title: Neuroimaging in autism spectrum disorders: 1H-MRS and NIRS study.
abstract: Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS), we measured chemical metabolites in the left amygdala and the bilateral orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in these regions of ASD were significantly decreased compared to those in the control group. In the autistic patients, the NAA concentrations in these regions correlated with their social quotient. These findings suggest the presence of neuronal dysfunction in the amygdala and OFC in ASD. Dysfunction in the amygdala and OFC may contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD. We performed a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) study to evaluate the mirror neuron system in children with ASD. The concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) were measured with frontal probes using a 34-channel NIRS machine while the subjects imitated emotional facial expressions. The increments in the concentration of oxy-Hb in the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus in autistic subjects were significantly lower than those in the controls. However, the concentrations of oxy-Hb in this area were significantly elevated in autistic subjects after they were trained to imitate emotional facial expressions. The results suggest that mirror neurons could be activated by repeated imitation in children with ASD.
authors: Department of Child Health & Nursing, Institute of Health Biosciences, Tokushima University Graduate School.
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Mori
authors: Yoshihiro
authors: Y
authors: Toda
authors: Hiromichi
authors: H
authors: Ito
authors: Tatsuo
authors: T
authors: Mori
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Mori
authors: Aya
authors: A
authors: Goji
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Hashimoto
authors: Hiroe
authors: H
authors: Tani
authors: Masahito
authors: M
authors: Miyazaki
authors: Masafumi
authors: M
authors: Harada
authors: Shoji
authors: S
authors: Kagami
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059167:Mirror Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D059906:Neuroimaging; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
chemical_list: D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate