Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit diminished visual engagement to environmental stimuli. Aberrant attentional function provides an explanation by reduced phasic alerting and ...orienting to exogenous stimuli. We review aberrant attentional function (alerting, orienting and attentional control) in children with ASD as studied by neurocognitive and neurophysiological tasks as well as magnetic resonance imaging studies. The locus coeruleus–norepinephrine (LC–NE) system is outlined as a pacemaker of attentional function. The LC–NE system regulates adaptive gain in synaptic signal transmission, which moderates phasic alerting (‘promoting’) and the activation of the ventral frontoparietal attention network within orienting (‘permitting’). In children with ASD, atypical LC–NE activity is proposed as underlying mechanism of aberrant attentional function. It may manifest as (i) increased tonic activity with reduced phasic reactivity to exogenous stimuli, (ii) attenuated bottom‐up signalling mitigating salience and predictive reward attribution during phasic alerting, and (iii) reduced activation of the ventral frontoparietal attention system attenuating orienting to exogenous stimuli. Increased tonic pupil dilation and aberrant pupil reactivity are discussed as indicators of atypical LC–NE activity. Pupillometry is outlined as feasible method to assess alerting, orienting and attentional control that can be dissected from the pupil dilation time course. In children with ASD, aberrant attentional function through atypical LC–NE activity is proposed as developmental mechanism leading to reduced social attention as well as social interaction and communication impairments.
In children with autism spectrum disorder, aberrant locus coeruleus–norepinephrine (LC–NE) functioning is reviewed as developmental mechanism of aberrant attentional function. Increased tonic activity and aberrant phasic reactivity relate to autism symptoms and aberrations in functional networks. Pupil dilation time course is proposed as feasible assessment method of LC–NE functioning in human clinical studies.
Using data from a large-scale epidemiological sample (generously shared with us by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health), we provide initial examples of how and why such a stepped care and ...personalised health approach could be applied to address both the core features of autism and co-occurring conditions. Focused research strategies at the government or institutional level should be prioritised with an emphasis on clinical practice that can increase the understanding of what interventions work, for whom, when, how, with what general outcomes, and at what cost. Governments and services should monitor access to provision to ensure that underserved groups, including those who are minimally verbal, girls and women, minority ethnic groups, from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, or with severe co-occurring conditions, have equitable access to appropriate services. Societies in every part of the world have a duty of care to all people with autism and those who care for them, and investment in research and services needs to be targeted wisely to help them to reach better life outcomes and propel the change that makes this possible. Because it is defined by the intersection of social communication and sensory, restricted, and repetitive behaviours and interests, autism is a relatively specific disorder.
•Heterogeneous results of cortisol stress response are reported in ADHD and MDD.•Blunted cortisol stress response is consistently reported for CD and/or ODD.•If altered, cortisol stress response in ...ADHD is driven by comorbidity with CD and/or ODD.•More, and sex-specific research is needed to clarify differences in cortisol stress response.•*ADHD = Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder, CD = Conduct Disorder, MDD = Major Depressive Disorder, ODD = Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
BERNHARD, A., J. S. Mayer, N. Fann, and C. M. Freitag. Cortisol response to acute psychosocial stress in ADHD compared to Conduct Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder: A systematic review. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XX(X) XXX-XXX, 2020. – Heterogeneous alterations of the cortisol stress response in Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were recently reported by a systematic literature review. To investigate the moderating effect of frequent psychiatric comorbidities, we systematically searched for studies on cortisol stress response to psychosocial stress in ADHD compared to Conduct Disorder (CD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) following PRISMA guidelines. EBSCOhost and PubMed databases were searched in July 2020, employing relevant keywords. Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria. While blunted cortisol stress response was consistently reported in individuals with CD and/or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), alterations of cortisol stress response were less pronounced in ADHD. Consistently blunted cortisol stress response in ADHD was only found in children with comorbid CD/ODD. Results on cortisol stress response in children and adolescents with MDD were mixed, and no indication for influence of comorbid MDD on cortisol stress response in ADHD was found. Taken together, altered cortisol stress response in ADHD is driven by comorbidity with disruptive behavior disorders. Limitations of previous research and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Highlights • The study demonstrates age-specific influences of transcranial direct current stimulation on cortical excitability. • Excitability enhancement after both 1 mA cathodal and anodal ...stimulation was observed. • The 0.5 mA cathodal stimulation caused a significant decrease of cortico-spinal excitability, whereas the 0.5 mA anodal stimulation had no effect at all.
