Neuroimaging findings in disruptive behavior disorders

Decades of research have shown that youths with disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) are a heterogeneous population. Over the past 20 years, researchers have distinguished youths with DBD as those displaying high (DBD/HCU) versus low (DBD/LCU) callous-unemotional (CU) traits. These traits include flat affect and reduced empathy and remorse, and are associated with more severe, varied, and persistent patterns of antisocial behavior and aggression. Conduct problems in youths with HCU and LCU are thought to reflect distinct causal vulnerabilities, with antisocial behavior in youths with DBD/HCU reflecting a predominantly genetic etiology, while antisocial behavior in youths with DBD/LCU is associated primarily with environmental influences. Here we selectively review recent functional (fMRI) and structural (sMRI) magnetic resonance imaging research on DBD, focusing particularly on the role of CU traits. First, fMRI studies examining the neural correlates of affective stimuli, emotional face processing, empathy, theory of mind, morality, and decision-making in DBD are discussed. This is followed by a review of the studies investigating brain structure and structural connectivity in DBD. Next, we highlight the need to further investigate females and the role of sex differences in this population. We conclude the review by identifying potential clinical implications of this research.

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Emotional reactivity in referred youth with disruptive behavior disorders: The role of the callous-unemotional traits

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.035 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 220 (1-2) ◽

pp. 426-432 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Gabriele Masi ◽

Annarita Milone ◽

Simone Pisano ◽

Francesca Lenzi ◽

Pietro Muratori ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Emotional Reactivity ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders ◽

Callous Unemotional ◽

Callous Unemotional Traits ◽

Unemotional Traits

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Children with Somatic Symptoms Disorders and Disruptive Behavior Disorder: Which is the Role of Anger to Caregivers?

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1925 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S124-S124

Author(s):

F. Bizzi

Keyword(s):

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Early Adolescence ◽

Middle Childhood ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders ◽

Somatic Symptoms ◽

Insecure Attachment ◽

Regulatory Function ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorder

IntroductionThe quality of adult-infant interactions represents a critical context in which child adaptation problems could evolve, and child psychopathology could develop. Literature has investigated the role of attachment to caregivers, nevertheless, there is a paucity of studies on middle-childhood and early adolescence in patients with somatic symptoms disorders and disruptive behavior disorders.ObjectiveThis study investigates the attachment to caregivers in children with somatic symptoms disorders and disruptive behavior disorders, focusing on the role of Anger to mothers and fathers.AimsThe aims are to verify the presence of: – high frequency of insecure attachment;– an overrepresentation of attachment disorganization;– high levels of Anger to caregivers.MethodFifty-six patients with somatic symptoms disorders, and 42 patients with disruptive behavior disorders, aged from 8 to 15, are administered the child attachment interview.ResultsFindings show: – Insecure attachment in more than half of the patients;– a significant presence of disorganized attachment with respect to both parents;– higher levels of anger to father in children with somatic symptoms disorders.ConclusionConsidering the attachment to have a regulatory function, the knowledge of the different attachment strategies in middle-childhood and early adolescence may enhance our understanding and improve the management and the treatment of patients with somatic symptoms disorders and disruptive behavior disorders.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

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Is There a Role of Serotonin in the Disruptive Behavior Disorders? A Literature Review

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1089/cap.1993.3.11 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 11-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

JON K. ZUBIETA ◽

NORMAN E. ALESSI

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

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Treatment Response among Preschoolers with Disruptive Behavior Disorders: The Role of Temperament and Parenting

Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology ◽

10.1080/15374416.2020.1846540 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Megan M. Hare ◽

Paulo A. Graziano

Keyword(s):

Treatment Response ◽

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

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Elucidating the Role of Risperidone in the Treatment of Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1089/cap.2006.16.377 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 377-378 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jess P. Shatkin

Keyword(s):

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

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Friendship Quality in Youth With and Without Disruptive Behavior Disorders: The Role of Empathy, Aggression, and Callousness

Child Psychiatry & Human Development ◽

10.1007/s10578-019-00880-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (5) ◽

pp. 776-788

Author(s):

Katharina Ackermann ◽

Anne Martinelli ◽

Anka Bernhard ◽

Christine M. Freitag ◽

Gerhard Büttner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders ◽

Friendship Quality

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Continuity of attachment in children with disruptive behavior disorders and in their parents: A pilot study

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1220 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S345-S345

Author(s):

F. Bizzi ◽

R. Castellano ◽

D. Cavanna

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Disruptive Behavior ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Disruptive Behavior Disorders ◽

Well Being ◽

Disorganized Attachment ◽

States Of Mind ◽

Attachment Patterns

IntroductionThe quality of adult–infant attachment plays an essential role in influencing the children's well-being (Groh et al., 2012). Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) has been found as particularly influenced by the presence of unavailability in the parental caregiving. It is widely attested that parents’ attachment states of mind predict the attachment patterns of their children. Nonetheless, the investigation of the attachment organization during the middle childhood shows inconsistent data. Moreover, a paucity of studies focused on the role of father's attachment in this period still remains.ObjectivesThis pilot study investigates the attachment patterns of children with DBD and those of their parents.AimsThe aims are to verify the presence of: (1) an over-representation of Disorganized attachment in these children; (2) an over-representation of Irresolution with respect to abuse or loss in one or both their parents.MethodsThe sample consists of 33 subjects: n = 11 children with DBD and n = 22 parents. The children completed the Child Attachment Interview (Shmueli-Goetz et al., 2000) and the parents completed the Adult Attachment Interview (George et al., 1985).ResultsFindings showed: (1) a significant presence of Disorganized attachment with respect to both parents in the children; (2) an over-representation of Insecure states of mind in their parents; (3) a more significant presence of Disorganization in the fathers than in the mothers.ConclusionThis focus on the topic of intergenerational transmission of attachment in a specific clinical sample enriches the research, underlining the more pronounced role of fathers’ attachment configuration.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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