Neural mechanisms of cognitive inflexibility and attention-shifting in autism spectrum disorder

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10326
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Tei Shisei 京都大学, 医学研究科, 客員研究員 (00621575)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 藤野 純也 昭和大学, 大学共同利用機関等の部局等, 講師 (90783340)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 柔軟性 / 注意機能 / 発達障害 / 意思決定 / 共感

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently report difficulty in flexible responding to social situations. However, the underlying neurocognitive mechanism remains insufficiently explored. We investigated this issue in related to attention shifting functions. We found decreased flexible and attention processing among participants with ASD, as compared to those with typical development. Moreover, we also observed a link between participants’ capacity in flexible decision-making and attention shifting. These findings, together with our brain-imaging findings, support the recent idea that the inflexible behaviors in people with ASD may be crucially owing to their decreased situational understanding and/or reduced awareness of the social context; and that these phenomena might stem from their decreased and/or altered attention shifting.

Free Research Field

精神医科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、ASDの柔軟性低下の背景にある認知・脳内メカニズムを調査した。この結果、神経心理・脳機能の観点から新たなエビデンスを提供する事ができた。本研究の結果、ASDにおける低次の注意・視点の切り替えの変調は、共感・自己ー他者理解を介し、高次の様々な柔軟な社会的意思決定に影響を及ぼす可能性が示唆された。これらの結果は、ASDのみならず社会的柔軟さの低下が関わる病態を理解する上でも有用であり、今後研究を進めていく上でも重要な基盤となりうる。さらにこれらの知見は、社会適応能力を効果的に高める臨床介入を考える上でも有益な情報となると考えている。