Neural Mechanisms for Social Interactions and Eye Contact in ASD
ASD中社交互动和眼神交流的神经机制
HIRSCH (2017) Neural Mechanisms for Social Interactions and Eye Contact in ASD NIH Grants Awarded$640,560Abstract
PROJECT SUMMARY Social interaction and communication begin in early infancy, and, although these are fundamental human functions, little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms that regulate them particularly in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant disabilities in language and social skills, and the specific neural mechanisms that lead to these disabilities remain active topics for investigation. Emerging theoretical directions converge on problems with eye-contact as a salient component of these communication and social disabilities. Technical limitations, however, associated with imaging of two or more individuals during natural communication and mutual eye contact have been a primary obstacle to these investigations. To overcome this technical impasse, we employ a rapidly developing brain imaging technology, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) allowing simultaneous neural imaging of two individuals during valid interactions to observe the neural effects of eye-to-eye contact and actual dialogue. Functional NIRS detects active neural tissue based on the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal by measuring variations in the absorption spectra associated with oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin. Because detectors and emitters are surface mounted on the head, they are relatively insensitive to head movement, and, as such, fNIRS is well suited for investigations of neural events engaged during active interpersonal interactions between two participants. The neural mechanisms that underlie atypical interpersonal interactions and eye contact in adult ASD are the focus of this proposal. Pilot studies confirm the feasibility of all aspects of this research project. Dyads consisting of a confederate and a participants with typical development (TYP) or ASD will be compared during neuroimaging while engaged in natural interaction and communication. We introduce a computational approach based on wavelet analysis to quantify regional cross-brain coherence between the two participants and hypothesize that cross-brain coherence associated with speech and eye contact will be reduced in ASD relative to the TYP cohort. Cross-brain computations also form the basis for a model of dynamic neural processes based on neural ?send and receive? functions during communication. We hypothesize that these dynamic ?cross-brain communication? systems unify and coordinate the roles of language production and reception (Broca's and Wernicke's Areas), respectively, with visual reception involving face specializations (fusiform gyrus). Computational comparison of cross-brain connectivity effects as well as conventional functional connectivity and segregation/contrast effects during live communication both with and without direct eye contact provides a transformational technical, empirical, computational, and theoretical advance toward understanding the dynamic neural mechanisms associated with social and communication disabilities in ASD.
项目摘要社会互动和交流始于婴儿早期，尽管它们是人类的基本功能，但对其调节它们的潜在神经机制知之甚少，特别是在自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）中。 ASD是一种以语言和社交技能严重残疾为特征的神经发育障碍，导致这些残疾的特定神经机制仍然是研究的活跃话题。新兴的理论方向集中于眼神交流的问题，这些问题是这些交流和社会残疾的重要组成部分。然而，与自然沟通和相互目光接触过程中两个或多个个体成像相关的技术限制一直是这些研究的主要障碍。为了克服这种技术僵局，我们采用了快速发展的大脑成像技术，功能性近红外光谱（fNIRS），允许在有效交互过程中同时对两个人进行神经成像，以观察眼对眼接触和实际对话的神经效果。功能性NIRS通过测量与氧合血红蛋白和脱氧血红蛋白相关的吸收光谱的变化，根据血氧水平依赖性（BOLD）信号检测活动的神经组织。由于检测器和发射器表面安装在头部上，因此它们对头部的移动相对不敏感，因此，fNIRS非常适合调查两个参与者之间积极的人际互动过程中发生的神经事件。该提案的重点是在成人ASD中非典型人际互动和眼神交流的神经机制。试点研究证实了该研究项目各个方面的可行性。在进行自然成像和自然交流时，将在神经成像过程中比较由同盟者和具有典型发育（TYP）或ASD的参与者组成的二元组。我们引入一种基于小波分析的计算方法，以量化两个参与者之间的区域性跨脑连贯性，并假设与TYP队列相比，ASD中与语音和眼神接触相关的跨脑连贯性将降低。跨大脑计算也构成了基于神经发送和接收的动态神经过程模型的基础。在通讯过程中起作用。我们假设这些动态的“跨大脑交流”。系统分别通过涉及面部专业化（梭状回）的视觉接收来统一和协调语言产生和接收的角色（Broca和Wernicke的Areas）。在有和没有直接眼神接触的情况下，实时交流过程中跨大脑连接效果以及常规功能连接和隔离/对比度效果的计算比较，为理解与社交相关的动态神经机制提供了技术，经验，计算和理论上的变革和自闭症的沟通障碍。
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