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Krug MK, Takarae Y, Iosif AM, Solomon M. Decision-making under conditions of explicit risk and uncertainty in autistic and typically developing adolescents and young adults. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:1-7. [PMID: 38696604 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae097] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescence has been characterized as a period of risky and possibly suboptimal decision-making, yet the development of decision-making in autistic adolescents is not well understood. To investigate decision-making in autism, we evaluated performance on 2 computerized tasks capturing decision-making under explicit risk and uncertainty in autistic and non-autistic adolescents/young adults ages 12-22 years. Participants completed the Game of Dice Task (32 IQ-matched participant pairs) to assess decision-making under explicit risk and the modified Iowa Gambling Task (35 IQ-matched pairs) to assess decision-making under uncertainty. Autistic participants overall made riskier decisions than non-autistic participants on the Game of Dice Task, and the odds of making riskier decisions varied by age and IQ. In contrast, the autistic group showed comparable levels of learning over trial blocks to the non-autistic group on the modified Iowa Gambling Task. For both tasks, younger autistic participants performed poorer than their non-autistic counterparts, while group differences diminished in older ages. This age-related pattern suggests positive development during adolescence on risk assessment and decision-making in autism but also implies differential developmental trajectories between groups. These findings also suggest differential performance by the risk type, with additional complex influences of IQ and fluid cognition, which warrants further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie K Krug
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, United States
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, United States
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- Department of Public Health Sciences and MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, and Imaging Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, United States
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2
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Takarae Y, Zanesco A, Erickson CA, Pedapati EV. EEG Microstates as Markers for Cognitive Impairments in Fragile X Syndrome. Brain Topogr 2024; 37:432-446. [PMID: 37751055 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-01009-z] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is one of the most common inherited causes of intellectual disabilities. While there is currently no cure for FXS, EEG is considered an important method to investigate the pathophysiology and evaluate behavioral and cognitive treatments. We conducted EEG microstate analysis to investigate resting brain dynamics in FXS participants. Resting-state recordings from 70 FXS participants and 71 chronological age-matched typically developing control (TDC) participants were used to derive microstates via modified k-means clustering. The occurrence, mean global field power (GFP), and global explained variance (GEV) of microstate C were significantly higher in the FXS group compared to the TDC group. The mean GFP was significantly negatively correlated with non-verbal IQ (NVIQ) in the FXS group, where lower NVIQ scores were associated with greater GFP. In addition, the occurrence, mean duration, mean GFP, and GEV of microstate D were significantly greater in the FXS group than the TDC group. The mean GFP and occurrence of microstate D were also correlated with individual alpha frequencies in the FXS group, where lower IAF frequencies accompanied greater microstate GFP and occurrence. Alterations in microstates C and D may be related to the two well-established cognitive characteristics of FXS, intellectual disabilities and attention impairments, suggesting that microstate parameters could serve as markers to study cognitive impairments and evaluate treatment outcomes in this population. Slowing of the alpha peak frequency and its correlation to microstate D parameters may suggest changes in thalamocortical dynamics in FXS, which could be specifically related to attention control. (250 words).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
- M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony Zanesco
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Craig A Erickson
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ernest V Pedapati
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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3
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Solomon M, Hernandez JAY, Ruder S, Bothra S, Gonzales C, Kecskemeti K, Takarae Y. Commentary: The challenges and promises of competitively employing autistic adults in the United States. Autism Res 2023; 16:2054-2060. [PMID: 37668324 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3009] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Current United States statistics suggest that autistic individuals will experience high unemployment and underemployment rates throughout their lives. Furthermore, despite the passage of federal legislation to employ young autistic adults in competitive integrated settings, where they work alongside non-disabled workers and earn at least minimum wage, most individuals receiving state services still are placed in day programs or sheltered workshops. Since meaningful employment is the most important determinant of life satisfaction, this failure is a critical societal problem, exerting increasing pressure for systems change. But the news is not all bad. Private sector companies have increased their hiring of disabled workers, producing a growing base of expertise in the recruitment, on-boarding, training, and management of autistic employees. This has led to a growing recognition that autistic individuals can be ideal workers. Autism researchers have advanced the field by investigating these private industry programs as well as conducting efficacy trials of interventions and services that help autistic individuals in the workplace. However, gaps in knowledge persist stemming from the heterogeneity of autistic workers, limited knowledge about those not receiving state services, and a system of federal services that is fragmented, poorly coordinated, difficult to navigate, and over-taxed. Autism researchers can continue to improve outcomes of autistic workers through investigations of the fit between autistic workers, their preferences, and the characteristics of available jobs, and through effectiveness trails of promising employment interventions and services that promote systems change that help break down the barriers to better integration of existing state services and resources in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Solomon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute & Imaging Research Center, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Jo Ann Yon Hernandez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute & Imaging Research Center, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Steve Ruder
- Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, MIND Institute, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Surina Bothra
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute & Imaging Research Center, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Catherine Gonzales
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute & Imaging Research Center, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Kali Kecskemeti
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute & Imaging Research Center, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute & Imaging Research Center, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
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4
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Yang R, Takarae Y, Adney H, Swineford C, Walker JC, Cheng P, Negash S, Wiggins JL. Neural correlates of irritability symptom relief in adolescents pre- and post-trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy: A pilot study on reward processing. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2023; 332:111645. [PMID: 37087811 PMCID: PMC10901248 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111645] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Despite that Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a first-line, evidence-based treatment for youths experiencing trauma-related symptoms, treatment responses vary and it remains unclear for whom and how this treatment works. In this context, we examined pre-treatment neural reward processing and pre- vs. post-treatment changes in neural reward processing, in relation to irritability - a transdiagnostic and dimensional feature present in multiple trauma-related syndromes, following TF-CBT. Adolescents (N = 22) with childhood trauma history completed a child-friendly monetary incentive delay task during fMRI acquisition, prior to and after the treatment, and irritability symptoms were assessed at five time points over the course of the treatment. Individual irritability slopes (i.e., irritability change rate) and intercepts (i.e., initial irritability level), generated by linear growth curve modeling, were integrated with fMRI data. Repeated ANCOVAs demonstrated that both pre-treatment neural response to reward and pre- vs. post-treatment changes in neural reward processing correlated with irritability symptom relief, such that opposite baseline neural reward processing profiles and differential changing patterns were observed in individuals showing irritability symptom relief vs. not. Together, our findings provide proof of concept that integrating brain information with clinical information has the potential to identify predictors and mechanisms of symptom relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyu Yang
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States.
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Hailey Adney
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Conner Swineford
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Johanna C Walker
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Philip Cheng
- Thomas Roth Sleep Disorders and Research Center, Henry Ford Hospital, United States
| | - Sesen Negash
- Department of Counseling & School Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Jillian Lee Wiggins
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
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5
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Dwyer P, Takarae Y, Zadeh I, Rivera SM, Saron CD. Multisensory integration and interactions across vision, hearing, and somatosensation in autism spectrum development and typical development. Neuropsychologia 2022; 175:108340. [PMID: 36028085 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108340] [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: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Most prior studies of multisensory integration (MSI) in autism have measured MSI in only a single combination of modalities - typically audiovisual integration. The present study used onset reaction times (RTs) and 125-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to examine different forms of bimodal and trimodal MSI based on combinations of auditory (noise burst), somatosensory (finger tap), and visual (flash) stimuli presented in a spatially-aligned manner using a custom desktop apparatus. A total of 36 autistic and 19 non-autistic adolescents between the ages of 11-14 participated. Significant RT multisensory facilitation relative to summed unisensory RT was observed in both groups, as were significant differences between summed unisensory and multisensory ERPs. Although the present study's statistical approach was not intended to test effect latencies, these interactions may have begun as early as ∼45 ms, constituting "early" (<100 ms) MSI. RT and ERP measurements of MSI appeared independent of one another. Groups did not significantly differ in multisensory RT facilitation, but we found exploratory evidence of group differences in the magnitude of audiovisual interactions in ERPs. Future research should make greater efforts to explore MSI in under-represented populations, especially autistic people with intellectual disabilities and nonspeaking/minimally-verbal autistic people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Dwyer
- Department of Psychology, UC Davis, USA; Center for Mind and Brain, UC Davis, USA.
