Papers by Hilde Nederveen
Schizophrenia Research, 2009
The onset of psychosis is thought to be preceded by neurodevelopmental changes in the brain. Howe... more The onset of psychosis is thought to be preceded by neurodevelopmental changes in the brain. However, the timing of these changes has not been established. We investigated structural brain changes in a sample of young adolescents (12-18 years) at ultra high-risk for psychosis (UHR). Methods: Structural MRI data from young UHR subjects (n = 54) and typically developing, matched controls (n = 54) were acquired with a 1.5 Tesla scanner and compared. Results: None of the measures differed between UHR subjects and controls. Conclusions: Our results do not support the presence of gross neuroanatomical changes in young UHR subjects. This suggests that early changes are too subtle to detect with conventional imaging techniques. Therefore, changes observed in older cohorts may only onset later developmentally or occur secondary to prodromal symptoms.
Psychological Medicine, 2006
Background: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with a slight increase in overall ... more Background: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with a slight increase in overall brain volume. There has been some suggestion that medial temporal lobe structures may be preferentially involved in this disorder, although results have not always been consistent. Here, we investigate amygdala and hippocampus volumes in medication-naive subjects with high-functioning autism. Methods: Whole-brain MRI scans were acquired from 42 subjects with autism and 42 closely matched, healthy control subjects. Results: Amygdala volume did not differ significantly between subjects with autism and controls. An increase in hippocampus volume was proportional to an increase in overall brain volume. Conclusions: These results argue against preferential involvement of medial temporal lobe structures in autism, at least in high-functioning medication-naive individuals.
MRI-based morphometry in children with multiple complex developmental disorder, a phenotypically defined subtype of pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
Psychological Medicine, 2008
The DSM-IV-R classification Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) ... more The DSM-IV-R classification Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is based on the symptoms for autism and includes a wide variety of phenotypes that do not meet full criteria for autism. As such, PDD-NOS is a broad and poorly defined residual category of the autism spectrum disorders. In order to address the heterogeneity in this residual category it may be helpful to define clinical and neurobiological subtypes. Multiple complex developmental disorder (MCDD) may constitute such a subtype. In order to study the neurobiological specificity of MCDD in comparison with other autism spectrum disorders, we investigated brain morphology in children (age 7-15 years) with MCDD compared to children with autism and typically developing controls. Structural MRI measures were compared between 22 high-functioning subjects with MCDD and 21 high-functioning subjects with autism, and 21 matched controls. Subjects with MCDD showed an enlarged cerebellum and a trend towards larger grey-matter volume compared to control subjects. Compared to subjects with autism, subjects with MCDD had smaller intracranial volume. We report a pattern of volumetric changes in the brains of subjects with MCDD, similar to that seen in autism. However, no enlargement in head size was found. This suggests that although some of the neurobiological changes associated with MCDD overlap with those in autism, others do not. These neurobiological changes may reflect differences in the developmental trajectories associated with these two subtypes of autism spectrum disorders.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2009
P.7.a.001 Changes in the developmental trajectories of striatum in autism
European Neuropsychopharmacology, 2009
Brain and Development, 2009
To study brain volumes in children with ASD as compared to children with a mental retardation or ... more To study brain volumes in children with ASD as compared to children with a mental retardation or a language delay (developmentally delayed). In addition, to study the association of intellectual functioning on brain volumes in children with ASD or developmental delay.
Changes in the Development of Striatum Are Involved in Repetitive Behavior in Autism
Biological Psychiatry, 2013
Repetitive behavior is a core feature of autism and has been linked to differences in striatum. I... more Repetitive behavior is a core feature of autism and has been linked to differences in striatum. In addition, the brain changes associated with autism appear to vary with age. However, most studies investigating striatal differences in autism are cross-sectional, limiting inferences on development. In this study, we set out to 1) investigate striatal development in autism, using a longitudinal design; and 2) examine the relationship between striatal development and repetitive behavior. We acquired longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging scans from 86 individuals (49 children with autism, 37 matched control subjects). Each individual was scanned twice, with a mean scan interval time of 2.4 years. Mean age was 9.9 years at time 1 and 12.3 years at time 2. Striatal structures were traced manually with high reliability. Multivariate analyses of variance were used to investigate differences in brain development between diagnostic groups. To examine the relationship with behavior, correlations between changes in brain volumes and clinical measures were calculated. Our results showed an increase in the growth rate of striatal structures for individuals with autism compared with control subjects. The effect was specific to caudate nucleus, where growth rate was doubled. Second, faster striatal growth was correlated with more severe repetitive behavior (insistence on sameness) at the preschool age. This longitudinal study of brain development in autism confirms the involvement of striatum in repetitive behavior. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of brain development in autism, as the severity of repetitive behavior was related to striatal growth, rather than volume per se.
Biological Psychiatry, 2009
Background: Repetitive and stereotyped behavior has been associated with striatum in various neur... more Background: Repetitive and stereotyped behavior has been associated with striatum in various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, striatal involvement has not yet been shown conclusively in autism. Issues include the use of neuroleptic medication and differences in mean age between samples, where conflicting results may reflect differences in developmental stage between samples. The objective was to examine brain development in a homogeneous sample of subjects with high-functioning autism.
Schizophrenia Research, 2009
Objective: The onset of psychosis is thought to be preceded by neurodevelopmental changes in the ... more Objective: The onset of psychosis is thought to be preceded by neurodevelopmental changes in the brain. However, the timing of these changes has not been established. We investigated structural brain changes in a sample of young adolescents (12-18 years) at ultra high-risk for psychosis (UHR). Methods: Structural MRI data from young UHR subjects (n = 54) and typically developing, matched controls (n = 54) were acquired with a 1.5 Tesla scanner and compared. Results: None of the measures differed between UHR subjects and controls. Conclusions: Our results do not support the presence of gross neuroanatomical changes in young UHR subjects. This suggests that early changes are too subtle to detect with conventional imaging techniques. Therefore, changes observed in older cohorts may only onset later developmentally or occur secondary to prodromal symptoms.
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Papers by Hilde Nederveen