1
|
Ikeda T, Hirai M, Sakurada T, Monden Y, Tokuda T, Nagashima M, Shimoizumi H, Dan I, Yamagata T. Atypical neural modulation in the right prefrontal cortex during an inhibitory task with eye gaze in autism spectrum disorder as revealed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy. NEUROPHOTONICS 2018; 5:035008. [PMID: 30211250 PMCID: PMC6123570 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.5.3.035008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairment in social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. Executive function impairment is reportedly partially responsible for these symptoms. Executive function includes planning, flexibility, and inhibitory control. Although planning and flexibility in ASD have been consistently reported as atypical, the atypicality of inhibitory control remains controversial. As most previous studies have used nonsocial stimuli to investigate inhibitory control in ASD, the effects of socially relevant information on the inhibitory control system in individuals with ASD remain unclear. Therefore, we developed a go/no-go task with gaze stimuli and measured hemodynamic responses in the right prefrontal cortex (PFC), involved in inhibitory processing in both typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Direct gaze induced commission errors to similar extents in both groups. Contrary to the behavioral responses, neural activation in the right PFC was modulated by gaze direction only in the TD group. These findings suggest that the gaze-processing mechanisms in the prefrontal region may be affected by atypical gaze processing in other brain regions during an inhibitory control task with socially relevant information in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Ikeda
- Jichi Medical University, Department of Pediatrics, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Masahiro Hirai
- Jichi Medical University, Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Shimotsuke, Japan
- University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
- Address all correspondence to: Masahiro Hirai,
| | - Takeshi Sakurada
- Jichi Medical University, Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Yukifumi Monden
- Jichi Medical University, Department of Pediatrics, Shimotsuke, Japan
- International University of Health and Welfare, Department of Pediatrics, Nasushiobara, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Tokuda
- Chuo University, Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masako Nagashima
- Jichi Medical University, Department of Pediatrics, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Hideo Shimoizumi
- International University of Health and Welfare Rehabilitation Center, Nasu Institute for Developmental Disabilities, Otawara, Japan
| | - Ippeita Dan
- Chuo University, Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takanori Yamagata
- Jichi Medical University, Department of Pediatrics, Shimotsuke, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hakuno Y, Pirazzoli L, Blasi A, Johnson MH, Lloyd-Fox S. Optical imaging during toddlerhood: brain responses during naturalistic social interactions. NEUROPHOTONICS 2018; 5:011020. [PMID: 29340284 PMCID: PMC5755683 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.5.1.011020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of our ability to interact and communicate with others, the early development of the social brain network remains poorly understood. We examined brain activity in 12- to 14-month-old infants while they were interacting live with an adult in two different naturalistic social scenarios (i.e., reading a picture book versus singing nursery rhymes with gestures), as compared to baseline (i.e., showing infants a toy without eye contact or speech). We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recorded over the right temporal lobe of infants to assess the role of the superior temporal sulcus-temporoparietal junction (STS-TPJ) region during naturalistic social interactions. We observed increased cortical activation in the STS-TPJ region to live social stimuli in both socially engaging conditions compared to baseline during real life interaction, with greater activation evident for the joint attention (reading book) condition relative to the social nursery rhymes. These results supported the view that the STS-TPJ region, engaged in the cortical social brain network, is already specialized in infants for processing social signals and is sensitive to communicative situations. This study also highlighted the potential of fNIRS for studying brain function in infants entering toddlerhood during live social interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Hakuno
- Keio University, Graduate School of Human Relations, Department of Psychology, Tokyo, Japan
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Laura Pirazzoli
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Blasi
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H. Johnson
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Lloyd-Fox
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|