Reduced neural responses to vocal fear: a potential biomarker for callous-uncaring traits in early childhood

Caroline P Hoyniak; John E Bates; Isaac T Petersen; Chung-Lin Yang; Isabelle Darcy; Nathalie M G Fontaine

doi:10.1111/desc.12608

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Journal article

Reduced neural responses to vocal fear: a potential biomarker for callous-uncaring traits in early childhood

Caroline P Hoyniak, John E Bates, Isaac T Petersen, Chung-Lin Yang, Isabelle Darcy and Nathalie M G Fontaine

Developmental science, Vol.21(4), pp.e12608-n/a

07/2018

DOI: 10.1111/desc.12608

PMCID: PMC5940591

PMID: 29119657

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Abstract

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are characterized by a lack of guilt and empathy, and low responsiveness to distress and fear in others. Children with CU traits are at-risk for engaging in early and persistent conduct problems. Individuals showing CU traits have been shown to have reduced neural responses to others' distress (e.g., fear). However, the neural components of distress responses in children with CU traits have not been investigated in early childhood. In the current study, we examined neural responses that underlie the processing of emotionally valenced vocal stimuli using the event-related potential technique in a group of preschoolers. Participants between 2 and 5 years old took part in an auditory oddball task containing English-based pseudowords spoken with either a fearful, happy, or a neutral prosody while electroencephalography data were collected. The mismatch negativity (MMN) component, an index of the automatic detection of deviant stimuli within a series of stimuli, was examined in association with two dimensions of CU traits (i.e., callousness-uncaring and unemotional dimensions) reported by primary caregivers. Findings suggest that the callousness-uncaring dimension of CU traits in early childhood is associated with reduced responses to fearful vocal stimuli. Reduced neural responses to vocal fear could be a biomarker for callous-uncaring traits in early childhood. These findings are relevant for clinicians and researchers attempting to identify risk factors for early callous-uncaring traits.

Emotions - physiology

Conduct Disorder - diagnosis

Humans

Evoked Potentials

Child, Preschool

Male

Electroencephalography

Fear - physiology

Empathy - physiology

Biomarkers

Conduct Disorder - etiology

Female

Child

Details

Title: Subtitle: Reduced neural responses to vocal fear: a potential biomarker for callous-uncaring traits in early childhood
Creators: Caroline P Hoyniak - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
John E Bates - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Isaac T Petersen - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Chung-Lin Yang - Department of Second Language Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Isabelle Darcy - Department of Second Language Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Nathalie M G Fontaine - School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Developmental science, Vol.21(4), pp.e12608-n/a
DOI: 10.1111/desc.12608
PMID: 29119657
PMCID: PMC5940591
NLM abbreviation: Dev Sci
ISSN: 1363-755X
eISSN: 1467-7687
Publisher: England
Grant note: UL1 TR000006 / NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001108 / NCATS NIH HHS TL1 TR001107 / NCATS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 07/2018
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Center for Social Science Innovation
Record Identifier: 9984070602602771

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