FY2015 Annual Report

Human Developmental Neurobiology Unit
Professor Gail Tripp

 

Abstract

The research of the Human Developmental Neurobiology Unit continues to focus on advancing understanding of the nature and causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and translating this knowledge into effective management programs. We are investigating the nature and etiology of altered reward sensitivity in children and adults with ADHD using behavioral, pharmacological and imaging approaches here in Japan and with our collaborators in New Zealand and Brazil. This work will inform both behavioral and pharmacological interventions. We are also studying the language and social problem solving skills of children with ADHD to increase understanding of the nature of their social difficulties to identify appropriate intervention targets. Our work developing culturally appropriate parenting interventions for Japanese parents has moved forward to a randomized control trial.

1. Staff

  • Dr. Emi Furukawa, Group Leader
  • Dr. Shizuka Shimabukuro, Researcher
  • Dr. Andrea Murray, Researcher (until December 2015)
  • Dr. Kayla Ball, Researcher (until June 2015)
  • Dr. Valerie Vorderstrasse, Researcher
  • Shoko Nagatomo, Technical Staff
  • Ryoko Uchida, Technical Staff (part time from July 2015)
  • Kaoruko Lovern, Technical Staff (part time)
  • Emi Nakanishi, Technical Staff (part time)
  • Aya Puca, Research Unit Administrator

2. Collaborations

2.1 Altered reward sensitivity and its relationship to ADHD, other psychiatric conditions, and adaptive social behavior  

  • Description: Imaging (fMRI) and behavior studies examining neural responses to reward anticipation and receipt, and effects of medication. 
  • Type of collaboration: Joint research
  • Researchers:
    • Professor Jorge Moll, MD., Ph.D., D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)
    • Professor Paulo Mattos, MD., Ph.D., IDOR
    • Professor Jeff Wickens, OIST
    • Dr. Emi Furukawa, OIST

2.2 Experimental study of altered reward sensitivity

  • Description: Currently analyzing behavior data from computer-based tasks designed to assess sensitivity to changing reward contingencies (signal detection) and punishment (matching law). 
  • Type of collaboration: Joint research
  • Researchers:
    • Professor Erasmo Barbante Casella, MD., Ph.D., Child Foundation, Children's Institute, University of Sao Paulo (USP)
    • Dr. Emi Furukawa, OIST

2.3 Altered reward sensitivity in children and adults with ADHD

  • Description: Currently analyzing behavior data collected on computer-based behavioral designed to assess sensitivity to changing reward contingencies (signal detection) and punishment (matching law). A pilot study is underway to measure physiological responses to reward anticipation and receipt. 
  • Type of collaboration: Joint research
  • Researchers:
    • Egas Caparelli-Daquer, MD., Ph.D., University of State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ)
    • Dr. Emi Furukawa, OIST

2.4 Investigating sensitivity to different reward structures in ADHD

  • Description: Completed analysis behavior data collected with English-speaking children on computer-based behavioral tasks designed to assess sensitivity to changing reward contingencies (signal detection) and punishment (matching law). Currently collecting data and developing new paradigms to examine other aspects of reward and punishment sensitivity.  
  • Type of collaboration: Joint research
  • Researchers:
    • Dr. Brent Alsop, Otago University
    • Dr. Emi Furukawa, OIST
    • Dr. Shizuka Shimabukuro, OIST

3. Activities and Findings

3.1 Data collection at the Children's Research Center (CRC) in Okinawa

We have been continuing to collect data with Japanese-speaking and English-speaking children with ADHD in Okinawa. Data collection involves detailed clinical assessments of children's behavior. Multiple computer-based behavior tasks examining sensitivity to different reward structures have been developed and used for data collection. Parent training programs with Japanese families and related data collection are also ongoing. We have extended earlier research evaluating the social problem solving skills of children with ADHD to include detailed assessments of the children's language skills to evaluate to contribution to social difficulties.

We hosted four interns this year from New Zealand, Crotia, Germany nad Japan who observed and assisted in aspects of data collection and participated in other research activities at CRC.  

3.2 ADHD and Dopamine Transfer Deficit (DTD)  

In the first collaborative imaging study with IDOR, we demonstrated a reciprocal dissociation in ADHD vs. Control group, using a classical conditioning paradigm modeled on animal studies (Furukawa et al., 2014). ADHD participants showed increased striatal blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses to reward delivery (US), but not to reward-predicting cues (CS), while the reverse pattern was observed in the Control participants. The BOLD response patterns observed in the striatum are consistent with impaired predictive dopamine signaling in ADHD as hypothesized in DTD. Currently, data collection is underway to examine the effects of medication on the reward-related striatal responses as well as possible link between the impaired acquisition of conditioned reinforcers and the reduced behavioral efficiency in individuals with ADHD. We are also developing a pilot study to measure the effectiveness of classical conditioning in individuals through the changes in physiological responses in collaboration with UERJ.  

