A new study by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers suggests that functional control differences in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be the result of a unique approach, rather than attenuation.
Management control problems are common in people with autism and are associated with challenges completing tasks and managing time. The study, published in Biological Psychology: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, trying to determine whether these problems represent a discrepancy in proactive action control (addressed and maintained before an emergency event occurs) or in reactive action control ( involved as will happen).
Using magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers took brain scans of 141 teens and young adults ages 12–22 (64 with autism, 77 neurotypical controls) enrolled in the Cognitive Control Study in Autism. During the scan, participants completed an action that required them to change their behavior.
They were shown a green or red sight, with a white arrow (probe) pointing left or right. In half of the tests participants saw a green sight asking them to press a button that corresponded to the direction of the arrow, and in the other half they saw a red sight that asked to press a button that did not match. A randomized trial order was placed over the trial.
“Our brains seem to be hardened to be able to respond to a probe with matching action more easily than otherwise,” said Andrew Gordon, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Cognitive Sciences. Mind and Behavior and the lead author of the paper.
Partners with autism exhibit a unique approach
Analyzes of the brain scans at both cue and probe levels found that participants with autism showed significantly greater brain activity than control participants during the queue in networks involved in pro- duction control processes. active, but on the less urgent tests – the ones with the matching arrow. In the more challenging experiments – when the arrow did not match – there was similar activity across groups.
“This suggests that proactive control is not really undermined, but that those with autism are implementing it in a unique way – and perhaps not as effectively as possible – because they ‘use proactive control to prepare for the easiest tests,’ ‘said Marjorie Solomon, a professor in the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences and lead author of the paper.
The researchers also found that, during the arrow, a link between regions related to reactive control processes was dramatically increased on the more rigorous tests in people with autism, but not in ‘usually developing partners.
I was a little surprised by the results, Gordon said. “Previous research suggests that neural-level disorder may be responsible for behavioral differences. What we are really showing is that participants with autism are simply engaging in control systems. clouds in contrast to those with neurotypical development. “
The researchers noted that the results do not explain why the participants with autism engaged in a different strategy, which was less effective during the workout than the control participants neurotypical.
“Our findings suggest, as in many other areas, that those with autism use a unique strategy to achieve action,” said Solomon. “But it leaves open The question of why they take more control through the easier work, and perhaps it is related to a reduction in mental flexibility. “
Solomon and Gordon said it would be beneficial for future research to handle the order in which the incentives are given.
“These conclusions are different from a lot of prior work on the subject,” said Gordon. “While one study cannot be considered sufficient evidence to change the way we think about control of action in autism, these findings indicate that we need to be more developed on this issue in the future. “
Source:
University of California – Davis Health
Magazine Reference:
Gordan, A., et al. (2021) Components of Management Control in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Active Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study on Dual Device Accounts. Biological Psychology: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.11.008.