scholarly journals Different Whole-Brain Functional Connectivity Correlates of Reactive-Proactive Aggression and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Disruptive Children and Adolescents

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia E Werhahn ◽  
Susanna Mohl ◽  
David Willinger ◽  
Lukasz Smigielski ◽  
Alexander Roth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Disruptive Behavior ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Acquisition Time ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Global And Local

AbstractBackgroundDisruptive behavior in children and adolescents can manifest itself in reactive (RA) and proactive (PA) aggression and is modulated by callous-unemotional (CU) traits and comorbidity. Research on aggression subtype-specific neural correlates is limited and the role of comorbid symptoms largely neglected.MethodsThe current multi-center study extended previous efforts by investigating unrestricted resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) alterations. The large sample (n = 207) of children and adolescents aged 8 – 18 years (mean age = 13.30 ± 2.60 years) included 118 cases with disruptive behavior (80 diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and/or Conduct Disorder) and 89 controls. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety symptoms were added as covariates. We measured changes in global and local voxel-to-voxel rsFC using functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3T (mean acquisition time = 8 min 25 sec).ResultsCompared to controls, cases demonstrated altered rsFC including frontal areas when anxiety but not ADHD symptoms were considered. Within cases, RA and PA scores related to changes in global and local rsFC in central gyrus and precuneus previously linked to aggression-related impairments. CU trait severity correlated with global rsFC alterations including inferior and middle temporal gyrus implicated in empathy, emotion, and reward-related activity. Importantly, most observed aggression subtype-specific patterns could only be identified when ADHD and anxiety problems were also accounted for.ConclusionsThe current study clarifies that distinct though overlapping brain connectivity measures can disentangle differing manifestations of aggressive behavior. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of considering comorbid symptoms for detecting aggression-related rsFC alterations.

scholarly journals Aggression subtypes relate to distinct resting state functional connectivity in children and adolescents with disruptive behavior

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia E. Werhahn ◽  
Susanna Mohl ◽  
David Willinger ◽  
Lukasz Smigielski ◽  
Alexander Roth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Disruptive Behavior ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Anterior Insula ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits ◽  
Aggression Subtypes

Abstract There is increasing evidence for altered brain resting state functional connectivity in adolescents with disruptive behavior. While a considerable body of behavioral research points to differences between reactive and proactive aggression, it remains unknown whether these two subtypes have dissociable effects on connectivity. Additionally, callous-unemotional traits are important specifiers in subtyping aggressive behavior along the affective dimension. Accordingly, we examined associations between two aggression subtypes along with callous-unemotional traits using a seed-to-voxel approach. Six functionally relevant seeds were selected to probe the salience and the default mode network, based on their presumed role in aggression. The resting state sequence was acquired from 207 children and adolescents of both sexes [mean age (standard deviation) = 13.30 (2.60); range = 8.02–18.35] as part of a Europe-based multi-center study. One hundred eighteen individuals exhibiting disruptive behavior (conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder) with varying comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms were studied, together with 89 healthy controls. Proactive aggression was associated with increased left amygdala–precuneus coupling, while reactive aggression related to hyper-connectivities of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) to the parahippocampus, the left amygdala to the precuneus and to hypo-connectivity between the right anterior insula and the nucleus caudate. Callous-unemotional traits were linked to distinct hyper-connectivities to frontal, parietal, and cingulate areas. Additionally, compared to controls, cases demonstrated reduced connectivity of the PCC and left anterior insula to left frontal areas, the latter only when controlling for ADHD scores. Taken together, this study revealed aggression-subtype-specific patterns involving areas associated with emotion, empathy, morality, and cognitive control.

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.

