CR-19-0950: Event-related responses to alcohol-related stimuli in Mexican-American young adults: Relation to age, gender, comorbidity and "dark side" symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Electrophysiological variables may represent sensitive biomarkers of vulnerability to or endophenotypes for alcohol use disorders (AUD). METHODS: Young adults (age 18-30 yrs, n = 580) of Mexican American heritage were assessed with the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism and event-related oscillations (EROs) generated in response to a task that used pictures of objects, food, and alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related drinks as stimuli. RESULTS: Decreases in energy in the alpha and beta frequencies and higher phase synchrony within cortical brain areas were seen in response to the alcohol-related as compared to the non-alcohol-related stimuli. Differences in ERO energy and synchrony responses to alcohol-related stimuli were also found as a function of age, sex, AUD status and comorbidity. Age-related decreases in energy and increases in synchrony were found. Females had significantly higher energy and lower synchrony values than males. Participants with AUD had higher synchrony values specifically in the beta frequencies, whereas those with a lifetime diagnosis of conduct disorder and/or antisocial personality disorder had lower alpha power and synchrony, and those with any affective disorder had lower ERO energy in the beta frequencies. Those with substance-associated affective "dark-side" symptoms had slower reaction times to the task, lower energy in the beta frequencies, lower local synchrony in the theta frequencies, and higher long-range synchrony in the delta and beta frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that EROs recorded to alcohol-related stimuli may be biomarkers of comorbid risk factors, symptoms and disorders associated with AUD that also can differentiate those with "dark-side symptoms".

Reaction time variability and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: is increased reaction time variability specific to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? Testing predictions from the default-mode interference hypothesis.

Increased reaction time variability (RTV) is one of the most replicable behavioral correlates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, this may not be specific to ADHD but a more general marker of psychopathology. Here we compare RT variability in individuals with ADHD and those with other childhood internalizing and externalizing conditions both in terms of standard (i.e., the standard deviation of reaction time) and alternative indices that capture low-frequency oscillatory patterns in RT variations over time thought to mark periodic lapses of attention in ADHD. A total of 667 participants (6-12 years old) were classified into non-overlapping diagnostic groups consisting of children with fear disorders (n = 91), distress disorders (n = 56), ADHD (n = 103), oppositional defiant or conduct disorder (ODD/CD; n = 40) and typically developing controls (TDC; n = 377). We used a simple two-choice reaction time task to measure reaction time. The strength of oscillations in RTs across the session was extracted using spectral analyses. Higher RTV was present in ADHD compared to all other disorder groups, effects that were equally strong across all frequency bands. Interestingly, we found that lower RTV to characterize ODD/CD relative to TDC, a finding that was more pronounced at lower frequencies. In general, our data support RTV as a specific marker of ADHD. RT variation across time in ADHD did not show periodicity in a specific frequency band, not supporting that ADHD RTV is the product of spontaneous periodic lapses of attention. Low-frequency oscillations may be particularly useful to differentiate ODD/CD from TDC.

Empathic skills and theory of mind in female adolescents with conduct disorder

Objective: Most studies on conduct disorder (CD) have focused on male adolescents, disregarding analysis of this psychopathology in women. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in empathy and theory of mind (ToM) in a group of adolescent women with CD and a control group. Method: Thirty-six adolescent women were selected from an initial sample of 239 adolescents (CD group = 18, control group = 18). Empathy and ToM were evaluated through objective instruments. Mean comparisons and multivariate analysis were performed to ascertain differences between cases and controls and to propose a prediction model based on clinical status. Results: Significant differences in empathic abilities and ToM were found between the groups. The model that differentiated both groups was composed of eye-reading ability, perspective taking, and personal distress. Conclusion: These findings are consistent with previous studies. Capacity to take the other's perspective and the recognition of emotions in the face are protective factors against CD in women.

