A Neurological study of relationship between empathy in mothers and sociality in their children with autism spectrum disorder.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19717
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Hasegawa Chiaki 金沢大学, 子どものこころの発達研究センター, 博士研究員 (40644034)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 自閉スペクトラム症 / 母子インタラクション / 脳磁図 / Mu suppression / 社会性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation of the sociality of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and empathy in their mothers.
A longitudinal quotient study demonstrated a significant correlation between the changes in children's Social Responsiveness Scale(SRS) score and changes empathizing quotient in either the father or both parents. Autistic symptom mitigation in ASD children was associated with increased empathy levels in their parents.We measured MEG mu suppression during face-to-face spontaneous non-linguistic interactions between mothers and their children with ASD using the MEG hyperscanning system. The results demonstrated significant correlations between the index of mu suppression in the right precentral area and the traits (or severity) of ASD in 13 mothers and 8 children.

Free Research Field

精神神経学