Analysis of beta-band MEG coherence in ASD during direct gaze processing: Relationship to social cognition

Gaze-following is a rudimentary behavior that forms the foundation of social communication, where aberrant social orienting is a defining feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD; Hoehl et al., 2009; Nummenmaa & Cal der, 2009). Recent neuroimaging research has demonstrated increasing precision at identifying aberrant brain response patterns in individuals with ASD, but no studies have employed a more holistic neural network approach analyzing coherence (i.e., synchrony of neural oscillations) during direct gaze processing. The current study examined coherence between each pair of 54 brain regions and the relationship between average coherence and psychometric measures of social cognition in eleven participants with ASD and eight typically developing (TD) controls, who passively viewed direct gaze while undergoing Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Results revealed significant intra- and inter-hemispheric between-group differences in average coherence (1-45 Hz), providing preliminary support for increased long-range left hemisphere coherence and increased interhemisphere occipital-occipital activity in individuals with ASD.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Moore, Aimee Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Renee Lajiness-O'Neill, Ph.D., Chair
• James T. Todd, Ph.D.
• Susan Bowyer, Ph.D.

• autism
• beta band
• magnetoencephalography
• social perception
• Clinical Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/496

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1867