Comparative Multimodal Meta-analysis of Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share inhibitory control deficits possibly underlying poor control over stereotyped/repetitive and compulsive behaviours, respectively. However, it is unclear whether these symptom profiles are mediated by common or distinct neural profiles. This comparative multimodal meta-analysis assessed shared and disorder-specific neuroanatomy and neurofunction of inhibitory functions. Methods:A comparative meta-analysis of 62 voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and 26 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of inhibitory control was conducted comparing grey matter volume (GMV) and activation abnormalities between ASD (sMRI:911;fMRI:188) and OCD (sMRI:928;fMRI:247) patients versus controls. Multimodal meta-analysis compared groups across VBM and fMRI.Results: Both disorders shared reduced function and structure in rostral/dorsomedial prefrontal cortex including anterior cingulate. OCD had disorder-specific increase in structure and function of left basal ganglia (BG)/insula relative to controls and ASD, who had reduced right BG/insula volumes versus OCD. In fMRI, ASD patients showed disorder-specific reduced left dorsolateral-prefrontal activation and reduced posterior cingulate deactivation, while OCD patients showed temporoparietal underactivation. Conclusions:The multimodal comparative meta-analysis shows shared and disorder-specific abnormalities. While rostro-dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was smaller in structure and function in both disorders, this was concomitant with increased structure and function in BG/insula in OCD, but a reduction in ASD, presumably reflecting a disorder-specific fronto-striato-insular dysregulation in OCD in the form of poor frontal control over overactive BG, and a fronto-striato-insular maldevelopment in ASD with reduced structure and function in this network. Disorder-differential mechanisms appear to drive overlapping phenotypes of inhibitory control abnormalities in ASD and OCD. Carlisi et al.3

A meta‐analysis of the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy on quality of life and psychological health of breast cancer survivors and patients

“…A package of interventions merging cognitive, behavioral, and educational components has been developed for depression and other psychological symptoms . In addition, the many descriptive systematic reviews and quantitative meta‐analyses have found behavioral interventions for QOL to be valid in cancer patients, and CBT to be moderately efficacious for anxiety symptoms, depression, and stress symptoms. Therefore, we believe that this study is the most accurate current estimate of the efficacy of CBT delivered under standard conditions for patients with breast cancer compared with control treatments.…”

Gray Matter and Functional Connectivity in Anterior Cingulate Cortex are Associated with the State of Mental Silence During Sahaja Yoga Meditation

“…Furthermore, it has also been shown that GMV in rACC/ mPFC is smaller in several psychiatric disorders of topdown affect and cognitive control such as depression and anxiety disorders (van Tol et al, 2010), selfconscious emotional decline in frontotemporal dementia (Sturm et al, 2013), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Seidman et al, 2006), post-traumatic stress disorder (Meng et al, 2016), borderline personality disorder (Hazlett et al, 2005), schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder (Carlisi et al, 2017;Goodkind et al, 2015).…”

An Altered Scaffold for Information Processing: Cognitive Control Development in Adolescents With Autism

“…One such study showed that functioning of this brain region has extremely high and unique power in predicting the development of ASD traits and adaptive functioning from late adolescence to early adulthood [97]. Furthermore, several dimensional psychopathology studies illustrate that the ACC is implicated in ASD-like symptoms across multiple neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [98], and repetitive behaviors in obsessive compulsive disorder [99]. …”