The effects of callous-unemotional traits and aggression subtypes on amygdala activity in response to negative faces

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal-M Aggensteiner ◽  
Nathalie E. Holz ◽  
Boris W. Böttinger ◽  
Sarah Baumeister ◽  
Sarah Hohmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Emotion Processing ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Disruptive Behaviour ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Amygdala Activity ◽  
Aggression Subtypes ◽  
Reactive And Proactive Aggression

Abstract Background Brain imaging studies have shown altered amygdala activity during emotion processing in children and adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) compared to typically developing children and adolescents (TD). Here we aimed to assess whether aggression-related subtypes (reactive and proactive aggression) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits predicted variation in amygdala activity and skin conductance (SC) response during emotion processing. Methods We included 177 participants (n = 108 cases with disruptive behaviour and/or ODD/CD and n = 69 TD), aged 8–18 years, across nine sites in Europe, as part of the EU Aggressotype and MATRICS projects. All participants performed an emotional face-matching functional magnetic resonance imaging task. Results Differences between cases and TD in affective processing, as well as specificity of activation patterns for aggression subtypes and CU traits, were assessed. Simultaneous SC recordings were acquired in a subsample (n = 63). Cases compared to TDs showed higher amygdala activity in response to negative faces (fearful and angry) v. shapes. Subtyping cases according to aggression-related subtypes did not significantly influence on amygdala activity; while stratification based on CU traits was more sensitive and revealed decreased amygdala activity in the high CU group. SC responses were significantly lower in cases and negatively correlated with CU traits, reactive and proactive aggression. Conclusions Our results showed differences in amygdala activity and SC responses to emotional faces between cases with ODD/CD and TD, while CU traits moderate both central (amygdala) and peripheral (SC) responses. Our insights regarding subtypes and trait-specific aggression could be used for improved diagnostics and personalized treatment.

Emotion Regulation and Conduct Disorder

2017 ◽  
pp. 129-153
Author(s):  
Nicholas D. Thomson ◽  
Luna C. M. Centifanti ◽  
Elizabeth A. Lemerise
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Reactive And Proactive Aggression

The present chapter examines several developmental pathways towards a diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD) in childhood and adolescence. In particular, we discuss the evidence for considering how children with CD manage their emotions since subgroups of children with CD may show a different developmental trajectory based on their emotion regulation abilities. The chapter reviews the prevalence and life-course of CD, the development of emotion regulation, temperament and emotionality, and the development of reactive and proactive aggression. It discusses the biopsychosocial distinction of CD with callous-unemotional (CU) traits and CD with severe anger dysregulation. It also reviews the most recent evidence on effective interventions and treatment for children and adolescents with CD and CU traits. The chapter closes with a discussion of the implications for clinical practice of CD based on the heterogeneity within the disorder.

scholarly journals Aggression Subtypes Relate to Distinct Resting State Functional Connectivity in Disruptive Children and Adolescents

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia E Werhahn ◽  
Susanna Mohl ◽  
David Willinger ◽  
Lukasz Smigielski ◽  
Alexander Roth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Disruptive Behavior ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Acquisition Time ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Aggression Subtypes ◽  
Reactive And Proactive Aggression

AbstractObjectiveThere is increasing evidence for altered resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in adolescents with disruptive behavior. Despite considerable ongoing behavioral research suggesting also important differences relating to reactive and proactive aggression, the corresponding rsFC correlates have not been studied to date. We therefore examined associations between these aggression subtypes along with subdimensions of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and rsFC using predefined seeds in aggression-related salience network (SN) and default mode network (DMN).MethodAggression subtype-specific whole-brain rsFC of SN and DMN seeds was investigated in a resting state sequence (mean acquisition time = 8 min 25 sec) acquired from 207 children and adolescents of both sexes aged 8 - 18 years (mean age (SD) = 13.30 (2.60) years; range = 8.02 – 18.35) in a multi-center study. One hundred eighteen individuals exhibited disruptive behavior (conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder) with different levels of comorbid ADHD symptoms, 89 were healthy.ResultsCompared to healthy controls, cases demonstrated reduced DMN and – after controlling for ADHD scores – SN seed-based rsFC with left hemispheric frontal clusters. We found increased and distinct aggression-subtype specific rsFC patterns. Specifically, reactive and proactive aggression correlated with distinct SN and DMN seed-based rsFC patterns. CU dimensions led to different DMN and SN rsFC with clusters including frontal, parietal, and cingulate areas.ConclusionsThis first study investigating reactive and proactive aggression along with CU dimensions reveals new subtype-specific whole-brain rsFC patterns in brain regions linked to processes like emotion, empathy, moral, and cognitive control.

