Diminished neural adaptation during implicit learning in autism

Neuroimaging studies have shown evidence of disrupted neural adaptation during learning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in several types of tasks, potentially stemming from frontal-posterior cortical underconnectivity (Schipul et al., 2012). The aim of the current study was to examine neural adaptations in an implicit learning task that entails participation of frontal and posterior regions. Sixteen high-functioning adults with ASD and sixteen neurotypical control participants were trained on and performed an implicit dot pattern prototype learning task in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session. During the preliminary exposure to the type of implicit prototype learning task later to be used in the scanner, the ASD participants took longer than the neurotypical group to learn the task, demonstrating altered implicit learning in ASD. After equating task structure learning, the two groups’ brain activation differed during their learning of a new prototype in the subsequent scanning session. The main findings indicated that neural adaptations in a distributed task network were reduced in the ASD group, relative to the neurotypical group, and were related to ASD symptom severity. Functional connectivity was reduced and did not change as much during learning for the ASD group, and was related to ASD symptom severity. These findings suggest that individuals with ASD show altered neural adaptations during learning, as seen in both activation and functional connectivity measures. This finding suggests why many real-world implicit learning situations may pose special challenges for ASD

Expanding the Boundaries of ASD Research: An Integrative Approach

The foundation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research has been built largely on measuring and characterizing observed symptoms, and developing reliable tools for diagnosing the disorder. Recent efforts to expand beyond these traditional avenues of inquiry are paving the way for the consideration of novel mechanisms for characterizing and measuring symptoms in ASD. The current program of research aimed to further expand these boundaries by proposing three distinct but interrelated studies that examine novel aspects and apply novel techniques to the study of ASD. Study 1 examined a novel underlying mechanism – reward learning – which has been implicated in well-known deficits in ASD (e.g., rigid patterns of thinking, repetitive behaviors). Study 2 sought to address the need to evaluate and identify an effective measure to differentiate between ASD symptoms and co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, using a widely-used diagnostic instrument (the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview). Finally, Study 3 was designed to assess symptoms outside of the laboratory using experience sampling in order to increase our understanding of how individuals with ASD function in real social and non-social settings. The overarching goal of the current program of research was to demonstrate the importance of going beyond traditionally defined methods for characterizing and assessing ASD.Doctor of Philosoph

Cognitive Aging in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Little is known about the effects of age on cognitive functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, previous aging studies in individuals with Down syndrome, Fragile X, and William’s syndrome suggest accelerated cognitive decline with age. The current study used a cross-sectional design to examine age-related cognitive changes in adults with ASD (ages 30 to 67) compared to adults with typical development (ages 30-65). To examine whether ASD is associated with atypical aging, performance assessed through measures of effortful cognitive processing (known to decline with age) and measures of automatic processing (thought to be relatively age-invariant) were examined. Results indicated that diagnosis was related to poorer cognitive performance. However, aging in ASD was associated with three different patterns of cognitive decline compared to adults with typical development. Adults with ASD exhibited greater age-related decline across three measures designed to assess mild cognitive impairment (e.g., the MoCA), cognitive flexibility [e.g., Trail Making Test (TMT) number-letter switching], and associative learning (e.g., classical conditioning). There was also evidence of similar age-related decline, as compared to controls, on measures of explicit free recall (e.g., RAVLT), visual search (e.g., TMT visual scanning), and processing speed (e.g., TMT number/letter sequencing subtests). Finally, no age-related decline was observed on measures of recognition memory (e.g. RAVLT recognition test), explicit category learning (Woodcock-Johnson Concept Formation), and implicit category learning (e.g., prototype formation). Given different patterns of age-related change observed in adults with ASD, a final multivariate analysis examined overall cognitive performance, including measures of processing speed, cognitive flexibility, executive functioning, explicit category learning, and free recall. Results indicated that when the overall pattern of age-relate cognitive change was considered, age had a disproportionately negative impact on cognitive performance in adults with ASD compared to adults with typical development. These findings suggest aging in ASD may be characterized by greater age-related declines in cognitive functioning, including a particular disruption of executive functions. Theoretical insights are provided by the Processing Resources and Processing Speed theories of cognitive aging, and clinical implications regarding a higher risk for mild cognitive impairment and disruption of pre-frontal cortex are discussed.Doctor of Philosoph

“Even though we all are different, we’re all pretty much the same”: An Inquiry into Representations of Autism in Children’s Fictional Television Programming

This qualitative study examines portrayals of autism in children’s television programming by analyzing three television programs – Sesame Street, Mack and Moxy, and Arthur – in terms of the race and gender of the character with autism, the symptoms and personality characteristics exhibited by the character with autism, the setting the character with autism is situated in, the roles of the supporting characters, and the main themes emphasized in the episodes. A critical analysis pertaining to the above-mentioned categories, as well as a brief comparison of research conducted on portrayals of autism in children’s fictional picture books with portrayals in the present sample, will be offered. The examined programs were found to be successful in representing a variety of symptoms portrayed by the characters with autism and included the more challenging aspects of autism, such as meltdowns, in response to hyper-reactivity. The main themes extracted from the episodes included the ideas of acceptance, diversity, and friendship. The researcher concluded that future depictions of characters with autism should include more female characters as well as characters belonging to various races and ethnicities. While research exploring portrayals of autism in television and film targeting teenage to adult audiences exists, this study fills the gap in research by examining portrayals of autism exclusively in children’s television programming. This research has implications for future television content creators, parents, and educators

Diminished neural adaptation during implicit learning in autism

<div>Neuroimaging studies have shown evidence of disrupted neural adaptation during learning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in several types of tasks, potentially stemming from frontal-posterior cortical underconnectivity (Schipul et al., 2012). The aim of the current study was to examine neural adaptations in an implicit learning task that entails participation of frontal and posterior regions. Sixteen high-functioning adults with ASD and sixteen neurotypical control participants were trained on and performed an implicit dot pattern prototype learning task in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session. During the preliminary exposure to the type of implicit prototype learning task later to be used in the scanner, the ASD participants took longer than the neurotypical group to learn the task, demonstrating altered implicit learning in ASD. After equating task structure learning, the two groups' brain activation differed during their learning of a new prototype in the subsequent scanning session. The main findings indicated that neural adaptations in a distributed task network were reduced in the ASD group, relative to the neurotypical group, and were related to ASD symptom severity. Functional connectivitywas reduced and did not change as much during learning for the ASD group, andwas related to ASD symptomseverity. These findings suggest that individualswith ASD showaltered neural adaptations during learning, as seen in both activation and functional connectivity measures. This finding suggestswhy many real-world implicit learning situations may pose special challenges for ASD. </div

Domain-general versus domain-specific learning mechanisms: Neurochemical mechanisms and relevance to autism

The theory that various features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be explained by differences in the learning (or “predictive coding”) process is growing in popularity. However, extant studies have focused on the domain of sensory perception, i.e., learning what to expect in the visual or auditory domains. It is thus unclear whether such models are restricted to the perceptual domain, or whether they are outlining differences in domain- general learning processes. Consequently, how such theories can explain the social and motor features of ASD is currently unclear. The first part of the current thesis asks whether autistic adults exhibit differences, compared to non-autistic adults, with respect to social learning and motor learning. The second part of this thesis focuses in detail on one of these learning types - social learning. Here I investigate the neurochemical mechanisms that underpin social learning and ask whether they are dissociable from the neurochemical mechanisms that underpin learning from one’s own individual experience (individual learning). In integrating these results with the wider literature, I reflect upon the broader question of whether there are common domain-general learning mechanisms, or domain (e.g., social, motor, individual) specific learning “modules”. Together the studies presented in this thesis implicate the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in both social and individual learning. Results support the view that there are domain-general neurochemical mechanisms that support various types of learning. These results do not, however, support the view that autistic adults exhibit differences in these domain-general learning processes. That is, our empirical work showed no differences in either social or motor learning when comparing autistic and non-autistic adults. These results do not add support for impaired predictive coding as a core deficit that can explain social and motor atypicalities in autism, but rather force us to think more critically about what overarching conclusions can be drawn from studies of predictive coding in autism within the perception domain

Os materiais didácticos dirixidos ao alumnado con Trastorno do Espectro Autista (TEA): análise da percepción do profesorado de educación primaria de Galicia

Esta tese presenta unha análise de carácter descritivo e interpretativo sobre a percepción que o profesorado galego de educación primaria posúe acerca dos materiais curriculares que existen e que se utilizan na escola ordinaria con alumnado con TEA. Para acadar dito obxectivo, desenvolveuse unha metodoloxía mixta consistente no deseño, validación e aplicación dun cuestionario e entrevistas, validados por un grupo de expertos que indagan no coñecemento, uso e valoración por parte do profesorado sobre os materiais curriculares para o alumnado con TEA