Serotonin transporter polymorphism modulates neural correlates of real-life joint action. An investigation with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Bogon, Johanna; Quester, Saskia; Cordes, Anna F.; Stenneken, Prisca; Reif, Andreas; Ehlis, Ann‐Christine

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.02.030

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, these aspects are usually not considered or validated in detail. Although the use of new technologies, such as EEG scanning and eye tracking in [27], to evaluate the usability of their systems is indeed interesting, studies have shown that brain activity may be negatively correlated with the Asperger questionnaire [54] and may be weaker for individuals with ASD when observing other people’s actions [55]. Future studies should be careful with the use of such technological approaches, as brain activity may be misleading when working with people with ASD, especially in tasks that require recognizing emotions from facial expressions or movements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Technology on People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

Valencia

Rusu

Quiñones

et al. 2019

Sensors

154

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to enjoy themselves and be engaged when interacting with computers, as these interactions occur in a safe and trustworthy environment. In this paper, we present a systematic literature review on the state of the research on the use of technology to teach people with ASD. We reviewed 94 studies that show how the use of technology in educational contexts helps people with ASD develop several skills, how these approaches consider aspects of user experience, usability and accessibility, and how game elements are used to enrich learning environments. This systematic literature review shows that the development and evaluation of systems and applications for users with ASD is very promising. The use of technological advancements such as virtual agents, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality undoubtedly provides a comfortable environment that promotes constant learning for people with ASD.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Technology on People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

Valencia

Rusu

Quiñones

et al. 2019

Sensors

154

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our results suggest that a functional polymorphism at SLC6A4 contributes to variation in both production imitation and social mimicry in humans. Our study was constrained to a single population and a specific developmental stage; however, our results are corroborated by associations between the short allele and heightened sensitivity to social stimuli [13 -16], as well as altered anatomy and functionality in the brain's imitation circuitry [18,19]. Beyond social sensitivity, a vast literature on 5HTTLPR indicates that the short allele is related to diverse phenomena, including: empathy [27], cooperation [28] and dancing [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Homberg & Lesch [11], as well as Falk et al [16], propose that the short allele may therefore result in greater social conformity. Further evidence that 5HTTLPR influences social learning or imitation per se is provided by an association between the short allele and increased observational fear conditioning [17], as well as anatomical differences in the mirror neuron system [18] and activational differences upon viewing emotional expressions [18] and performing a joint action task [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variant at serotonin transporter gene predicts increased imitation in toddlers: relevance to the human capacity for cumulative culture

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cumulative culture ostensibly arises from a set of sociocognitive processes which includes high-fidelity production imitation, prosociality and group identification. The latter processes are facilitated by unconscious imitation or social mimicry. The proximate mechanisms of individual variation in imitation may thus shed light on the evolutionary history of the human capacity for cumulative culture. In humans, a genetic component to variation in the propensity for imitation is likely. A functional length polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene, the short allele at 5HTTLPR, is associated with heightened responsiveness to the social environment as well as anatomical and activational differences in the brain's imitation circuity. Here, we evaluate whether this polymorphism contributes to variation in production imitation and social mimicry. Toddlers with the short allele at 5HTTLPR exhibit increased social mimicry and increased fidelity of demonstrated novel object manipulations. Thus, the short allele is associated with two forms of imitation that may underlie the human capacity for cumulative culture. The short allele spread relatively recently, possibly due to selection, and its frequency varies dramatically on a global scale. Diverse observations can be unified via conceptualization of 5HTTLPR as influencing the propensity to experience others' emotions, actions and sensations, potentially through the mirror mechanism.

show abstract

“…Overall, despite some remaining limitations (particularly regarding the restricted depth and overall spatial resolution as well as extracerebral hemodynamic influences), based on a number of practical advantages (i.e., relative insensitivity towards movement‐related artifacts, easy and cheap application, few contraindications, and availability of mobile devices), fNIRS has firmly established its role as a neuroimaging tool especially under circumstances in which other methods fail. Specifically, fNIRS allows for measurements under relatively naturalistic (i.e., non‐restrictive) experimental conditions; for example, during tasks involving overt speech (Ehlis, Haeussinger, Gastel, Fallgatter, & Plewnia, ; Heinzel et al, ; Nishimura et al, ; Tupak et al, ), whole‐body movements (Metzger et al, ; Suzuki et al, ), or real‐life social interaction (Egetemeir, Stenneken, Koehler, Fallgatter, & Herrmann, ; Herrmann et al, ). Furthermore, in the field of psychiatry, fNIRS allows access to clinical groups that can otherwise be difficult to assess (e.g., patients with schizophrenias or anxiety disorders).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy as a New Tool for Neurofeedback Training: Applications in Psychiatry and Methodological Considerations

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over the past decades, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has become a valuable tool in the online assessment of brain function in psychological and neuropsychiatric research. Recently, fNIRS has also been employed in the context of neurofeedback (NF), with pilot studies indicating that hemodynamic responses can be deliberately regulated and that neuroplastic changes occur over the course of several training sessions. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent implementation and development of fNIRS as an NF tool; specifically, we will outline initial studies in healthy participants as well as children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and describe new protocols aimed at reducing auditory verbal hallucinations (schizophrenic patients) and anxiety symptoms (patients with social anxiety disorder), respectively. Finally, we will discuss recent methodological developments and concerns as well as potential future perspectives. We conclude that fNIRS is a useful tool for conducting NF, especially in terms of multi-session training. However, methodological details need to be considered when designing fNIRS-based NF studies, and future protocols should aim at training broader network structures and implementing implicit training protocols. Finally, future studies should focus not only on (clinical) effects of fNIRS-based NF, but also on the underlying mechanisms and activity changes in extended brain networks.

show abstract

Serotonin transporter polymorphism modulates neural correlates of real-life joint action. An investigation with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Cited by 4 publications

References 31 publications

The Impact of Technology on People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

The Impact of Technology on People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

Variant at serotonin transporter gene predicts increased imitation in toddlers: relevance to the human capacity for cumulative culture

Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy as a New Tool for Neurofeedback Training: Applications in Psychiatry and Methodological Considerations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About