scholarly journals Intranasal oxytocin enhances approach-related EEG frontal alpha asymmetry during engagement of direct eye contact

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier R Soriano ◽  
Nicky Daniels ◽  
Jellina Prinsen ◽  
Kaat Alaerts
Keyword(s):  
Eye Contact ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Alpha Asymmetry ◽  
Live Model ◽  
Frontal Alpha Asymmetry ◽  
Gaze Behaviour ◽  
Approach Avoidance

Abstract The neuropeptide oxytocin is suggested to play a major role in a variety of complex human behaviours, including interpersonal bonding, trust and attachment. Recent theories have suggested that the role oxytocin plays in these complex social behaviours involves a modulation of motivational tendencies of approach-/avoidance-related behaviours. However, to date, direct neurophysiological evidence supporting this notion is limited. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study with parallel design, we assessed the effects of administered intranasal oxytocin in 40 adult men on gaze behaviour and a neural marker of approach/avoidance motivational tendencies. Specifically, electroencephalography recordings were performed during the engagement of eye contact with a live model in a naturalistic two-person social context and electroencephalographic frontal alpha asymmetry, an established neurophysiological index of motivational tendencies for approach-/avoidance-related behaviours, was assessed. Compared to placebo, a single dose of oxytocin (24 international units) was shown to increase relative left-sided frontal asymmetry upon direct eye contact with a live model, which is indicative of an increase in approach-related motivational tendencies towards the presented eye contact stimulus. Notably, the treatment effect was most prominently observed in participants with lower self-reported social motivation (higher Motivation subscale scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale), indicating that participants with lower social motivation benefitted the most from the administered oxytocin. No treatment-specific changes were identified in terms of gaze behaviour towards the eye region of the live model. Together, these observations add neurophysiological evidence to the hypothesized role of oxytocin in modulating approach-/avoidance-related tendencies and suggest that inter-subject variability in person-dependent factors need to be considered to evaluate the potential benefit of intranasal oxytocin as a treatment. This notion is of particular relevance to the variety of neuropsychiatric populations such as autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety disorder and depression, for which intranasal oxytocin is increasingly considered a potential treatment.

scholarly journals Intranasal oxytocin enhances approach-related EEG frontal alpha asymmetry during engagement of direct eye contact

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier R. Soriano ◽  
Nicky Daniels ◽  
Jellina Prinsen ◽  
Kaat Alaerts
Keyword(s):  
Eye Contact ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Gaze Behavior ◽  
Alpha Asymmetry ◽  
Live Model ◽  
Frontal Alpha Asymmetry ◽  
Approach Avoidance

AbstractThe neuropeptide oxytocin is suggested to exert a pivotal role in a variety of complex human behaviors, including interpersonal bonding, trust, and attachment. Recent theories have suggested that the role oxytocin plays in these complex social behaviors involves a modulation of motivational tendencies of approach/avoidance-related behaviors. However, to date, direct neurophysiological evidence supporting this notion is limited. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study with parallel design, we assessed the effects of administered intranasal oxytocin in 40 adult men on gaze behavior and a neural marker of approach/avoidance motivational tendencies. Specifically, electroencephalography recordings were performed during the engagement of eye contact with a live model in a naturalistic two-person social context and electroencephalographic frontal alpha asymmetry, an established neurophysiological index of motivational tendencies for approach/avoidance-related behaviors, was assessed. Compared to placebo, a single dose of oxytocin (24 international units) was shown to increase relative left-sided frontal asymmetry upon direct eye contact with a live model, which is indicative of an increase in approach-related motivational tendencies toward the presented eye contact stimulus. Notably, the treatment effect was most prominently observed in participants with lower self-reported social motivation (higher Motivation subscale scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale), indicating that participants with lower social motivation benefitted the most from the administered oxytocin. No treatment-specific changes were identified in terms of gaze behavior toward the eye region of the live model. Together, these observations add neurophysiological evidence to the hypothesized role of oxytocin in modulating approach/avoidance related tendencies and suggest that inter-individual variance in person-dependent factors need to be considered in order to evaluate the potential benefit of intranasal oxytocin as a treatment. This notion is of particular relevance to the variety of neuropsychiatric populations such as autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety disorder and depression, for which intranasal oxytocin is increasingly considered a potential treatment.

scholarly journals Oxytocin enhances the recovery of eye-contact induced autonomic arousal: A treatment mechanism study with placebo-controlled design

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicky Daniels ◽  
Jellina Prinsen ◽  
Javier R. Soriano ◽  
Kaat Alaerts
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Eye Contact ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Autonomic Arousal ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Skin Conductance Responses

AbstractThe neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is suggested to exert a pivotal role in a variety of complex human behaviors, including trust, attachment, social perception and fear-regulation. Previous studies have demonstrated that intranasal administration of OT reduces subjective and neuroendocrine stress responses and dampens amygdala reactivity. Moreover, OT has been proposed to modulate activity of the autonomic nervous system.Here, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 56 men, to investigate whether a single-dose of OT (24 IU) modulates sympathetic autonomic arousal upon live dyadic gaze interactions. To do so, electro-dermal recordings of skin conductance were performed during the engagement of eye contact with a live model in a naturalistic two-person social context.In accordance to prior research, direct eye gaze elicited a significant enhancement in skin conductance responses, but OT did not specifically enhance or dampen the overall magnitude (amplitude) of the autonomic arousal response. Administration of OT did facilitate the recovery of skin conductance responses back to baseline (increased steepness of recovery slope), indicating a role of OT in restoring homeostatic balance. Notably, the treatment-effect on autonomic recovery was most prominent in participants with low self-reported social responsiveness and high attachment avoidance, indicating that person-dependent factors play a pivotal role in determining OT treatment-responses. Behaviorally, OT significantly reduced self-reported feelings of tension and (at trend-level) worrying about how one presents oneself.Together, these observations add further evidence to a role of OT in reducing subjective and autonomic stress responses, primarily by facilitating restoration of homeostatic balance after (social) stress-induced perturbation.

scholarly journals Neuropsychiatric Phenotypes and a Distinct Constellation of ASD Features in 3q29 Deletion Syndrome: Results from the 3q29 Registry

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M Pollak ◽  
Melissa M Murphy ◽  
Michael P Epstein ◽  
Michael E Zwick ◽  
Cheryl Klaiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Deletion Syndrome ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
T Score ◽  
Increased Risk

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe 1.6 Mb 3q29 deletion is associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric phenotypes, including increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a 20-40-fold increased risk for schizophrenia. However, the phenotypic spectrum of the deletion, particularly with respect to ASD, remains poorly described.MethodsWe ascertained individuals with 3q29 deletion syndrome (3q29Del, “cases”, n=93, 58.1% male) and typically developing controls (n=64, 51.6% male) through the 3q29 registry (https://3q29deletion.patientcrossroads.org). Self-report of neuropsychiatric illness was evaluated for 93 cases. Subsets of participants were evaluated with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS, n=48 cases, 56 controls), Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ, n=33 cases, 46 controls), Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ, n=24 cases, 35 controls), and Achenbach Behavior Checklists (n=48 cases, 57 controls).Results3q29Del cases report a higher prevalence of autism diagnoses versus the general population (29.0% vs. 1.47%, p<2.2E-16). Notably, 3q29 deletion confers a greater influence on risk for ASD in females (OR=41.8, p=4.78E-05) than in males (OR=24.6, p=6.06E-09); this is aligned with the reduced male:female bias from 4:1 in the general population to 2:1 in our study sample. Although 71% of cases do not report a diagnosis of ASD, there is evidence of significant social disability (3q29Del SRS T-score=71.8, control SRS T-score=45.9, p=2.16E-13). Cases also report increased frequency of generalized anxiety disorder compared to controls (28.0% vs. 6.2%, p=0.001), which is mirrored by elevated mean scores on the Achenbach DSM-oriented sub-scales (p<0.001). Finally, cases show a distinct constellation of ASD features on the SRS as compared to idiopathic ASD, with substantially elevated Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviors, but only mild impairment in Social Motivation.ConclusionsOur sample of 3q29Del is significantly enriched for ASD diagnosis, especially among females, and features of autism may be present even when an ASD diagnosis is not reported. Further, the constellation of ASD features in this population is distinct from idiopathic ASD, with substantially less impaired social motivation. Our study implies that ASD evaluation should be the standard of care for individuals with 3q29Del. From a research perspective, the distinct ASD subtype present in 3q29Del is an ideal entry point for expanding understanding of ASD.

