About this Research Topic
The neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) refer to the sum of early-onset diseases with high prevalence, including Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, communication disorder, specific learning disorder, and motor disorder. NDDs markedly impair patients’ performative functions and quality of life. However, the clinical treatment of NDDs is greatly limited by insufficient knowledge on pathogenesis, let alone the translation.
Although NDDs are each currently defined as independent entities, epidemiological studies show the phenotypic overlaps among them. On the other hand, each distinct diagnostic entity shows phenotypic and etiologic heterogeneity. To piece together each underlying psychopathologic pathway, identifying behavior and neurobiological biomarkers is essential to better diagnosis and treatment of NDDs.
The present Research Topic welcomes original research and review articles that present data from genes, molecules, cells, brain circuits to behaviors at multiple levels to analyze the etiological and pharmacological pathways or network underlying each NDDs and their comorbidities. The topic aims to answer two major questions:
1. What is the specific biomarker or combination of biomarkers (pathway, network, etc.) for each NDDs, their comorbidity, pharm- and non pharm-treatment.
2. How can these biomarkers or combinations of biomarkers be translated to clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Sub-themes may include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Etiologic, pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic researches on NDDs that explore the underlying neurobiological mechanism
(2) Phenotypic analysis on the overlap or heterogeneity of NDDs
(3) Multi-modality neurophysiological, neuroimaging study and its combination with genetic analysis,
(4) Pharm- or nonpharmacological study that investigates underlying neurobiological mechanism,
(5) Experiments on animal models that illuminate neurobiological mechanisms of each NDD and its treatment
Although NDDs are each currently defined as independent entities, epidemiological studies show the phenotypic overlaps among them. On the other hand, each distinct diagnostic entity shows phenotypic and etiologic heterogeneity. To piece together each underlying psychopathologic pathway, identifying behavior and neurobiological biomarkers is essential to better diagnosis and treatment of NDDs.
The present Research Topic welcomes original research and review articles that present data from genes, molecules, cells, brain circuits to behaviors at multiple levels to analyze the etiological and pharmacological pathways or network underlying each NDDs and their comorbidities. The topic aims to answer two major questions:
1. What is the specific biomarker or combination of biomarkers (pathway, network, etc.) for each NDDs, their comorbidity, pharm- and non pharm-treatment.
2. How can these biomarkers or combinations of biomarkers be translated to clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Sub-themes may include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Etiologic, pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic researches on NDDs that explore the underlying neurobiological mechanism
(2) Phenotypic analysis on the overlap or heterogeneity of NDDs
(3) Multi-modality neurophysiological, neuroimaging study and its combination with genetic analysis,
(4) Pharm- or nonpharmacological study that investigates underlying neurobiological mechanism,
(5) Experiments on animal models that illuminate neurobiological mechanisms of each NDD and its treatment
Keywords: Neurodevelopmental disorder, Comorbidity, Biomarker, Neuroimaging
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
