1 research outputs found
Empathy deficits, callousâunemotional traits and structural underpinnings in autism spectrum disorder and conduct disorder youth
Distinct empathy deficits are often described in patients with conduct disorder (CD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) yet their neural underpinnings and the influence of comorbid CallousâUnemotional (CU) traits are unclear. This study compares the cognitive (CE) and affective empathy (AE) abilities of youth with CD and ASD, their potential neuroanatomical correlates, and the influence of CU traits on empathy. Adolescents and parents/caregivers completed empathy questionnaires (Nâ=â148 adolescents, mean ageâ=â15.16âyears) and T1 weighted images were obtained from a subsample (Nâ=â130). Group differences in empathy and the influence of CU traits were investigated using Bayesian analyses and VoxelâBased Morphometry with ThresholdâFree Cluster Enhancement focusing on regions involved in AE (insula, amygdala, inferior frontal gyrus and cingulate cortex) and CE processes (ventromedial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction, superior temporal gyrus, and precuneus). The ASD group showed lower parentâreported AE and CE scores and lower selfâreported CE scores while the CD group showed lower parentâreported CE scores than controls. When accounting for the influence of CU traits no AE deficits in ASD and CE deficits in CD were found, but CE deficits in ASD remained. Across all participants, CU traits were negatively associated with gray matter volumes in anterior cingulate which extends into the mid cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and precuneus. Thus, although coâoccurring CU traits have been linked to global empathy deficits in reports and underlying brain structures, its influence on empathy aspects might be disorderâspecific. Investigating the subdimensions of empathy may therefore help to identify disorderâspecific empathy deficits