scholarly journals Oxytocin enhances neural approach towards social and non-social stimuli of high personal relevance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaat Alaerts ◽  
Aymara Taillieu ◽  
Nicky Daniels ◽  
Javier R. Soriano ◽  
Jellina Prinsen
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Approach ◽  
Personal Relevance ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Viewing Time ◽  
Affective Valence ◽  
Social Stimuli ◽  
Alpha Asymmetry ◽  
Social Nature ◽  
Motivational Salience ◽  
Approach Avoidance

AbstractOxytocin (OT) plays a pivotal role in a variety of complex social behaviors by modulating approach-avoidance motivational tendencies, but recently, its social specificity has been challenged. Here, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with forty young adult men, investigating the effect of a single-dose of OT (24 IU) on behavioral and neural approach-avoidance. Frontal alpha asymmetry, indexing neurophysiological approach-avoidance, was obtained from electroencephalographic recordings while participants were presented with a series of pictures, individually rated in terms of personal relevance (i.e., high versus low positive/negative emotional evocativeness) and categorized as social or non-social. Additionally, participants could prolong (approach) or shorten (avoid) the viewing-time of each picture, providing a measure of behavioral approach-avoidance. Intranasal OT enhanced both behavioral and neural approach (increased viewing-time), particularly towards negatively valenced pictures of both social and non-social nature, thus challenging the notion that OT’s effects are specific to social stimuli. Neurally, OT specifically amplified approach-related motivational salience of stimuli that were self-rated to have high personal relevance, but irrespective of their social nature or rated affective valence (positive/negative). Together, these findings provide support to the General Approach-Avoidance Hypothesis of OT, suggesting a role of OT in amplifying the motivational salience of environmental stimuli with high (personal) relevance, but irrespective of their social/non-social nature.Clinical Trial Number: The study design was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04443647; 23/06/2020; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04443647).

scholarly journals Relationship Between Social Motivation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Parents

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Uljarević ◽  
Thomas W. Frazier ◽  
Booil Jo ◽  
Jennifer M. Phillips ◽  
Wesley Billingham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Simons Simplex Collection ◽  
The Social ◽  
Multiplex Families

Impairment in social motivation (SM) has been suggested as a key mechanism underlying social communication deficits observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the factors accounting for variability in SM remain poorly described and understood. The current study aimed to characterize the relationship between parental and proband SM. Data from 2,759 children with ASD (Mage = 9.03 years, SDage = 3.57, 375 females) and their parents from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) project was included in this study. Parental and proband SM was assessed using previously identified item sets from the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Children who had parents with low SM scores (less impairments) showed significantly lower impairments in SM compared to children who had either one or both parents with elevated SM scores. No parent-of-origin effect was identified. No significant interactions were found involving proband sex or intellectual disability (ID) status (presence/absence of ID) with paternal or maternal SM. This study establishes that low SM in children with ASD may be driven, in part, by lower SM in one or both parents. Future investigations should utilize larger family pedigrees, including simplex and multiplex families, evaluate other measures of SM, and include other related, yet distinct constructs, such as social inhibition and anhedonia. This will help to gain finer-grained insights into the factors and mechanisms accounting for individual differences in sociability among typically developing children as well as those with, or at risk, for developing ASD.

