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1 results

  • Training-induced plasticity of the social brain in autism spectrum disorder

  • Sven Bölte, Angela Ciaramidaro, Sabine Schlitt, Daniela Hainz, Dorit Kliemann, Anke Beyer, Fritz Poustka, Christine Freitag, Henrik Walter
  • Journal:
    The British Journal of Psychiatry / Volume 207 / Issue 2 / August 2015
    Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    02 January 2018, pp. 149-157
    Print publication:
    August 2015
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  • Background

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is linked to social brain activity and facial affect recognition (FAR).

    Aims

    To examine social brain plasticity in ASD.

    Method

    Using FAR tests and functional magnetic resonance imaging tasks for FAR, we compared 32 individuals with ASD and 25 controls. Subsequently, the participants with ASD were assigned to FAR computer-aided cognitive training or a control group.

    Results

    The ASD group performed more poorly than controls on explicit behavioural FAR tests. In the scanner, during implicit FAR, the amygdala, fusiform gyrus and other regions of the social brain were less activated bilaterally. The training group improved on behavioural FAR tests, and cerebral response to implicit affect processing tasks increased bilaterally post-training in the social brain.

    Conclusions

    Individuals with ASD show FAR impairments associated with hypoactivation of the social brain. Computer-based training improves explicit FAR and neuronal responses during implicit FAR, indicating neuroplasticity in the social brain in ASD.