by Dr. Elisabeth Thurlow on December 18, 2022
Recent brain imaging studies have focused on the neural basis of language processing in people with ASD. These studies have found that individuals with ASD tend to have differences in brain activity during language tasks compared to typically developing individuals. For example, some studies have found that individuals with ASD have reduced activation in the language-related areas of the brain, such as the Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, during language tasks. Other studies have found that individuals with ASD have increased activation in non-language related areas of the brain, such as the amygdala and insula, during language tasks.
Some studies have also explored the relationship between language processing and social communication in people with ASD. These studies have revealed that people with ASD sometimes have differences in the neural networks that support social communication, such as the mirror neuron system. These differences may contribute to the
social-communication challenges that are characteristic of ASD.
Overall, brain-imaging studies of ASD and language processing have provided valuable insights into the neural basis of language processing in individuals with ASD and how it may be different from typically developing individuals. These findings have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of ASD, and may in the future inform the development of new interventions to improve language and social communication skills in individuals with ASD.
“Structural and functional brain imaging in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review” by J. E. Herrington and L. A. Schumann (Biological Psychiatry, 2019). This systematic review examines the existing literature on structural and functional brain imaging in ASD, and discusses the implications for understanding the neural basis of the disorder.
“A review of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of language in autism spectrum disorder” by K. R. Jones, A. Pliatsikas, and E. M. O’Hare (Journal of
Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2020). This review examines the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study language processing in individuals with ASD, and discusses the findings of previous research in this area.
“The role of brain connectivity in the language impairments of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review” by L. G. Kana and S. M. Keller (Brain and Language, 2020). This systematic review explores the role of brain connectivity in language impairments in ASD, and discusses the potential implications for understanding the neural basis of the disorder.
“Structural brain imaging findings in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis” by J. L. Chen, S. Wang, and Y. Fan (Biological Psychiatry, 2021). This systematic review and meta-analysis examines structural brain imaging findings in ASD, and discusses the implications for understanding the neural basis of the disorder.
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