Functional Organization of the Action Observation Network in Autism: A Graph Theory Approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ability to recognize, understand and interpret other's actions and emotions has been linked to the mirror system or action-observation-network (AON). Although variations in these abilities are prevalent in the neuro-typical population, persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have deficits in the social domain and exhibit alterations in this neural network.

Method

Here, we examined functional network properties of the AON using graph theory measures and region-to-region functional connectivity analyses of resting-state fMRI-data from adolescents and young adults with ASD and typical controls (TC).

Results

Overall, our graph theory analyses provided convergent evidence that the network integrity of the AON is altered in ASD, and that reduct

SUBMITTER: Alaerts K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4552824 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature