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Resting-state oscillatory activity in autism spectrum disorders
Lauren Cornew1, Timothy P L Roberts, Lisa Blaskey
1Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2nd Floor Wood Bldg., Room 2115, Mail Stop W02-1010, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4399, USA.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|December 31, 2011
Summary
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show altered brain wave patterns, specifically increased power in delta, theta, alpha, and high frequencies. These neural oscillatory anomalies correlate with symptom severity, suggesting an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Background:
- Neural oscillatory anomalies are observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), potentially indicating an underlying excitatory/inhibitory imbalance.
- The precise nature and clinical significance of these oscillatory anomalies in ASD remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate neural oscillatory activity in children with and without ASD during a resting-state examination.
- To determine the association between identified oscillatory anomalies and the severity of ASD symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Whole-cortex magnetoencephalography (MEG) data were acquired from 50 children (27 with ASD, 23 controls) during eyes-closed rest.
- A Fast Fourier Transform was employed to analyze oscillatory power across a wide frequency range (1-120 Hz) at 15 regional brain sources.
Main Results:
- Children with ASD demonstrated regionally specific increases in delta (1-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), and high-frequency (20-120 Hz) power compared to controls.
- Elevated temporal and parietal alpha power in children with ASD was significantly correlated with greater symptom severity.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the hypothesis of an excitatory/inhibitory neural imbalance as a core neurobiological feature of ASD.
- Specific alterations in neural oscillations, particularly alpha power in temporal and parietal regions, may serve as potential biomarkers for ASD symptom severity.