scholarly journals Callous-unemotional traits in Chinese preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinsong Zhang ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Huifeng Zhang ◽  
Amanda Wilson ◽  
Lan Shuai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Incremental Validity ◽  
Behavioural Problems ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits

Abstract Background Children with early onset of Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits are at a higher risk for long-term, persistent psychosocial problems. The current study aimed to explore the characteristics of CU in preschool children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the diagnostic significance of CU traits in ADHD. Methods A total of 176 preschool children (89 with ADHD and 87 Typically Developing Children [TDC]) aged 4–5 years old were recruited to the study. The participants were assessed for CU traits, emotional and behavioral problems, and how their executive functioning was associated with ADHD using multiple assessment scales. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the incremental validity of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), adjusting for possible covariates by child’s sex, conduct problems, and oppositional defiant symptoms. Results The results showed that there was a significant difference of ICU scores between the ADHD and TDC groups (F = 30.12, P < 0.001). In terms of callousness, ADHD + Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) group showed a significant high score, and the ADHD only group scored significantly higher than the TDC group (F = 20.42, P < 0.001). The ICU was negatively associated with the prosocial behaviour subscale (γ = − 0.57, P < 0.01) and showed low to moderate positive correlations with emotional and behavioural problems, as well as executive function (γ = 0.24–0.67, P < 0.05). The ICU scores explained 6% of the incremental validity in ADHD symptoms. The diagnostic value of the ICU for ADHD was medium and acceptable. Conclusions The current study indicated that early identification of CU traits may help clinicians better understand symptoms and behavioural problems in children with ADHD. CU traits therefore could be considered as a useful assessment tool for ADHD.

A Short-Term Intervention for Adolescents with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Emotion-Processing Deficits

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 475-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce H. L. Lui ◽  
Christopher T. Barry ◽  
David K. Marcus
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Emotion Processing ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional

Introduction: Research documents a robust relation between callous-unemotional (CU) traits and impairments in emotion-processing in youth, yet few evidence-based treatments targeting these deficits exist for youth with CU traits. This study examined a novel Emotion-Processing Skills Training (EPST) to target emotion recognition and perspective-taking deficits in adolescents with CU traits through an additive design. Methods: Fifty-six adolescents (Mage = 16.54, SD = .57, 83.9% male, 67.9% White/Caucasian) attending a voluntary residential program received treatment as usual (TAU) or the EPST intervention plus TAU (EPST + TAU) in a partially randomized trial. Assessments were conducted at four time-points, and they involved adolescent-, parent-, peer-, and staff-report. Outcomes of interest included emotion recognition, perspective-taking, CU traits, empathy, prosocial behaviors, social problems, and externalizing problems. Results: Participants who received EPST significantly improved more on perspective-taking at post-treatment than those who only received TAU. Those who only received TAU significantly declined on self-reported empathy and prosocial behaviors from baseline to 12-week follow-up, but those who received EPST declined less or had minimal change. Participants across conditions improved on self-reported CU traits, social problems, and externalizing problems and parent-reported CU traits, social problems, and externalizing problems across time. Discussion: The EPST intervention yielded largely comparable changes to TAU, but in some cases, EPST may have buffered participants from decline in their affective, social, and behavioral functioning. Implications for treatment of adolescents with CU traits are discussed.

scholarly journals Clarifying the Link Between Amygdala Functioning During Emotion Processing and Antisocial Behaviors Versus Callous-Unemotional Traits Within a Population-Based Community Sample