Resting-state thalamic dysconnectivity in schizophrenia and relationships with symptoms

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (15) ◽  
pp. 2492-2499 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ferri ◽  
J. M. Ford ◽  
B. J. Roach ◽  
J. A. Turner ◽  
T. G. van Erp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Cortical Regions

AbstractBackgroundSchizophrenia (SZ) is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder associated with disrupted connectivity within the thalamic-cortico-cerebellar network. Resting-state functional connectivity studies have reported thalamic hypoconnectivity with the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex as well as thalamic hyperconnectivity with sensory cortical regions in SZ patients compared with healthy comparison participants (HCs). However, fundamental questions remain regarding the clinical significance of these connectivity abnormalities.MethodResting state seed-based functional connectivity was used to investigate thalamus to whole brain connectivity using multi-site data including 183 SZ patients and 178 matched HCs. Statistical significance was based on a voxel-level FWE-corrected height threshold of p < 0.001. The relationships between positive and negative symptoms of SZ and regions of the brain demonstrating group differences in thalamic connectivity were examined.ResultsHC and SZ participants both demonstrated widespread positive connectivity between the thalamus and cortical regions. Compared with HCs, SZ patients had reduced thalamic connectivity with bilateral cerebellum and anterior cingulate cortex. In contrast, SZ patients had greater thalamic connectivity with multiple sensory-motor regions, including bilateral pre- and post-central gyrus, middle/inferior occipital gyrus, and middle/superior temporal gyrus. Thalamus to middle temporal gyrus connectivity was positively correlated with hallucinations and delusions, while thalamus to cerebellar connectivity was negatively correlated with delusions and bizarre behavior.ConclusionsThalamic hyperconnectivity with sensory regions and hypoconnectivity with cerebellar regions in combination with their relationship to clinical features of SZ suggest that thalamic dysconnectivity may be a core neurobiological feature of SZ that underpins positive symptoms.

Observed parenting behaviors interact with a polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene to predict the emergence of oppositional defiant and callous–unemotional behaviors at age 3 years

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (4pt1) ◽  
pp. 903-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Willoughby ◽  
Roger Mills-Koonce ◽  
Cathi B. Propper ◽  
Daniel A. Waschbusch
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Disruptive Behavior ◽  
Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
Parenting Behaviors ◽  
Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
Factor Gene ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
The Brain

AbstractUsing the Durham Child Health and Development Study, this study (N = 171) tested whether observed parenting behaviors in infancy (6 and 12 months) and toddlerhood/preschool (24 and 36 months) interacted with a child polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene to predict oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and callous–unemotional (CU) behaviors at age 3 years. Child genotype interacted with observed harsh and intrusive (but not sensitive) parenting to predict ODD and CU behaviors. Harsh–intrusive parenting was more strongly associated with ODD and CU for children with a methionine allele of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene. CU behaviors were uniquely predicted by harsh–intrusive parenting in infancy, whereas ODD behaviors were predicted by harsh–intrusive parenting in both infancy and toddlerhood/preschool. The results are discussed from the perspective of the contributions of caregiving behaviors as contributing to distinct aspects of early onset disruptive behavior.

scholarly journals Brain Connectivity Tracks Effects of Chemotherapy Separately from Behavioral Measures

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omid Kardan ◽  
Mary K. Askren ◽  
Misook Jung ◽  
Scott Peltier ◽  
Bratislav Misic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Cognitive Health

AbstractSeveral studies in cancer research have suggested that cognitive dysfunction following chemotherapy, referred to in lay terms as “chemobrain”, is a serious problem. At present, the changes in integrative brain function that underlie such dysfunction remains poorly understood. Recent developments in neuroimaging suggest that patterns of functional connectivity can provide a broadly applicable neuromarker of cognitive performance and other psychometric measures. The current study used multivariate analysis methods to identify patterns of disruption in resting state functional connectivity of the brain due to chemotherapy and the degree to which the disruptions can be linked to behavioral measures of distress and cognitive performance. Sixty two women (22 healthy control, 18 patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, and 22 treated without chemotherapy) were evaluated with neurocognitive measures followed by self-report questionnaires and open eyes resting-state fMRI scanning at three time points: diagnosis (M0, pre-adjuvant treatment), at least 1 month (M1), and 7 months (M7) after treatment. The results indicated deficits in cognitive health of breast cancer patients immediately after chemotherapy that improved over time. This psychological trajectory was paralleled by a disruption and later recovery of resting-state functional connectivity, mostly in the parietal and frontal brain regions. The functional connectivity alteration pattern seems to be a separable treatment symptom from the decreased cognitive health. More targeted support for patients should be developed to ameliorate these multi-faceted side effects of chemotherapy treatment on neural functioning and cognitive health.

