title: fMRI tracks reductions in repetitive behaviors in autism: two case studies.
abstract: Autism is characterized by abnormal prefrontal brain activation during cognitive control, a potential biomarker of repetitive behaviors. In this proof-of-principle study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine brain activity during an oddball task in two high-functioning males with autism before and after 12 weeks of treatment with citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. One participant showed marked reductions in repetitive behaviors whereas the other showed mild worsening. Brain activation in relevant prefrontal regions increased in only the participant whose repetitive behavior symptoms improved. These findings suggest that fMRI may elucidate potential mechanisms of action of targeted autism interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3366, USA. dichter@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Gabriel S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Dichter
authors.forename: Linmarie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sikich
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahorney
authors.forename: Jennifer N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Felder
authors.forename: Kristen S L
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turner-Brown
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bodfish
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors