Typically Developing Controls Research Articles

Unique Pain Responses in Different Etiological Subgroups of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

We studied whether there exist variations in pain responses between different intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) etiologies. Self-reports and facial expressions (Facial Action Coding System = FACS) were recorded during experimental pressure stimuli and compared among 31 individuals with IDD-13 with cerebral palsy (CP), nine with Down syndrome (DS), nine with unspecified origin (UIDD)-and among 15 typically developing controls (TDCs). The CP and DS groups had higher pain ratings and FACS scores compared to the UIDD and TDC groups, and steeper stimulus-response functions. The DS group exhibited the most diverse facial expressions. There were variations in the foci of facial expressions between groups. It appears that different IDD etiologies display distinct pain responses.

Urinary Untargeted Metabolic Profile Differentiates Children with Autism from Their Unaffected Siblings.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encompasses a clinical spectrum of neurodevelopmental conditions that display significant heterogeneity in etiology, symptomatology, and severity. We previously compared 30 young children with idiopathic ASD and 30 unrelated typically-developing controls, detecting an imbalance in several compounds belonging mainly to the metabolism of purines, tryptophan and other amino acids, as well as compounds derived from the intestinal flora, and reduced levels of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. The present study describes significant urinary metabolomic differences within 14 pairs, including one child with idiopathic ASD and his/her typically-developing sibling, tightly matched by sex and age to minimize confounding factors, allowing a more reliable identification of the metabolic fingerprint related to ASD. By using a highly sensitive, accurate and unbiased approach, suitable for ensuring broad metabolite detection coverage on human urine, and by applying multivariate statistical analysis, we largely replicate our previous results, demonstrating a significant perturbation of the purine and tryptophan pathways, and further highlight abnormalities in the “phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan” pathway, essentially involving increased phenylalanine and decreased tyrosine levels, as well as enhanced concentrations of bacterial degradation products, including phenylpyruvic acid, phenylacetic acid and 4-ethylphenyl-sulfate. The outcome of these within-family contrasts consolidates and extends our previous results obtained from unrelated individuals, adding further evidence that these metabolic imbalances may be linked to ASD rather than to environmental differences between cases and controls. It further underscores the excess of some gut microbiota-derived compounds in ASD, which could have diagnostic value in a network model differentiating the metabolome of autistic and unaffected siblings. Finally, it points toward the existence of a “metabolic autism spectrum” distributed as an endophenotype, with unaffected siblings possibly displaying a metabolic profile intermediate between their autistic siblings and unrelated typically-developing controls.

Classification of drug-naive children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from typical development controls using resting-state fMRI and graph theoretical approach.

Background and objectivesThe study of brain functional connectivity alterations in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been the subject of considerable investigation, but the biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. Here, we aim to investigate the brain alterations in patients with ADHD and Typical Development (TD) children and accurately classify ADHD children from TD controls using the graph-theoretical measures obtained from resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI).Materials and methodsWe investigated the performances of rs-fMRI data for classifying drug-naive children with ADHD from TD controls. Fifty six drug-naive ADHD children (average age 11.86 ± 2.21 years; 49 male) and 56 age matched TD controls (average age 11.51 ± 1.77 years, 44 male) were included in this study. The graph measures extracted from rs-fMRI functional connectivity were used as features. Extracted network-based features were fed to the RFE feature selection algorithm to select the most discriminating subset of features. We trained and tested Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Gradient Boosting (GB) using Peking center data from ADHD-200 database to classify ADHD and TD children using discriminative features. In addition to the machine learning approach, the statistical analysis was conducted on graph measures to discover the differences in the brain network of patients with ADHD.ResultsAn accuracy of 78.2% was achieved for classifying drug-naive children with ADHD from TD controls employing the optimal features and the GB classifier. We also performed a hub node analysis and found that the number of hubs in TD controls and ADHD children were 8 and 5, respectively, indicating that children with ADHD have disturbance of critical communication regions in their brain network. The findings of this study provide insight into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ADHD.ConclusionPattern recognition and graph measures of the brain networks, based on the rs-fMRI data, can efficiently assist in the classification of ADHD children from TD controls.