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego, USA; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, USA
| | | | - Susan M Rivera
- Department of Psychology, UC Davis, USA; Center for Mind and Brain, UC Davis, USA; MIND Institute, UC Davis, USA
| | - Clifford D Saron
- Center for Mind and Brain, UC Davis, USA; MIND Institute, UC Davis, USA
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Hodgdon EA, Courtney KE, Yan M, Yang R, Alam T, Walker JC, Yu Q, Takarae Y, Cordeiro Menacho V, Jacobus J, Wiggins JL. White matter integrity in adolescent irritability: A preliminary study. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 324:111491. [PMID: 35635933 PMCID: PMC9676048 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111491] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Irritability is a prevalent, impairing transdiagnostic symptom, especially during adolescence, yet little is known about irritability's neural mechanisms. A few studies examined the integrity of white matter tracts that facilitate neural communication in irritability, but only with extreme, disorder-related symptom presentations. In this preliminary study, we used a group connectometry approach to identify white matter tracts correlated with transdiagnostic irritability in a community/clinic-based sample of 35 adolescents (mean age = 14 years, SD = 2.0). We found positive and negative associations with irritability in local white matter tract bundles including sections of the longitudinal fasciculus; frontoparietal, parolfactory, and parahippocampal cingulum; corticostriatal and thalamocortical radiations; and vertical occipital fasciculus. Our findings support functional neuroimaging studies that implicate widespread neural pathways, particularly emotion and reward networks, in irritability. Our findings of positive and negative associations reveal a complex picture of what is "good" white matter connectivity. By characterizing irritability's neural underpinnings, targeted interventions may be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Hodgdon
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States.
| | - Kelly E Courtney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Marvin Yan
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Ruiyu Yang
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Tasmia Alam
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Johanna C Walker
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Qiongru Yu
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Joanna Jacobus
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Jillian Lee Wiggins
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States; Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
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7
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Dwyer P, Takarae Y, Zadeh I, Rivera SM, Saron CD. A Multidimensional Investigation of Sensory Processing in Autism: Parent- and Self-Report Questionnaires, Psychophysical Thresholds, and Event-Related Potentials in the Auditory and Somatosensory Modalities. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:811547. [PMID: 35620155 PMCID: PMC9127065 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.811547] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reconciling results obtained using different types of sensory measures is a challenge for autism sensory research. The present study used questionnaire, psychophysical, and neurophysiological measures to characterize autistic sensory processing in different measurement modalities. Methods Participants were 46 autistic and 21 typically developing 11- to 14-year-olds. Participants and their caregivers completed questionnaires regarding sensory experiences and behaviors. Auditory and somatosensory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded as part of a multisensory ERP task. Auditory detection, tactile static detection, and tactile spatial resolution psychophysical thresholds were measured. Results Sensory questionnaires strongly differentiated between autistic and typically developing individuals, while little evidence of group differences was observed in psychophysical thresholds. Crucially, the different types of measures (neurophysiological, psychophysical, questionnaire) appeared to be largely independent of one another. However, we unexpectedly found autistic participants with larger auditory Tb ERP amplitudes had reduced hearing acuity, even though all participants had hearing acuity in the non-clinical range. Limitations The autistic and typically developing groups were not matched on cognitive ability, although this limitation does not affect our main analyses regarding convergence of measures within autism. Conclusion Overall, based on these results, measures in different sensory modalities appear to capture distinct aspects of sensory processing in autism, with relatively limited convergence between questionnaires and laboratory-based tasks. Generally, this might reflect the reality that laboratory tasks are often carried out in controlled environments without background stimuli to compete for attention, a context which may not closely resemble the busier and more complex environments in which autistic people's atypical sensory experiences commonly occur. Sensory questionnaires and more naturalistic laboratory tasks may be better suited to explore autistic people's real-world sensory challenges. Further research is needed to replicate and investigate the drivers of the unexpected association we observed between auditory Tb ERP amplitudes and hearing acuity, which could represent an important confound for ERP researchers to consider in their studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Dwyer
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Iman Zadeh
- Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Oracle Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Susan M. Rivera
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Clifford D. Saron
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Saron Lab, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Takarae Y, Zanesco A, Keehn B, Chukoskie L, Müller RA, Townsend J. EEG microstates suggest atypical resting-state network activity in high-functioning children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Development. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13231. [PMID: 35005839 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13231] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
EEG microstates represent transient electrocortical events that reflect synchronized activities of large-scale networks, which allows investigations of brain dynamics with sub-second resolution. We recorded resting EEG from 38 children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Development (ASD) and 48 age, IQ, sex, and handedness-matched typically developing (TD) participants. The EEG was segmented into a time series of microstates using modified k-means clustering of scalp voltage topographies. The frequency and global explained variance (GEV) of a specific microstate (type C) were significantly lower in the ASD group compared to the TD group while the duration of the same microstate was correlated with the presence of ASD-related behaviors. The duration of this microstate was also positively correlated with participant age in the TD group, but not in the ASD group. Further, the frequency and duration of the microstate were significantly correlated with the overall alpha power only in the TD group. The signal strength and GEV for another microstate (type G) was greater in the ASD group than the TD group, and the associated topographical pattern differed between groups with greater variations in the ASD group. While more work is needed to clarify the underlying neural sources, the existing literature supports associations between the two microstates and the default mode and salience networks. The current study suggests specific alterations of temporal dynamics of the resting cortical network activities as well as their developmental trajectories and relationships to alpha power, which has been proposed to reflect reduced neural inhibition in ASD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brandon Keehn
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University
| | - Leanne Chukoskie
- Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Science, Northeastern University
| | | | - Jeanne Townsend
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego
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Takarae Y, McBeath MK, Krynen RC. Perception of Dynamic Point Light Facial Expression. The American Journal of Psychology 2021. [DOI: 10.5406/amerjpsyc.134.4.0373] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This study uses point light displays both to investigate the roles of global and local motion analyses in the perception of dynamic facial expressions and to measure the information threshold for reliable recognition of emotions. We videotaped the faces of actors wearing black makeup with white dots while they dynamically produced each of 6 basic Darwin/Ekman emotional expressions. The number of point lights was varied to systematically manipulate amount of information available. For all but one of the expressions, discriminability (d′) increased approximately linearly with number of point lights, with most remaining largely discriminable with as few as only 6 point lights. This finding supports reliance on global motion patterns produced by facial muscles. However, discriminability for the happy expression was notably higher and largely unaffected by number of point lights and thus appears to rely on characteristic local motion, probably the unique upward curvature of the mouth. The findings indicate that recognition of facial expression is not a unitary process and that different expressions may be conveyed by different perceptual information, but in general, basic facial emotional expressions typically remain largely discriminable with as few as 6 dynamic point lights.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael K. McBeath
- Arizona State University and Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics
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Takarae Y, Sablich SR, White SP, Sweeney JA. Neurophysiological hyperresponsivity to sensory input in autism spectrum disorders. J Neurodev Disord 2016; 8:29. [PMID: 27504143 PMCID: PMC4976475 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-016-9162-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atypical sensory processing is a common clinical observation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neural hyperexcitability has been suggested as the cause for sensory hypersensitivity, a frequently reported clinical observation in ASD. We examined visual evoked responses to parametric increases in stimulus contrast in order to model neural responsivity of sensory systems in ASD. METHODS Thirteen high-functioning individuals with ASD and 12 typically developing (TD) individuals completed a steady-state visual evoked potential study. Stimuli were vertical circular gratings oscillating at 3.76 Hz at varying contrasts (5, 10, 20,…, 90 % contrast, 10 levels). The average spectral power at the stimulus oscillation frequency was calculated for each contrast level. RESULTS The magnitude of evoked sensory responses increased at a significantly greater rate and resulted in disproportionately elevated activation with higher contrasts in the ASD group. Approximately 45 % of ASD participants had rates of response increases greater than any TD participant. This alteration was highly associated with parental reports of these participants' sensory difficulties. CONCLUSIONS Greater increases in visual responses over contrast manipulation suggest heightened excitability in the sensory cortex in ASD participants. Heightened neural excitability was observed in a substantial portion but not all of the ASD participants. This pattern suggests that individuals with higher excitability may constitute a neurobiologically distinct subgroup requiring individualized treatment interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukari Takarae
