1
|
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the leading known monogenetic cause of autism with an estimated 21-50% of FXS individuals meeting autism diagnostic criteria. A critical gap in medical care for persons with autism is an understanding of how environmental exposures and gene-environment interactions affect disease outcomes. Our research indicates more severe neurological and metabolic outcomes (seizures, autism, increased body weight) in mouse and human models of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as a function of diet. Thus, early-life exposure to chemicals in the diet could cause or exacerbate disease outcomes. Herein, we review the effects of potential dietary toxins, i.e., soy phytoestrogens, glyphosate, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in FXS and other autism models. The rationale is that potentially toxic chemicals in the diet, particularly infant formula, could contribute to the development and/or severity of ASD and that further study in this area has potential to improve ASD outcomes through dietary modification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cara J Westmark
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Medical Sciences Center, Room 3619, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, United States; Molecular Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Medical Sciences Center, Room 3619, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cundari M, Vestberg S, Gustafsson P, Gorcenco S, Rasmussen A. Neurocognitive and cerebellar function in ADHD, autism and spinocerebellar ataxia. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1168666. [PMID: 37415926 PMCID: PMC10321758 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1168666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum plays a major role in balance, motor control and sensorimotor integration, but also in cognition, language, and emotional regulation. Several neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as neurological diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) are associated with differences in cerebellar function. Morphological abnormalities in different cerebellar subregions produce distinct behavioral symptoms related to the functional disruption of specific cerebro-cerebellar circuits. The specific contribution of the cerebellum to typical development may therefore involve the optimization of the structure and function of cerebro-cerebellar circuits underlying skill acquisition in multiple domains. Here, we review cerebellar structural and functional differences between healthy and patients with ADHD, ASD, and SCA3, and explore how disruption of cerebellar networks affects the neurocognitive functions in these conditions. We discuss how cerebellar computations contribute to performance on cognitive and motor tasks and how cerebellar signals are interfaced with signals from other brain regions during normal and dysfunctional behavior. We conclude that the cerebellum plays a role in many cognitive functions. Still, more clinical studies with the support of neuroimaging are needed to clarify the cerebellum's role in normal and dysfunctional behavior and cognitive functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cundari
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Unit of Neuropsychiatry, Hospital of Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden
- Unit of Neurology, Hospital of Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden
| | - Susanna Vestberg
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Peik Gustafsson
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Medical Faculty, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sorina Gorcenco
- Department for Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders Rasmussen
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sarovic D. Commentary: Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1113592. [PMID: 36761863 PMCID: PMC9902494 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1113592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Darko Sarovic
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,MedTech West, Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lopes LT, Rodrigues JM, Baccarin C, Oliveira K, Abreu M, Ribeiro V, Anastácio ZC, Machado JP. Autism Spectrum as an Etiologic Systemic Disorder: A Protocol for an Umbrella Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10112200. [PMID: 36360541 PMCID: PMC9690003 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10112200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder with a huge prevalence increasing every year (1/44 children). Still diagnosed as a mental disorder, the last 10 years of research found possible causes, risks, genetics, environmental triggers, epigenetics, metabolic, immunological, and neurophysiological unbalances as relevant aetiology. Umbrella methodology is the highest level of scientific evidence, designed to support clinical and political decisions. A literature search for autism aetiology, pathophysiology, or causes, conducted in the last 10 years, at PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and the Web of Science, resulted in six umbrella reviews. Nevertheless, only one quantitative analysis reported risk factors and biomarkers but excluded genetics, experiments on animal models, and post-mortem studies. We grouped ASD’s multi-factorial causes and risks into five etiological categories: genetic, epigenetic, organic, psychogenic, and environmental. Findings suggest that autism might be evaluated as a systemic disorder instead of only through the lens of mental and behavioural. The overview implications of included studies will be qualitatively analysed under ROBIS and GRADE tools. This umbrella review can provide a rational basis for a new urgent health policy to develop better and adequate integrated care services for ASD. The methodological protocol has the register CRD42022348586 at PROSPERO.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Teixeira Lopes
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4099-030 Porto, Portugal
- Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-355 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Celeste Baccarin
- Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-355 Porto, Portugal
| | - Kevin Oliveira
- Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-355 Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuela Abreu
- Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-355 Porto, Portugal
| | - Victor Ribeiro
- Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-355 Porto, Portugal
| | - Zélia Caçador Anastácio
- Research Center on Child Studies, Institute of Education, University of Minho, 4804-533 Braga, Portugal
| | - Jorge Pereira Machado
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4099-030 Porto, Portugal
- Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-355 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Longhurst P, Clark L. Integrating the Autistic Experience Into Existing Models for Disordered Eating. Front Psychol 2022; 13:926415. [PMID: 35800941 PMCID: PMC9255270 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.926415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Phaedra Longhurst
- British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), Leicester, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Phaedra Longhurst
| | - Lilli Clark
- School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Knez R, Stevanovic D, Fernell E, Gillberg C. Orexin/Hypocretin System Dysfunction in ESSENCE (Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations). Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:2683-2702. [PMID: 36411777 PMCID: PMC9675327 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s358373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE) is an umbrella term covering a wide range of neurodevelopmental difficulties and disorders. Thus, ESSENCE includes attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and difficulties, with a variety of symptoms in cognitive, motor, sensory, social, arousal, regulatory, emotional, and behavioral developmental domains, frequently co-occurring and likely having partly common neurobiological substrates. The ESSENCE concept is a clinical paradigm that promotes organizing NDDs in everyday clinical practice according to their coexistence, symptom dimensions overlapping, and treatment possibilities. Despite increased knowledge regarding NDDs, the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie them and other ESSENCE-related problems, are not well understood. With its wide range of neural circuits and interactions with numerous neurotransmitters, the orexin/hypocretin system (Orx-S) is possibly associated with a variety of neurocognitive, psychobiological, neuroendocrine, and physiological functions and behaviors. Dysfunction of Orx-S has been implicated in various psychiatric and neurological disorders. This article provides an overview of Orx-S dysfunctions' possible involvement in the development, presentation, and maintenance of ESSENCE. We provide a focused review of current research evidence linking orexin neuropeptides with specific clinical NDDs symptoms, mostly in ADHD and ASD, within the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. We propose that Orx-S dysfunction might have an important role in some of these neurodevelopmental symptom domains, such as arousal, wakefulness, sleep, motor and sensory processing, mood and emotional regulation, fear processing, reward, feeding, attention, executive functions, and sociability. Our perspective is presented from a clinical point of view. Further, more thorough systematic reviews are needed as well as planning of extensive new research into the Orx-S's role in ESSENCE, especially considering RDoC elements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajna Knez
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde, Sweden.,School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Dejan Stevanovic
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Fernell
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|