title: Preserved Self-other Distinction During Empathy in Autism  is Linked to Network Integrity of Right Supramarginal Gyrus.
abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) shows deficits in self-other distinction during theory of mind (ToM). Here we investigated whether ASD patients also show difficulties in self-other distinction during empathy and if potential deficits are linked to dysfunctional resting-state connectivity patterns. In a first study, ASD patients and controls performed an emotional egocentricity paradigm and a ToMtask. In the second study, resting-state connectivity of right temporo-parietal junction and right supramarginal gyrus(rSMG) were analysed using a large-scale fMRI data set. ASD patients exhibited deficient ToM but normal emotional egocentricity, which was paralleled by reduced connectivity of regions of the ToM network and unimpaired rSMG network connectivity. These results suggest spared self-other distinction during empathy and an intact rSMG network in ASD.
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Svenja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koehne
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Steinbeis
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dziobek
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D010551:Personality; D056345:Theory of Mind