Weak Central Coherence and Executive Function in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

1.自闭症谱系障碍儿童的弱中央一致性和执行功能我们调查了与日常生活中遇到的情况类似的弱中央一致性（WCC）的行为和神经方面。为了研究与日常生活相似的情况下的WCC，我们使用了大9张照片（W80 × H64 cm）。参与者是13名ASD儿童和15名典型发育（TD）儿童。摄影师解释了每一张照片。我们分析了语言反应，并使用近红外光谱（NIRS）来评估参与者解释图片时外侧前额叶皮层（PFC）的大脑激活。ASD儿童右侧PFC的激活低于TD儿童，同时也不能识别语义连贯，这表明弱连贯性与右侧PFC功能有关.孤独症谱系障碍儿童的执行功能策略教育计划（ESEP）和中枢一致性策略教育计划（CSEP）我们制定了对孤独症谱系障碍儿童进行执行功能训练的执行功能策略教育计划（ESEP）和对孤独症谱系障碍儿童进行中枢一致性训练的中枢一致性策略教育计划（CSEP）。应用ESEP对7例ASD患儿进行训练（ESEP组），应用CSEP对9例ASD患儿进行训练（CSEP组）。采用DN-CAS（Das-Naglieri认知评估系统）评估方案的效果。ESEP组“同时性”和“计划性”得分较训练前提高，但“注意力”和“连续性”得分无显著性差异。CSEP组的“计划”得分高于训练前。两组患者的总分均显著增加。

1. Weak Central Coherence and Executive Function in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder We investigated both behavioral and neurological aspects of weak central coherence (WCC) in situations similar to those encountered during everyday life. To investigate WCC in situations similar to everyday life, we used large 9 pictures (W80 × H64 cm). Participants were 13 children with ASD and15 typically developing (TD) children. Participantsexplained about each picture. We analyzed verbal responses and also used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess brain activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) as the participant explained the picture. ASD children showed lower activation of the right lateral PFC than TD children, while also failing to recognize semantic coherence, suggesting that weak coherence is related to right lateral PFC functioning.2. The Executive Function Strategy Education Program (ESEP) andthe Central Coherence Strategy Education Program (CSEP) for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder We made the Executive Function Strategy Education Program (ESEP) to train executive function in children with ASD, and the Central Coherence Strategy Education Program (CSEP) to train central coherence in children with ASD. We used the ESEP to train 7 ASD children (ESEP group), and used the CSEP to train 9 ASD children (CSEP group). The effect of the program was measured by DN-CAS (Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System). In ESEP group, the scores of “Simultaneous” and “Planning” were higher than before the training, but the score of “Attention” and “Successive” were not significant. In CSEP group, the score of “Planning” was higher than before the training. In both group, full scoreswere significantly increased.