Anomalous subcortical morphology in boys, but not girls, with ADHD compared to typically developing controls and correlates with emotion dysregulation

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine delay discounting in girls and boys with ADHD-Combined type (ADHD-C) relative to typically developing (TD) children on two tasks that differ in the extent to which the rewards and delays were experienced by participants. Children ages 8–12 years with ADHD-C (n=65; 19 girls) and TD controls (n=55; 15 girls) completed two delay discounting tasks involving a series of choices between smaller, immediate and larger, delayed rewards. The classic delay discounting task involved choices about money at delays of 1–90 days and only some of the outcomes were actually experienced by the participants. The novel real-time discounting task involved choices about an immediately consumable reward (playing a preferred game) at delays of 25–100 s, all of which were actually experienced by participants. Participants also provided subjective ratings of how much they liked playing the game and waiting to play. Girls with ADHD-C displayed greater delay discounting compared to boys with ADHD-C and TD girls and boys on the real-time discounting task. Diagnostic group differences were not evident on the classic discounting task. In addition, children with ADHD-C reported wanting to play the game more and liking waiting to play the game less than TD children. This novel demonstration of greater delay discounting among girls with ADHD-C on a discounting task in which the rewards are immediately consumable and the delays are experienced in real-time informs our understanding of sex differences and motivational processes in children with ADHD. (JINS, 2016, 22, 12–23)

Download Full-text

Neural features of sustained emotional information processing in autism spectrum disorder

Autism ◽

10.1177/1362361320903137 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 941-953 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carla A Mazefsky ◽

Amanda Collier ◽

Josh Golt ◽

Greg J Siegle

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Emotion Dysregulation ◽

Emotional Processing ◽

Brain Activity ◽

A Priori ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorder Group

Emotion dysregulation is common in autism spectrum disorder; a better understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms could inform treatment development. The tendency toward repetitive cognition in autism spectrum disorder may also increase susceptibility to perseverate on distressing stimuli, which may then increase emotion dysregulation. Therefore, this study investigated the mechanisms of sustained processing of negative information in brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We used an event-related task that alternated between emotional processing of personally relevant negative words, neutral words, and a non-emotional task. A priori criteria were developed to define heightened and sustained emotional processing, and feature conjunction analysis was conducted to identify all regions satisfying these criteria. Participants included 25 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and 23 IQ-, age-, and gender-matched typically developing controls. Regions satisfying all a priori criteria included areas in the salience network and the prefrontal dorsolateral cortex, which are areas implicated in emotion regulation outside of autism spectrum disorder. Collectively, activity in the identified regions accounted for a significant amount of variance in emotion dysregulation in the autism spectrum disorder group. Overall, these results may provide a potential neural mechanism to explain emotion dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder, which is a significant risk factor for poor mental health. Lay abstract Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder struggle with emotions that are intense and interfering, which is referred to as emotion dysregulation. Prior research has established that individuals with autism may be more likely than individuals who are not autistic to have repetitive thoughts. It is possible that persistent thoughts about negative or distressing stimuli may contribute to emotion dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to identify areas of the brain with evidence of persistent processing of negative information via functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging. We used a task that alternated between emotional processing of personally relevant negative words, neutral words, and a non-emotional task. Criteria were developed to define heightened and persistent emotional processing, and analyses were conducted to identify all brain regions satisfying these criteria. Participants included 25 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and 23 typically developing adolescents who were similar to the autism spectrum disorder group in IQ, age, and gender ratios. Brain regions identified as having greater and continued processing following negative stimuli in the autism spectrum disorder group as compared with the typically developing group included the salience network and the prefrontal dorsolateral cortex. These areas have been previously implicated in emotion dysregulation outside of autism spectrum disorder. Collectively, brain activity in the identified regions was associated with parent-reported emotion dysregulation in the autism spectrum disorder group. These results help to identify a potential process in the brain associated with emotion dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder. This information may be useful for the development of treatments to decrease emotion dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder.

