Alterations in the functional neural circuitry supporting flexible choice behavior in autism spectrum disorders.
Alterations in the functional neural circuitry supporting flexible choice behavior in autism spectrum disorders.
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DOI：
10.1038/tp.2016.161
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发表时间：
2016-10-11
影响因子：
6.8
通讯作者：
Sweeney JA
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
D'Cruz AM;Mosconi MW;Ragozzino ME;Cook EH;Sweeney JA
限制性和重复性行为，以及对行为和环境一致性的明显偏好，是自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的显著特征。支持灵活行为的额纹状体回路的改变可能是这种行为障碍的基础。在一项对17名ASD患者和23名年龄、性别和智商匹配的典型发育对照参与者进行的功能性磁共振成像研究中，当任务偶然性发生变化时，参与者从一种学习反应选择切换到另一种反应选择时，逆转学习任务被用来评估行为灵活性。当逆转后的选择结果不确定时，ASD组在没有任务表现差异的情况下表现出额叶皮层和腹侧纹状体的激活减少。当新反应的结果确定时，两组之间的大脑激活没有差异。额叶皮层和腹侧纹状体的激活减少分别表明决策和反应计划以及处理强化线索方面存在问题。这些过程及其整合对于灵活的行为至关重要。因此，这些系统的改变可能有助于ASD患者严格遵守偏好的行为模式。这些发现为使用逆转学习范式作为针对ASD中受限和重复行为领域的治疗开发的转化模型提供了额外的动力。
Restricted and repetitive behaviors, and a pronounced preference for behavioral and environmental consistency, are distinctive characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Alterations in frontostriatal circuitry that supports flexible behavior might underlie this behavioral impairment. In an functional magnetic resonance imaging study of 17 individuals with ASD, and 23 age-, gender- and IQ-matched typically developing control participants, reversal learning tasks were used to assess behavioral flexibility as participants switched from one learned response choice to a different response choice when task contingencies changed. When choice outcome after reversal was uncertain, the ASD group demonstrated reduced activation in both frontal cortex and ventral striatum, in the absence of task performance differences. When the outcomes of novel responses were certain, there was no difference in brain activation between groups. Reduced activation in frontal cortex and ventral striatum suggest problems in decision-making and response planning, and in processing reinforcement cues, respectively. These processes, and their integration, are essential for flexible behavior. Alterations in these systems may therefore contribute to a rigid adherence to preferred behavioral patterns in individuals with an ASD. These findings provide an additional impetus for the use of reversal learning paradigms as a translational model for treatment development targeting the domain of restricted and repetitive behaviors in ASD.