The Influence of Language Context on Repetitive Speech Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Gladfelter ◽  
Cassidy VanZuiden
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Language Context

Purpose Although repetitive speech is a hallmark characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the contributing factors that influence repetitive speech use remain unknown. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if the language context impacts the amount and type of repetitive speech produced by children with ASD. Method As part of a broader word-learning study, 11 school-age children with ASD participated in two different language contexts: storytelling and play. Previously collected language samples were transcribed and coded for four types of repetitive speech: immediate echolalia, delayed echolalia, verbal stereotypy, and vocal stereotypy. The rates and proportions of repetitive speech were compared across the two language contexts using Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests. Individual characteristics were further explored using Spearman correlations. Results The children produced lower rates of repetitive speech during the storytelling context than the play-based context. Only immediate echolalia differed between the two contexts based on rate and approached significance based on proportion, with more immediate echolalia produced in the play-based context than in the storytelling context. There were no significant correlations between repetitive speech and measures of social responsiveness, expressive or receptive vocabulary, or nonverbal intelligence. Conclusions The children with ASD produced less immediate echolalia in the storytelling context than in the play-based context. Immediate echolalia use was not related to social skills, vocabulary, or nonverbal IQ scores. These findings offer valuable insights into better understanding repetitive speech use in children with ASD.

scholarly journals Investigating Gaze Behaviour of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Classroom Setting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aideen McParland ◽  
Stephen Gallagher ◽  
Mickey Keenan
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Classroom Setting ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Training Tool ◽  
Gaze Behaviour ◽  
Promising Application ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Face Stimuli ◽  
Operant Training

AbstractA defining feature of ASD is atypical gaze behaviour, however, eye-tracking studies in ‘real-world’ settings are limited, and the possibility of improving gaze behaviour for ASD children is largely unexplored. This study investigated gaze behaviour of ASD and typically developing (TD) children in their classroom setting. Eye-tracking technology was used to develop and pilot an operant training tool to positively reinforce typical gaze behaviour towards faces. Visual and statistical analyses of eye-tracking data revealed different gaze behaviour patterns during live interactions for ASD and TD children depending on the interaction type. All children responded to operant training with longer looking times observed on face stimuli post training. The promising application of operant gaze training in ecologically valid settings is discussed.

scholarly journals FASTER and SCOTT&EVA trainings for adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludger Tebartz van Elst ◽  
Thomas Fangmeier ◽  
Ulrich Max Schaller ◽  
Oliver Hennig ◽  
Meinhard Kieser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Computer Based Training ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Computer Based

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental condition with a prevalence rate above 1%, characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction; restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities; and a preference for sameness and routines. The majority of adult ASD patients suffer from comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety. Therapy options for adult ASD patients are lacking, with presently no available evidence-based interventions in Germany. Recently, two interventions to improve social responsiveness have been published. FASTER (“Freiburger Asperger-Spezifische Therapie für ERwachsene” = Freiburg Asperger-specific therapy for adults) is a manualized group psychotherapy program including three modules on psychoeducation, stress regulation management, and non-verbal and verbal social communication training with videotaped tasks. SCOTT&EVA (“Social Cognition Training Tool”, and its enhancement “Emotionen Verstehen und Ausdruecken” = understanding and expressing emotions) is a computer-based training program to enhance social cognition including video and audio material of emotional expressions and complex real-life social situations. Initial studies for both programs have shown good feasibility and efficacy. Methods Three hundred sixty adult participants with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will take part in a randomized controlled three-armed multi-center trial to prove the efficacy of manualized group psychotherapy and a manualized computer-based training program. Both interventions will be compared with a treatment as usual (TAU) group, aiming to establish evidence-based psychotherapy approaches for adult individuals with ASD. The primary outcome is evaluated by parents, spouses, or others who have sufficient insight into the respective participant’s social communication and interaction, and will be measured with the Social Responsiveness Scale. First, each of both interventions will be compared to TAU. If at least one of the differences is significant, both interventions will be compared against each other. The primary outcome will be measured at baseline (T0) and 4 months after baseline (T1). Discussion The trial is the first to validate psychiatric therapeutic and training interventions for adult ASD patients in Germany. A trial is needed because the prevalence of ASD in adulthood without intellectual disability is high, and no evidence-based intervention can be offered in Germany. Trial registration German Clinical Trial Register DRKS00017817. Registered on 20 April 2020.

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