Age group differences in executive network functional connectivity and relationships with social behavior in men with autism spectrum disorder / Melissa J. M. WALSH in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 63 (July 2019)  

Public ISBD [article]  inResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 63 (July 2019) . - p.63-77 Titre : Age group differences in executive network functional connectivity and relationships with social behavior in men with autism spectrum disorder Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Melissa J. M. WALSH, Auteur ; Leslie C. BAXTER, Auteur ; Christopher J. SMITH, Auteur ; B. Blair BRADEN, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.63-77 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Aging  Autism Spectrum Disorder  fMRI  Social behavior  Executive network  Executive functions Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Research suggests adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may use executive functions to compensate for social difficulties. Given hallmark age-related declines in executive functioning and the executive brain network in normal aging, there is concern that older adults with ASD may experience further declines in social functioning as they age. In a male-only sample, we hypothesized: 1) older adults with ASD would demonstrate greater ASD-related social behavior than young adults with ASD, 2) adults with ASD would demonstrate a greater age group reduction in connectivity of the executive brain network than neurotypical (NT) adults, and 3) that behavioral and neural mechanisms of executive functioning would predict ASD-related social difficulties in adults with ASD. Methods Participants were a cross-sectional sample of non-intellectually disabled young (ages 18–25) and middle-aged (ages 40-70) adult men with ASD and NT development (young adult ASD: n?=?24; middle-age ASD: n?=?25; young adult NT: n?=?15; middle-age NT: n?=?21). We assessed ASD-related social behavior via the self-report Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) Total Score, with exploratory analyses of the Social Cognition Subscale. We assessed neural executive function via connectivity of the resting-state executive network (EN) as measured by independent component analysis. Correlations were investigated between SRS-2 Total Scores (with exploratory analyses of the Social Cognition Subscale), EN functional connectivity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and a behavioral measure of executive function, Tower of London (ToL) Total Moves. Results We did not confirm a significant age group difference for adults with ASD on the SRS-2 Total Score; however, exploratory analysis revealed middle-age men with ASD had higher scores on the SRS-2 Social Cognition Subscale than young adult men with ASD. Exacerbated age group reductions in EN functional connectivity were confirmed (left dlPFC) in men with ASD compared to NT, such that older adults with ASD demonstrated the greatest levels of hypoconnectivity. A significant correlation was confirmed between dlPFC connectivity and the SRS-2 Total Score in middle-age men with ASD, but not young adult men with ASD. Furthermore, exploratory analysis revealed a significant correlation with the SRS-2 Social Cognition Subscale for young and middle-aged ASD groups and ToL Total Moves. Conclusion Our findings suggest that ASD-related difficulties in social cognition and EN hypoconnectivity may get worse with age in men with ASD and is related to executive functioning. Further, exacerbated EN hypoconnectivity associated with older age in ASD may be a mechanism of increased ASD-related social cognition difficulties in older adults with ASD. Given the cross-sectional nature of this sample, longitudinal replication is needed. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.02.008 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=394 [article] Age group differences in executive network functional connectivity and relationships with social behavior in men with autism spectrum disorder [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Melissa J. M. WALSH, Auteur ; Leslie C. BAXTER, Auteur ; Christopher J. SMITH, Auteur ; B. Blair BRADEN, Auteur . - p.63-77. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 63 (July 2019) . - p.63-77 Mots-clés : Aging  Autism Spectrum Disorder  fMRI  Social behavior  Executive network  Executive functions Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Research suggests adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may use executive functions to compensate for social difficulties. Given hallmark age-related declines in executive functioning and the executive brain network in normal aging, there is concern that older adults with ASD may experience further declines in social functioning as they age. In a male-only sample, we hypothesized: 1) older adults with ASD would demonstrate greater ASD-related social behavior than young adults with ASD, 2) adults with ASD would demonstrate a greater age group reduction in connectivity of the executive brain network than neurotypical (NT) adults, and 3) that behavioral and neural mechanisms of executive functioning would predict ASD-related social difficulties in adults with ASD. Methods Participants were a cross-sectional sample of non-intellectually disabled young (ages 18–25) and middle-aged (ages 40-70) adult men with ASD and NT development (young adult ASD: n?=?24; middle-age ASD: n?=?25; young adult NT: n?=?15; middle-age NT: n?=?21). We assessed ASD-related social behavior via the self-report Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) Total Score, with exploratory analyses of the Social Cognition Subscale. We assessed neural executive function via connectivity of the resting-state executive network (EN) as measured by independent component analysis. Correlations were investigated between SRS-2 Total Scores (with exploratory analyses of the Social Cognition Subscale), EN functional connectivity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and a behavioral measure of executive function, Tower of London (ToL) Total Moves. Results We did not confirm a significant age group difference for adults with ASD on the SRS-2 Total Score; however, exploratory analysis revealed middle-age men with ASD had higher scores on the SRS-2 Social Cognition Subscale than young adult men with ASD. Exacerbated age group reductions in EN functional connectivity were confirmed (left dlPFC) in men with ASD compared to NT, such that older adults with ASD demonstrated the greatest levels of hypoconnectivity. A significant correlation was confirmed between dlPFC connectivity and the SRS-2 Total Score in middle-age men with ASD, but not young adult men with ASD. Furthermore, exploratory analysis revealed a significant correlation with the SRS-2 Social Cognition Subscale for young and middle-aged ASD groups and ToL Total Moves. Conclusion Our findings suggest that ASD-related difficulties in social cognition and EN hypoconnectivity may get worse with age in men with ASD and is related to executive functioning. Further, exacerbated EN hypoconnectivity associated with older age in ASD may be a mechanism of increased ASD-related social cognition difficulties in older adults with ASD. Given the cross-sectional nature of this sample, longitudinal replication is needed. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.02.008 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=394

