title: Functional deficits of the attentional networks in autism.
abstract: Attentional dysfunction is among the most consistent observations of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the neural nature of this deficit in ASD is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify the neurobehavioral correlates of attentional dysfunction in ASD. We used the Attention Network Test-Revised and functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine alerting, orienting, and executive control functions, as well as the neural substrates underlying these attentional functions in unmedicated, high-functioning adults with ASD (n = 12) and matched healthy controls (HC, n = 12). Compared with HC, individuals with ASD showed increased error rates in alerting and executive control, accompanied by lower activity in the mid-frontal gyrus and the caudate nucleus for alerting, and by the absence of significant functional activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for executive control. In addition, greater behavioral deficiency in executive control in ASD was correlated with less functional activation of the ACC. These findings of behavioral and neural abnormalities in alerting and executive control of attention in ASD may suggest core attentional deficits, which require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York New York ; Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine New York ; Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine New York ; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Mount Sinai School of Medicine New York.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Nicholas T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Van Dam
authors.forename: Evdokia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anagnostou
authors.forename: Xiaosi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Yunsoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolevzon
authors.forename: Latha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soorya
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grodberg
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hof
keywords: Alerting; anterior cingulate cortex; attentional networks; autism; executive control