title: Functional differentiation of posterior superior temporal sulcus in autism: a functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Socio-communicative impairments are salient features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Abnormal development of posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS)--a key processing area for language, biological motion, and social context--could play a role in these deficits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine the synchronization of low-frequency blood oxygen level-dependent fluctuations during continuous performance on a visual search task. Twenty-one children and adolescents with ASD and 26 typically developing individuals-matched on age and IQ-participated in the study. Three subregions of pSTS were delineated with a data-driven approach, and differentiation of pSTS was examined by comparing the connectivity of each subregion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In typically developing individuals, differentiation of networks was positively associated with age and anatomical maturation (cortical thinning in pSTS, greater white matter volume). In the ASD group, differentiation of pSTS connectivity was significantly reduced, and correlations with anatomical measures were weak or absent. Moreover, pSTS differentiation was inversely correlated with autism symptom severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atypical maturation of pSTS suggests altered trajectories for functional segregation and integration of networks in ASD, potentially related to impaired cognitive and sensorimotor development. Furthermore, our findings provide a novel explanation for atypically increased connectivity in ASD that has been observed in some functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging studies.
authors: Brain Development Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., SanDiego, CA 92120, USA.
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Shih
authors: Brandon
authors: B
authors: Keehn
authors: Jessica K
authors: JK
authors: Oram
authors: Kelly M
authors: KM
authors: Leyden
authors: Christopher L
authors: CL
authors: Keown
authors: Ralph-Axel
authors: RA
authors: Müller
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