Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Executive Functioning as a Pathway Between Social Skills and Psychopathology: The Moderating Role of Autism Diagnosis.

Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research·2026

Same author

Social communication and brain network properties: cognitive predictors and modulation by autistic traits.

Cognitive neurodynamics·2026

Same author

Neural Representations of Death-Related Concepts Identify Conceptual Alteration of Self in Suicidal Youth.

Human brain mapping·2026

Same author

Brain network disruption underlying externalizing behaviors.

Neuropsychologia·2026

Same author

The neurocognitive aspects of empathy and theory of mind in pragmatic language processing.

Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience·2026

Same author

Symptoms of depression in autistic children and adolescents.

Frontiers in psychiatry·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Published on: September 12, 2011

Functional connectivity in a baseline resting-state network in autism.

Vladimir L Cherkassky¹, Rajesh K Kana, Timothy A Keller

¹Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging, Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. cherkassky@cmu.edu

|October 19, 2006

Summary

Individuals with high-functioning autism exhibit a more loosely connected resting-state brain network. This functional underconnectivity, particularly in anterior-posterior connections, extends previous autism research to brain resting states.

More Related Videos

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Published on: March 21, 2019

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism

Published on: October 17, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Published on: September 12, 2011

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Published on: March 21, 2019

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism

Published on: October 17, 2025

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

Individuals with high-functioning autism often display atypical brain activity, characterized by reduced synchronization during cognitive tasks.
Previous research, primarily using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), has highlighted these activation atypicalities.
The theory of cortical underconnectivity in autism has been a significant focus in understanding neural differences.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare the resting-state brain network organization in participants with autism and neurotypical controls.
To investigate functional connectivity differences in the brain when not engaged in specific cognitive tasks.
To determine if cortical underconnectivity extends to the resting state in individuals with autism.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess brain activity.
A cohort of 57 participants with high-functioning autism and 57 age- and IQ-matched controls were studied.
Resting-state functional connectivity was analyzed, focusing on network volume, organization, and specific connections.

Main Results:

Both autism and control groups demonstrated similar resting-state network volume and organization.
Participants with autism exhibited significantly looser connections within their resting-state network compared to controls.
This functional underconnectivity was specifically pronounced in anterior-posterior connections.

Conclusions:

The study confirms that functional underconnectivity is a characteristic of the autistic brain, even in a resting state.
These findings extend the cortical underconnectivity theory to encompass non-task-based brain function in autism.
The results suggest that altered intrinsic brain network organization contributes to the neurobiology of autism.