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - Savanna R. Sablich
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - Stormi P. White
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390 USA
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Wang J, Barstein J, Ethridge LE, Mosconi MW, Takarae Y, Sweeney JA. Resting state EEG abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders. J Neurodev Disord 2013; 5:24. [PMID: 24040879 PMCID: PMC3847481 DOI: 10.1186/1866-1955-5-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex and heterogeneous developmental disorders involving multiple neural system dysfunctions. In an effort to understand neurophysiological substrates, identify etiopathophysiologically distinct subgroups of patients, and track outcomes of novel treatments with translational biomarkers, EEG (electroencephalography) studies offer a promising research strategy in ASD. Resting-state EEG studies of ASD suggest a U-shaped profile of electrophysiological power alterations, with excessive power in low-frequency and high-frequency bands, abnormal functional connectivity, and enhanced power in the left hemisphere of the brain. In this review, we provide a summary of recent findings, discuss limitations in available research that may contribute to inconsistencies in the literature, and offer suggestions for future research in this area for advancing the understanding of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jamie Barstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren E Ethridge
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia
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Stoddard J, Takarae Y, Simon TJ. A second look: no effect of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on conflict adaptation in youth with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Schizophr Res 2012; 135:202-3. [PMID: 22245443 PMCID: PMC4331111 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2011.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2011] [Revised: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 12/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joel Stoddard
- Mood and Anxiety Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, United States,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California at Davis Health System, United States
| | - Yukari Takarae
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California at Davis, United States
| | - Tony J. Simon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California at Davis Health System, United States
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Takarae Y, Levin DT. Is the pen mightier than the pen-axe? Correct and incorrect conjunctions of parts in visual search for everyday objects. J Vis 2010. [DOI: 10.1167/1.3.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Simon TJ, Takarae Y, DeBoer T, McDonald-McGinn DM, Zackai EH, Ross JL. Overlapping numerical cognition impairments in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion or Turner syndromes. Neuropsychologia 2008; 46:82-94. [PMID: 17920087 PMCID: PMC2249611 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2006] [Revised: 07/27/2007] [Accepted: 08/16/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Children with one of two genetic disorders (chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and Turner syndrome) as well typically developing controls, participated in three cognitive processing experiments. Two experiments were designed to test cognitive processes involved in basic aspects numerical cognition. The third was a test of simple manual motor reaction time. Despite significant differences in global intellectual abilities, as measured by IQ tests, performance on the two numerical cognition tasks differed little between the two groups of children with genetic disorders. However, both performed significantly more poorly than did controls. The pattern of results are consistent with the hypothesis that impairments were not due to global intellectual ability but arose in specific cognitive functions required by different conditions within the tasks. The fact that no group differences were found in the reaction time task, despite significant differences in the standardized processing speed measure, further supports the interpretation that specific cognitive processing impairments and not global intellectual or processing speed impairments explain the pattern of results. The similarity in performance on these tasks of children with unrelated genetic disorders counters the view that numerical cognition is under any direct genetic control. Instead, our findings are consistent with the view that disturbances in foundational spatiotemporal cognitive functions contribute to the development of atypical representations and processes in the domains of basic magnitude comparison and simple numerical enumeration.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Simon
- MIND Institute, University of California at Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
