Neural basis of social contingency recognition

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25882052
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI Akihiro 独立行政法人理化学研究所, ライフサイエンス技術基盤研究センター, 研究員 (10711781)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-08-30 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 機能的MRI / 自閉症 / EBA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are known to have difficulties in social interaction, communication, and shows restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. In this project, we compared neural substrates of contingency detection of individuals with ASD and typical development (TD).
During fMRI scan, individuals with ASD and TD performed hand shape formation task. We manipulated congruency between self-action and visual feedback (congruent / incongruent), type (self / other), and timing of feedback (delay / simultaneous).
We found EBA showed significant congruency effect for simultaneous feedback of self-action in both groups, and for delayed feedback of self-action in the ASD group. Subsequently, it was revealed autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) score and effect size of congruency was positively correlated only in the self-condition. These results suggested that individuals with ASD are more sensitive to congruency of executed and observed self-action than other’s action.

Free Research Field

認知神経科学