The typical development of the "social brain" and its alteration in autism spectrum disorders

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350931
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Childhood science (childhood environment science)
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Yamasaki Takao 九州大学, 医学研究院, 学術研究員 (70404069)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MAEKAWA Toshihiko 九州大学, 医学研究院, 助教 (40448436)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 自閉症スペクトラム / 社会脳 / 視覚誘発電位

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication. The aim of this study was to investigate how the ventral visual (face processing) network ("social brain") is functionally impaired in ASD. Visual evoked potentials were recorded in high-functioning ASD and typically developing (TD) adults. We used isoluminant chromatic (red/green, RG) gratings, high-contrast achromatic (black/white, BW) gratings, and face stimuli. Compared with TD controls, ASD adults exhibited longer N1 latency for RG, shorter N1 latency for BW, and shorter P1 latency, but prolonged N170 latency, for face stimuli. These findings indicate that ASD adults have enhanced fine-form processing, but impaired color processing at V1. In addition, they exhibit impaired gestalt face processing at V4. Thus, altered ventral stream function (the "social brain") may contribute to abnormal social processing in ASD.

Free Research Field

臨床神経生理学