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Takarae Y, Minshew NJ, Luna B, Sweeney JA. Atypical involvement of frontostriatal systems during sensorimotor control in autism. Psychiatry Res 2007; 156:117-27. [PMID: 17913474 PMCID: PMC2180158 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2006] [Revised: 03/18/2007] [Accepted: 03/21/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving dysmaturation of widely distributed brain systems. Accordingly, behaviors that depend on distributed systems, such as higher level cognition and sensorimotor control, are compromised in the disorder. The current study investigated alterations in neural systems underlying sensorimotor disturbances in autism. An fMRI investigation was conducted using saccadic and pursuit eye movement paradigms with 13 high functioning individuals with autism and 14 age- and IQ-matched typically developing individuals. Individuals with autism had reduced activation in cortical eye fields and cerebellar hemispheres during both eye movement tasks. When executing visually guided saccades, individuals with autism had greater activation bilaterally in a frontostriatal circuit including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, medial thalamus, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, and right dentate nucleus. The increased activation in prefrontal-striatal-thalamocortical circuitry during visually guided saccades indicates that systems typically dedicated to cognitive control may need to compensate for disturbances in lower-level sensorimotor systems. Reduced activation throughout visual sensorimotor systems may contribute to saccadic and pursuit disturbances that have been reported in autism. These findings document that neurodevelopmental disturbances in autism affect widely distributed brain systems beyond those mediating language and social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukari Takarae
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nancy J. Minshew
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Correspondence should be addressed to John A. Sweeney, Ph.D., Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry (MC 913), University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 S. Wood St., Suite 235, Chicago, IL 60612-7327: 312-413-9205(TEL): 312-413-8837(FAX);
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Nowinski CV, Minshew NJ, Luna B, Takarae Y, Sweeney JA. Oculomotor studies of cerebellar function in autism. Psychiatry Res 2005; 137:11-9. [PMID: 16214219 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2005.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2005] [Revised: 05/27/2005] [Accepted: 07/13/2005] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Histopathological, neuroimaging and genetic findings indicate cerebellar abnormalities in autism, but the extent of neurophysiological dysfunction associated with those findings has not been systematically examined. Suppression of intrusive saccades (square wave jerks) and the ability to sustain eccentric gaze, two phenomena requiring intact cerebellar function, were examined in 52 high-functioning individuals with autism and 52 age- and IQ-matched healthy subjects during visual fixation of static central and peripheral targets. Rates of intrusive saccades were not increased in autism during visual fixation, and foveopetal ocular drift was also not increased when subjects held an eccentric gaze. The absence of gross disturbances of visual fixation associated with cerebellar disease in individuals with autism, such as increased square wave jerk rates and foveopetal drift when holding eccentric gaze, indicates that the functional integrity of cerebellar--brainstem networks devoted to oculomotor control is preserved in autism despite reported anatomic variations. However, increased amplitude of intrusive saccades and reduced latency of target refixation after intrusive saccades were observed in individuals with autism, especially when subjects maintained fixation of remembered target locations without sensory guidance. The atypical metrics of intrusive saccades that were observed may be attributable to faulty functional connectivity in cortico-cerebellar networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caralynn V Nowinski
- Department of Psychiatry, MC 913, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 S. Wood St., Suite 235, Chicago, IL 60612-7327, USA
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Abstract
Oculomotor studies provide a novel strategy for evaluating the functional integrity of multiple brain systems and cognitive processes in autism. The current study compared pursuit eye movements of 60 high-functioning individuals with autism and 94 intelligence quotient, age and gender matched healthy individuals using ramp and oscillating target tasks. Individuals with autism had normal pursuit latency, but reduced closed-loop pursuit gain when tracking both oscillating and ramp targets. This closed-loop deficit was similar for leftward and rightward pursuit, but the difference between individuals with autism and their age-matched peers was more apparent after mid-adolescence, suggesting reduced maturational achievement of the pursuit system in autism. Individuals with autism also had lower open-loop pursuit gain (initial 100 ms of pursuit) and less accurate initial catch-up saccades during a foveofugal step-ramp task, but these deficits were only seen when targets moved into the right visual field. Pursuit performance in both open- and closed-loop phases was correlated with manual praxis in individuals with autism. Bilateral disturbances in the ability to use internally generated extraretinal signals for closed-loop pursuit implicate frontostriatal or cerebellar circuitry. The hemifield specific deficit in open-loop pursuit demonstrates a lateralized disturbance in the left extrastriate areas that extract visual motion information, or in the transfer of visual motion information to the sensorimotor areas that transform visual information into appropriate oculomotor commands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukari Takarae
