Altered white matter connectivity of ventral language networks in autism spectrum disorder: An automated fiber quantification analysis with multi-site datasets.

Comprehension and pragmatic deficits are prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are potentially linked to altered connectivity in the ventral language networks. However, previous magnetic resonance imaging studies have not sufficiently explored the microstructural abnormalities in the ventral fiber tracts underlying comprehension dysfunction in ASD. Additionally, the precise locations of white matter (WM) changes in the long tracts of patients with ASD remain poorly understood. In the current study, we applied the automated fiber-tract quantification (AFQ) method to investigate the fine-grained WM properties of the ventral language pathway and their relationships with comprehension and symptom manifestation in ASD. The analysis included diffusion/T1 weighted imaging data of 83 individuals with ASD and 83 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls. Case-control comparisons were performed on the diffusion metrics of the ventral tracts at both the global and point-wise levels. We also explored correlations between diffusion metrics, comprehension performance, and ASD traits, and conducted subgroup analyses based on age range to examine developmental moderating effects. Individuals with ASD exhibited remarkable hypoconnectivity in the ventral tracts, particularly in the temporal portions of the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF). These WM abnormalities were associated with poor comprehension and more severe ASD symptoms. Furthermore, WM alterations in the ventral tract and their correlation with comprehension dysfunction were more prominent in younger children with ASD than in adolescents. These findings indicate that WM disruptions in the temporal portions of the left ILF/IFOF are most notable in ASD, potentially constituting the core neurological underpinnings of comprehension and communication deficits in autism. Moreover, impaired WM connectivity and comprehension ability in patients with ASD appear to improve with age.

Brain structures and functional connectivity in neglected children with no other types of maltreatment.

Child maltreatment can adversely affect brain development, leading to vulnerabilities in brain structure and function and various psychiatric disorders. Among the various types of child maltreatment, neglect has the highest incidence rate (76.0%); however, data on its sole adverse influence on the brain remain limited. This case-control brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study identified the changes in gray matter structure and function that distinguish neglected children with no other type of maltreatment (Neglect group, n = 23) from typically developing children (TD group, n = 140), and investigated the association between these structural and functional differences and specific psychosocial phenotypes observed in neglected children. Our results showed that the Neglect group had a larger right and left anterior cingulate cortex (R/L.ACC) and smaller left angular gyrus (L.AG) gray matter volume. The larger R/L.ACC was associated with hyperactivity and inattention. Resting-state functional analysis showed increased functional connectivity (FC) between the left supramarginal gyrus (L.SMG) in the salience network (SN) and the right middle frontal gyrus (R.MFG) simultaneously with a decrease in FC with the L.ACC for the same seed. The increased FC for the R.MFG was associated with difficulty in peer problems and depressive symptoms; a mediating effect was evident for depressive symptoms. These results suggest that the structural atypicality of the R/L.ACC indirectly contributes to the disturbed FCs within the SN, thereby exacerbating depressive symptoms in neglected children. In conclusion, exposure to neglect in childhood may lead to maladaptive brain development, particularly neural changes associated with depressive symptoms.

Methylphenidate remediates aberrant brain network dynamics in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

Methylphenidate is a widely used first-line treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the underlying circuit mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we investigate whether a single dose of osmotic release oral system methylphenidate can remediate attention deficits and aberrancies in functional circuit dynamics in cognitive control networks, which have been implicated in ADHD. In a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind crossover design, 27 children with ADHD were scanned twice with resting-state functional MRI and sustained attention was examined using a continuous performance task under methylphenidate and placebo conditions; 49 matched typically-developing (TD) children were scanned once for comparison. Dynamic time-varying cross-network interactions between the salience (SN), frontoparietal (FPN), and default mode (DMN) networks were examined in children with ADHD under both administration conditions and compared with TD children. Methylphenidate improved sustained attention on a continuous performance task in children with ADHD, when compared to the placebo condition. Children with ADHD under placebo showed aberrancies in dynamic time-varying cross-network interactions between the SN, FPN and DMN, which were remediated by methylphenidate. Multivariate classification analysis confirmed that methylphenidate remediates aberrant dynamic brain network interactions. Furthermore, dynamic time-varying network interactions under placebo conditions predicted individual differences in methylphenidate-induced improvements in sustained attention in children with ADHD. These findings suggest that a single dose of methylphenidate can remediate deficits in sustained attention and aberrant brain circuit dynamics in cognitive control circuits in children with ADHD. Findings identify a novel brain circuit mechanism underlying a first-line pharmacological treatment for ADHD, and may inform clinically useful biomarkers for evaluating treatment outcomes.