Atypical structural connectivity of language networks in autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging studies.

Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show pervasive and complex language impairments that are closely associated with aberrant structural connectivity of language networks. However, the characteristics of white matter connectivity in ASD have remained inconclusive in previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies. The current meta‐analysis aimed to comprehensively elucidate the abnormality in language‐related white matter connectivity in individuals with ASD. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline databases to identify relevant studies. The standardized mean difference was calculated to measure the pooled difference in DTI metrics in each tract between the ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. The moderating effects of age, sex, language ability, and symptom severity were investigated using subgroup and meta‐regression analysis. Thirty‐three DTI studies involving 831 individuals with ASD and 836 TD controls were included in the meta‐analysis. ASD subjects showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy or higher mean diffusivity across language‐associated tracts than TD controls. These abnormalities tended to be more prominent in the left language networks than in the right. In addition, children with ASD exhibit more pronounced and pervasive disturbances in white matter connectivity than adults. These results support the under‐connectivity hypothesis and demonstrate the widespread abnormal microstructure of language‐related tracts in patients with ASD. Otherwise, white matter abnormalities in the autistic brain could vary depending on the developmental stage and hemisphere.Lay SummaryThis meta‐analysis explored abnormalities in white matter connectivity in language networks of individuals with ASD. Significantly reduced white matter integrity was found in all language‐associated tracts in subjects with ASD compared with TD controls. In addition, structural disturbances of language networks in the autistic brain exhibit a leftward tendency, and more prominent abnormalities are observed in younger people with ASD than in adults.

Pubertal stage, sex and behaviour in neurodevelopmental disorders versus typical development: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo determine the association between pubertal stage, sex and behavioural profile across and within neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) compared with typically developing (TD) youth.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study from the Province...

Longitudinal trajectories of cortical development in 22q11.2 copy number variants and typically developing controls

Probing naturally-occurring, reciprocal genomic copy number variations (CNVs) may help us understand mechanisms that underlie deviations from typical brain development. Cross-sectional studies have identified prominent reductions in cortical surface area (SA) and increased cortical thickness (CT) in 22q11.2 deletion carriers (22qDel), with the opposite pattern in duplication carriers (22qDup), but the longitudinal trajectories of these anomalies—and their relationship to clinical symptomatology—are unknown. Here, we examined neuroanatomic changes within a longitudinal cohort of 261 22q11.2 CNV carriers and demographically-matched typically developing (TD) controls (84 22qDel, 34 22qDup, and 143 TD; mean age 18.35, ±10.67 years; 50.47% female). A total of 431 magnetic resonance imaging scans (164 22qDel, 59 22qDup, and 208 TD control scans; mean interscan interval = 20.27 months) were examined. Longitudinal FreeSurfer analysis pipelines were used to parcellate the cortex and calculate average CT and SA for each region. First, general additive mixed models (GAMMs) were used to identify regions with between-group differences in developmental trajectories. Secondly, we investigated whether these trajectories were associated with clinical outcomes. Developmental trajectories of CT were more protracted in 22qDel relative to TD and 22qDup. 22qDup failed to show normative age-related SA decreases. 22qDel individuals with psychosis spectrum symptoms showed two distinct periods of altered CT trajectories relative to 22qDel without psychotic symptoms. In contrast, 22q11.2 CNV carriers with autism spectrum diagnoses showed early alterations in SA trajectories. Collectively, these results provide new insights into altered neurodevelopment in 22q11.2 CNV carriers, which may shed light on neural mechanisms underlying distinct clinical outcomes.

Figure-Disembedding Is Inferior in Non-autistic Compared to Autistic Individuals but Can Be Improved by Training.

