Although much of the current literature in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has focused on illuminating their biological underpinnings or identifying effective treatment approaches, very little research has integrated these two areas of study and examined the neurobiological outcomes associated with various autism interventions. The proposed study will use functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) to measure changes in resting state connectivity associated with an intensive behavioral intervention for young children with ASD. Independent component analysis and t-tests will be used to determine if 20 children receiving a behavioral intervention experience greater changes in connectivity than 20 children (matched for sex and developmental age) in a control group receiving treatment as usual (TAU).

Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders develop differently. These differences are usually present in social interaction, communication, and sensory processing, and become visible through a wide variety of behavioral responses that differ from individuals without autism spectrum disorders. Despite significant research efforts, the exact causes of autism spectrum disorders remain poorly understood; however, researchers have gained extensive insights into possible pathomechanisms, even at the molecular level of cells. Many diagnostic criteria have been developed, adapted, and improved. The eight chapters in this book highlight the current state-of-the-art in many areas of autism spectrum disorders. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and the current knowledge of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Chapter 2 summarizes the diagnostic criteria and procedures and highlights present and upcoming therapeutic strategies. Chapter 3 reviews the adverse events and trauma in people with autism spectrum disorders. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on atypical sensory processing, and Chapter 6 discusses the genetic overlap of autism spectrum disorders with other neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and schizophrenia. Chapter 7 focuses on the contribution of abnormalities in mitochondria, and chapter 8 discusses gut-brain interactions and a potential role for microbiota in autism spectrum disorders. This book is aimed primarily at clinicians and scientists, but many areas will also be of interest to the layperson.

Supported by the principles of developmental psychology and applied behavior analysis, ESDM's intensive teaching interventions are delivered within play-based, relationship-focused routines. The manual provides structured, hands-on strategies for working with very young children in individual and group settings to promote development in such key domains as imitation; communication; social, cognitive, and motor skills; adaptive behavior; and play. --from publisher description

The brain's ability to process information crucially relies on connectivity. Understanding how the brain processes complex information and how such abilities are disrupted in individuals with neuropsychological disorders will require an improved understanding of brain connectivity. Autism is an intriguingly complex neurodevelopmental disorder with multidimensional symptoms and cognitive characteristics. A biological origin for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) had been proposed even in the earliest published accounts (Kanner, 1943; Asperger, 1944). Despite decades of research, a focal neurobiological marker for autism has been elusive. Nevertheless, disruptions in interregional and functional and anatomical connectivity have been a hallmark of neural functioning in ASD. Theoretical accounts of connectivity perceive ASD as a cognitive and neurobiological disorder associated with altered functioning of integrative circuitry. Neuroimaging studies have reported disruptions in functional connectivity (synchronization of activated brain areas) during cognitive tasks and during task-free resting states. While these insights are valuable, they do not address the time-lagged causality and directionality of such correlations. Despite the general promise of the connectivity account of ASD, inconsistencies and methodological differences among studies call for more thorough investigations. A comprehensive neurological account of ASD should incorporate functional, effective, and anatomical connectivity measures and test the diagnostic utility of such measures. In addition, questions pertaining to how cognitive and behavioral intervention can target connection abnormalities in ASD should be addressed. This research topic of the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience addresses “Brain Connectivity in Autism” primarily from cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging perspectives.

Deficits in language are a major clinical feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Previous studies suggest that individuals with ASD may rely on visuospatial skills to compensate for these deficits. Existing intervention programs in autism have not been tested at the neural level, thus falling short of quantifiable neurobiological changes underlying behavioral improvement. The current study takes a translational neuroimaging approach to test the impact of a structured visual imagery-based reading intervention on improving reading comprehension and its underlying neural circuitry. Changes in connectivity of a set of brain regions commonly known as the "reading network" were examined in children with ASD who are good readers, but poor comprehenders. Behavioral and resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data were collected from participants with ASD who were randomly assigned to an Experimental group (ASD-EXP; n = 15) and a Wait-list control group (ASD-WLC; n = 14). Both groups were scanned pre- and post-intervention, with the ASD-EXP receiving the intervention before their second scan and the ASD-WLC after their second scan. Participants went through an established reading intervention training program (Visualizing and Verbalizing for language comprehension and thinking or V/V; 4-hours per day, 10-weeks, 200 hours of face-to-face instruction) created by the Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes. For the resting state scans, the participants were asked to look at a fixation cross, rest and relax in the MRI scanner. Local functional connectivity was examined using graph theory. The main results are as follows: I) the ASD-EXP group showed significant improvement in their reading comprehension ability evidenced from comprehension scores; whereas, this effect was absent in the ASD-WLC group; II) the ASD-EXP group showed increased local brain connectivity in reading network regions compared to the ASD-WLC group post-intervention; III) intervention-related changes in local brain connectivity were observed in the ASD-EXP group in reading network regions; and IV) improvement in language comprehension significantly predicted changes in local connectivity in the reading network. The findings of this study will provide insights into understanding brain plasticity in children with developmental disorders using targeted intervention programs.

Provides consumer health information about the causes, risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and related conditions, along with facts about interventions and treatments, educational guidelines, and coping tips for families. Includes index, glossary, and other resources.