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi, middle and superior cerebellar peduncles, and corticospinal tract. A diagnosis by sex interaction was observed in measures of AD across six significant clusters incorporating areas of the body, genu, and splenium of the corpus collosum. In these tracts, females with ASD showed increased AD compared to TD females, while males with ASD showed decreased AD compared to TD males. CONCLUSIONS The current findings support growing evidence that preschool-aged children with ASD have atypical measures of WM microstructure that appear to differ in directionality from alterations observed in older individuals with the condition. To our knowledge, this study represents the largest sample of preschool-aged females with ASD to be evaluated using DWI. Microstructural differences associated with ASD largely overlapped between sexes. However, differential relationships of AD measures indicate that sex likely modulates ASD neuroanatomical phenotypes. Further longitudinal study is needed to confirm and quantify the developmental relationship of WM structure in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Sayre Andrews
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Joshua K. Lee
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Sally J. Rogers
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - David G. Amaral
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- The Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
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17
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Jung M, Tu Y, Lang CA, Ortiz A, Park J, Jorgenson K, Kong XJ, Kong J. Decreased structural connectivity and resting-state brain activity in the lateral occipital cortex is associated with social communication deficits in boys with autism spectrum disorder. Neuroimage 2019; 190:205-212. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Minyoung Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, Japan
| | - Yiheng Tu
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Courtney Amanda Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Ana Ortiz
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Joel Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kristen Jorgenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Xue-Jun Kong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Lexington, MA, USA
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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18
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Rasmussen JM, Graham AM, Entringer S, Gilmore JH, Styner M, Fair DA, Wadhwa PD, Buss C. Maternal Interleukin-6 concentration during pregnancy is associated with variation in frontolimbic white matter and cognitive development in early life. Neuroimage 2019; 185:825-835. [PMID: 29654875 PMCID: PMC6181792 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal inflammation during pregnancy can alter the trajectory of fetal brain development and increase risk for offspring psychiatric disorders. However, the majority of relevant research to date has been conducted in animal models. Here, in humans, we focus on the structural connectivity of frontolimbic circuitry as it is both critical for socioemotional and cognitive development, and commonly altered in a range of psychiatric disorders associated with intrauterine inflammation. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that elevated maternal concentration of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) during pregnancy will be associated with variation in microstructural properties of this circuitry in the neonatal period and across the first year of life. Pregnant mothers were recruited in early pregnancy and maternal blood samples were obtained for assessment of maternal IL-6 concentrations in early (12.6 ± 2.8 weeks [S.D.]), mid (20.4 ± 1.5 weeks [S.D.]) and late (30.3 ± 1.3 weeks [S.D.]) gestation. Offspring brain MRI scans were acquired shortly after birth (N = 86, scan age = 3.7 ± 1.7 weeks [S.D.]) and again at 12-mo age (N = 32, scan age = 54.0 ± 3.1 weeks [S.D.]). Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was used to characterize fractional anisotropy (FA) along the left and right uncinate fasciculus (UF), representing the main frontolimbic fiber tract. In N = 30 of the infants with serial MRI data at birth and 12-mo age, cognitive and socioemotional developmental status was characterized using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. All analyses tested for potentially confounding influences of household income, prepregnancy Body-Mass-Index, obstetric risk, smoking during pregnancy, and infant sex, and outcomes at 12-mo age were additionally adjusted for the quality of the postnatal caregiving environment. Maternal IL-6 concentration (averaged across pregnancy) was prospectively and inversely associated with FA (suggestive of reduced integrity under high inflammatory conditions) in the newborn offspring (bi-lateral, p < 0.01) in the central portion of the UF proximal to the amygdala. Furthermore, maternal IL-6 concentration was positively associated with rate of FA increase across the first year of life (bi-lateral, p < 0.05), resulting in a null association between maternal IL-6 and UF FA at 12-mo age. Maternal IL-6 was also inversely associated with offspring cognition at 12-mo age, and this association was mediated by FA growth across the first year of postnatal life. Findings from the current study support the premise that susceptibility for cognitive impairment and potentially psychiatric disorders may be affected in utero, and that maternal inflammation may constitute an intrauterine condition of particular importance in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerod M Rasmussen
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Alice M Graham
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, North Carolina, USA
| | - Martin Styner
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, North Carolina, USA
| | - Damien A Fair
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 92697, Irvine, CA, USA; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany.
