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Updated: Apr 13, 2026
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Multi-frequency localization of aberrant brain activity in autism spectrum disorder
Jing Xiang1, Milena Korostenskaja2, Cynthia Molloy3
1MEG Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Objective:
The abnormality of intrinsic brain activity in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is still inconclusive. Contradictory results have been found pointing towards hyper-activity or hypo-activity in various brain regions. The present research aims to investigate the spatial and spectral signatures of aberrant brain activity in an unprecedented frequency range of 1-2884 Hz at source levels in ASD using newly developed methods.
Materials And Methods:
Seven ASD subjects and age- and gender-matched controls were studied using a high-sampling rate magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. Brain activity in delta (1-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (12-30 Hz), low gamma (30-55 Hz), high gamma (65-90 Hz), ripples (90-200 Hz), high-frequency oscillations (HFOs, 200-1000 Hz), and very high-frequency oscillations (VHFOs, 1000-2884 Hz) was volumetrically localized and measured using wavelet and beamforming.
Results:
In comparison to controls, ASD subjects had significantly higher odds of alpha activity (8-12 Hz) in the sensorimotor cortex (mu rhythm), and generally high-frequency activity (90-2884 Hz) in the frontal cortex. The source power of HFOs (200-1000 Hz) in the frontal cortex in ASD was significantly elevated as compared with controls.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that ASD has significantly altered intrinsic brain activity in both low- and high-frequency ranges. Increased intrinsic high-frequency activity in the frontal cortex may play a key role in ASD.