Thalamic Volume Is Related to Increased Anterior Thalamic Radiations in Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is associated with childhood maltreatment and affects approximately 1% of the general population. Recent data suggest that childhood maltreatment is associated with brain alterations in white and gray matter. However, the neural mechanisms of RAD-related brain alterations remain unknown. Herein, we evaluated the white matter pathways and gray matter volumes in 31 and 41 age-matched children with RAD and typical development (TD), respectively, by analyzing T1- and diffusion-weighted images. An increased fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity in the anterior thalamic radiations (ATR) and an increased volume in the bilateral pallidum and right thalamus were observed in children with RAD compared with those with TD. Moreover, the volume of the thalamus was associated with increased ATR FA in children with RAD. Our study confirmed the existence of atypical neurodevelopment processes in the thalamus, pallidum, and ATR in children with RAD and highlighted an interdependent relationship between the alterations in the thalamus and ATR. These findings may help to improve our understanding of the comprehensive neural mechanisms of RAD.

The Effects of COMT Polymorphism on Cortical Thickness and Surface Area Abnormalities in Children with ADHD.

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with frontal cortex development and the pathophysiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, how the COMT gene impacts brain structure and behavior in ADHD remains unknown. In the present study, we identify the effect of COMT on cortical thickness and surface area in children with ADHD and children with typically developing (TD) using a machine learning approach. In a sample of 39 children with ADHD and 34 age- and IQ-matched TD children, we found that cortical thickness and surface area differences were predominantly observed in the frontal cortex. Furthermore, a path analysis revealed that a COMT genotype affected abnormal development of the frontal cortex in terms of both cortical thickness and surface area and was associated with working memory changes in children with ADHD. Our study confirms that the role of COMT in ADHD is not restricted to the development of behavior but may also affect the cortical thickness and surface area. Thus, our findings may help to improve the understanding of the neuroanatomic basis for the relationship between the COMT genotype and ADHD pathogenesis.

Congenital rubella syndrome with death from interstitial pneumonia.

There was a rubella epidemic in Japan in 2012-2013, which led to an increased number infants being born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Symptoms of CRS are varied and include cataracts, congenital heart disease, and hearing impairment, but case reports of CRS complicated by interstitial pneumonia are rare. We report the case of a patient with CRS who died of respiratory failure caused by interstitial pneumonia. Thrombocytopenia had been present for approximately 1 month after birth, and the patient presented with sudden lung hemorrhage at 64 days old. Thereafter, respiratory condition deteriorated, and the patient died at 107 days old. Given that infants with CRS who have thrombocytopenia and interstitial pneumonia have a high risk of death, they should be monitored carefully for potential complications.

Concordance of DSM-5 and DSM-IV-TR classifications for autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was published in May 2013. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been structured for the three subtypes of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), but the number of impairment in social and communication dimension is not stated. METHODS: The subjects were 68 children who visited the Department of Psychology and Development at Nagoya City University Hospital for the first time between the ages of 6 and 15 years old. We retrospectively re-examined the subjects using DSM-IV-TR criteria and DSM-5 criteria with two rules (two of three and one of three on the social and communication dimension) and examined the concordance rate. RESULTS: Forty subjects were diagnosed with PDD, and 28 were not. The mean PDD subject age was 9.4 years, and mean IQ was 84.0 on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III or 62.7 on the Tanaka-Binet test. Twenty-seven (68%) of the PDD subjects were classified with ASD using DSM-5 criteria when the two of three rule was applied, while 32 (80%) were classified with ASD when the one of three rule was applied. All subjects without PDD were not diagnosed with ASD on DSM-5 criteria. CONCLUSION: DSM-5 criteria may exclude high functioning and older subjects from ASD because they tend to be atypical. The diagnostic procedure for DSM-5 criteria is ambiguous, especially in high functioning subjects and those diagnosed at an older age.

Phase separation of a hexacyanoferrate-bridged coordination framework under electrochemical na-ion insertion.