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19
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Cai RY, Richdale AL, Uljarević M, Dissanayake C, Samson AC. Emotion regulation in autism spectrum disorder: Where we are and where we need to go. Autism Res 2018; 11:962-978. [PMID: 29979494 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Emotion dysregulation is a common issue experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has been associated with a wide range of negative mental and physical health outcomes. This commentary highlights the role emotion dysregulation plays in ASD by first considering the literature on emotion regulation (ER) in the general population and then summarizing the ER research in ASD. Based on the evaluation of previous research findings, we conclude that individuals with ASD have more ER difficulties and consistently self-report or demonstrate a less adaptive pattern of ER strategy use. In addition, the higher prevalence of internalizing and externalizing issues seen in ASD are associated with the greater habitual use of some ER strategies and less habitual use of others. Conceptual and methodological limitations are discussed, including the use of coping measures and single-method approaches, and ASD gender distribution. We propose a set of new directions for investigating ER in ASD, incorporating knowledge from other literatures on the role of flexibility in healthy adaptation, overlaps between flexibility and executive function deficits, the adaptive value of up-regulation of positive emotions, and the importance of emotional self-awareness. Increasing our capacity for identifying the mechanisms underlying co-morbid affective disorders can ultimately inform the design of effective interventions to maximize the wellbeing of individuals with ASD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 962-978. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Research has shown that people diagnosed with autism tend to have difficulties with regulating their own emotions. This commentary article summarizes the main information from emotion regulation research conducted both in autism and in other populations. We make suggestions on how we can improve emotion regulation research in autism, with the ultimate goal being to use the learning gained from research to design effective interventions that can improve the wellbeing of people with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Ying Cai
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Level 3 Foxtail Building, Long Pocket, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Amanda L Richdale
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Level 3 Foxtail Building, Long Pocket, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Mirko Uljarević
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Level 3 Foxtail Building, Long Pocket, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Level 3 Foxtail Building, Long Pocket, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrea C Samson
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, Chemin des Mines 9, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305.,Swiss Distance Learning University, Brig, Switzerland, Überlandstrasse 12, Brig, 3900, Switzerland
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20
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Korzeniewski SJ, Allred EN, O'Shea TM, Leviton A, Kuban KCK. Elevated protein concentrations in newborn blood and the risks of autism spectrum disorder, and of social impairment, at age 10 years among infants born before the 28th week of gestation. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:115. [PMID: 29884819 PMCID: PMC5993745 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the 1 of 10 children who are born preterm annually in the United States, 6% are born before the third trimester. Among children who survive birth before the 28th week of gestation, the risks of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and non-autistic social impairment are severalfold higher than in the general population. We examined the relationship between top quartile inflammation-related protein concentrations among children born extremely preterm and ASD or, separately, a high score on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS total score ≥65) among those who did not meet ASD criteria, using information only from the subset of children whose DAS-II verbal or non-verbal IQ was ≥70, who were assessed for ASD, and who had proteins measured in blood collected on ≥2 days (N = 763). ASD (N = 36) assessed at age 10 years is associated with recurrent top quartile concentrations of inflammation-related proteins during the first post-natal month (e.g., SAA odds ratio (OR); 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.5; 1.2-5.3) and IL-6 (OR; 95% CI: 2.6; 1.03-6.4)). Top quartile concentrations of neurotrophic proteins appear to moderate the increased risk of ASD associated with repeated top quartile concentrations of inflammation-related proteins. High (top quartile) concentrations of SAA are associated with elevated risk of ASD (2.8; 1.2-6.7) when Ang-1 concentrations are below the top quartile, but not when Ang-1 concentrations are high (1.3; 0.3-5.8). Similarly, high concentrations of TNF-α are associated with heightened risk of SRS-defined social impairment (N = 130) (2.0; 1.1-3.8) when ANG-1 concentrations are not high, but not when ANG-1 concentrations are elevated (0.5; 0.1-4.2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Korzeniewski
