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Updated: May 17, 2026

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome
Published on: July 31, 2016
Brief report: CANTAB performance and brain structure in pediatric patients with Asperger syndrome
Liane Kaufmann1, Sibylle Zotter, Silvia Pixner
1Institute of Applied Psychology, University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tyrol, Austria. liane.kaufmann@ymail.com
Abstract:
By merging neuropsychological (CANTAB/cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery) and structural brain imaging data (voxel-based-morphometry) the present study sought to identify the neurocognitive correlates of executive functions in individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) compared to healthy controls. Results disclosed subtle group differences regarding response speed on only one CANTAB subtest that is thought to tap fronto-executive network functions (SWM/spatial working memory). Across all participants, SWM performance was significantly associated with two brain regions (precentral gyrus white matter, precuneus grey matter), thus suggesting a close link between fronto-executive functions (SWM) and circumscribed fronto-parietal brain structures. Finally, symptom severity (ADOS total score) was best predicted by response speed on a set-shifting task (IES) thought to tap fronto-striatal functions (corrected R2 56%).