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 918-935
Author(s):  
Hailey L. Dotterer ◽  
Rebecca Waller ◽  
Tyler C. Hein ◽  
Alicia Pardon ◽  
Colter Mitchell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Emotion Processing ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Antisocial Behaviors ◽  
Emotional Cues ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Amygdala Reactivity

Prominent theories suggest that disruptions in amygdala reactivity and connectivity when processing emotional cues are key to the etiology of youth antisocial behavior (AB) and that these associations may be dependent on co-occurring levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits. We examined the associations among AB, CU traits, and amygdala reactivity and functional connectivity while viewing emotional faces (fearful, angry, sad, happy) in 165 adolescents (46% male; 73.3% African American) from a representative, predominantly low-income community sample. AB was associated with increased amygdala activation in response to all emotions and was associated with greater amygdala reactivity to emotion only at low levels of CU traits. AB and CU traits were also associated with distinct patterns of amygdala connectivity. These findings demonstrate that AB-related deficits in amygdala functioning may extend across all emotions and highlight the need for further research on amygdala connectivity during emotion processing in relation to AB and CU traits within community populations.

Reactive and proactive aggression in clinical adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: The moderating role of gender and comorbidities

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910452110550
Author(s):  
Peter Vida ◽  
Judit Balazs ◽  
Julia Gadoros ◽  
Peter Nagy ◽  
Jozsef Halasz
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Aggression Questionnaire ◽  
Reactive And Proactive Aggression ◽  
The Difference

Aggression is well-known problem in adolescent with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but the precise relation of reactive and proactive aggression by gender and comorbidities has not been characterized in this population. The aim of this study was to assess the level of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescents with ADHD and in matched non-ADHD clinical controls. The level of aggression was assessed by the Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire in 391 adolescents with ADHD and in 391 matched non-ADHD clinical controls. The selection of adolescents with ADHD was representative for a three-year–long period in Vadaskert Child Psychiatry Hospital. General Linear Model was used to assess the difference by ADHD, gender, and comorbidities on the level of reactive and proactive aggression. The presence of ADHD was associated with higher levels of reactive and proactive aggression. In girls, the effect of ADHD on reactive aggression was more profound. The presence of oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder in both groups resulted in higher levels of aggression. Our data suggest that adolescents with ADHD have higher level of aggressive behavior, and girls are especially vulnerable in terms of reactive aggressive behavior.

scholarly journals A Meta-Analysis of the Distinction between Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Children and Adolescents

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 522-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanneke Polman ◽  
Bram Orobio de Castro ◽  
Willem Koops ◽  
Herman W. van Boxtel ◽  
Welmoet W. Merk
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Reactive And Proactive Aggression

scholarly journals Adolescent callous–unemotional traits and conduct disorder in adoptees exposed to severe early deprivation

2012 ◽  
Vol 200 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kumsta ◽  
Edmund Sonuga-Barke ◽  
Michael Rutter
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Disruptive Behaviour ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

BackgroundThere is a debate over whether disruptive behaviour should be regarded as a central component of, or rather as an epiphenomenon with little diagnostic value for, psychopathy.AimsTo test whether callous–unemotional traits and conduct disorder can be dissociated in the English and Romanian Adoptee Study, a prospective longitudinal study of adopted individuals with a history of severe early institutional deprivation.MethodThe Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment was used to establish DSM-IV diagnoses for conduct disorder (and also oppositional defiant disorder) at the 15-year follow-up stage. The Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits questionnaire was administered to assess psychopathy traits.ResultsThere was no significant association between callous–unemotional traits and conduct disorder, both according to parent and youth self-report assessed categorically and dimensionally after controlling for confounds.ConclusionsThe majority of individuals with high callous–unemotional traits did not show conduct disorder in this special sample of children. This supports the view that, while common, an overlap between these aspects of psychopathology is not inevitable and so provides evidence for the dissociation of these two concepts. In terms of classification, we argue for a diagnostic scheme where psychopathy can be diagnosed independently of conduct disorder.

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