Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate poor social functioning, which may be related to atypical emotional face processing. Altered functional connectivity among brain regions, particularly involving limbic structures may be implicated. The current magnetoencephalography (MEG) s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00408/full |
| _version_ | 1819008621759954944 |
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| author | Kristina Safar Kristina Safar Simeon M. Wong Rachel C. Leung Benjamin T. Dunkley Benjamin T. Dunkley Benjamin T. Dunkley Margot J. Taylor Margot J. Taylor Margot J. Taylor |
| author_facet | Kristina Safar Kristina Safar Simeon M. Wong Rachel C. Leung Benjamin T. Dunkley Benjamin T. Dunkley Benjamin T. Dunkley Margot J. Taylor Margot J. Taylor Margot J. Taylor |
| author_sort | Kristina Safar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate poor social functioning, which may be related to atypical emotional face processing. Altered functional connectivity among brain regions, particularly involving limbic structures may be implicated. The current magnetoencephalography (MEG) study investigated whole-brain functional connectivity of eight a priori identified brain regions during the implicit presentation of happy and angry faces in 20 7 to 10-year-old children with ASD and 22 typically developing controls. Findings revealed a network of increased alpha-band phase synchronization during the first 400 ms of happy face processing in children with ASD compared to controls. This network of increased alpha-band phase synchronization involved the left fusiform gyrus, right insula, and frontal regions critical for emotional face processing. In addition, greater connectivity strength of the left fusiform gyrus (maximal 85 to 208 ms) and right insula (maximal 73 to 270 ms) following happy face presentation in children with ASD compared to typically developing controls was found. These findings reflect altered neuronal communication in children with ASD only to happy faces during implicit emotional face processing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:43:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6fd57391b6f44129a3d8acbdfbf413f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:43:23Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6fd57391b6f44129a3d8acbdfbf413f2022-12-21T19:21:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612018-10-011210.3389/fnhum.2018.00408370113Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum DisorderKristina Safar0Kristina Safar1Simeon M. Wong2Rachel C. Leung3Benjamin T. Dunkley4Benjamin T. Dunkley5Benjamin T. Dunkley6Margot J. Taylor7Margot J. Taylor8Margot J. Taylor9Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaNeurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaDiagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaUniversity Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, CanadaDiagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaNeurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDiagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaNeurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaIndividuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate poor social functioning, which may be related to atypical emotional face processing. Altered functional connectivity among brain regions, particularly involving limbic structures may be implicated. The current magnetoencephalography (MEG) study investigated whole-brain functional connectivity of eight a priori identified brain regions during the implicit presentation of happy and angry faces in 20 7 to 10-year-old children with ASD and 22 typically developing controls. Findings revealed a network of increased alpha-band phase synchronization during the first 400 ms of happy face processing in children with ASD compared to controls. This network of increased alpha-band phase synchronization involved the left fusiform gyrus, right insula, and frontal regions critical for emotional face processing. In addition, greater connectivity strength of the left fusiform gyrus (maximal 85 to 208 ms) and right insula (maximal 73 to 270 ms) following happy face presentation in children with ASD compared to typically developing controls was found. These findings reflect altered neuronal communication in children with ASD only to happy faces during implicit emotional face processing.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00408/fullASDemotional face processingfunctional connectivitymagnetoencephalographychildren |
| spellingShingle | Kristina Safar Kristina Safar Simeon M. Wong Rachel C. Leung Benjamin T. Dunkley Benjamin T. Dunkley Benjamin T. Dunkley Margot J. Taylor Margot J. Taylor Margot J. Taylor Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ASD emotional face processing functional connectivity magnetoencephalography children |
| title | Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_full | Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_fullStr | Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_short | Increased Functional Connectivity During Emotional Face Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_sort | increased functional connectivity during emotional face processing in children with autism spectrum disorder |
| topic | ASD emotional face processing functional connectivity magnetoencephalography children |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00408/full |
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