Open AccessDesynchronization of fronto‐temporal networks during working memory processing in autism
Author(s) -
Urbain Charline,
Vogan Vanessa M.,
Ye Annette X.,
Pang Elizabeth W.,
Doesburg Sam M.,
Taylor Margot J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.23021
Subject(s) - psychology , autism spectrum disorder , working memory , magnetoencephalography , autism , neuroscience , cognition , fusiform gyrus , context (archaeology) , anterior cingulate cortex , cognitive psychology , electroencephalography , developmental psychology , paleontology , biology
Background Mounting evidence suggests that autism is a network disorder, characterized by atypical brain connectivity, especially in the context of high level cognitive processes such as working memory (WM). Accordingly, atypical WM processes have been related to the social and cognitive deficits observed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to investigate connectivity differences during a high memory load (2‐back) WM task between 17 children with ASD and 20 age‐, sex‐, and IQ‐matched controls. Results We identified reduced inter‐regional alpha‐band (9‐15 Hz) phase synchronization in children with ASD during the WM task. Reduced WM‐related brain synchronization encompassed fronto‐temporal networks ( ps < 0.04 corrected) previously associated with challenging high‐level conditions (i.e. the left insula and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)) and memory encoding and/or recognition (i.e. the right middle temporal gyrus and the right fusiform gyrus). Additionally, we found that reduced connectivity processes related to the right fusiform were correlated with the severity of symptoms in children with ASD, suggesting that such atypicalities could be directly related to the behavioural deficits observed. Discussion This study provides new evidence of atypical long‐range synchronization in children with ASD in fronto‐temporal areas that crucially contribute to challenging WM tasks, but also emotion regulation and social cognition processes. Thus, these results support the network disorder hypothesis of ASD and argue for a specific pathophysiological contribution of brain processes related to working memory and executive functions on the symptomatology of autism. Hum Brain Mapp 37:153–164, 2016 . © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.