Two-person neuroscience (2 PN) is a recently introduced conceptual and methodological framework used to investigate the neural basis of human social interaction from simultaneous neuroimaging of two ...or more subjects (hyperscanning). In this study, we adopted a 2 PN approach and a multiple-brain connectivity model to investigate the neural basis of a form of cooperation called joint action. We hypothesized different intra-brain and inter-brain connectivity patterns when comparing the interpersonal properties of joint action with non-interpersonal conditions, with a focus on co-representation, a core ability at the basis of cooperation. 32 subjects were enrolled in dual-EEG recordings during a computerized joint action task including three conditions: one in which the dyad jointly acted to pursue a common goal (joint), one in which each subject interacted with the PC (PC), and one in which each subject performed the task individually (Solo).
A combination of multiple-brain connectivity estimation and specific indices derived from graph theory allowed to compare interpersonal with non-interpersonal conditions in four different frequency bands. Our results indicate that all the indices were modulated by the interaction, and returned a significantly stronger integration of multiple-subject networks in the joint vs. PC and Solo conditions. A subsequent classification analysis showed that features based on multiple-brain indices led to a better discrimination between social and non-social conditions with respect to single-subject indices. Taken together, our results suggest that multiple-brain connectivity can provide a deeper insight into the understanding of the neural basis of cooperation in humans.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects up to 1 in 59 individuals
. Genome-wide association and large-scale sequencing studies strongly implicate both common variants
and rare de novo variants
in ASD. ...Recessive mutations have also been implicated
but their contribution remains less well defined. Here we demonstrate an excess of biallelic loss-of-function and damaging missense mutations in a large ASD cohort, corresponding to approximately 5% of total cases, including 10% of females, consistent with a female protective effect. We document biallelic disruption of known or emerging recessive neurodevelopmental genes (CA2, DDHD1, NSUN2, PAH, RARB, ROGDI, SLC1A1, USH2A) as well as other genes not previously implicated in ASD including FEV (FEV transcription factor, ETS family member), which encodes a key regulator of the serotonergic circuitry. Our data refine estimates of the contribution of recessive mutation to ASD and suggest new paths for illuminating previously unknown biological pathways responsible for this condition.
•Studies focusing on trauma and PTSD in CD are still relatively scarce.•Individuals with CD compared to non-CD experience specific and multiple traumata.•Increased lifetime PTSD prevalence was found ...in individuals with CD.•Females with CD show a higher lifetime prevalence of PTSD than males with CD.•Sophisticated longitudinal studies are needed to clarify specific models of comorbidity.
To summarize findings of previous studies on the prevalence of trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Conduct Disorder (CD).
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines. EBSCOhost, PubMed, CDSR and ARIF databases were searched in October 2016, employing relevant keywords.
19 studies met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis resulted in a lifetime PTSD prevalence of 11% (95% CI: 7–17%) in children and adolescents with CD, 14% (95% CI: 12–15%) in adults with pre-existing CD and 32% (95% CI: 25–40%) in juvenile offenders with CD. Higher lifetime PTSD prevalence was observed in individuals with than without CD, and in females compared to males with CD.
Studies focusing on the association of trauma, PTSD and CD are still relatively rare. Possible comorbidity models are discussed considering psychological and biological risk factors in a comprehensive model. The high rate of PTSD in CD may be due to shared risk factors; furthermore, CD might increase the risk for comorbid PTSD due to CD inherent risk taking behavior. To study pathways of risk, especially longitudinal studies are necessary.
PDF
