M John Broulidakis1, Graeme Fairchild1, Kate Sully1, Thomas Blumensath2, Angela Darekar3, Edmund J S Sonuga-Barke4. 1. Developmental Brain-Behavior Laboratory at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom. 2. Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton. 3. University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK. 4. Developmental Brain-Behavior Laboratory at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom; Gent University, Belgium. Electronic address: ejb3@soton.ac.uk.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Conduct disorder (CD) is characterized by impulsive, aggressive, and antisocial behaviors that might be related to deficits in empathy and moral reasoning. The brain's default mode network (DMN) has been implicated in self-referential cognitive processes of this kind. METHOD: This study examined connectivity between key nodes of the DMN in 29 adolescent boys with CD and 29 age- and sex-matched typically developing adolescent boys. The authors ensured that group differences in DMN connectivity were not explained by comorbidity with other disorders by systematically controlling for the effects of substance use disorders (SUDs), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, psychopathic traits, and other common mental health problems. RESULTS: Only after adjusting for co-occurring ADHD symptoms, the group with CD showed hypoconnectivity between core DMN regions compared with typically developing controls. ADHD symptoms were associated with DMN hyperconnectivity. There was no effect of psychopathic traits on DMN connectivity in the group with CD, and the key results were unchanged when controlling for SUDs and other common mental health problems. CONCLUSION: Future research should directly investigate the possibility that the aberrant DMN connectivity observed in the present study contributes to CD-related deficits in empathy and moral reasoning and examine self-referential cognitive processes in CD more generally.
OBJECTIVE:Conduct disorder (CD) is characterized by impulsive, aggressive, and antisocial behaviors that might be related to deficits in empathy and moral reasoning. The brain's default mode network (DMN) has been implicated in self-referential cognitive processes of this kind. METHOD: This study examined connectivity between key nodes of the DMN in 29 adolescent boys with CD and 29 age- and sex-matched typically developing adolescent boys. The authors ensured that group differences in DMN connectivity were not explained by comorbidity with other disorders by systematically controlling for the effects of substance use disorders (SUDs), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, psychopathic traits, and other common mental health problems. RESULTS: Only after adjusting for co-occurring ADHD symptoms, the group with CD showed hypoconnectivity between core DMN regions compared with typically developing controls. ADHD symptoms were associated with DMN hyperconnectivity. There was no effect of psychopathic traits on DMN connectivity in the group with CD, and the key results were unchanged when controlling for SUDs and other common mental health problems. CONCLUSION: Future research should directly investigate the possibility that the aberrant DMN connectivity observed in the present study contributes to CD-related deficits in empathy and moral reasoning and examine self-referential cognitive processes in CD more generally.
Authors: Y J Daniel Yang; Denis G Sukhodolsky; Jiedi Lei; Eran Dayan; Kevin A Pelphrey; Pamela Ventola Journal: J Neurodev Disord Date: 2017-01-17 Impact factor: 4.025
Authors: Louise Pape; Koen van Lith; Dick Veltman; Moran Cohn; Reshmi Marhe; Wim van den Brink; Theo Doreleijers; Arne Popma Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2021-06-17 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Hailey L Dotterer; Rebecca Waller; Tyler C Hein; Alicia Pardon; Colter Mitchell; Nestor Lopez-Duran; Christopher S Monk; Luke W Hyde Journal: Clin Psychol Sci Date: 2020-07-16