Increased intra-subject variability of neural activity during speech production in people with autism spectrum disorder

• Published in: Research in autism spectrum disorders Vol. 94; p. 101955
• Main Authors: Heller Murray, Elizabeth S., Segawa, Jennifer, Karahanoglu, F. Isik, Tocci, Catherine, Tourville, Jason A., Nieto-Castanon, Alfonso, Tager-Flusberg, Helen, Manoach, Dara S., Guenther, Frank H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2022
• Subjects: Communication; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Speech; Variability; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Speech; Variability; Communication; communication; variability; speech; functional magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 1750-9467; 1878-0237
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2022.101955

Communication difficulties are a core deficit in many people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study evaluated neural activation in participants with ASD and neurotypical (NT) controls during a speech production task. Neural activities of participants with ASD (N = 15, M = 16.7 years, language abilities ranged from low verbal abilities to verbally fluent) and NT controls (N = 12, M = 17.1 years) was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging with a sparse-sampling paradigm. There were no differences between the ASD and NT groups in average speech activation or inter-subject run-to-run variability in speech activation. Intra-subject run-to-run neural variability was greater in the ASD group and was positively correlated with autism severity in cortical areas associated with speech. These findings highlight the importance of understanding intra-subject neural variability in participants with ASD. •An fMRI speech production task was done with participants with ASD who ranged from low verbal abilities to verbally fluent.•There was no difference in speech activation in participants with ASD and neurotypical controls.•Participants with ASD had increased intra-subject variability in neural activity during speech compared to NT participants.•Increased intra-subject variability was associated with increased autism severity in the ASD group, measured via ADOS-CSS.