Pervasive Developmental Disorders Group Research Articles

Disrupted network integration and segregation involving the default mode network in autism spectrum disorder

Changes in the brain's default mode network (DMN) in the resting state are closely related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Module segmentation can effectively elucidate the neural mechanism of ASD and explore intra- and inter-network connections by means of the participation coefficient (PC). We used that resting-state fMRI data from 269 ASD patients and 340 healthy controls (HCs) in the current study. From the results, ASD subjects showed a significantly higher PC of the DMN than HC subjects. This difference was related to lower intra-module connections within the DMN and higher inter-network connections between the DMN and other networks. When the subjects were split into age groups, the results were verified in the 7–12- and 12–18-year-old age groups but not in the young adult group (18–25 years). When the subjects were divided according to different subtypes of ASD, the results were also observed in the classic autism and pervasive developmental disorder groups, but not in the Asperger disorder group. In conclusions, less developed network segregation in the DMN could be a valid biomarker for ASD. This provides network scientists with new insights into the intermodular connectivity configurations of complex networks from different dimensions in a systematic and comprehensive manner.

Current Approaches to Differential Diagnostics of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Similar Conditions

Autism spectrum disorders ASD is a group of pervasive developmental disorders, manifested mainly through the lack of ability to social interaction, communication disruption and stereotyped behavior. Despite of generally recognized practical and theoretical significance of studying the mechanisms of formation, it still has got little attention. The article represents some approaches to differential diagnosis of autism and similar conditions. The authors make an attempt to find out the main reasons for such sharp increase in the number of patients suffering from this disease. The article aims analysis of existing research and contains the results of complex diagnostics and the mechanisms of disorders formation. In solving the problem of ASD formation mechanisms, clinical data, medical history data, genetic confounding factors and course of prenatal, natal and postnatal periods are used. In their findings, the authors develop the technology for ASD and similar conditions differential diagnostics; diagnostic markers and algorithm for the development of psychological and pedagogical treatment programs are suggested

Влияние детско-родительских отношений на развитие коммуникации у младших школьников с расстройством аутистического спектра (РАС)

The problem of providing psychological and pedagogical assistance to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families has recently been extremely urgent. ASDs are a group of pervasive developmental disorders, the main manifestations of then are the lack of ability to social interaction, communication disorders and stereotyped behavior. With the recognized practical and theoretical significance of the study of the communicative sphere and the abundance of serious studies devoted to this topic, the problem of studying the communicative characteristics of children with autism, as is well known, still remains poorly understood. The article presents the results of scientific research in the field of developmental and clinical psychology: the mechanisms of formation of communication in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a comprehensive study of the influence of parent-child relationships on the communication's development of primary school children with autism spectrum disorders. According to the results of studies of the influence of parent-child relations on the development of communication in primary school children with ASD, the diagnostic complex for the study of communication in primary school children with ASD and styles of parent-child relationships in families raising children of this category was offered. Practical psychologists can use the results of the study during work with children with ASD and their families. The purpose of the article is to present the results of the study of the influence of parent-child relationships on the communication's development of primary school children with autism spectrum disorder.

Hemispheric Processing of Idioms and Irony in Adults With and Without Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

Previous studies on individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) have pointed to difficulties in comprehension of figurative language. Using the divided visual field paradigm, the present study examined hemispheric processing of idioms and irony in 23 adults with PDD and in 24 typically developing (TD) adults. The results show that adults with PDD were relatively unimpaired in understanding figurative language. While the TD group demonstrated a right hemisphere advantage in processing the non-salient meanings of idioms as well as the ironic endings of paragraphs, the PDD group processed these stimuli bilaterally. Our findings suggest that brain lateralization is atypical in adults with PDD. Successful performance along with bilateral brain activation suggests that the PDD group uses a compensation mechanism.

Brief Report: The Association of Autistic Traits and Behavioural Patterns in Adolescents Receiving Special Educational Assistance.

The study aim was to describe behaviours associated with autistic traits. The Childhood Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) were used as measures of behaviour and autistic traits respectively in 331 adolescents receiving educational support. CBCL scores were compared between three groups defined by SCQ score: autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and non-PDD. The PDD and autism groups had significantly higher scores on the CBCL than the non-PDD group across all CBCL scales except Delinquent Behaviour. On seven of the eight scales, there was no difference between the autism and PDD groups. Those with PDD or autism display significantly higher levels of withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxiety/depression, social, thought and attention problems, and aggressive behaviour.