BackgroundFigure-disembedding is one of the most discussed visuo-cognitive functions, in which individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been reported to outperform non-autistic individuals. A local processing bias has been assumed to underlie such superior performance patterns. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether processing preferences can be modified by procedural priming.MethodThe current study used a procedural priming task (Navon figures) to induce more local or global processing in 25 autistic and 21 typically developing (TD) control participants, using hierarchical figures preceding the figure-disembedding task.ResultsParticipants with ASD outperformed non-autistic individuals in the unprimed baseline task version. The performance was not modulated by priming in either direction (toward a local or global processing style) in both groups. However, the performance of TD control participants was improved by training to the same level as that observed in the ASD group.ConclusionFigure-disembedding performance in ASD is superior to that in TD control participants and robust against procedural priming or training. In contrast, performance in the TD control group can be improved up to the level of the ASD group. Any studies reporting superiority in individuals with ASD in figure-disembedding should consider training effects when evaluating group differences.

Decreased resting-state alpha peak frequency in children and adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders or prenatal alcohol exposure

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in long-lasting changes to physical, behavioral, and cognitive functioning in children. PAE might result in decreased white matter integrity, corticothalamic tract integrity, and alpha cortical oscillations. Previous investigations of alpha oscillations in PAE/fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have focused on average spectral power at specific ages; therefore, little is known about alpha peak frequency (APF) or its developmental trajectory making this research novel. Using resting-state MEG data, APF was determined from parietal/occipital regions in participants with PAE/FASD or typically developing controls (TDC). In total, MEG data from 157 infants, children, and adolescents ranging in age from 6 months to 17 years were used, including 17 individuals with PAE, 61 individuals with an FASD and 84 TDC. In line with our hypothesis, we found that individuals with PAE/FASD had significantly reduced APF relative to TDC. Both age and group were significantly related to APF with differences between TDC and PAE/FASD persisting throughout development. We did not find evidence that sex or socioeconomic status had additional impact on APF. Reduced APF in individuals with an FASD/PAE may represent a long-term deficit and demonstrates the detrimental impact prenatal alcohol exposure can have on neurophysiological processes.

Regional homogeneity of adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and its association with symptom severity.

Background and purposePrevious studies have revealed abnormal regional homogeneity (ReHo) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, there is little consistency across the findings within these studies, partly due to small sample size and great heterogeneity among participants between studies. Additionally, few studies have explored the association between ReHo aberrance and clinical symptoms in individuals with ASD.MethodsForty‐eight adolescents with high‐functioning ASD and 63 group‐matched typically developing (TD) controls received functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest. Group‐level analysis was performed to detect differences in ReHo between ASD and TD. Evaluation of symptom severity in individuals with ASD was based on the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Voxel‐wise correlation analysis was undergone to examine the correlations between the symptom severity and ReHo map in individuals with ASD within brain areas with ReHo abnormalities.ResultsCompared with the TD controls, individuals with ASD exhibited increased ReHo in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, left caudate, right posterior cerebellum (cerebellar tonsil), and bilateral brainstem and decreased ReHo in the left precentral gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, bilateral postcentral gyrus, and right anterior cerebellum (culmen). The correlation analysis indicated that the ReHo value in the brainstem was negatively associated with the ABC total scores and the scores of Relating factor, respectively.ConclusionsOur findings indicated that widespread ReHo abnormalities occurred in ASD, shedding light on the underlying neurobiology of pathogenesis and symptomatology of ASD.

