Weak central coherence in neurodevelopmental disorders: a comparative study
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Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Leyre Gambra1, Sara Magallon1, Nerea Crespo-Eguílaz2,3
1Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
Introduction:
Central coherence is the normal tendency to process and give meaning to incoming information taking into account the context or global view of that information.
Methods:
We assessed the central coherence of 252 school children of normal intelligence between 6 and 11 years old. We compared the performance of two groups: (a) a control group (n = 194), and (b) a clinical group (n = 58) comprising children with NVLD+ADHD (n = 24), ADHD alone (n = 16), SCD (n = 8) and level-1ASD (n = 10) (Kluskall-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U were calculated to make comparisons within groups and between pairs of groups). The effects of medication were studied (Student's t test).
Results:
The NVLD+ADHD, SCD and ASD1 groups showed weak central coherence. The performance of the ADHD group was normal and differed significantly from the NVLD+ADHD group.
Conclusion:
Central coherence deficit was not exclusive to ASD1: it also characterizes NVLD and SCD.
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