Investigating the Neural Bases of Language Processing during a Live Social Interaction: A fNIRS Study of Preschoolers With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

项目总结/摘要 虽然自闭症谱系的语言能力各不相同，但大多数自闭症谱系的儿童 自闭症（ASD）有语言缺陷，出现在生命的早期，并有长期持久的负面影响， 其他功能领域。先前的研究表明大脑处理语言的方式不同 (i.e.,减少的激活/反应和功能连接）可能有助于语言的发展 ASD的缺陷。然而，只有少数神经影像学研究探索了语言的神经基础 自闭症儿童在学龄前时期的语言加工，这是语言发展的敏感时期。 此外，所有这些研究都测量了儿童在睡眠和社交孤立时的大脑反应， 不能推广到真实世界语言环境的上下文。该研究项目将建立 通过调查学龄前儿童的大脑是如何 有和没有ASD功能在现场社交互动。我们将使用功能近红外光谱 （fNIRS），一种感官友好的神经成像方法，用于测量儿童在两种情况下的大脑活动- 实时条件和记录条件。在现场条件下，一个现场实验者将与孩子互动 通过阅读他/她一本插图书中的脚本故事。在录音条件下，孩子会听 在屏幕上观看插图的同时录制脚本故事。50名ASD儿童的样本， 50个典型的发展（TD）控制，36- 60个月大，将用于解决三个研究目标。的 第一个目标是确定生活中的社会互动如何调节学龄前儿童对语言的大脑反应， 没有ASD。我们假设，TD控制将有更大的大脑反应，在生活条件 与记录的情况相比，虽然ASD儿童在两种情况下的大脑反应相似， 条件第二个目的是研究在现场社交互动过程中， (i.e.,生活条件）在患有和没有ASD的学龄前儿童之间是不同的。我们假设ASD 组间和半球内FC减少。第三个目的是研究 测量大脑功能（大脑反应和FC）和语言能力，沟通技巧和自闭症 严重性。我们假设，在现场条件下，更大的大脑反应和FC将与更好的 语言能力和沟通能力，但自闭症的严重程度较低。这一创新项目的成果将 展示了患有和没有ASD的学龄前儿童的大脑，一个研究不足的年龄组， 日常的社会交往。探索大脑功能的个体差异将阐明神经系统 ASD中语言缺陷和异质性语言结果的潜在机制。临床上，发现 可以提供关于大脑在不同类型的语言干预中如何运作的见解。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Although language abilities vary across the autism spectrum, the majority of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have language deficits that emerge early in life and have long lasting negative impacts on other domains of functioning. Previous work suggests that differences in how the brain processes language (i.e., reduced activation/response and functional connectivity) may contribute to the development of language deficits in ASD. However, only a handful of neuroimaging studies have explored the neural bases of language processing in children with ASD during the preschool years, a sensitive period in language development. Additionally, all of these studies measured brain response while children were asleep and socially-isolated, a context that is not generalizable to real-world language environments. The proposed research project will build upon the findings of these foundational neuroimaging studies by investigating how the brains of preschoolers with and without ASD function during a live social interaction. We will use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a sensory-friendly neuroimaging method, to measure children’s brain activity during two conditions – a live condition and a recorded condition. During the live condition, a live experimenter will interact with the child by reading him/her a scripted story from an illustrated book. During the recorded condition, the child will listen to a recording of a scripted story while viewing illustrations on a screen. A sample of 50 children with ASD and 50 typically developing (TD) controls, 36- to 60-months-old, will be used to address three research aims. The first aim is to determine how live social interaction modulates brain response to language in preschoolers with and without ASD. We hypothesize that TD controls will have greater brain response during the live condition compared to the recorded condition, while children with ASD will have similar brain response across both conditions. The second aim is to examine whether functional connectivity (FC) during a live social interaction (i.e., the live condition) differs between preschoolers with and without ASD. We hypothesize that the ASD group will have reduced inter- and intra-hemispheric FC. The third aim is to investigate the relation between measures of brain function (brain response and FC) and language abilities, communication skills, and autism severity. We hypothesize that greater brain response and FC during the live condition will be related to better language abilities and communication skills, but lower autism severity. Findings from this innovative project will demonstrate how the brains of preschoolers with and without ASD, an understudied age group, function during everyday social interactions. Exploring individual differences in brain function will elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying language deficits and heterogeneous language outcomes in ASD. Clinically, findings may provide insights into how the brain functions during different types of language interventions.