ERIC Number: EJ1241296
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Feb
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: N/A
Psychosocial Deficits across Autism and Schizotypal Spectra Are Interactively Modulated by Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmission
Ford, Talitha C.; Crewther, David P.; Abu-Akel, Ahmad
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v24 n2 p364-373 Feb 2020
Continued human and animal research has strengthened evidence for aberrant excitatory-inhibitory neural processes underlying autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorder psychopathology, particularly psychosocial functioning, in clinical and nonclinical populations. We investigated the extent to which autistic traits and schizotypal dimensions were modulated by the interactive relationship between excitatory glutamate and inhibitory GABA neurotransmitter concentrations in the social processing area of the superior temporal cortex using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In total, 38 non-clinical participants (20 females; age range = 18-35 years, mean (standard deviation) = 23.22 (5.52)) completed the autism spectrum quotient and schizotypal personality questionnaire, and underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify glutamate and GABA concentrations in the right and left superior temporal cortex. Regression analyses revealed that glutamate and GABA interactively modulated autistic social skills and schizotypal interpersonal features (p[subscript corr] < 0.05), such that those with high right superior temporal cortex glutamate but low GABA concentrations exhibited poorer social and interpersonal skills. These findings evidence an excitation-inhibition imbalance that is specific to psychosocial features across the autism and schizophrenia spectra.
Descriptors: Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Schizophrenia, Neurology, Psychopathology, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Brain Hemisphere Functions, Cognitive Processes, Spectroscopy, Interpersonal Competence, Psychological Patterns, Social Cognition, Social Behavior, Interpersonal Communication, Attention, Imagination, Inhibition, Young Adults, Late Adolescents
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A