Subchronic treatment of donepezil rescues impaired social, hyperactive, and stereotypic behavior in valproic acid-induced animal model of autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of pervasive developmental disorders with core symptoms such as sociability deficit, language impairment, and repetitive/restricted behaviors. Although worldwide prevalence of ASD has been increased continuously, therapeutic agents to ameliorate the core symptoms especially social deficits, are very limited. In this study, we investigated therapeutic potential of donepezil for ASD using valproic acid-induced autistic animal model (VPA animal model). We found that prenatal exposure of valproic acid (VPA) induced dysregulation of cholinergic neuronal development, most notably the up-regulation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the prefrontal cortex of affected rat and mouse offspring. Similarly, differentiating cortical neural progenitor cell in culture treated with VPA showed increased expression of AChE in vitro. Chromatin precipitation experiments revealed that acetylation of histone H3 bound to AChE promoter region was increased by VPA. In addition, other histone deacetyalse inhibitors (HDACIs) such as trichostatin A and sodium butyrate also increased the expression of AChE in differentiating neural progenitor cells suggesting the essential role of HDACIs in the regulation of AChE expression. For behavioral analysis, we injected PBS or donepezil (0.3 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to control and VPA mice once daily from postnatal day 14 all throughout the experiment. Subchronic treatment of donepezil improved sociability and prevented repetitive behavior and hyperactivity of VPA-treated mice offspring. Taken together, these results provide evidence that dysregulation of ACh system represented by the up-regulation of AChE may serve as an effective pharmacological therapeutic target against autistic behaviors in VPA animal model of ASD, which should be subjected for further investigation to verify the clinical relevance.

Reduced brain activation during imitation and observation of others in children with pervasive developmental disorder: a pilot study.

BackgroundChildren with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) are thought to have poor imitation abilities. Recently, this characteristic has been suggested to reflect impairments in mirror neuron systems (MNS). We used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to examine the brain activity of children with PDD during tasks involving imitation and observations of others.FindingsThe subjects were 6 male children with PDD (8–14 years old) and 6 age- and gender-matched normal subjects (9–13 years old). A video in which a woman was opening and closing a bottle cap was used as a stimulus. Hemoglobin concentration changes around the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus and the adjacent ventral premotor cortex were measured with a 24-channel NIRS machine during action observation and action imitation tasks. Regional oxygenated hemoglobin concentration changes were significantly smaller in the PDD group than in the control group. Moreover, these differences were clearer in the action observation task than in the action imitation task.ConclusionsDysfunction in the MNS in children with PDD was suggested by the reduced activation in key MNS regions during tasks involving observations and imitations of others. These preliminary results suggest that further studies are needed to verify MNS dysfunction in children with PDD.

Comparison of pervasive developmental disorder and schizophrenia by the Japanese version of the National Adult Reading Test

Objective. In adults, it is sometimes difficult to discriminate between pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and schizophrenia (SCH) when positive symptoms are not outstanding. We examined whether the Japanese version of the National Adult Reading Test (JART), is a valid scale for evaluating pre-morbid intelligence quotient (IQ) in patients with SCH, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) are useful for helping to discriminate between PDD and SCH. Methods. Sixteen patients with adult PDD and 16 age-, education- and sex-matched patients with SCH participated in the present study. In addition, two groups were matched for JART and GAF scores. All subjects were scored on the JART and WAIS-R after informed consent on the aim of this study. Examiners who were blind to the diagnoses measured JART and WAIS-R. Results. Significant diagnosis-by-IQ examination interactions were found (F[1,30] = 10.049, P = 0.003). Furthermore, WAIS-R scores of the PDD group were higher than those of the SCH group (P = 0.002) considering two groups were matched for JART. Conclusions. The comparison of IQ in the PDD group and in the SCH group by JART and WAIS-R might be an easy and useful method for helping to discriminate between PDD and SCH.

Professional Caregiver's View on Mental Health in Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Nationwide Study of Institutions and Consultation Centers in Japan.

