Age-Related Increase in Inferior Frontal Gyrus Activity and Social Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Age-Related Increase in Inferior Frontal Gyrus Activity and Social Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder
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DOI：
10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.11.007
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发表时间：
2011-05-01
影响因子：
10.6
通讯作者：
Keysers, Christian
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bastiaansen, Jojanneke A.;Thioux, Marc;Keysers, Christian
背景：自闭症儿童在感知面部表情时，额叶下回活动不足被解释为镜像神经系统缺陷的证据。我们研究了这种功能障碍是否会持续到成年，以及镜像神经元系统中的大脑活动与实验室外的社会功能之间的关系。方法：对21名患有自闭症谱系障碍的成年男性和21名年龄、性别和智商匹配的典型发育受试者进行了三种条件的扫描：观察显示面部表情的短片，执行面部动作，体验恶心的味道。结果：自闭症患者面部表情观察过程中，额叶下回活动随年龄增长而增加，而对照组则无明显变化。与年龄相关的活动增加与凝视行为的变化和社会功能的改善有关。在一组社会功能水平相当的精神分裂症患者中，没有发现这些与年龄相关的神经认知改善。结论：这项横断面研究的结果表明，自闭症患者的镜像神经系统活动随着年龄的增长而增强，这伴随着凝视行为的变化和社会功能的改善。这是自闭症与年龄相关的神经认知改善的第一个证明。增加运动模拟可能有助于改善青春期和成年期的社会功能。这一发现应该会鼓励针对情绪模拟的新治疗干预措施的发展。
Background: Hypoactivation of the inferior frontal gyrus during the perception of facial expressions has been interpreted as evidence for a deficit of the mirror neuron system in children with autism. We examined whether this dysfunction persists in adulthood, and how brain activity in the mirror neuron system relates to social functioning outside the laboratory.Methods: Twenty-one adult males with autism spectrum disorders and 21 typically developing subjects matched for age, sex, and IQ were scanned in three conditions: observing short movies showing facial expressions, performing a facial movement, and experiencing a disgusting taste. Symptom severity and level of social adjustment were measured with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and the Social Functioning Scale.Results: Inferior frontal gyrus activity during the observation of facial expressions increased with age in subjects with autism, but not in control subjects. The age-related increase in activity was associated with changes in gaze behavior and improvements in social functioning. These age-related neurocognitive improvements were not found in a group of individuals with schizophrenia, who had comparable levels of social functioning.Conclusions: The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that mirror neuron system activity augments with age in autism and that this is accompanied by changes in gaze behavior and improved social functioning. It is the first demonstration of an age-related neurocognitive improvement in autism. Increased motor simulation may contribute to the amelioration in social functioning documented in adolescence and adulthood. This finding should encourage the development of new therapeutic interventions directed at emotion simulation.