Neurophysiological Mechanisms in the Development of Externalizing Problems

描述(由申请人提供)：拟议项目的目标是更好地了解外在问题发展的机制，包括行为和注意力问题，特别强调神经机制。从发展的角度来看，在行为问题形成之前，研究神经功能与外化行为的关系是很重要的。随着对这些过程的更多了解，早期发现和预防方法可能会变得更加成功。这项拟议的研究似乎是第一次绘制出与外化有关的神经功能发展的图表。 儿童早期的问题。这项拟议的纵向研究试图利用事件相关电位(ERPs)来确定2.5-3.5岁儿童外化问题发展的神经机制。事件相关电位是通过脑电(EEG)测量的对刺激的神经反应，与外在症状典型地变得突出时相比，在更早的年龄就有可能成为精神病理学维度的生物标志物。基于先前发现的中心假说是，包括N_2和P_3成分在内的事件相关电位将通过自我调节缺陷来预测外化行为问题的发展。这项拟议的研究的基本原理是理解早期神经 外化问题的风险因素和机制可能导致更准确地识别高危儿童和可修改的中间表型。这反过来可以带来更具成本效益的干预措施，甚至可以预防行为问题。这种方法在纵向检查早期儿童的神经生物标记物方面是创新的，这些标记物是外部问题、去抑制维度和持续性注意力缺陷的预测因子，而不是诊断类别。这项拟议的研究具有重要意义，因为它将识别比行为标记物本身更准确的早期发育机制，这可能转化为更成功的预防。这项拟议的研究还将确定更好的早期行为指标，以揭示外部化问题的神经机制。这些外化问题的中间表型可以成为儿童早期临床实用的评估工具。该项目包括两个具体目标：1)确定外部性问题发展的早期神经生物标记物，2)确定外部性问题发展的潜在机制。目标1将研究父母和二级照顾者报告的N2和P3事件相关电位成分是否可以预测后来外部化问题的发展。目标2将测试N_2和P_3是否可以预测以后在实验室任务中的自我调节缺陷，在TUN中，这会导致外部性问题。我们还将测试其他神经生物标志物，以提高预测未来外部性问题发展的敏感性和特异性。这项研究将对30到42个月的儿童进行跟踪调查，这是一个神经发展加速、外在问题增加的时代，这些问题正在变得稳定。外化问题将由父母和二级照顾者报告。自律问题将通过行为任务来衡量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the proposed project is better understanding of mechanisms in the development of externalizing problems, including conduct and attention problems, with special emphasis on neural mechanisms. From a developmental perspective it is important to study neural functioning in relation to externalizing behavior befor behavior problems have become established. With more knowledge of the processes, early detection and prevention approaches may become more successful. The proposed study appears to be the first to chart the development of neural functioning in relation to externalizing problems in early childhood. The proposed longitudinal research seeks to identify neural mechanisms in the development of externalizing problems among children 2.5-3.5 years of age using event-related potentials (ERPs). ERPs are neural responses to stimuli measured by electroencephalography (EEG), with the potential to be biomarkers for dimensions of psychopathology at earlier ages than when externalizing symptoms typically become salient. The central hypothesis based on previous findings is that ERPs, including the N2 and P3 components, will predict the development of externalizing behavior problems, as mediated by self-regulation deficits. The rationale of the proposed research is that understanding early neural risk factors and mechanisms in externalizing problems may lead to more accurate identification of at-risk children and modifiable intermediate phenotypes. This in turn can lead to more cost-effective interventions and even prevention of behavior problems. The approach is innovative in longitudinally examining neural biomarkers in early childhood as predictors of externalizing problems, dimensions of disinhibition and sustained attention deficits rather than diagnostic categories. The proposed research is significant because it will identify more accurate early developmental mechanisms than behavioral markers by themselves, which may translate to more successful prevention. The proposed research will also identify better early behavioral indicators of the neural mechanisms of externalizing problems. These intermediate phenotypes for externalizing problems can become clinically practical assessment tools in early childhood. The project includes two specific aims: 1) Identify early neural biomarkers of the development of externalizing problems, and 2) Determine mechanisms underlying the development of externalizing problems. Aim 1 will examine whether the N2 and P3 ERP components predict the development of later externalizing problems reported by parents and secondary caregivers. Aim 2 will test whether the N2 and P3 predict later self-regulation deficits on lab tasks, which, in tun, lead to externalizing problems. We will also test other neural biomarkers to increase sensitivity and specificity for predicting the development of later externalizing problems. The study will follow children from 30 to 42 months, an era of accelerated neural development and increased externalizing problems that are becoming stable. Externalizing problems will be reported by parents and secondary caregivers. Self-regulation problems will be measured by behavioral tasks.