Parents of children with intellectual disabilities and/or physical disabilities are supposed to have an increased risk for parenting stress and psychological distress. We as professional caregivers sometimes experience difficulties in keeping good relations or communicating with the parents. Professional workers in 460 institutions and consultation centers throughout Japan answered a questionnaire on their clinical experiences. About 90% of the facilities experienced “distressed parents,” and the parents' condition such as mental health seemed to influence this. Signs of a depressive state were the most common psychiatric disturbances detected, and it was notable in the pervasive developmental disorder group. More welfare support, presence of support groups, support from other family members, and medical treatment of the parents' problems were considered to be helpful and thus requested to be improved. Training more professionals who can properly deal with the parents' mental health needs is an urgent matter that must be tackled.

Focal EEG abnormalities might reflect neuropathological characteristics of pervasive developmental disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Neurophysiological characteristics in electroencephalograms (EEG) were investigated for patients with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). This study examined 64 PDD children and 22 AD/HD children with no history of epilepsy or progressive neurological or psychiatric disorder. We used multivariate analysis to compare EEG abnormalities, clinical symptoms, and intelligence levels between PDD and AD/AD patient groups. Paroxysmal discharges at the frontopolar–frontal (Fp–F) brain regions and background EEG abnormalities tended to be detected preferentially in the PDD group, although paroxysmal discharges at central–temporal (C–T) regions tended to be detected preferentially in the AD/HD group. The paroxysmal discharges observed in patients expressing persistence and impulsivity are apparently localized respectively in the Fp–F and C–T regions. A combination of EEG abnormalities, including background EEG abnormalities and paroxysmal discharges at Fp–F and C–T regions, might be useful diagnostic hallmarks to distinguish PDD with AD/HD from AD/HD alone using a logistic regression model. The dysfunction of specific brain areas associated with EEG abnormalities might explain characteristics of clinical symptoms observed in PDD and AD/HD patients.

Executive function in children with pervasive developmental disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder assessed by the Keio version of the Wisconsin card sorting test

The Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) comprehensively examines executive function (EF). The Keio version of the WCST (KWCST) uses fewer cards and presents them in two steps, separated by a short pause during which an instruction is given. Being of short duration, this test is suitable for children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), yet few studies have examined the performance of children with such developmental disorders in the second step of a two-step test such as the KWCST. Using the KWCST, this study compares EF in children with PDD (n=52), or AD/HD (n=46) to that in typically developing (TD) children (n=52). Scores for the six indices of this test, including numbers of response cards until the first category achieved (NUCA), total errors (TE), and non-perseverative errors of Nelson (NPEN), were analyzed using ANOVA. Compared to the TD group, scores in the PDD and/or AD/HD groups were significantly lower for all indices except NUCA and NPEN for the first step, and lower for all indices except NUCA for the second step. Moreover, significantly fewer improvements in TE were seen in the PDD group, and significantly fewer improvements in NPEN were seen in the AD/HD group, compared with TD. This study suggests that both PDD and AD/HD make it difficult for children to utilize their experience in the first step and to effectively apply the instruction given before the second step. It also suggests that the two-step nature of the KWCST is clinically important.

Mental development and autistic behavior in children with pervasive developmental disorders

The aim of this study was to clarify the features of mental development and autistic behavior in children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) from the viewpoint of remedial therapy. The Tokyo Child Development Schedule (TCDS) and the Tokyo Autistic Behavior Scale (TABS), designed to be completed by children's caregivers, were used. A comparison was made of 36 children with PDD, 36 children with AD/HD, and 36 children with other diagnoses (OTHERS), who were matched about IQ and age. Although there were no significant differences between the three groups in terms of their overall scores on the TCDS and TABS, there were significant differences in specific areas on the tests. On the TCDS, the PDD group scored significantly lower than the AH/HD group and OTHERS group in Area V (Socialization). The PDD group also scored significantly lower than the AD/HD group in Area VII (Comprehension/Cognition). On the TABS, the PDD group had significantly higher scores than the AH/HD group in Area 2 (Language-Communication) and Area 3 (Habits-Mannerisms), and displayed significantly more autistic behavior. These findings suggest that children with PDD not only suffer from impairments in “qualitative impairment in social interaction” and “adapting to change,” but also have underdeveloped use of pointing, and impairments in “joint visual attention,” conceptualizing spatial relationships and language functions. They also suggest that in addition to general evaluations of development and autistic behavior, remedial therapies need to include more detailed assessments of children with PDD.

