Identifying functional brain networks associated with social motivation in autism spectrum disorders

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14364
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10010:Social psychology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Aoki Ryuta 東京都立大学, 人文科学研究科, 特任准教授 (50751103)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: fMRI / ASD

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and network analysis to investigate the differences in large-scale brain networks between individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) individuals. We analyzed large-scale resting-state fMRI datasets and found that individuals with ASD showed lower average functional connectivity among brain regions within the default mode network (DMN), as well as higher temporal variability in the DMN, compared to TD individuals. In addition, we found an inter-individual correlation among individuals with ASD such that those with higher scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) showed lower average functional connectivity within the DMN.

Free Research Field

社会神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で実施した大規模脳画像データの解析を通じて，ASD当事者と定型発達者での機能的脳ネットワークの違いの一端が明らかになった．特にネットワークの時間的変動性に関して得られた知見は，ASD当事者が抱える感覚症状やコミュニケーションの際に感じる困難さと関連する可能性があり，今後さらに発展的な研究をおこなうに値する．一方で，ASDの神経メカニズムをより深く紐解くにはデータ収集時点での施設間のプロトコル（撮像シークエンスなど）の統一や個人レベルでの計測精度の精緻化（precision functional mapping）が極めて重要であることを示す結果も得られた．