Gray Matter Network Associated With Attention in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

BackgroundAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders; however, the underlying neural mechanisms for the inattention symptom remain elusive for children with ADHD. At present, the majority of studies have analyzed the structural MRI (sMRI) with the univariate method, which fails to demonstrate the interregional covarying relationship of gray matter (GM) volumes among brain regions. The scaled subprofile model of principal component analysis (SSM-PCA) is a multivariate method, which can detect more robust brain-behavioral phenotype association compared to the univariate analysis method. This study aims to identify the GM network associated with attention in children with ADHD by applying SSM-PCA to the sMRI.MethodsThe sMRI of 209 children with ADHD and 209 typically developing controls (TDCs) aged 7–14 years from the ADHD-200 dataset was used for anatomical computation, and the GM volume in each brain region was acquired. Then, SSM-PCA was applied to the GM volumes of all the subjects to capture the GM network of children with ADHD (i.e., ADHD-related pattern). The relationship between the expression of ADHD-related pattern and inattention symptom was further investigated. Finally, the influence of sample size on the analysis of this study was explored.ResultsThe ADHD-related pattern mainly included putamen, pallium, caudate, thalamus, right accumbens, superior/middle/inferior frontal cortex, superior occipital cortex, superior parietal cortex, and left middle occipital cortex. In addition, the expression of the ADHD-related pattern was related to inattention scores measured by the Conners’ Parent Rating Scale long version (CPRS-LV; r = 0.25, p = 0.0004) and the DuPaul ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS; r = 0.18, p = 0.03). Finally, we found that when the sample size was 252, the results of ADHD-related pattern were relatively reliable. Similarly, the sample size needed to be 162 when exploring the relationship between ADHD-related pattern and behavioral indicator measured by CPRS-LV.ConclusionWe captured a GM network associated with attention in children with ADHD, which is different from that in adolescents and adults with ADHD. Our findings may shed light on the diverse neural mechanisms of inattention and provide treatment targets for children with ADHD.

Cognitive Flexibility and Impulsivity Deficits in Suicidal Adolescents.

Although neurocognitive deficits have been documented in adolescents with suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA), it is unclear whether certain impairments differentiate these groups, potentially suggesting heightened risk for SA. Focus on specific facets of impulsivity and cognitive control may indicate distinctions between adolescents with SA vs. SI. The current study examined dimensions of impulsivity and cognitive control in 141 adolescents with SA (n = 41) vs. SI without SA (n = 49) vs. typically-developing controls (TDCs; n = 51). Adolescents completed cross-sectional neurocognitive tasks via the Cambridge Neuropsychological Testing Automated Battery, in addition to demographic and clinical measures. Analyses involved ANOVAs and ANCOVAs. Results indicated that adolescents with SA demonstrated less set shifting/cognitive flexibility (reduced ability to adapt to/disengage from stimuli) and greater impulsive decision making (reduced ability to collect/evaluate information before making decisions) compared to TDCs. In addition, both TDCs and adolescents with SA had greater response inhibition (increased ability to stop motor responses that have begun/become prepotent) than those with SI. Similar results were found when analyzing female adolescents separately. There were no significant differences for male adolescents, potentially due to the small subsample (n = 40). There were no significant findings for spatial planning/problem solving or visuospatial working memory. Findings suggest: 1) less set shifting/cognitive flexibility and greater impulsive decision making for adolescents with SA vs. TDCs; and 2) greater response inhibition for TDCs and adolescents with SA vs. SI. Such information may be useful for improving risk assessments (adding neurocognitive tasks) and targeted treatments (incorporating cognitive remediation) for this impaired population.

Youth with Down syndrome display widespread increased functional connectivity during rest

Studies of resting-state functional connectivity in young people with Down syndrome (DS) have yielded conflicting results. Some studies have found increased connectivity while others have found a mix of increased and decreased connectivity. No studies have examined whole-brain connectivity at the voxel level in youth with DS during an eyes-open resting-state design. Additionally, no studies have examined the relationship between connectivity and network selectivity in youth with DS. Thus, the current study sought to fill this gap in the literature. Nineteen youth with DS (Mage = 16.5; range 7–23; 13 F) and 33 typically developing (TD) youth (Mage = 17.5; range 6–24; 18 F), matched on age and sex, completed a 5.25-min eyes-open resting-state fMRI scan. Whole-brain functional connectivity (average Pearson correlation of each voxel with every other voxel) was calculated for each individual and compared between groups. Network selectivity was then calculated and correlated with functional connectivity for the DS group. Results revealed that whole-brain functional connectivity was significantly higher in youth with DS compared to TD controls in widespread regions throughout the brain. Additionally, participants with DS had significantly reduced network selectivity compared to TD peers, and selectivity was significantly related to connectivity in all participants. Exploratory behavioral analyses revealed that regions showing increased connectivity in DS predicted Verbal IQ, suggesting differences in connectivity may be related to verbal abilities. These results indicate that network organization is disrupted in youth with DS such that disparate networks are overly connected and less selective, suggesting a potential target for clinical interventions.

