Characteristics of Brains in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Structure, Function and Connectivity across the Lifespan

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Over the past decade, neuroimaging studies have provided considerable insights underlying neurobiological mechanisms of ASD. In this review, we introduce recent findings from brain imaging studies to characterize the brains of ASD across the human lifespan. Results of structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies dealing with total brain volume, regional brain structure and cortical area are summarized. Using task-based functional MRI (fMRI), many studies have shown dysfunctional activation in critical areas of social communication and RRBs. We also describe several data to show abnormal connectivity in the ASD brains. Finally, we suggest the possible strategies to study ASD brains in the future.ope

Factors Associated with Emotional Distress in Children and Adolescents during Early Treatment for Cancer.

PURPOSE: Children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer experience emotional distress, such as sadness, worrying, and irritability. However, there is little information about the psychological well-being of parents at the time of their child's diagnosis. We sought to identify factors that were associated with emotional distress in cancer patients as a basis for developing innovative psychological interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients newly diagnosed with cancer at a single center in Korea from 2014 to 2016. Eighty-five patients and their mothers completed psychological inventories. To determine factors associated with emotional distress in patients, we assessed the psychological inventory results using multiple linear regression after performing correlation analysis. RESULTS: The maternal Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score was positively correlated with total problem scores and externalizing scores in patients aged less than 7 years. In patients aged 7-12 years, there was no significant association between the patient's emotional distress and other variables. In contrast, the maternal BDI-II score was the strongest factor associated with patient depression in adolescents. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the most important factor affecting emotional distress in children and adolescents with cancer is maternal depression, especially in patients aged 1-6 years and aged 13-17 years. Understanding the factors associated with emotional distress of cancer patients allows us to develop early psychiatric interventions for patients and their parents at the initial psychological crisis.ope

Behavioral characteristics including eye gaze pattern during face recognition for self and others in patients with social phobia

의학과/석사사회공포증은 사회적 상황에서 유발되는 과도한 불안으로 인해 상호작용에 심각한 어려움을 초래함으로써 한 개인의 사회적 기능 저하에도 직접적인 영향을 미치는 질환이다. 얼굴은 타인의 부정적 평가에 대한 두려움과 밀접한 관련이 있는 신체 부위인데, 선행 연구에서 사회공포증 환자군은 회피행동으로 인해 얼굴 자극의 눈 주변 고정 주시 횟수와 시선분포 모두 정상 대조군에 비해 감소된 것으로 나타났다. 이에 본 연구에서는 사회공포증 환자군이 부정적인 평가를 피하고자 시선을 피하는 경향이 있어 자기 얼굴이 합성된 얼굴사진을 볼 때에도 눈 주변 시선분포는 적을 것이라는 가설을 세웠다. 또한, 사회공포증 환자군은 사회불안으로 인해 얼굴자극이 제시되었을 때 시선을 더 많이 옮겨 고정 주시 횟수가 많을 것이라는 가설을 세웠다. 이와 같은 가설을 시선 추적기를 사용하여 검증하고자 하였다. 연구 결과 사회공포증 환자군과 정상 대조군의 평균 고정 주시 횟수가 타인 얼굴 자극에서 각각 4.3회, 3.2회로 유의미하게 많았으며, 자신과 합성 얼굴 자극에서도 각각 4.2회 및 3.3회, 5.0회 및 4.0회로 유의미한 차이를 보였다. 한편, 각 관심영역에서의 시선분포는 두 군간 유의미한 차이가 없었다. 이는 사회공포증 환자에서 타인에 대한 인식 뿐 아니라 자기 인식에 있어서도 정상인과는 다른 인지 기제가 작용할 수 있음을 의미 한다.ope