Empathic skills and theory of mind in female adolescents with conduct disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Most studies on conduct disorder (CD) have focused on male adolescents, disregarding analysis of this psychopathology in women. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in empathy and theory of mind (ToM) in a group of adolescent women with CD and a control group. METHOD: Thirty-six adolescent women were selected from an initial sample of 239 adolescents (CD group = 18, control group = 18). Empathy and ToM were evaluated through objective instruments. Mean comparisons and multivariate analysis were performed to ascertain differences between cases and controls and to propose a prediction model based on clinical status. RESULTS: Significant differences in empathic abilities and ToM were found between the groups. The model that differentiated both groups was composed of eye-reading ability, perspective taking, and personal distress. CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with previous studies. Capacity to take the other's perspective and the recognition of emotions in the face are protective factors against CD in women.

QEEG and LORETA in Teenagers With Conduct Disorder and Psychopathic Traits.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the impact of the psychopathic traits on the EEG of teenagers with conduct disorder (CD). To date, there is no other research studying low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) technique using quantitative EEG (QEEG) analysis in adolescents with CD and psychopathic traits. OBJECTIVE: To find electrophysiological differences specifically related to the psychopathic traits. The current investigation compares the QEEG and the current source density measures between adolescents with CD and psychopathic traits and adolescents with CD without psychopathic traits. METHODS: The resting EEG activity and LORETA for the EEG fast spectral bands were evaluated in 42 teenagers with CD, 25 with and 17 without psychopathic traits according to the Antisocial Process Screening Device. All adolescents were assessed using the DSM-IV-TR criteria. The EEG visual inspection characteristics and the use of frequency domain quantitative analysis techniques (narrow band spectral parameters) are described. RESULTS: QEEG analysis showed a pattern of beta activity excess on the bilateral frontal-temporal regions and decreases of alpha band power on the left central-temporal and right frontal-central-temporal regions in the psychopathic traits group. Current source density calculated at 17.18 Hz showed an increase within fronto-temporo-striatal regions in the psychopathic relative to the nonpsychopathic traits group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that QEEG analysis and techniques of source localization may reveal differences in brain electrical activity among teenagers with CD and psychopathic traits, which was not obvious to visual inspection. Taken together, these results suggest that abnormalities in a fronto-temporo-striatal network play a relevant role in the neurobiological basis of psychopathic behavior.

Neurobehavioral characteristics of adolescents with behavioral dysregulation disorder.

BACKGROUND: There is growing recognition that violence and other forms of conduct problems increase during adolescence. The exact relationship between biological, psychological, and social variables has not been defined yet. OBJECTIVES: To analyze whether Intelligence Quotients (IQS), neurological history, child behavioral problems, executive functions, and soft neurological signs (SNS) can differentiate between undisciplined and unreliable adolescents (Behavioral Dysregulation Disorder subjects, BDD) and normal controls. METHOD: Twenty-five 13 to 16-year-olds, adolescents with BDD and 25 matched controls were used in this study. WISC-R, executive function assessment, neurological history, child behavioral problems, and SNS scores were analyzed using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). A Multiple Regression Stepwise with Criteria Probability of F Analysis was used for predicting criteria variable variance. RESULTS: WISC-R Verbal IQ (VIQ), Information, Similarities, and Vocabulary subtests presented statistically significant differences between BDD and controls (p < .001). No Performance IQ (PIQ) variables established significant differences between both groups. Executive function scores did not detect significant differences between groups either. Prenatal, neonatal, and neurological history scores were similar between both groups. Two child behavioral problem variables were significantly different, with higher scores in BDD group: use of weapons and drug-use (p < .05). A Multiple Regression Stepwise (Criteria Probability of F < .05) model, entering the predictive variables in each domain (intelligence, executive function, neurological antecedents, child behavioral problems, and SNS), and using the score on the criteria variable as dependent variable, found two predictive models: (1) WISC-R Information (Ad-R-SQ = 0.172 F-Ch. = 11.176, p < .01); and (2) WISC-R Information and drug-use (R-SQ: 0.26; F-Ch = 9.605 p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A verbal factor and drug-use predicted fairly 30% of the variance of the criteria variable used for classifying adolescents with BDD. These results would mean that a language underlying factor and an environmental drug-use factor would be related to the BDD in adolescents.