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois and 2 University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate cerebellar function in autism by measuring visually guided saccades. METHODS A visually guided saccade task was performed by 46 high-functioning individuals with autism with and without delayed language acquisition, and 104 age and IQ matched healthy individuals. RESULTS Individuals with autism had increased variability in saccade accuracy, and only those without delayed language development showed a mild saccadic hypometria. Neither autistic group showed a disturbance in peak saccade velocity or latency. CONCLUSIONS The observed saccadic abnormalities suggest a functional disturbance in the cerebellar vermis or its output through the fastigial nuclei, consistent with reported cerebellar histopathology in autism. The pattern of mild hypometria and variable saccade accuracy is consistent with chronic rather than acute effects of cerebellar vermis lesions reported in clinical and non-human primate studies, as might be expected in a neurodevelopmental disorder. The different patterns of oculomotor deficits in individuals with autism with and without delayed language development suggest that pathophysiology at the level of the cerebellum may differ depending on an individual's history of language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Takarae
- University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612-7327, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this paper is to review the literature on eye-movement abnormalities associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Eye-movement testing is a non-invasive quantitative approach for evaluating brain systems across the age spectrum. It thus provides a promising methodology for characterizing and documenting maturational abnormalities in brain systems associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. RECENT FINDINGS Recent oculomotor studies have made significant contributions to the understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, most notably in autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and Tourette's syndrome. Notably different patterns of deficits have been found in these disorders and have helped to clarify their pathophysiology. SUMMARY Eye-movement studies have begun to serve as a useful approach for studying cognitive and neurophysiological aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders. They also have potential as a strategy for establishing quantitative endophenotypes for genetic research, and for monitoring beneficial and adverse effects of pharmacotherapies. Studies are needed that involve larger patient populations, longitudinal characterization of developmental failures, patients free from central nervous system-active medications, and that use functional imaging, as patients perform eye-movement tasks, for direct identification of clinically relevant abnormalities in brain systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612-7327, USA.
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Levin DT, Takarae Y, Miner AG, Keil F. Efficient visual search by category: specifying the features that mark the difference between artifacts and animals in preattentive vision. Percept Psychophys 2001; 63:676-97. [PMID: 11436737 DOI: 10.3758/bf03194429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this report, we explored the features that support visual search for broadly inclusive natural categories. We used a paradigm in which subjects searched for a randomly selected target from one category (e.g., one of 32 line drawings of artifacts or animals in displays ranging from three to nine items) among a mixed set of distractors from the other. We found that search was surprisingly fast. Target-present slopes for animal targets among artifacts ranged from 10.8 to 16.0 msec/item, and slopes for artifact targets ranged from 5.5 to 6.2 msec/item. Experiments 2-5 tested factors that affect both the speed of the search and the search asymmetry favoring detection of artifacts among animals. They converge on the conclusion that target-distractor differences in global contour shape (e.g., rectilinearity/curvilinearity) and visual typicality of parts and form facilitate search by category. We argue that existing theories are helpful in understanding these findings but that they need to be supplemented to account for the specific features that specify categories and to account for subjects' ability to quickly locate targets representing heterogeneous and formally complex categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T Levin
- Department of Psychology, Kent Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44121-0001, USA.
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Abstract
We examined a categorical dissociation hypothesis of category-specific agnosia using hierarchical regression to predict the naming responses of three agnosia patients while controlling a wide variety of perceptual and conceptual between-category differences. The living-nonliving distinction remained a significant predictor for two of the patients after controlling for all the other factors. For one remaining patient, the categorical variable was not significant once the form-function correlation of different objects was controlled. We argue that the visual system may use various subprocesses at different stages, some of which reflect true categorical organization and some of which reflect a unitary feature-based system that distinguishes kinds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Takarae
- Department of Psychology, Kent State University, OH 44242, USA.
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Melamed L, Takarae Y. The role of executive functions, perceptual processes, and sex differences in performance on the facial recognition and judgment of line orientation tests. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 1999. [DOI: 10.1093/arclin/14.8.718a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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