Interaction of finger representations in the cortex of individuals with autism: a functional window into cortical inhibition.

ABSTRACT: An established neural biomarker of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has the potential to provide novel biological and pharmacological targets for treatment. Lower level of inhibition in brain circuits is a leading biomarker candidate. A physiological investigation of the functional levels of inhibition in the cortex of individuals with autism can provide a strong test of the hypothesis. The amplitude of cortical response to the stimulation of adjacent fingers is controlled by the level of cortical inhibition and provides just such a test. Using magnetoencephalography, we recorded the response of the somatosensory cortex to the passive tactile stimulation of the thumb (D1), and index finger (D2), and to the simultaneous stimulation of both fingers combined (D1,D2) of the dominant (right) hand

SUBMITTER: Coskun MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4059006 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature