People with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) generally have difficulties performing Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks pertaining to intentional causality. Previous studies suggest that a ToM network, including brain regions like the Medial Prefrontal Cortex (MPFC) and the Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ), is activated during these tasks. However, researchers disagree about the specific roles of these regions in intentional causality tasks. This study examines these roles by comparing the connectivity of the ToM network in people with ASD and neurotypical people. Using fMRI, Kana et. al. observed brain activity in ASD subjects and a control group during intentional causality tasks. Using Independent Component Analysis (ICA), they identified and compared brain activity between groups in the most significant networks. ICA showed that the TPJ and MPFC were part of the most connected network during intentional causality tasks. The researchers also saw that in individuals with ASD, the TPJ was less connected to the rest of the ToM network compared to the control group. They conclude that this lack of connectivity may cause difficulty with intentional causality tasks. These results give insight into the underlying mechanisms of ASD, inviting future research about the role of the TPJ and MPFC in mentalizing.
This is a student team presentation of work published by: Murdaugh, D. L.; Nadendla, K. D.; Kana, R. K. Differential role of temporoparietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex in causal inference in autism: An independent component analysis. Neuroscience Letters 2014, 568, 50-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2014.03.051.