3.3 Behavior sensitivity to punishment and changing reward contingencies

We have been collecting data to examine whether children with ADHD demonstrate altered sensitivity to un-signaled changes in reinforcement availability and to unequal rates of punishment, using signal detection and matching law methodologies respectively, in collaboration with Dr. Alsop at University of Otago. This year, we completed data analysis for our English-speaking participants. Results show that children with ADHD are sensitive to positive reinforcement but demonstrate reduced efficiency in tracking changes in reinforcement availability (paper accepted for publication). In a separate study, we have found that the behavior of children with ADHD are controlled more by the cumulative effects of punishment, relative to modulating effects of reward, compared to typically developing children. These results point to the importance of providing clear, explicit positive reinforcement and reducing extended use of punishment in the management of behavior for children with ADHD. We are continuing data analysis to examine cross-national continuity of these effects.

3.4 Supporting Japanese mothers of children with ADHD

Following up on our successful Proof-of-Concept study we have initiated a randomized control trial of a Japanese adaptation of the New Forest Parenting Programme (NFPP-J) with Japanese mothers of children with ADHD. The results of the Proof-of-Concept study indicate participating in the initial version of NFPP-Japan was associated with reductions in the children's ADHD symptoms and aggression, more effective parenting practices, and reduced parenting stress. A manuscript describing the results of this study has been prepared.

4. Publications

4.1 Journals

Nothing to report

4.2 Books and other one-time publications

Nothing to report

4.3 Oral and Poster Presentations

  1. Furukawa, E., Alsop, B., Sowerby, P., Jensen, S., Tripp, G.  Effects of response cost in ADHD: Application fo the matching law, Eunethydis 2015, Stockholm, Sweden, October (2015).
  2. Murray, AL., Robinson, T., Tripp, G. Neurocognitive and symptom trajectories of ADHD from childhood to early adolescence, The 5th INS/ASSBI pacific Rim Conference 2015, Sydney, Australia, July 1-4 (2015).
  3. Shimabukuro, S., Thomspon, M., Laver-Bradbury, C., Daley, D., Tripp, G. Developing culturally appropriate parenting program for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Japan, 5th World Congress on ADHD, Glasgow, UK, May (2015).
  4. Thompson, MJJ., Thomspon, CE., Laver-Bradbury, C., CaroMorente, C., Daley, D., Lange, A-M., Tripp, G., Shimabukuro, S., Au, A., Sonuga-Barke, E. Delivering behavioral parent training in different cultural settings: The New Forest Parenting Programme, 5th World Congress on ADHD, Glasgow, UK, May (2015).
  5. Tripp, G. Evidence for impaired behavior allocation under changing reinforcement contingencies, Eunethydis 2015, Stockholm, Sweden, October (2015).

5. Intellectual Property Rights and Other Specific Achievements

Nothing to report

6. Meetings and Events

6.1 Reinforcement, Dopamine and ADHD

  • Date: July, 2015
  • Venue: University of Osaka
  • Speaker: Prof. Gail Tripp (OIST)

6.2 Reinforcement, Dopamine and ADHD

  • Date: July, 2015
  • Venue: University of Fukui
  • Speaker: Prof. Gail Tripp (OIST)

6.3 Understanding and managing ADHD

  • Date: October, 2015
  • Venue: Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan
  • Speaker: Prof. Gail Tripp (OIST)

6.4 Oxytocin and more: what we have learned from the developmental disorders of brain

  • Date: December, 2015
  • Venue: OIST, Okinawa, Japan
  • Speaker: Professor Makoto Sato, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine

6.5 Adverse sensory input of the abuse modified by early experience

  • Date: December, 2015
  • Venue: OIST, Okinawa, Japan
  • Speaker: Professor Akemi Tomoda, Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui

6.6 ADHD impacts on everyone, individuals themselves, parents and families: Let's not just focus on burden but emerging solutions

  • Date: March, 2016
  • Venue: OIST, Okinawa, Japan
  • Speaker: Professor David Daley, Division of Psychiatry & Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK

7. Other

Nothing to report.