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ID 111242
Author
Toda, Yoshihiro Tokushima University
Mori, Keiko Hyogo University of Teacher Education KAKEN Search Researchers
Goji, Aya Tokushima University
Miyazaki, Masahito Tokushima University
Keywords
autism
proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS)
amygdala
near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)
mirror neuron
Content Type
Journal Article
Description
Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), we measured chemical metabolites in the left amygdala and the bilateral orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in these regions of ASD were significantly decreased compared to those in the control group. In the autistic patients, the NAA concentrations in these regions correlated with their social quotient. These findings suggest the presence of neuronal dysfunction in the amygdala and OFC in ASD. Dysfunction in the amygdala and OFCmay contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD.We performed a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) study to evaluate the mirror neuron system in children with ASD. The concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) were measured with frontal probes using a 34-channel NIRS machine while the subjects imitated emotional facial expressions. The increments in the concentration of oxy-Hb in the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus in autistic subjects were significantly lower than those in the controls. However, the concentrations of oxy-Hb in this area were significantly elevated in autistic subjects after they were trained to imitate emotional facial expressions. The results suggest that mirror neurons could be activated by repeated imitation in children with ASD.
Journal Title
The Journal of Medical Investigation
ISSN
13496867
13431420
NCID
AA11166929
AA12022913
Publisher
Faculty of Medicine Tokushima University
Volume
62
Issue
1-2
Start Page
29
End Page
36
Sort Key
29
Published Date
2015-02
EDB ID
DOI (Published Version)
URL ( Publisher's Version )
FullText File
language
eng
TextVersion
Publisher
departments
Medical Sciences
University Hospital