title: Multi-channel near-infrared spectroscopy shows reduced activation in the prefrontal cortex during facial expression processing in pervasive developmental disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) show differential activation during an emotional activation task compared with age- and sex-matched controls, by measuring changes in the concentration of oxygenated (oxyHb) and deoxygenated (deoxyHb) hemoglobin, using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients with PDD and 14 age- and sex-matched healthy controls participated in the study. The relative changes of concentrations of oxyHb and deoxyHb were measured on NIRS during an implicit processing task of fearful expression using Japanese standard faces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PDD patients had significantly reduced oxyHb changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PFC dysfunction may exist in PDD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Course of Integrated Brain Sciences, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakadoi
authors.forename: Satsuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sumitani
authors.forename: Yukina
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohmori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods*