Establishment of evaluation system and training program for autism spectrum disorder using weighted separability index of prefrontal cortex.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K04842
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Special needs education
• Research Institution: Bunkyo University
• Principal Investigator: Narita Naoko 文教大学, 教育学部, 教授 (40306189)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 自閉症スペクトラム / 分離度 / 前頭葉 / NIRS / スイッチングタスク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To establish an evaluation system and training program for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we employed one-year intervention program for ASD and typically developed (TD).We investigated continuous prefrontal hemodynamic changes using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) depending on reciprocal disposition of working memory and nonworking memory tasks using two-channel NIRS. Weighted separability index (WS) of prefrontal cortex was measured and compared between ASD and TD. Average +/- SD of WS was 1.34+/-2.11 (n=14) in TD, whereas 0.46+/-0.53(n=12) in ASD, however no significance was found. On the other hand, among ASD subjects, Average +/- SD latency time of stroop test was significantly decreased during one-year intervention program (pre 1.369 +/- 0.577, post 1.119 +/- 0.305), suggesting efficacy of our training program.

Free Research Field

発達小児科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

自閉症スペクトラム児者の特性や二次障害の原因となりうる先天的な脳機能の脆弱性を、前頭葉脳血流量測定を用いて検証し、生物学的な診断に用いることを目標とした。特に左側前頭葉での認知課題刺激に呼応した脳活動の切り替えの障害が特徴的であったが、確実な診断法にするためにはさらなる検証が必要である。一方、 発達期のASD児において、親子それぞれへの個別のペアレンティング介入支援は子のストループ課題に対する反応速度の平均的改善に効果的であった。今後は、さらに多角的な所見を比較することで、より効果を検証することが必要である。