Maltreatment history and reasons for self-injurious behavior among adolescents engaged in non-suicidal self-injury versus adolescents who attempted suicide.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a significant public health concern in the United States, especially among adolescents with histories of maltreatment. This study compared maltreatment characteristics and reasons for SIB between three homogenous samples of adolescents with either: (1) non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI); (2) suicide attempt/s (SA), and (3) typically developing controls (TDC). Participants (N=124) aged 13-17 years completed questionnaires about their maltreatment and SIB histories. Maltreatment rates were as follows: 90% NSSI group, 76% SA group, and 40% TDC group. Adolescents in the NSSI group reported significantly higher rates of emotional neglect compared to the SA group. Maltreated adolescents in the NSSI and SA groups reported the same top three SIB reasons: (1) get rid of bad feelings, (2) mental state at the time, and (3) problems with family. However, maltreated NSSI participants were significantly more likely to engage in SIB for emotion regulation reasons than maltreated SA participants, who were more likely to engage in SIB for interpersonal reasons. Physical neglect and physical abuse also arose as significant predictors of specific SIB reasons. Our findings help elucidate the maltreatment profiles and reasons for SIB among adolescents engaged in NSSI or SA. Specific maltreatment experiences may also influence the reasons why adolescents engaged in SIB.

Detoxification Role of Metabolic Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) Genes in Blood Lead Concentrations of Jamaican Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Glutathione S-transferases (GST) are involved in the detoxification of exogenous chemicals including lead (Pb). Using data from 344 pairs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases and age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) controls (2–8 years old) from Jamaica, we investigated the interaction between three GST genes and ASD status as determinants of blood Pb concentrations (BPbCs). We found that ASD cases had lower geometric mean BPbCs than TD children (1.74 vs. 2.27 µg/dL, p < 0.01). Using a co-dominant genetic model, ASD cases with the Ile/Val genotype for the GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism had lower GM BPbCs than TD controls, after adjusting for a known interaction between GSTP1 and GSTT1, child’s parish, socioeconomic status, consumption of lettuce, fried plantains, and canned fish (Ile/Val: 1.78 vs. 2.13 µg/dL, p = 0.03). Similarly, among carriers of the I/I or I/D (I*) genotype for GSTT1 and GSTM1, ASD cases had lower adjusted GM BPbCs than TD controls (GSTT1 I*: 1.61 vs. 1.91 µg/dL, p = 0.01; GSTM1 I*: 1.71 vs. 2.04 µg/dL, p = 0.01). Our findings suggest that genetic polymorphisms in GST genes may influence detoxification of Pb by the enzymes they encode in Jamaican children with and without ASD.

Cerebellar Volumes and Sensorimotor Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

