Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by deficits
involving social interaction, communication, and perception. Although there is much
research that has examined functional neural connectivity in individuals with autism, few
have conducted these studies in very young children while awake across EEG power and coherence measures. Anomalies in EEG coherence and power have been associated with deficits in executive function and mental activity. The present study examined neural activation and functional connectivity with an EEG, in children ages 3 -5, during an eyesclosed baseline period. Discrete Fourier Transform was performed on artifact-free segments of EEG data to produce power density values. In addition, coherence measurements were examined to assess functional connectivity in the alpha bandwidth during the baseline recording. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
demonstrated reduced alpha coherence in fronto-temporal regions and between right
temporal sites when compared to typically developing (TD) children. In addition, the reduction in coherence was based on ASD severity, such that high-functioning children
with ASD showed greater coherence than low-functioning children with ASD. Children
with ASD also displayed reduced power in the alpha, beta, and theta frequency
bandwidths in frontal, temporal, central, and occipital regions compared to TD children.
Interestingly, delta power differentiated children based on developmental status such that high-functioning children with ASD demonstrated the greatest delta power, followed by TD children, and then low-functioning children with ASD. Finally, TD children
demonstrated left anterior temporal EEG asymmetry in the alpha bandwidth, whereas
children with high-functioning ASD exhibited left posterior temporal EEG asymmetry
and right frontal EEG asymmetry. Thus, the results suggest that children with ASD
exhibit atypical patterns of brain activity and functional connectivity compared to their
typically developing counterparts. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_13078 |
| Contributors | Lucas, Nikola N. (author), Jones, Nancy Aaron (Thesis advisor), Charles E. Schmidt College of Science (Degree grantor), Department of Psychology |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 150 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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