scholarly journals Functional Connectivity and Networks Underlying Complex Tool-Use Movement in Assembly Workers: An fMRI Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seira Taniguchi ◽  
Yuichiro Higashi ◽  
Hirotaka Kataoka ◽  
Hiroshi Nakajima ◽  
Tetsuya Shimokawa
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Tool Use ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Repeated Measure ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity

The aim of this study was to identify the functional connectivity and networks utilized during tool-use in real assembly workers. These brain networks have not been elucidated because the use of tools in real-life settings is more complex than that in experimental environments. We evaluated task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging in 13 assembly workers (trained workers, TW) and 27 age-matched volunteers (untrained workers, UTW) during a tool-use pantomiming task, and resting-state functional connectivity was also analyzed. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of covariance was conducted with the group as a between-subject factor (TW &gt; UTW) and condition (task &gt; resting) as a repeated measure, controlling for assembly time and accuracy as covariates. We identified two patterns of functional connectivity in the whole brain within three networks that distinguished TW from UTW. TW had higher connectivity than UTW between the left middle temporal gyrus and right cerebellum Crus II (false discovery rate corrected p-value, p-FDR = 0.002) as well as between the left supplementary motor area and the pars triangularis of the right inferior frontal gyrus (p-FDR = 0.010). These network integrities may allow for TW to perform rapid tool-use. In contrast, UTW showed a stronger integrity compared to TW between the left paracentral lobule and right angular gyrus (p-FDR = 0.004), which may reflect a greater reliance on sensorimotor input to acquire complex tool-use ability than that of TW. Additionally, the fronto-parietal network was identified as a common network between groups. These findings support our hypothesis that assembly workers have stronger connectivity in tool-specific motor regions and the cerebellum, whereas UTW have greater involvement of sensorimotor networks during a tool-use task.

scholarly journals Resting-state functional connectivity and psychopathology in Klinefelter syndrome (47, XXY)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan T. Whitman ◽  
Siyuan Liu ◽  
Erin Torres ◽  
Allysa Warling ◽  
Kathleen Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Genetic Risk ◽  
Klinefelter Syndrome ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Brain Anatomy ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Neuroimaging Study

Klinefelter syndrome (47, XXY; Henceforth: XXY syndrome) is a high impact but poorly understood genetic risk factor for neuropsychiatric impairment. Here, we provide the first neuroimaging study to map resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes in XXY syndrome and ask how these might relate to brain anatomy and psychopathology. We collected resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 75 individuals with XXY and 84 healthy XY males. We implemented a brain-wide screen to identify regions with altered global rsFC in XXY vs. XY males, and then used seed-based analysis to decompose these alterations. We further compared rsFC changes with regional changes in brain volume from voxel-based morphometry and tested for correlations between rsFC and symptom variation within XXY syndrome. We found that XXY syndrome was characterized by increased global rsFC in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), associated with overconnectivity with diverse rsFC networks. Regional rsFC changes were partly coupled to regional volumetric changes in XXY syndrome. Within the precuneus, variation in DLPFC rsFC within XXY syndrome was correlated with the severity of psychopathology in XXY individuals. Our findings provide the first view of altered functional brain connectivity in XXY syndrome and delineate links between these alterations and those relating to both brain anatomy and psychopathology. Taken together, these insights advance biological understanding of XXY syndrome as a disorder in its own right, and as a model of genetic risk for psychopathology more broadly.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document