BackgroundSensorimotor issues are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though their neural bases are not well understood. The cerebellum is vital to sensorimotor control and reduced cerebellar volumes in ASD have been documented. Our study examined the extent to which cerebellar volumes are associated with multiple sensorimotor behaviors in ASD.Materials and MethodsFifty-eight participants with ASD and 34 typically developing (TD) controls (8–30 years) completed a structural MRI scan and precision grip testing, oculomotor testing, or both. Force variability during precision gripping as well as absolute error and trial-to-trial error variability of visually guided saccades were examined. Volumes of cerebellar lobules, vermis, and white matter were quantified. The relationships between each cerebellar region of interest (ROI) and force variability, saccade error, and saccade error variability were examined.ResultsRelative to TD controls, individuals with ASD showed increased force variability. Individuals with ASD showed a reduced volume of cerebellar vermis VI-VII relative to TD controls. Relative to TD females, females with ASD showed a reduced volume of bilateral cerebellar Crus II/lobule VIIB. Increased volume of Crus I was associated with increased force variability. Increased volume of vermal lobules VI-VII was associated with reduced saccade error for TD controls but not individuals with ASD. Increased right lobule VIII and cerebellar white matter volumes as well as reduced right lobule VI and right lobule X volumes were associated with greater ASD symptom severity. Reduced volumes of right Crus II/lobule VIIB were associated with greater ASD symptom severity in only males, while reduced volumes of right Crus I were associated with more severe restricted and repetitive behaviors only in females.ConclusionOur finding that increased force variability in ASD is associated with greater cerebellar Crus I volumes indicates that disruption of sensory feedback processing supported by Crus I may contribute to skeletomotor differences in ASD. Results showing that volumes of vermal lobules VI-VII are associated with saccade precision in TD but not ASD implicates atypical organization of the brain systems supporting oculomotor control in ASD. Associations between volumes of cerebellar subregions and ASD symptom severity suggest cerebellar pathological processes may contribute to multiple developmental challenges in ASD.

Self-perception and behavioural outcomes of early acquired brain injury

ABSTRACT Acquired brain injury (ABI) occurs commonly in young children. Despite this, the psychosocial implications of ABI in young children are not established, with little understood about the impacts on self-perception and self-esteem. In this study we investigated self-perception, self-esteem and behaviour of children with early ABI. Children with an ABI (n = 47) before six years were compared to 17 typically developing controls (TDCs) matched on demographics. Children were aged 6–12 years and completed the Harter Self-Perception Profile. One parent completed the Child Behavior Checklist. No differences for self-perception and self-esteem were found between the groups. Parents of children with an early ABI reported more internalizing and externalizing behaviours. Children with more externalizing behaviour and social skill problems had more negative self-perceptions. Interaction effects were seen between socioeconomic status (SES) and child self-perception and behaviour. Specifically, children from families of higher SES had a more positive perception of their appearance and children from lower SES backgrounds had more externalizing behaviours and social problems. The study suggests that the relationship between ABI and self-perception and self-esteem is complicated and that children with behavioural problems have lowered feelings of competence. SES has an important role in self-perception and behavioural outcomes.

Robotic mapping of motor cortex in children with perinatal stroke and hemiparesis.

Brain stimulation combined with intensive therapy may improve hand function in children with perinatal stroke‐induced unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). However, response to therapy varies and underlying neuroplasticity mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we aimed to characterize robotic motor mapping outcomes in children with UCP. Twenty‐nine children with perinatal stroke and UCP (median age 11 ± 2 years) were compared to 24 typically developing controls (TDC). Robotic, neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation was employed to define bilateral motor maps including area, volume, and peak motor evoked potential (MEP). Map outcomes were compared to the primary clinical outcome of the Jebsen–Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTT). Maps were reliably obtained in the contralesional motor cortex (24/29) but challenging in the lesioned hemisphere (5/29). Within the contralesional M1 of participants with UCP, area and peak MEP amplitude of the unaffected map were larger than the affected map. When comparing bilateral maps within the contralesional M1 in children with UCP to that of TDC, only peak MEP amplitudes were different, being smaller for the affected hand as compared to TDC. We observed correlations between the unaffected map when stimulating the contralesional M1 and function of the unaffected hand. Robotic motor mapping can characterize motor cortex neurophysiology in children with perinatal stroke. Map area and peak MEP amplitude may represent discrete biomarkers of developmental plasticity in the contralesional M1. Correlations between map metrics and hand function suggest clinical relevance and utility in studies of interventional plasticity.

Systematically mapping gray matter abnormal patterns in drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia from childhood to adolescence.