Download Full-text

Development of Hot and Cold Executive Function in Boys and Girls With ADHD

Journal of Attention Disorders ◽

10.1177/1087054714524984 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 305-315 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Erik Winther Skogli ◽

Per Normann Andersen ◽

Kjell Tore Hovik ◽

Merete Øie

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Adhd Group ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Test Results ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Emotional Salience ◽

Girls With Adhd

Objective: To investigate the development of executive function with pronounced emotional salience (hot EF) and less pronounced emotional salience (cold EF) in boys and girls with ADHD relative to typically developing (TD) children. Method: Seventy-five children with ADHD and 47 TD children were assessed with hot and cold EF tests at baseline and after 2 years. Results: Despite considerable maturation, the ADHD group remained impaired on all cold EF tests relative to TD children after 2 years. There was no effect of gender on cold EF test results. Females with ADHD outperformed TD counterparts on hot EF at baseline. Females with ADHD showed deteriorating hot EF performance, while TD counterparts showed improved hot EF performance across time. Conclusion: Enduring cold EF impairments after 2 years may reflect stable phenotypic traits in children with ADHD. Results indicate divergent developmental trajectories of hot EF in girls with ADHD relative to TD counterparts.

Download Full-text

Friendships of Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Canadian Journal of School Psychology ◽

10.1177/0829573520936469 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 266-279

Author(s):

Cynthia Maya Beristain ◽

Judith Wiener

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Behavior Problems ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Best Friends ◽

Frequency Of Contact ◽

Girls With Adhd

The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) differ regarding their friendships. The sample comprised 107 adolescents (59 ADHD, 48 typically developing comparison), ages 13 to 18 years. Adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires that measured the number and duration of the adolescents’ friendships, the frequency of contact they had with their friends, and the characteristics of their friends. Adolescents with and without ADHD did not differ in the number of friends they nominated, the duration of their friendships, and the frequency of contact with friends. Adolescents with ADHD were more likely to have friends who were younger or older by two or more years and close friends with behavior problems than comparison adolescents. Girls with ADHD had fewer of their friendships corroborated by parents than girls without ADHD, and fewer of their best friends attending their school. Only girls with ADHD had friends whom they initially met online.

Download Full-text

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Changes in ADHD Symptoms, Executive Functions, and Self- and Parent-Report Depression Symptoms in Boys and Girls With ADHD: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study

Journal of Attention Disorders ◽

10.1177/1087054716664407 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 446-459 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Merete Øie ◽

Kjell Tore Hovik ◽

Per Normann Andersen ◽

Nikolai Olavi Czajkowski ◽

Erik Winther Skogli

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Parent Report ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Adhd Symptoms ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Symptom Profiles ◽

Girls With Adhd ◽

The Relationship

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the association between changes in ADHD symptoms, executive functions (EFs), and depression symptoms in girls and boys with ADHD over a 2-year period. Method: Thirty-six girls and 39 boys with ADHD, 18 typically developing (TD) girls and 29 TD boys (ages 9-16) were included. Assessments of EFs, ADHD symptoms, and self- and parent-report of depression symptoms were carried out. Results: For girls, a reduction of inattention symptoms was associated with a decline in parent-rated depression symptoms. A reduction in hyperactivity/impulsivity was associated with a reduction in self-rated depression symptoms in boys, and an increase in girls. A reduction in inattention symptoms was associated with a modest increase in self-rated depression symptoms in both boys and girls. Conclusion: Gathering information from both the parents and the child with ADHD is important in determining how gender may be influencing symptom profiles.

Download Full-text

Emotional preferences and goals and emotion dysregulation in children with Asperger's syndrome and typically developing children

British Journal of Clinical Psychology ◽

10.1111/bjc.12173 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 57 (3) ◽

pp. 274-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Belén López-Pérez ◽

Tamara Ambrona ◽

Michaela Gummerum

Keyword(s):

Emotion Dysregulation ◽

Asperger's Syndrome ◽

Asperger’S Syndrome ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Typically Developing Children

Download Full-text

Forethought in Youth with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An fMRI Study of Sex-Specific Differences