Phase separation and transformation induced by electrochemical ion insertion are key processes in achieving efficient energy storage. Exploration of novel insertion electrode materials/reactions is particularly important to unravel the atomic/molecular-level mechanism and improve the electrochemical properties. Here, we report the unconventional phase separation of a cyanide-bridged coordination polymer, Eu[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O, under electrochemical Na-ion insertion. Detailed structural analyses performed during the electrochemical reaction revealed that, in contrast to conventional electrochemical phase separation induced by the elastic interaction between nearest neighbors, the phase separation of NaxEu[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O is due to a long-range interaction, namely, cooperative rotation ordering of hexacyanoferrates. Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami analysis showed that the activation energy for the phase boundary migration in NaxEu[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O is lower than that in other conventional electrode materials such as Li(1-x)FePO4.

Fact-finding survey by systematic review of active support groups accepting people with eating disorders in Japan.

This study systematically reviewed and listed support groups that are currently active in accepting people with eating disorders in Japan. The characteristics of the 50 support groups for eating disorders approved for publication are listed in Table 1 in Supplementary Materials.

Reliability and validity of a Japanese version of the Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale.

Aim: The Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale (BBQ) is a popular quality of life measure, indexing satisfaction with and importance of six empirically selected life domains. Whether these domains hold cross-cultural validity remains largely unexplored. The current study developed and psychometrically validated a Japanese version of the BBQ (BBQ-J). Methods: Data were collected from 637 Japanese individuals aged between 20 and 87 years. We used t-tests, Pearson product-rate correlation coefficients, a reliability analysis, a confirmatory factor analysis, and an exploratory factor analysis to analyze the data, with 637 participants in all analyses. Results: There were no statistically significant gender differences on the BBQ-J. Confirmatory factor analysis of the BBQ-J revealed a 1-factor structure with six items. Convergent validity was confirmed by its association with life satisfaction, and negative convergent validity was confirmed by its negative correlation with depressive symptoms. Cronbach's alpha of the BBQ-J showed high internal consistency. Conclusion: Similar to the original version, the Japanese version of the BBQ is a valid and reliable self-administered measure of subjective quality of life for use in clinical and research settings.

Psychometrics of rating scales for externalizing disorders in Japanese outpatients: The ADHD-Rating Scale-5 and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale.

OBJECTIVES: This study validated the Japanese version of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-Rating Scale-5 (ADHD-RS-5) and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale. We extended the ADHD-RS-5 by adding the oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder subscales to compare the two rating scales psychometrically. METHODS: We examined the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity and criterion validity of the two rating scales in 135 Japanese outpatients aged 6-18 years. RESULTS: The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were good for all the subscales of the two rating scales except for the conduct disorder subscale of the ADHD-RS-5 extended. Good construct validity was revealed by expected correlational patterns between subscales from the two rating scales and the Children Behavior Checklist. The criterion validity was good for all the subscales of the two rating scales rated by parents, while teacher-ratings revealed substantially lower predictive ability for all the subscales. Agreement between parent- and teacher-ratings of the two rating scales was generally moderate and using predictive ratings alone of both ratings showed the best predictive ability among the integration methods examined. CONCLUSION: The two rating scales have sound psychometric properties and will aid in screening and severity assessment of externalizing disorders in Japanese clinical settings.

Bimetallic cyanide-bridged coordination polymers as lithium ion cathode materials: core@shell nanoparticles with enhanced cyclability.

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have recently been proposed as electrode materials for low-cost, long-cycle-life, and high-power batteries. However, high-capacity bimetallic examples show poor cycle stability due to surface instabilities of the reduced states. The present work demonstrates that, relative to single-component materials, higher capacity and longer cycle stability are achieved when using Prussian blue analogue core@shell particle heterostructures as the cathode material for Li-ion storage. Particle heterostructures with a size dispersion centered at 210 nm composed of a high-capacity K(0.1)Cu[Fe(CN)(6)](0.7)·3.8H(2)O (CuFe-PBA) core and lower capacity but highly stable shell of K(0.1)Ni[Fe(CN)(6)](0.7)·4.1H(2)O have been prepared and characterized. The heterostructures lead to the coexistence of both high capacity and long cycle stability because the shell protects the otherwise reactive surface of the highly reduced state of the CuFe-PBA core. Furthermore, interfacial coupling to the shell suppresses a known structural phase transition in the CuFe-PBA core, providing further evidence of synergy between the core and shell. The structure and chemical state of the heterostructure during electrochemical cycling have been monitored with ex situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption experiments and compared to the behavior of the individual components.