Executive function and functional and structural brain differences in middle-age adults with autism spectrum disorder / B. Blair BRADEN in Autism Research, 10-12 (December 2017)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 10-12 (December 2017) . - p.1945-1959 Titre : Executive function and functional and structural brain differences in middle-age adults with autism spectrum disorder Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : B. Blair BRADEN, Auteur ; Christopher J. SMITH, Auteur ; Amiee THOMPSON, Auteur ; Tyler K. GLASPY, Auteur ; Emily WOOD, Auteur ; Divya VATSA, Auteur ; Angela E. ABBOTT, Auteur ; Samuel C. MCGEE, Auteur ; Leslie C. BAXTER, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1945-1959 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism  aging  executive function  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)  functional connectivity  diffusion tensor imaging  hippocampus  working memory Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : There is a rapidly growing group of aging adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who may have unique needs, yet cognitive and brain function in older adults with ASD is understudied. We combined functional and structural neuroimaging and neuropsychological tests to examine differences between middle-aged men with ASD and matched neurotypical (NT) men. Participants (ASD, n?=?16; NT, n?=?17) aged 40–64 years were well-matched according to age, IQ (range: 83–131), and education (range: 9–20 years). Middle-age adults with ASD made more errors on an executive function task (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) but performed similarly to NT adults on tests of delayed verbal memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) and local visual search (Embedded Figures Task). Independent component analysis of a functional MRI working memory task (n-back) completed by most participants (ASD?=?14, NT?=?17) showed decreased engagement of a cortico-striatal-thalamic-cortical neural network in older adults with ASD. Structurally, older adults with ASD had reduced bilateral hippocampal volumes, as measured by FreeSurfer. Findings expand our understanding of ASD as a lifelong condition with persistent cognitive and functional and structural brain differences evident at middle-age. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1945–1959. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary We compared cognitive abilities and brain measures between 16 middle-age men with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 17 typical middle-age men to better understand how aging affects an older group of adults with ASD. Men with ASD made more errors on a test involving flexible thinking, had less activity in a flexible thinking brain network, and had smaller volume of a brain structure related to memory than typical men. We will follow these older adults over time to determine if aging changes are greater for individuals with ASD. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.1842 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=323 [article] Executive function and functional and structural brain differences in middle-age adults with autism spectrum disorder [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / B. Blair BRADEN, Auteur ; Christopher J. SMITH, Auteur ; Amiee THOMPSON, Auteur ; Tyler K. GLASPY, Auteur ; Emily WOOD, Auteur ; Divya VATSA, Auteur ; Angela E. ABBOTT, Auteur ; Samuel C. MCGEE, Auteur ; Leslie C. BAXTER, Auteur . - p.1945-1959. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 10-12 (December 2017) . - p.1945-1959 Mots-clés : autism  aging  executive function  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)  functional connectivity  diffusion tensor imaging  hippocampus  working memory Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : There is a rapidly growing group of aging adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who may have unique needs, yet cognitive and brain function in older adults with ASD is understudied. We combined functional and structural neuroimaging and neuropsychological tests to examine differences between middle-aged men with ASD and matched neurotypical (NT) men. Participants (ASD, n?=?16; NT, n?=?17) aged 40–64 years were well-matched according to age, IQ (range: 83–131), and education (range: 9–20 years). Middle-age adults with ASD made more errors on an executive function task (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) but performed similarly to NT adults on tests of delayed verbal memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) and local visual search (Embedded Figures Task). Independent component analysis of a functional MRI working memory task (n-back) completed by most participants (ASD?=?14, NT?=?17) showed decreased engagement of a cortico-striatal-thalamic-cortical neural network in older adults with ASD. Structurally, older adults with ASD had reduced bilateral hippocampal volumes, as measured by FreeSurfer. Findings expand our understanding of ASD as a lifelong condition with persistent cognitive and functional and structural brain differences evident at middle-age. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1945–1959. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary We compared cognitive abilities and brain measures between 16 middle-age men with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 17 typical middle-age men to better understand how aging affects an older group of adults with ASD. Men with ASD made more errors on a test involving flexible thinking, had less activity in a flexible thinking brain network, and had smaller volume of a brain structure related to memory than typical men. We will follow these older adults over time to determine if aging changes are greater for individuals with ASD. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.1842 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=323

