Exploration of biomarkers ralated to restricted repetitive behaviors in autistic children

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24791253
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: NAKAHACHI Takayuki 独立行政法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 精神保健研究所 児童・思春期精神保健研究部, 研究生 (40615530)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 実行機能 / 神経発達障害 / 大脳小脳連関 / 前頭葉 / 光トポグラフィー / 脳磁図 / 自閉症スペクトラム障害 / 限局的反復的行動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to explore neural substrates of restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs), which is a critical behavioral characteristic of autism spectrum disorders. Study 1: Executive dysfunction which is a cognitive substrate of RRBs was focused on, and development of the task to investigate it under neuroimaging techniques even in children was attempted. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) using the word generation task was conducted to 25 healthy volunteers. Bilateral prefrontal and superior temporal cortex were activated. Study 2: Purposing to detect deficits of cerebral-cerebellum linkage, which is considered to a candidate of RRBs' biomarker, utility of NIRS and magnetoencephalography available to children was investigated using the hand grasping task in a patient of neurodevelopmental disorder with cerebellar lesions, and crossed cerebellocerebral diaschisis was clarified.

Free Research Field

精神神経科学