Reversible solid state redox of an octacyanometallate-bridged coordination polymer by electrochemical ion insertion/extraction.

Coordination polymers have significant potential for new functionality paradigms due to the intrinsic tunability of both their electronic and structural properties. In particular, octacyanometallate-bridged coordination polymers have the extended structural and magnetic diversity to achieve novel functionalities. We demonstrate that [Mn(H2O)][Mn(HCOO)(2/3)(H2O)(2/3)](3/4)[Mo(CN)8]·H2O can exhibit electrochemical alkali-ion insertion/extraction with high durability. The high durability is explained by the small lattice change of less than 1% during the reaction, as evidenced by ex situ X-ray diffraction analysis. The ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed reversible redox of the octacyanometallate. Furthermore, the solid state redox of the paramagnetic [Mo(V)(CN)8](3-)/diamagnetic[Mo(IV)(CN)8](4-) couple realizes magnetic switching.

Bayesian dynamical system analysis of the effects of methylphenidate in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a randomized trial.

Methylphenidate is a widely used and effective treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet the underlying neural mechanisms and their relationship to changes in behavior are not fully understood. Specifically, it remains unclear how methylphenidate affects brain and behavioral dynamics, and the interplay between these dynamics, in individuals with ADHD. To address this gap, we used a novel Bayesian dynamical system model to investigate the effects of methylphenidate on latent brain states in 27 children with ADHD and 49 typically developing children using a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Methylphenidate remediated greater behavioral variability on a continuous performance task in children with ADHD. Children with ADHD exhibited aberrant latent brain state dynamics compared to typically developing children, with a single latent state showing particularly abnormal dynamics, which was remediated by methylphenidate. Additionally, children with ADHD showed brain state-dependent hyper-connectivity in the default mode network, which was also remediated by methylphenidate. Finally, we found that methylphenidate-induced changes in latent brain state dynamics, as well as brain state-related functional connectivity between salience and default mode networks, were correlated with improvements in behavioral variability. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel latent brain state dynamical process and circuit mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of methylphenidate in childhood ADHD. We suggest that Bayesian dynamical system models may be particularly useful for capturing complex nonlinear changes in neural activity and behavioral variability associated with ADHD. Our approach may be of value to clinicians and researchers investigating the neural mechanisms underlying pharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on developmental trajectory of cognitive ability and brain volumes in the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study.

Although cannabis use during pregnancy is increasing widely, the effects of cannabis on developmental trajectories, such as whether its effects during pregnancy remain the same between time points or gradually increase, are unclear. This study aimed to examine whether cannabis use during pregnancy affects the process of change in cognition and brain volume. Data from two-time points measured longitudinally were analyzed. We used data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study. Participants included 11,876 children aged 9-11 years participated at baseline, and 10,414 participated at 2-year follow-up from 22 sites across the United States. We explored the associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and cognitive abilities and brain volumes developmental trajectories. Among 11,530 children with valid data for prenatal cannabis exposure, 10,833 had no prenatal cannabis use, and 697 had cannabis use during their pregnancy. There was a significant interaction between time points and cannabis use during pregnancy on visuo-perceptual processing ability (b = -0.019, p = .009) and intracranial volumes (b = -6338.309, p = .009). We found that the effects of exposure to cannabis during pregnancy are not uniform at all times and may gradually become more apparent and magnified as development progresses.

Dismantling cognitive-behavioural therapy components for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents and adults: protocol for a network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) consists of multiple treatment techniques for each treatment model and is tailored to the patient's characteristics. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have reported that CBT is effective for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, which CBT components are effective is unknown. In order to provide the best treatment technique, it is important to know which therapeutic component or combination thereof is more effective and what the specific effect size is. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform component network meta-analysis (cNMA). The search will include studies published from database inception up to 31 March 2022, in English. The electronic databases of MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, PsycINFO, ClinicalTrials.gov and Cochrane Library will be searched. We will systematically identify all RCTs in the treatment of ADHD between the ages of 10 and 60 years, comparing interventions composed of various CBT components with controlled interventions. We will perform pairwise and network meta-analysis with random effects to estimate summary ORs and standardised mean differences. We will assess the risk of bias in selected studies using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Since we will review published papers, ethical approval is not required. The results from this cNMA will provide a panorama of the CBT-based ADHD studies. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022323898.