The influence of age and ASD on verbal fluency networks / Leslie C. BAXTER in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 63 (July 2019)  

Public ISBD [article]  inResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 63 (July 2019) . - p.52-62 Titre : The influence of age and ASD on verbal fluency networks Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Leslie C. BAXTER, Auteur ; Ashley NESPODZANY, Auteur ; M. J. M. WALSH, Auteur ; Emily WOOD, Auteur ; Christopher J. SMITH, Auteur ; B. Blair BRADEN, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.52-62 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : ASD  Aging  fMRI  Fluency  Word generation  Compensation Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background The integrity and connectivity of the frontal lobe, which subserves fluency, may be compromised by both ASD and aging. Alternate networks often integrate to help compensate for compromised functions during aging. We used network analyses to study how compensation may overcome age-related compromised in individuals with ASD. Method Participants consisted of middle-aged (40–60; n?=?24) or young (18–25; n?=?18) right-handed males who have a diagnosis of ASD, and age- and IQ-matched control participants (n?=?20, 14, respectively). All performed tests of language and executive functioning and a fluency functional MRI task. We first used group individual component analysis (ICA) for each of the 4 groups to determine whether different networks were engaged. An SPM analysis was used to compare activity detected in the network nodes from the ICA analyses. Results The individuals with ASD performed more slowly on two cognitive tasks (Stroop word reading and Trailmaking Part A). The 4 groups engaged different networks during the fluency fMRI task despite equivalent performance. Comparisons of specific regions within these networks indicated younger individuals had greater engagement of the thalamus and supplementary speech area, while older adults engaged the superior temporal gyrus. Individuals with ASD did not disengage from the Default Mode Network during word generation. Conclusion Interactions between diagnosis and aging were not found in this study of young and middle-aged men, but evidence for differential engagement of compensatory networks was observed. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.03.002 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=394 [article] The influence of age and ASD on verbal fluency networks [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Leslie C. BAXTER, Auteur ; Ashley NESPODZANY, Auteur ; M. J. M. WALSH, Auteur ; Emily WOOD, Auteur ; Christopher J. SMITH, Auteur ; B. Blair BRADEN, Auteur . - p.52-62. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 63 (July 2019) . - p.52-62 Mots-clés : ASD  Aging  fMRI  Fluency  Word generation  Compensation Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background The integrity and connectivity of the frontal lobe, which subserves fluency, may be compromised by both ASD and aging. Alternate networks often integrate to help compensate for compromised functions during aging. We used network analyses to study how compensation may overcome age-related compromised in individuals with ASD. Method Participants consisted of middle-aged (40–60; n?=?24) or young (18–25; n?=?18) right-handed males who have a diagnosis of ASD, and age- and IQ-matched control participants (n?=?20, 14, respectively). All performed tests of language and executive functioning and a fluency functional MRI task. We first used group individual component analysis (ICA) for each of the 4 groups to determine whether different networks were engaged. An SPM analysis was used to compare activity detected in the network nodes from the ICA analyses. Results The individuals with ASD performed more slowly on two cognitive tasks (Stroop word reading and Trailmaking Part A). The 4 groups engaged different networks during the fluency fMRI task despite equivalent performance. Comparisons of specific regions within these networks indicated younger individuals had greater engagement of the thalamus and supplementary speech area, while older adults engaged the superior temporal gyrus. Individuals with ASD did not disengage from the Default Mode Network during word generation. Conclusion Interactions between diagnosis and aging were not found in this study of young and middle-aged men, but evidence for differential engagement of compensatory networks was observed. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.03.002 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=394

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