TY - JOUR
T1 - Neural responses to affective and cognitive theory of mind in children with conduct problems and varying levels of callous-unemotional traits
AU - Sebastian, Catherine L
AU - McCrory, Eamon J P
AU - Cecil, Charlotte A M
AU - Lockwood, Patricia L
AU - De Brito, Stéphane A
AU - Fontaine, Nathalie M G
AU - Viding, Essi
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - CONTEXT: Reduced neural responses to others' distress is hypothesized to play a critical role in conduct problems coupled with callous-unemotional traits, whereas increased neural responses to affective stimuli may accompany conduct problems without callous-unemotional traits. Heterogeneity of affective profiles in conduct problems may account for inconsistent neuroimaging findings in this population.OBJECTIVES: To broaden understanding of neural processing in conduct problems using an affective processing task including an empathy component as well as to explore dimensional contributions of conduct problems symptoms and callous-unemotional traits to variance in affective neural responses.DESIGN: Case-control study.SETTING: On-campus neuroimaging facility.PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-one boys with conduct problems (mean age, 14.34 years) and 16 typically developing control subjects (mean age, 13.51 years) matched for age (range, 10-16 years), IQ, socioeconomic status, handedness, and race/ethnicity. Participants were recruited using screening questionnaires in a community-based volunteer sample.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional magnetic resonance imaging of a task contrasting affective and cognitive theory of mind judgments.RESULTS: Relative to typically developing children, children with conduct problems showed reduced activation in right amygdala and anterior insula for affective vs cognitive theory of mind judgments. Furthermore, in the right amygdala, regression analysis within the conduct-problems group showed suppressor effects between ratings of conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits. Specifically, unique variance associated with conduct problems was positively correlated with amygdala reactivity, whereas unique variance associated with callous-unemotional traits was negatively correlated with amygdala reactivity. These associations were not explained by hyperactivity, depression/anxiety symptoms, or alcohol use ratings.CONCLUSIONS: Childhood conduct problems are associated with amygdala and anterior insula hypoactivity during a complex affective processing task including an empathy component. Suppressor effects between conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits in the amygdala suggest a potential neural substrate for heterogeneity in affective profiles associated with conduct problems.
AB - CONTEXT: Reduced neural responses to others' distress is hypothesized to play a critical role in conduct problems coupled with callous-unemotional traits, whereas increased neural responses to affective stimuli may accompany conduct problems without callous-unemotional traits. Heterogeneity of affective profiles in conduct problems may account for inconsistent neuroimaging findings in this population.OBJECTIVES: To broaden understanding of neural processing in conduct problems using an affective processing task including an empathy component as well as to explore dimensional contributions of conduct problems symptoms and callous-unemotional traits to variance in affective neural responses.DESIGN: Case-control study.SETTING: On-campus neuroimaging facility.PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-one boys with conduct problems (mean age, 14.34 years) and 16 typically developing control subjects (mean age, 13.51 years) matched for age (range, 10-16 years), IQ, socioeconomic status, handedness, and race/ethnicity. Participants were recruited using screening questionnaires in a community-based volunteer sample.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional magnetic resonance imaging of a task contrasting affective and cognitive theory of mind judgments.RESULTS: Relative to typically developing children, children with conduct problems showed reduced activation in right amygdala and anterior insula for affective vs cognitive theory of mind judgments. Furthermore, in the right amygdala, regression analysis within the conduct-problems group showed suppressor effects between ratings of conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits. Specifically, unique variance associated with conduct problems was positively correlated with amygdala reactivity, whereas unique variance associated with callous-unemotional traits was negatively correlated with amygdala reactivity. These associations were not explained by hyperactivity, depression/anxiety symptoms, or alcohol use ratings.CONCLUSIONS: Childhood conduct problems are associated with amygdala and anterior insula hypoactivity during a complex affective processing task including an empathy component. Suppressor effects between conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits in the amygdala suggest a potential neural substrate for heterogeneity in affective profiles associated with conduct problems.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Affect
KW - Amygdala
KW - Case-Control Studies
KW - Cerebral Cortex
KW - Child
KW - Conduct Disorder
KW - Empathy
KW - Evoked Potentials
KW - Functional Neuroimaging
KW - Humans
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
KW - Male
KW - Theory of Mind
KW - Wakefulness
U2 - 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.2070
DO - 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.2070
M3 - Article
C2 - 22868935
SN - 0003-990X
VL - 69
SP - 814
EP - 822
JO - Archives of General Psychiatry
JF - Archives of General Psychiatry
IS - 8
ER -