Neural and behavioral effects of parent training on emotion recognition in mothers rearing children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

This randomized controlled study examined neurological changes in socioemotional processing skills through parent training in caregivers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Thirty mothers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were stratified into parent training and non-parent training groups. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test, and parenting difficulties were evaluated using the Parenting Stress Index and the Parenting Scale, twice (before and after parent training). Only mothers in the parent training group showed a significant decrease in Parenting Stress Index and Parenting Scale scores. They also demonstrated increased activity in the left occipital fusiform gyrus during the task of estimating emotions from facial pictures. We presumed that these changes might reflect the potential impact of enrollment in parent training in reducing stress, which might have increased activation of the fusiform gyrus.

Methylphenidate Enhances Spontaneous Fluctuations in Reward and Cognitive Control Networks in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Methylphenidate, a first-line treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is thought to influence dopaminergic neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and its associated brain circuitry, but this hypothesis has yet to be systematically tested. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial including 27 children with ADHD. Children with ADHD were scanned twice with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging under methylphenidate and placebo conditions, along with assessment of sustained attention. We examined spontaneous neural activity in the NAc and the salience, frontoparietal, and default mode networks and their links to behavioral changes. Replicability of methylphenidate effects on spontaneous neural activity was examined in a second independent cohort. RESULTS: Methylphenidate increased spontaneous neural activity in the NAc and the salience and default mode networks. Methylphenidate-induced changes in spontaneous activity patterns in the default mode network were associated with improvements in intraindividual response variability during a sustained attention task. Critically, despite differences in clinical trial protocols and data acquisition parameters, the NAc and the salience and default mode networks showed replicable patterns of methylphenidate-induced changes in spontaneous activity across two independent cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: We provide reproducible evidence demonstrating that methylphenidate enhances spontaneous neural activity in NAc and cognitive control networks in children with ADHD, resulting in more stable sustained attention. Our findings identified a novel neural mechanism underlying methylphenidate treatment in ADHD to inform the development of clinically useful biomarkers for evaluating treatment outcomes.

Psychometrics of the kiddie schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia present and lifetime version for DSM-5 in Japanese outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) is a widely used semi-structured diagnostic interview in child and adolescent psychiatry. However, the psychometric properties of its updated version, the K-SADS-PL for DSM-5, have scarcely been examined, especially for criterion validity. This study was designed to examine the inter-rater reliability, criterion validity and construct validity of the K-SADS-PL for DSM-5 in 137 Japanese outpatients. METHODS: Two of 12 experienced clinicians independently performed the K-SADS interview for each patient in a conjoint session, and the resulting consensus diagnosis was compared with a "best-estimate" diagnosis made by two of eight experienced clinicians using all available information for the patient. RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability was excellent, as shown by κ > 0.75 for all disorders, with the exception of current separation anxiety disorder. The criterion validity was fair to good, as shown by κ > 0.40 for all disorders, with the exception of current and lifetime agoraphobia. The construct validity was also good, as shown by theoretically expected associations between the K-SADS-PL diagnoses and subscales of the child behavior checklist. CONCLUSION: The K-SADS-PL for DSM-5, now available in Japanese, generates valid diagnoses in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Women With Bulimia Nervosa: Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Individual face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy is known to be effective for bulimia nervosa (BN). Since foods vary considerably between regions and cultures in which patients live, cultural adaptation of the treatment program is particularly important in cognitive behavioral therapy for BN. Recently, an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) program was developed for Japanese women with BN, adapted to the Japanese food culture. However, no previous randomized controlled trial has examined the effectiveness of ICBT. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a research protocol for strategies to examine the effects of guided ICBT. METHODS: This study is designed as a multicenter, prospective, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. The treatment groups will be divided into treatment as usual (TAU) alone as the control group and ICBT combined with TAU as the intervention group. The primary outcome is the total of binge eating and purging behaviors assessed before and after treatment by an independent assessor. Secondary outcomes will include measures of eating disorder severity, depression, anxiety, quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and working alliances. Treatment satisfaction and working alliances will be measured post assessment only. Other measures will be assessed at baseline, post intervention, and follow-up, and the outcomes will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS: This study will be conducted at 7 different medical institutions in Japan from August 2022 to October 2026. Recruitment of participants began on August 19, 2022, and recruitment is scheduled to continue until July 2024. The first participants were registered on September 8, 2022. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first multicenter randomized controlled trial in Japan comparing the effectiveness of ICBT and TAU in patients with BN. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network UMIN000048732; https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000055522. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/49828.