Psychiatry Journal ◽

10.1155/2016/6810215 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

H. Poissant ◽

L. Rapin ◽

S. Chenail ◽

A. Mendrek

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Performance Accuracy ◽

Fmri Study ◽

The Right ◽

Girls With Adhd ◽

Youth With Adhd

Objective. The majority of studies investigating neurocognitive processing in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been conducted on male participants. Few studies evaluated females or examined sex differences. Among various cognitive anomalies in ADHD, deficit in forethought seems particularly important as children with ADHD often fail to adequately use previous information in order to prepare for responses. The main goal of this study was to assess sex-specific differences in behavioral and neural correlates of forethought in youth with ADHD.Methods. 21 typically developing (TD) youth and 23 youth with ADHD were asked to judge whether two pictures told a congruent or incongruent story. Reaction time, performance accuracy, and cerebral activations were recorded during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).Results. Significant sex-specific differences in cerebral activations appeared, despite equivalent performance. Relative to the boys TD participants, boys with ADHD had extensive bilateral frontal and parietal hypoactivations, while girls with ADHD demonstrated more scattered hypoactivations in the right cerebral regions.Conclusion. Present results revealed that youth with ADHD exhibit reduced cerebral activations during forethought. Nevertheless, the pattern of deficits differed between boys and girls, suggesting the use of a different neurocognitive strategy. This emphasizes the importance of including both genders in the investigations of ADHD.

Download Full-text

Brief Report: Emotion Regulation Influences on Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms Across the Normative-Clinical Continuum

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.693570 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ru Ying Cai ◽

Antonio Y. Hardan ◽

Jennifer M. Phillips ◽

Thomas W. Frazier ◽

Mirko Uljarević

Keyword(s):

Emotion Regulation ◽

Emotion Dysregulation ◽

Community Sample ◽

Externalizing Symptoms ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Unique Contribution ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Atypical Development ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms

Emotion regulation is theorized to be a transdiagnostic process and has been empirically shown to be associated with various mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. However, the relationship between emotion regulation and internalizing and externalizing symptoms has yet to be characterized in a sample of individuals spanning normative and atypical development. Therefore, this study aimed to provide initial evidence for emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic process of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in a community sample of adolescents with and without neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions. The sample consisted of 1,705 caregivers of adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years (Mage = 14.53, SDage = 1.96). Adolescents were typically developing or had a caregiver-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or anxiety. The typically developing adolescents had significantly better caregiver-reported emotion regulation than adolescents with caregiver-reported neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions. Additionally, emotion dysregulation significantly and positively correlated with and predicted internalizing and externalizing symptoms within each subgroup. Importantly, emotion dysregulation had a unique contribution to individual differences in the severity of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, above and beyond the diagnostic status. The research and translational implications of the study findings are discussed.

Download Full-text

Sex Effects on Mirror Overflow during Finger Tapping in Children with ADHD

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617721000576 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

C. Chen ◽

K.S. Rosch ◽

K.E. Seymour ◽

D. Crocetti ◽

E. M. Mahone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structural Connectivity ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Motor Variability ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Sex Effects ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Age Range ◽

Girls With Adhd ◽

Sequencing Task ◽

Age And Sex

Abstract Objectives: The presence of excessive mirror overflow in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is discussed in numerous published reports. These reports, however, include a limited age range in their samples. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of diagnosis and sex on mirror overflow and standard deviation (SD) of tap time in children with and without ADHD across a larger age range (5–12 years) of children. Methods: One-hundred and forty-eight children with ADHD and 112 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) children completed a finger sequencing task. Mirror overflow, SD of tap time, and mean tap time were measured using finger twitch transducers. Results: Results reveal a significant diagnostic effect on mirror overflow such that boys and girls with ADHD demonstrate increased overflow compared to same-sex TD children. Boys with ADHD demonstrated more variable tap times compared to TD boys; no diagnostic effect was observed in the girls. Conclusions: Boys with ADHD exhibit anomalous motor variability; girls with ADHD show similar levels of variability as TD girls. Boys and girls with ADHD exhibit similar levels of excessive mirror overflow. This lack of sex differences on mirror overflow is distinct from reports finding sex effects on overflow and could result from an examination of a broader age range than is included in prior reports. Adolescent data would provide a greater understanding of the trajectory of anomalous mirror overflow across development. Examination of functional and structural connectivity would expand the current understanding of the neurobiological foundation of motor overflow.

Download Full-text

Beyond autism: Challenging unexamined assumptions about social motivation in typical development

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x18002273 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Author(s):

Karen Bartsch ◽

David Estes

Keyword(s):

Social Interest ◽

Social Motivation ◽

Typical Development ◽

Typically Developing ◽

New Approaches

Abstract In challenging the assumption of autistic social uninterest, Jaswal & Akhtar have opened the door to scrutinizing similar unexamined assumptions embedded in other literatures, such as those on children's typically developing behaviors regarding others’ minds and morals. Extending skeptical analysis to other areas may reveal new approaches for evaluating competing claims regarding social interest in autistic individuals.

Download Full-text