Schizophrenia originates early in neurodevelopment, underscoring the need to elaborate on anomalies in the still maturing brain of early-onset schizophrenia (EOS). Gray matter (GM) volumes were evaluated in 94 antipsychotic-naïve first-episode EOS patients and 100 typically developing (TD) controls. The anatomical profiles of changing GM deficits in EOS were detected using 2-way analyses of variance with diagnosis and age as factors, and its timing was further charted using stage-specific group comparisons. Interregional relationships of GM alterations were established using structural covariance network analyses. Antagonistic interaction results suggested dynamic GM abnormalities of the left fusiform gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, and lingual gyrus in EOS. These regions comprise a dominating part of the ventral stream, a ventral occipitotemporal (vOT) network engaged in early social information processing. GM abnormalities were mainly located in the vOT regions in childhood-onset patients, whereas in the rostral prefrontal cortex (rPFC) in adolescent-onset patients. Moreover, compared with TD controls, patients' GM synchronization with the ventral stream was disrupted in widespread high-order social perception regions including the rPFC and salience network. The current findings reveal age-related anatomical abnormalities of the social perception system in pediatric patients with schizophrenia.

Abnormalities of Gray Matter Volume and Its Correlation with Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.

BackgroundPrevious studies have indicated abnormal gray matter volume (GMV) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, there is little consistency across the findings within these studies, partly due to small sample size and great heterogeneity among participants between studies. Additionally, few studies have explored the correlation between clinical symptoms and GMV abnormalities in individuals with ASD. Here, the current study examined GMV alterations in whole brain and their correlations with clinical symptoms in a relatively large and homogeneous sample of participants with ASD matched typically developing (TD) controls.MethodsForty-eight adolescents with high-functioning ASD and 29 group-matched TD controls underwent structural magnetic resonance images. Voxel-based morphometry was applied to investigate regional GMV alterations. The participants with ASD were examined for the severity of clinical symptoms with Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). The relationship between GMV abnormalities and clinical symptoms was explored in ASD group using voxel-wise correlation analysis within brain regions that showed significant GMV alterations in individuals with ASD compared with TD controls.ResultsWe found increased GMV in multiple brain regions, including the inferior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, occipital pole, anterior cingulate, cerebellum anterior lobe, cerebellum posterior lobe, and midbrain, as well as decreased GMV in cerebellum posterior lobe in individuals with ASD. The correlation analysis showed the GMV in the left fusiform was negatively associated with the scores of sensory factor, and the GMV in the right cerebellum anterior lobe was positively associated with the scores of social self-help factor.ConclusionOur results indicated that widespread GMV abnormalities of brain regions occurred in individuals with ASD, suggesting a potential neural basis for the pathogenesis and symptomatology of ASD.

Perpetrators and victims of cyberbullying among youth with conduct disorder

Due to modern technological innovations, aggressive behaviors have expanded into the cyberspace, creating a new matter of public concern: cyberbullying. Antisocial and aggressive behaviors, including bullying are characteristic for children and adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder (CD), raising the question whether these youths are highly involved in cyberbullying experiences, too. 206 participants with CD versus typically developing controls (TDCs) aged 9–19 years (57% girls) were included in the study. Individuals completed several self-report measures investigating cyber- and traditional bullying experiences, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to explain the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and perpetration with demographic and clinical variables. Experiences of cyberbullying victimization and perpetration were significantly higher among youth with CD compared to TDCs, and this was accompanied by significantly higher scores on a measure of traditional bullying in CD versus TDCs. CD diagnosis, female sex and higher levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits were each uniquely associated with increased experiences of cyberbullying victimization, whereas CD diagnosis, higher levels of CU traits and older age were each uniquely associated with increased experiences of cyberbullying perpetration. Individuals with CD, compared to TDCs are at higher risk of becoming cyberbully victims and perpetrators, hence representing an important novel aspect in the assessment and treatment of these youths.