New light on neurocognitive processes linked to autism and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in childhood : studies of eye movements in twins
Author: Siqueiros Sanchez, Monica
Date: 2020-05-29
Location: Leo Room, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND) CAP Research Center, Gävlegatan 22B 8 tr., Stockholm
Time: 14.30
Department: Inst för kvinnors och barns hälsa / Dept of Women's and Children's Health
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Thesis (743.6Kb)
Abstract
Visual attention and oculomotor response inhibition have been associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) respectively. The aim of this thesis was to increase our knowledge about these cognitive functions relevant to ASD and ADHD in early infancy and childhood using eye tracking and twin modelling.
Study 1 assessed the relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences to attentional networks and visual disengagement (using the gap overlap task) in a sample of twins from the general population, aged 9-14 years. It also assessed whether visual disengagement was associated with autistic traits. Gaze shift latencies across conditions were driven by shared genetic factors. Additionally, there were unique genetic influences to gaze shift latencies in the gap condition. In line with previous work, autistic traits were found to be heritable. There was no association between visual disengagement and autistic traits. Study 2 investigated the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to oculomotor response inhibition (using the antisaccade task) and the degree to which oculomotor response inhibition was associated with ADHD traits in the same twin sample. Oculomotor response inhibition in the form of premature anticipatory eye movements was heritable and associated to parent rated inattentive traits. This association was partially due to shared genetic factors. Study 3 investigated how visual disengagement relates to other cognitive developmental processes and behaviors, socioeconomic status and biological sex in early infancy. Gaze shift latencies in the overlap, baseline and gap conditions, of the Gap Overlap task, differed as a function of socioeconomic status and sex. No other associations between visual attention and developmental measures were observed.
Thus, in summary, while these findings do not support neither a phenotypic nor a genetic link between visual disengagement and ASD, they support such association between oculomotor response inhibition and inattention (a core component of ADHD). Finally, these findings highlight the influence of sociodemographic factors on individual differences in visual attention in early infancy, thus underscoring the importance of understanding all sources of variation in attentional functions in childhood.
Study 1 assessed the relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences to attentional networks and visual disengagement (using the gap overlap task) in a sample of twins from the general population, aged 9-14 years. It also assessed whether visual disengagement was associated with autistic traits. Gaze shift latencies across conditions were driven by shared genetic factors. Additionally, there were unique genetic influences to gaze shift latencies in the gap condition. In line with previous work, autistic traits were found to be heritable. There was no association between visual disengagement and autistic traits. Study 2 investigated the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to oculomotor response inhibition (using the antisaccade task) and the degree to which oculomotor response inhibition was associated with ADHD traits in the same twin sample. Oculomotor response inhibition in the form of premature anticipatory eye movements was heritable and associated to parent rated inattentive traits. This association was partially due to shared genetic factors. Study 3 investigated how visual disengagement relates to other cognitive developmental processes and behaviors, socioeconomic status and biological sex in early infancy. Gaze shift latencies in the overlap, baseline and gap conditions, of the Gap Overlap task, differed as a function of socioeconomic status and sex. No other associations between visual attention and developmental measures were observed.
Thus, in summary, while these findings do not support neither a phenotypic nor a genetic link between visual disengagement and ASD, they support such association between oculomotor response inhibition and inattention (a core component of ADHD). Finally, these findings highlight the influence of sociodemographic factors on individual differences in visual attention in early infancy, thus underscoring the importance of understanding all sources of variation in attentional functions in childhood.
List of papers:
I. Siqueiros Sanchez M., Pettersson, E., Kennedy, D. P., Bölte, S., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B. M., & Falck-Ytter, T. (2019). Visual Disengagement: Genetic Architecture and Relation to Autistic Traits in the General Population. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Fulltext (DOI)
Pubmed
II. Siqueiros Sanchez, M., Falck‐Ytter, T., Kennedy, D. P., Bölte, S., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B. M., & Pettersson, E. (2020). Volitional eye movement control and ADHD traits: a twin study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Fulltext (DOI)
Pubmed
View record in Web of Science®
III. Siqueiros Sanchez, M., Ronald, A., Mason, L., Bölte, S., Jones, E. & Falck-Ytter, T. Visual disengagement in young infants in relation to age sex, SES, developmental level and adaptive functioning. [Manuscript]
I. Siqueiros Sanchez M., Pettersson, E., Kennedy, D. P., Bölte, S., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B. M., & Falck-Ytter, T. (2019). Visual Disengagement: Genetic Architecture and Relation to Autistic Traits in the General Population. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Fulltext (DOI)
Pubmed
II. Siqueiros Sanchez, M., Falck‐Ytter, T., Kennedy, D. P., Bölte, S., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B. M., & Pettersson, E. (2020). Volitional eye movement control and ADHD traits: a twin study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Fulltext (DOI)
Pubmed
View record in Web of Science®
III. Siqueiros Sanchez, M., Ronald, A., Mason, L., Bölte, S., Jones, E. & Falck-Ytter, T. Visual disengagement in young infants in relation to age sex, SES, developmental level and adaptive functioning. [Manuscript]
Institution: Karolinska Institutet
Supervisor: Falck-Ytter, Terje
Co-supervisor: Pettersson, Erik; Bölte, Sven; Ronald, Angelica
Issue date: 2020-05-08
Rights:
Publication year: 2020
ISBN: 978-91-7831-835-3
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