Gross motor performance and physical fitness in children with psychiatric disorders

Gross motor performance appears to be impaired in children with psychiatric disorders but little is known about which skill domains are affected in each disorder, nor about possible accompanying deficits in physical fitness. The present study has sought to provide information about these issues in children with emotional, behavioural, and pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). One hundred children receiving psychiatric care (81 males, 19 females, mean age 9y 11mo, SD 1y 8mo) completed both the Test of Gross Motor Development, measuring locomotion and object control, and the Motor Performance test, measuring neuromotor and aerobic fitness. The emotional disorders, behavioural disorders (BD), and PDD subgroups consisted of 17, 44 and 39 children respectively. The mean gross motor performance scores of the BD and PDD group were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the score of the emotional disorders group, but even the latter score was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the population norm score. Physical fitness was poor in all subgroups. The subdomains locomotion and object control were unusually highly correlated in the PDD group (r = 0.68). Moreover, only in the PDD group were the locomotion scores significantly correlated with neuromotor fitness (r = 0.47, p = 0.02). The specific combinations of impairments in gross motor skills and physical fitness in children with psychiatric disorders indicate the importance of the assessment of these domains in order to provide interventions tailored to the specific profile of each individual child.

Smaller insula and inferior frontal volumes in young adults with pervasive developmental disorders

Enlarged head circumference and increased brain weight have been reported in infants with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), and volumetric studies suggest that children with PDD have abnormally enlarged brain volumes. However, little is known about brain volume abnormalities in young adults with PDD. We explored gray matter (GM) volume in young adults with PDD. T1-weighted volumetric images were acquired with a 3-T magnetic resonance scanner from 32 males with high-functioning PDD (23.8±4.2 years; Full Scale Intelligence Quotient [FSIQ]=101.6±15.6) and 40 age-matched normal male control subjects (22.5±4.3 years; FSIQ=109.7±7.9). Regional GM volumes were compared between the two groups using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with the Diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration using Exponentiated Lie algebra (DARTEL). Compared with the control group, the high-functioning PDD group showed significantly less GM in the right insula, the right inferior frontal gyrus, and the right inferior parietal lobule. A conservative threshold confirmed considerably smaller volumes in the right insula and inferior frontal gyrus. In these areas, negative correlations were found between Autism Spectrum Quotient scores and GM volume, although no significant correlations were found between each subject's FSIQ and GM volume. No regions showed greater GM volumes in the high-functioning PDD group. The insular cortex, which works as a relay area for multiple neurocognitive systems, may be one of the key regions underlying the complex clinical features of PDD. These smaller GM volumes in high-functioning PDD subjects may reflect the clinical features of PDD itself, rather than FSIQ.

Prevalence of pervasive developmental disorder in juvenile court cases in Japan

The aim of the study is to survey the prevalence of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) in juvenile cases encountered in the family courts of Japan by examining the characteristics of juvenile cases with PDD. We investigated family court juvenile cases (N = 428) in terms of sex, age (14–19 years), type of crime, background, and environmental factors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACE). Cases encountered in four family courts in Japan between April 2006 and March 2007 were studied. Of the total number of investigations or randomized trials, 1.3% to 6.7% were encountered at three family courts. In addition, 18.2% of the cases came from the section dealing with unique crimes. Juvenile delinquents with PDD had more severe environmental factors than general population in Japan. In the PDD group, the rate of sex-related crimes was significantly higher than in the general population referred to family courts.

Frequency and clinical features of pervasive developmental disorder in adolescent suicide attempts

Objective The goal of this clinical study was to examine the frequency and clinical features of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) relative to suicide attempts by adolescents. Method Ninety-four adolescent patients under age 20 participated in this study; it was a consecutive study of individuals who had attempted suicide and had been hospitalized for inpatient treatment. Results Twelve of the 94 subjects (12.8%) were diagnosed with PDD. The ratio of males in the PDD group was higher than that in the non-PDD group ( P=.017). There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding the rate of patients having mood or anxiety disorder ( P=.037). Conclusion This study indicates that PDD should always be a consideration when dealing with adolescent suicide attempts.

