Journal article
Neural networks related to dysfunctional face processing in autism spectrum disorder
Brain structure & function, Vol.220(4), pp.2355-2371
07/2015
DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0791-z
PMCID: PMC4782795
PMID: 24869925
Abstract
One of the most consistent neuropsychological findings in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a reduced interest in and impaired processing of human faces. We conducted an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis on 14 functional imaging studies on neural correlates of face processing enrolling a total of 164 ASD patients. Subsequently, normative whole-brain functional connectivity maps for the identified regions of significant convergence were computed for the task-independent (resting-state) and task-dependent (co-activations) state in healthy subjects. Quantitative functional decoding was performed by reference to the BrainMap database. Finally, we examined the overlap of the delineated network with the results of a previous meta-analysis on structural abnormalities in ASD as well as with brain regions involved in human action observation/imitation. We found a single cluster in the left fusiform gyrus showing significantly reduced activation during face processing in ASD across all studies. Both task-dependent and task-independent analyses indicated significant functional connectivity of this region with the temporo-occipital and lateral occipital cortex, the inferior frontal and parietal cortices, the thalamus and the amygdala. Quantitative reverse inference then indicated an association of these regions mainly with face processing, affective processing, and language-related tasks. Moreover, we found that the cortex in the region of right area V5 displaying structural changes in ASD patients showed consistent connectivity with the region showing aberrant responses in the context of face processing. Finally, this network was also implicated in the human action observation/imitation network. In summary, our findings thus suggest a functionally and structurally disturbed network of occipital regions related primarily to face (but potentially also language) processing, which interact with inferior frontal as well as limbic regions and may be the core of aberrant face processing and reduced interest in faces in ASD.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Neural networks related to dysfunctional face processing in autism spectrum disorder
- Creators
- Thomas Nickl-Jockschat - Juelich-Aachen Research Alliance Brain, Juelich/Aachen, GermanyClaudia Rottschy - Department of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-1, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, GermanyJohanna Thommes - Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyFrank Schneider - Juelich-Aachen Research Alliance Brain, Juelich/Aachen, GermanyAngela R Laird - Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, USAPeter T Fox - Research Imaging Institute, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, USASimon B Eickhoff - Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Brain structure & function, Vol.220(4), pp.2355-2371
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00429-014-0791-z
- PMID
- 24869925
- PMCID
- PMC4782795
- NLM abbreviation
- Brain Struct Funct
- ISSN
- 1863-2653
- eISSN
- 1863-2661
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/2015
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Neuroscience and Pharmacology
- Record Identifier
- 9984003478802771
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