James H Hedges, Ph.D.

Amanda S Mentzer, M.Phil.

UNDERSTANDING AUTISM

Queens College: Neuroscience Club

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015

New Science Building, E.302

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James H Hedges● Motor Control

○ preparation of movements

● Visual Perception○ models of ambiguous visual motion

● Neurocognitive○ fMRI-based maps of visual attention and

working memory

● Translational○ effects of concussions on eye movements

and reaction times

● Development○ role of play in development of attention

OUR RESEARCH COLLABORATION

Amanda S Mentzer● BS in Psychology, PS Harrisburg

○ learning & behavior○ service provision

● MA in ABA, PS Harrisburg○ feedback characteristics○ clinical internships: autism, feeding

● MA in Psychology, QC CUNY○ effects of feedback on customer service performance○ independent employment: DOE

● MPhil in Psychology, GC CUNY○ feedback characteristics

● PhD in Psychology, GC CUNY○ effects of feedback on performance

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OVERVIEW OF UNDERSTANDING AUTISM

● INTRODUCTION

○ What Is Autism?

○ Prevalence of Autism

● Facial Perception

● Cerebellar model

● CONCLUSION

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● a complex disorder impacting ...

○ neurological

○ behavioral

○ developmental

WHAT IS AUTISM?

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WHAT IS AUTISM?

● a complex disorder impacting ...

○ neurological

○ behavioral

○ developmental

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WHAT IS AUTISM?

● a complex disorder impacting ...

○ neurological

○ behavioral

○ developmental

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WHAT IS AUTISM?

● a complex disorder impacting ...

○ neurological

○ behavioral

○ developmental

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http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/searching-for-answers/autism-rise

Gurney, J. G., Fritz, M. S., Ness, K. K., Sievers, P., Newschaffer, C. J., & Shapiro, E. G. (2003). Analysis of prevalence trends of autism spectrum disorder in Minnesota. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 157(7), 622-627. 8

PREVALENCE: WHY ARE CASES ON THE RISE?

Hansen, S. N., Schendel, D. E., & Parner, E. T. (2015). Explaining the increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders: The proportion attributable to changes in reporting practices. JAMA pediatrics, 169(1), 56-62. 9

PREVALENCE: RELATED TO CRITERIA

most of change in prevalence explained by diagnostic criteria and inclusion of outpatient data

Klin, A., Sparrow, S. S., De Bildt, A., Cicchetti, D. V., Cohen, D. J., & Volkmar, F. R. (1999). A normed study of face recognition in autism and related disorders. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 29(6), 499-508.

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FACIAL PERCEPTION: FACIAL RECOGNITION IN CHILDREN

differences in face recognition age equivalents and raw scores

Hadjikhani, N., Joseph, R. M., Snyder, J., Chabris, C. F., Clark, J., Steele, S., ... & Tager-Flusberg, H. (2004). Activation of the fusiform gyrus when individuals with autism spectrum disorder view faces. Neuroimage, 22(3), 1141-1150. 11

FACIAL PERCEPTION: FFA ACTIVATION IN ADULTS

Koshino, H., Kana, R. K., Keller, T. A., Cherkassky, V. L., Minshew, N. J., & Just, M. A. (2008). fMRI investigation of working memory for faces in autism: visual coding and underconnectivity with frontal areas. Cerebral Cortex, 18(2), 289-300. 12

FACIAL PERCEPTION: WORKING MEMORY IN ADULTS

13Koshino, H., Kana, R. K., Keller, T. A., Cherkassky, V. L., Minshew, N. J., & Just, M. A. (2008). fMRI investigation of working memory for faces in autism: visual coding and underconnectivity with frontal areas. Cerebral Cortex, 18(2), 289-300.

FACIAL PERCEPTION: WORKING MEMORY IN ADULTS

Morin, K., Guy, J., Habak, C., Wilson, H. R., Pagani, L., Mottron, L., & Bertone, A. (2015). Atypical Face Perception in Autism: A Point of View?. Autism Research.

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FACIAL PERCEPTION: PROCESSING POINT OF VIEW

● Impairments in Facial Processing

○ mixed findings

● Variables Influencing Face-related Effects

○ characteristics of group, stimulus set, and task

● Attention during Facial Perception

○ related to visual, local, and feature qualities

● Reliance on Different Brain Regions

SUMMARY: IMPLICATIONS OF FACIAL PERCEPTION

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Wang, S. S. H., Kloth, A. D., & Badura, A. (2014). The cerebellum, sensitive periods, and autism. Neuron, 83(3), 518-532.

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CEREBELLAR INJURY CONFERS ASD RISK

Wang, S. S. H., Kloth, A. D., & Badura, A. (2014). The cerebellum, sensitive periods, and autism. Neuron, 83(3), 518-532.

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CEREBELLAR ROLE IN DISORDERS

Wang, S. S. H., Kloth, A. D., & Badura, A. (2014). The cerebellum, sensitive periods, and autism. Neuron, 83(3), 518-532.

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UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM TARGETS

Wang, S. S. H., Kloth, A. D., & Badura, A. (2014). The cerebellum, sensitive periods, and autism. Neuron, 83(3), 518-532.

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CEREBELLUM AND FOREBRAIN LINK

Carper, R. A., & Courchesne, E. (2000). Inverse correlation between frontal lobe and cerebellum sizes in children with autism. Brain, 123(4), 836-844.

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CEREBELLUM AND FRONTAL LOBE LINK

Carper, R. A., & Courchesne, E. (2000). Inverse correlation between frontal lobe and cerebellum sizes in children with autism. Brain, 123(4), 836-844.

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INVERSE: CEREBELLUM, FRONTAL LOBE

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ABNORMAL SACCADIC EYE MOVEMENTS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade

Schmitt, L. M., Cook, E. H., Sweeney, J. A., & Mosconi, M. W. (2014). Saccadic eye movement abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder indicate dysfunctions in cerebellum and brainstem. Molecular autism, 5(1), 47.

SUMMARY: IMPLICATIONS OF CEREBELLUM

● Cerebellum plays a role in risk of autism and may

contribute to some autism characteristics

● Neuroanatomical links between cerebellum and

other areas, including the frontal lobe

● Differences in saccadic eye movements may be

related to cerebellum and to differences in face

perception23