Alexithymic and autistic traits : relevance for comorbid depression and social phobia in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Max Planck Society via a grant for an Independent Max Planck Research Group awarded to L.S. L.A. was funded via the Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) as part of a joint residency/PhD program in translational psychiatry at the LMU Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Altered peripheral expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor in blood of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Neurotrophine beeinflussen durch die Modulation von Prozessen wie Zellproliferation, -migration, Apoptose und Synapsenbildung entscheidend die neuronale Plastizität. Sie gelten deshalb als Kandidatengene neuronaler Entwicklungsstörungen wie Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen (ASS). Die vorgelegte Arbeit zielt auf die weitere Klärung der Rolle von Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) bei der Ätiopathophysiologie der ASS durch Expressionsanalysen im Blut als potenziellem Surrogat zentralnervöser Prozesse. In gut charakterisierten ASS-Stichproben und - neben gesunden Kontrollprobanden - einer klinischen Kontrollgruppe von Patienten mit Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/ Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) wurde die BDNF-mRNA-Expression in Vollblut sowie BDNF-Proteinserumkonzentrationen untersucht. Zusätzlich wurden mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf die BDNF-Werte wie Alter, IQ, autismusspezifische Symptomatik, Komorbidität und Medikation analysiert. In einer ersten Stichprobe (ASS-Patienten versus gesunde Kontrollen) wurden signifikant erniedrigte BDNF-Serumkonzentrationen in der Patientengruppe mittels Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay gemessen (p = 0,040). In einer zweiten unabhängigen Stichprobe (Patienten mit ASS, Patienten mit ADHS und gesunde Kontrollen) wurde auf mRNA-Ebene mittels quantitativer Real-Time-Polymerasekettenreaktion ebenfalls ein signifikanter Gruppenunterschied ermittelt mit erniedrigter BDNF-Expression in der ASS-Gruppe im Vergleich zu gesunder Kontrollgruppe (p = 0,011), sowie einem Trend zu erniedrigten BDNF-Werten bei ADHS-Patienten im Vergleich zu gesunden Probanden (p = 0,097). Des Weiteren wurde eine signifikante negative Korrelation zwischen Alter und BDNF-mRNA-Expression bei Patienten mit ASS sowie eine positive Korrelation von Alter und BDNF-Serumkonzentrationen bei gesunden Kontrollen gemessen. Auch korrelierten die BDNF-Werte im Serum mit der Ausprägung des autistischen Phänotyps. In einer Subgruppe der ADHS-Patienten wurde kein Einfluss von Psychostimulanzien auf die BDNF-mRNA-Expression gemessen. Der Einbezug größerer Stichproben sowie die systematische Erfassung weiterer potenzieller Einflussfaktoren auf die BDNF-Expression (wie pubertärer Entwicklungsstand bzw. Geschlechtshormonkonzentrationen) könnten in zukünftigen Studien zu einer weiteren Klärung der pathophysiologischen Rolle von BDNF bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit ASS beitragen.Neurotrophins impact on neuronal plasticity by modulating processes such as cell proliferation, cell migration, apoptosis and synaptic plasticity. Therefore, they are regarded as candidate genes for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The following work aims at further clarifying the role of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of ASD by expression analyses in blood as a potential surrogate for BDNF effects observed in the central nervous system. BDNF mRNA expression in whole blood and BDNF serum concentrations were analyzed in well characterized samples of ASD patients, healthy controls, and a clinical control group of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, potential modulating factors such as age, IQ, autistic phenotype, comorbidity and medication were further investigated. In a first project (ASD patients vs. healthy controls) significantly lower BDNF serum concentrations in the ASD group were observed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (p = 0.040). In a second independent sample and project (patients with ASS, patients with ADHD, and healthy controls), BDNF mRNA expression was analyzed using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Also in this sample, a significant group difference was found with lower BDNF expression in the ASD group compared to the health controls (p = 0.011). Moreover, a trend of decreased BDNF mRNA levels was observed for patients with ADHD in comparison to the normally developing controls (p = 0.097). Furthermore, with regard to potential influencing factors, we found a significant negative correlation between age and BDNF mRNA expression in patients with ASD, as well as a positive correlation between age and BDNF serum concentrations in healthy controls. A positive correlation was moreover detected between the serum BDNF concentrations and autistic phenotype. Testing a sub-group of ADHD patients, no significant influence of stimulants was observed on BDNF mRNA expression. In future studies, bigger sample sizes as well as a systematic assessment of other factors that potentially influence BDNF expression (like pubertal developmental status or concentration of sex hormones) could further clarify the pathophysiological role of BDNF in children and adolescents with ASD