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Elizabeth N Allred
- Departments of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alan Leviton
- Departments of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karl C K Kuban
- Departments of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center and Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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21
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Goldsmith SF, Kelley E. Associations Between Emotion Regulation and Social Impairment in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:2164-2173. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3483-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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22
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Kuno M, Hirano Y, Nakagawa A, Asano K, Oshima F, Nagaoka S, Matsumoto K, Masuda Y, Iyo M, Shimizu E. White Matter Features Associated With Autistic Traits in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:216. [PMID: 29896127 PMCID: PMC5986956 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is among the most debilitating psychiatric disorders. Comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autistic traits may impair treatment response in OCD. To identify possible neurostructural deficits underlying autistic traits, we performed white matter tractography on diffusion tensor images (DTI) and assessed autistic trait severity using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) in 33 OCD patients. Correlations between AQ and the DTI parameters, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were examined in major white matter tracts that were suggested to be altered in previous OCD studies. We found a negative correlation between AQ and FA and positive correlations between AQ and MD, AD and RD in the left uncinate fasciculus using age, Beck Depression Inventory, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, intelligence quotient and medication as covariates. However, we could not detect the significant results between AQ and all DTI parameters when adding gender as a covariate. In addition, in the ASD comorbid group, FA in the left uncinate fasciculus was significantly lower than in the non-ASD comorbid group and MD and RD were significantly higher than in the non-ASD group. These results did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. In ASD, the socio-emotional dysfunction is suggested to be related to the alteration of white matter microstructure in uncinate fasciculus. Our results suggest that variations in white matter features of the left uncinate fasciculus might be partly explained by autistic traits encountered in OCD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaru Kuno
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Hirano
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akiko Nakagawa
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kenichi Asano
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Fumiyo Oshima
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Sawako Nagaoka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Koji Matsumoto
- Department of Radiology, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshitada Masuda
- Department of Radiology, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masaomi Iyo
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Eiji Shimizu
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
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23
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Murakami Y, Sakai S, Takeda K, Sawamura D, Yoshida K, Hirose T, Ikeda C, Mani H, Yamamoto T, Ito A. Autistic traits modulate the activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in response to female faces. Neurosci Res 2018; 133:28-37. [PMID: 29141188 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Previous findings have revealed abnormal visual attention or processing of faces among individuals with autism spectrum condition (ASC). However, little attention has been paid to the relationship between autistic traits and neural mechanisms associated with representing facial values. Using fMRI, we investigated the patterns of brain activity in the vmPFC and VS in response to faces of elderly males, elderly females, young males, and young females. During fMRI, subjects with a relatively high autism quotient (high group) and those with a relatively low autism quotient (low group) were presented with a face and asked to rate its pleasantness. After fMRI, the subjects were presented with pairs of faces and asked to select the face that they preferred. Our results indicate a dissociable modulatory effect of autistic traits on the vmPFC and VS: The vmPFC activity in the low group was more sensitive to age differences in female faces compared to that in the high group, whereas VS activity did not show differences between groups. These results suggest that, in the BVS, autistic traits selectively modulate the vmPFC activity associated with facial value representation.
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24
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Cai RY, Richdale AL, Dissanayake C, Uljarević M. Brief Report: Inter-Relationship between Emotion Regulation, Intolerance of Uncertainty, Anxiety, and Depression in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:316-25. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3318-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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