Knaus Tracey A, Burns Claire, Kamps Jodi, Foundas Anne L
Brain and Behavior Program at Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, 1542 Tulane Avenue, 7th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Brain and Behavior Program at Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, 1542 Tulane Avenue, 7th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Brain Cogn. 2017 Oct;117:57-64. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2017.06.004. Epub 2017 Jun 16.
In typical adults, fMRI studies have shown activation of primary and pre-motor regions during action word processing. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication impairments. ASD studies have shown atypical semantic processing and motor deficits. The objective of this study was to examine semantic processing of verbs in ASD. 15 ASD adolescents and 19 typically developing adolescents, 11-16years, completed a semantic similarity judgment task during fMRI. There were no differences in task accuracy or reaction time. At the group level, both groups had activation in left language areas; controls, but not ASD, also had activation in the left pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA). In ASD, less left frontal activation and reduced left lateralization of activation within these regions was associated with shorter reaction times and better language skills. More left temporal activation was associated with better language abilities in ASD. Differences in pre-SMA activation may relate to motor planning deficits or differences in approach to the semantic task in ASD. Results suggest that left frontal language areas may be less efficient in ASD and those who can compensate by recruiting more right hemisphere homologues may result in better language abilities.
在典型成年人中，功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究表明，在处理动作词汇时，初级运动区和运动前区会被激活。自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）是一种神经发育障碍，其特征为社交和沟通障碍。针对ASD的研究显示出非典型的语义处理和运动缺陷。本研究的目的是检查ASD患者对动词的语义处理。15名患有ASD的青少年和19名发育正常的青少年（年龄在11至16岁之间）在功能磁共振成像扫描过程中完成了一项语义相似性判断任务。在任务准确性或反应时间方面没有差异。在组间水平上，两组在左侧语言区域均有激活；对照组（而非ASD组）在左侧辅助运动前区（pre-SMA）也有激活。在ASD患者中，这些区域内左侧额叶激活较少以及激活的左侧化程度降低与较短的反应时间和较好的语言技能相关。在ASD患者中，左侧颞叶激活增加与较好的语言能力相关。辅助运动前区激活的差异可能与ASD患者的运动计划缺陷或处理语义任务的方式差异有关。结果表明，在ASD患者中，左侧额叶语言区域的效率可能较低，而那些能够通过调动更多右半球同源区域进行补偿的患者可能具有更好的语言能力。