Atypical processing of fearful face–voice pairs in Pervasive Developmental Disorder: An ERP study

Objective An important premise for successful social-affective communication is rapid perception of visual and auditory emotional cues, as well as their multisensory integration (MSI). We investigated to what extent a deficit in recognition of emotions in individuals with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) may have its roots in abnormal MSI of emotional cues provided by the sight of a facial expression and an emotional tone of voice. Methods In twelve high-functioning, adult PDD individuals and thirteen age- and IQ-matched controls, (1) the processing of fearful faces was compared with that of happy faces; (2) MSI was assessed by characterizing the interaction effects of crossmodal presentation, using EEG. Results Increased P1 and N170 amplitudes were seen in response to fearful faces compared with happy faces in both groups. However, PDD individuals differed from healthy controls in MSI of fearful information from visual and auditory cues. Conclusions Both groups show a similar pattern as concerns the early components of visual emotion processing, but there are anomalies in processing of fearful face–voice combinations in the PDD group. Significance Because of the importance of rapid MSI for social competence, MSI anomalies in PDD may be linked to the observed deficits in their emotional behavior.

Psychotic spectrum disorders in childhood

For a long time, there was a strong belief of existing continuity between childhood-onset psychoses and adult psychoses. Important moment in understanding psychotic presentations during infancy and childhood is Kanner's description of early infantile autism. Later studies of Rutter and Kolvin, as well as new classification systems, have delineated pervasive developmental disorders from all other psychotic disorders in childhood. But clinical experience is showing that in spite of existence of the group of pervasive developmental disorders with subgroups within it and necessary diagnostic criteria--there are children with pervasive symptoms, who are not fulfilling all necessary diagnostic criteria for pervasive developmental disorder. Therefore, in this paper we are discussing and pointing at psychotic spectrum presentations in children, which have not the right place in any existing classification system (ICD-10, DSM-IV).

P.4.a.006 Neuropsychological assessment of unmedicated patients with obsessivecompulsive disorder: a controlled trial

The Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) comprehensively examines executive function (EF). The Keio version of the WCST (KWCST) uses fewer cards and presents them in two steps, separated by a short pause during which an instruction is given. Being of short duration, this test is suitable for children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), yet few studies have examined the performance of children with such developmental disorders in the second step of a two-step test such as the KWCST. Using the KWCST, this study compares EF in children with PDD (n = 52), or AD/HD (n = 46) to that in typically developing (TD) children (n = 52). Scores for the six indices of this test, including numbers of response cards until the first category achieved (NUCA), total errors (TE), and non-perseverative errors of Nelson (NPEN), were analyzed using ANOVA. Compared to the TD group, scores in the PDD and/or AD/HD groups were significantly lower for all indices except NUCA and NPEN for the first step, and lower for all indices except NUCA for the second step. Moreover, significantly fewer improvements in TE were seen in the PDD group, and significantly fewer improvements in NPEN were seen in the AD/HD group, compared with TD. This study suggests that both PDD and AD/HD make it difficult for children to utilize their experience in the first step and to effectively apply the instruction given before the second step. It also suggests that the two-step nature of the KWCST is clinically important.

Abnormal spatial frequency processing in high-functioning children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)

Objective Basic abnormalities in visual information processing could be associated with the local visual bias often found in subjects with PDD. Therefore, the present study investigated the existence of deficits in spatial frequency processing at an early sensory level in children with PDD. Methods Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and VEP dipole sources elicited by high and low spatial frequency gratings were analyzed in high-functioning children with PDD and matched controls. Results Around 80 ms (N80-latency) children with PDD did not show the same robust differences between high and low spatial frequencies in VEP amplitude and VEP brain sources as controls, because of atypical processing of high frequencies. Analyses at the P1-latency (130 ms) revealed that, although similar inferior–medial brain sources were activated for the processing of both spatial frequencies in the PDD and control group, source strength in response to both frequencies was weaker in the PDD compared to control group. Moreover, additional superior–lateral brain sources were activated during the processing of both frequencies in the PDD group. Conclusions Decreased specialized processing of high and low spatial frequencies might be a robust characteristic of PDD. Early in processing abnormalities in high spatial frequency processing seem to occur in PDD. At a later phase in processing there seems to be both atypical high and low spatial frequency processing. Considering that the processing of specific spatial frequencies plays an important role in the processing of global and local aspects of hierarchical stimuli and faces and of emotions, present data suggest that peculiarities in PDD subjects with respect to these stimuli might be related to an abnormality in more fundamental visual processes. Significance A basic abnormality in visual frequency processing is established in children with PDD.