Altered peripheral expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor in blood of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Neurotrophine beeinflussen durch die Modulation von Prozessen wie Zellproliferation, -migration, Apoptose und Synapsenbildung entscheidend die neuronale Plastizität. Sie gelten deshalb als Kandidatengene neuronaler Entwicklungsstörungen wie Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen (ASS). Die vorgelegte Arbeit zielt auf die weitere Klärung der Rolle von Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) bei der Ätiopathophysiologie der ASS durch Expressionsanalysen im Blut als potenziellem Surrogat zentralnervöser Prozesse. In gut charakterisierten ASS-Stichproben und - neben gesunden Kontrollprobanden - einer klinischen Kontrollgruppe von Patienten mit Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/ Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) wurde die BDNF-mRNA-Expression in Vollblut sowie BDNF-Proteinserumkonzentrationen untersucht. Zusätzlich wurden mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf die BDNF-Werte wie Alter, IQ, autismusspezifische Symptomatik, Komorbidität und Medikation analysiert. In einer ersten Stichprobe (ASS-Patienten versus gesunde Kontrollen) wurden signifikant erniedrigte BDNF-Serumkonzentrationen in der Patientengruppe mittels Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay gemessen (p = 0,040). In einer zweiten unabhängigen Stichprobe (Patienten mit ASS, Patienten mit ADHS und gesunde Kontrollen) wurde auf mRNA-Ebene mittels quantitativer Real-Time-Polymerasekettenreaktion ebenfalls ein signifikanter Gruppenunterschied ermittelt mit erniedrigter BDNF-Expression in der ASS-Gruppe im Vergleich zu gesunder Kontrollgruppe (p = 0,011), sowie einem Trend zu erniedrigten BDNF-Werten bei ADHS-Patienten im Vergleich zu gesunden Probanden (p = 0,097). Des Weiteren wurde eine signifikante negative Korrelation zwischen Alter und BDNF-mRNA-Expression bei Patienten mit ASS sowie eine positive Korrelation von Alter und BDNF-Serumkonzentrationen bei gesunden Kontrollen gemessen. Auch korrelierten die BDNF-Werte im Serum mit der Ausprägung des autistischen Phänotyps. In einer Subgruppe der ADHS-Patienten wurde kein Einfluss von Psychostimulanzien auf die BDNF-mRNA-Expression gemessen. Der Einbezug größerer Stichproben sowie die systematische Erfassung weiterer potenzieller Einflussfaktoren auf die BDNF-Expression (wie pubertärer Entwicklungsstand bzw. Geschlechtshormonkonzentrationen) könnten in zukünftigen Studien zu einer weiteren Klärung der pathophysiologischen Rolle von BDNF bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit ASS beitragen.Neurotrophins impact on neuronal plasticity by modulating processes such as cell proliferation, cell migration, apoptosis and synaptic plasticity. Therefore, they are regarded as candidate genes for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The following work aims at further clarifying the role of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of ASD by expression analyses in blood as a potential surrogate for BDNF effects observed in the central nervous system. BDNF mRNA expression in whole blood and BDNF serum concentrations were analyzed in well characterized samples of ASD patients, healthy controls, and a clinical control group of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, potential modulating factors such as age, IQ, autistic phenotype, comorbidity and medication were further investigated. In a first project (ASD patients vs. healthy controls) significantly lower BDNF serum concentrations in the ASD group were observed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (p = 0.040). In a second independent sample and project (patients with ASS, patients with ADHD, and healthy controls), BDNF mRNA expression was analyzed using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Also in this sample, a significant group difference was found with lower BDNF expression in the ASD group compared to the health controls (p = 0.011). Moreover, a trend of decreased BDNF mRNA levels was observed for patients with ADHD in comparison to the normally developing controls (p = 0.097). Furthermore, with regard to potential influencing factors, we found a significant negative correlation between age and BDNF mRNA expression in patients with ASD, as well as a positive correlation between age and BDNF serum concentrations in healthy controls. A positive correlation was moreover detected between the serum BDNF concentrations and autistic phenotype. Testing a sub-group of ADHD patients, no significant influence of stimulants was observed on BDNF mRNA expression. In future studies, bigger sample sizes as well as a systematic assessment of other factors that potentially influence BDNF expression (like pubertal developmental status or concentration of sex hormones) could further clarify the pathophysiological role of BDNF in children and adolescents with ASD

