Functional Evaluation of Hidden Figures Object Analysis in Children with Autistic Disorder

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 13 - 22
• Main Authors: Malisza, Krisztina L., Clancy, Christine, Shiloff, Deborah, Foreman, Derek, Holden, Jeanette, Jones, Cheryl, Paulson, K., Summers, Randy, Yu, C. T., Chudley, Albert E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Attention - physiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - physiopathology; Attention deficit disorders. Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - physiopathology; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Hemisphere Functions; Brain Mapping; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child clinical studies; Child Health; Children; Cognitive Processes; Comparative Analysis; Control Groups; Cortex; Developmental disorders; Diagnostic Tests; Functional Laterality - physiology; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Humans; Hyperactivity; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Infantile autism; Intellectual disabilities; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; Neuropsychological Tests; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Physiology; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public Health; Reaction Time - physiology; Task performance; Teenagers; Visual Perception - physiology; Manitoba; Canada; United States > US; Hidden Figures Task (HFT); Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI); Autism Disorder (AD); Embedded Figures Task (EFT); Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Human; Evaluation; Central nervous system; Developmental disorder; Experimental study; Metabolism; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Preadolescent; Encephalon; Autism; School age; Hidden Figures Test; Medical imagery; Attention disorder with hyperactivity; Child; Functional imaging
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-010-1013-z

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance of a hidden figures task (HFT) was used to compare differences in brain function in children diagnosed with autism disorder (AD) compared to children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and typical controls (TC). Overall greater functional MRI activity was observed in the two control groups compared to children with AD. Laterality differences were also evident, with AD subjects preferentially showing activity in the right medial temporal region while controls tended to activate the left medial temporal cortex. Reduced fMRI activity was observed in the parietal, ventral-temporal and hippocampal regions in the AD group, suggesting differences in the way that children with AD process the HFT.