The influence of spatiotemporal structure of noisy stimuli in decision making

Decision making is a process of utmost/nimportance in our daily lives, the study of which has/nbeen receiving notable attention for decades. Nevertheless,/nthe neural mechanisms underlying decision making/nare still not fully understood. Computational modeling/nhas revealed itself as a valuable asset to address some of/nthe fundamental questions. Biophysically plausible models,/nin particular, are useful in bridging the different levels/nof description that experimental studies provide, from the/nneural spiking activity recorded at the cellular level to the/nperformance reported at the behavioral level. In this/narticle, we have reviewed some of the recent progress/nmade in the understanding of the neural mechanisms that/nunderlie decision making. We have performed a critical/nevaluation of the available results and address, from a/ncomputational perspective, aspects of both experimentation/nand modeling that so far have eluded comprehension./nTo guide the discussion, we have selected a central/ntheme which revolves around the following question: how/ndoes the spatiotemporal structure of sensory stimuli affect/nthe perceptual decision-making process? This question is a/ntimely one as several issues that still remain unresolved/nstem from this central theme. These include: (i) the role of/nspatiotemporal input fluctuations in perceptual decision/nmaking, (ii) how to extend the current results and models/nderived from two-alternative choice studies to scenarios/nwith multiple competing evidences, and (iii) to establish/nwhether different types of spatiotemporal input fluctuations/naffect decision-making outcomes in distinctive ways./nAnd although we have restricted our discussion mostly to/nvisual decisions, our main conclusions are arguably/ngeneralizable; hence, their possible extension to other/nsensory modalities is one of the points in our discussion.AI acknowledges funding from the SUR, DEC of the Generalitat de/nCatalunya and FSE. LDM is a Ramon y Cajal Fellow and acknowledges funding/nfrom the Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Ramon y Cajal/nprogramme. She also acknowledges financial support from the research project/nTIN2010-21771-C02-02 funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation. MP was/nsupported by the CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 Program CSD2007-00012. GD was/nsupported by the ERC Advanced Grant: DYSTRUCTURE (n. 295129), by the Spanish/nResearch Project SAF2010-16085 and by the CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 Program/nCSD2007-00012, and the FP7-ICT BrainScales and Coronet. RR was supported by/ngrants from the Dirección de Personal Académico de la Universidad Nacional/nAutónoma de México and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología

Altered peripheral BDNF mRNA expression and BDNF protein concentrations in blood of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Findings from molecular genetic studies and analyses of postmortem and peripheral tissue led to the hypothesis that neurotrophins-as crucial moderators of neuroplasticity-impact on the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study projects aimed to complement former results on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family with fundamental impact on brain development and function. The purpose of this work was to investigate peripheral BDNF mRNA expression and BDNF protein concentrations in ASD as potential surrogates for the effects observed in the central nervous system. In a BDNF protein quantification study, serum concentrations were analyzed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays in 24 male patients with ASD, all with an IQ > 70 (age 13.9 ± 3.0 years) and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (age 14.4 ± 2.1 years; p = 0.522). In a further independent project, a BDNF mRNA expression analysis, mRNA levels from total blood were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in a sample of 16 male ASD patients (age 10.8 ± 2.2), 15 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (age 12.1 ± 2.2) and 15 patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a clinical control group (age 11.8 ± 2.2; p = 0.207). In the protein quantification project, significantly decreased BDNF serum concentrations were found in ASD cases compared to healthy control children (t = -2.123, df = 42, p < 0.05). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed this result in accordance with significant reductions in BDNF mRNA expression in ASD, observed in the mRNA expression study (F = 3.65; df = 2.43; p < 0.05); neither age nor IQ confounded the result, as indicated by ANCOVA (F = 3.961; df = 2.41; p < 0.05, η (2)  = 0.162). Our study projects supported the notion that neurotrophins are involved in the pathophysiology of ASD. Further studies may eventually contribute to the identification of distinct peripheral mRNA expression and protein concentration patterns possibly supporting diagnostic and therapeutic processes