Executive functioning (EF) deficits are well-documented in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), yet little is known about the longitudinal trajectory of “everyday” EF and links to social, emotional and behavioral outcomes in ASD. This study examined the profile of everyday EF utilizing parent-reported measures over 2 years, and explored whether prior estimates of EF were related to later co-morbid psychopathology and social functioning in 39 children with ASD and 34 typically developing (TD) children (ages 7–14 years). According to parent reports, children with ASD had impaired scores of EF in all domains at both time points, and showed no significant improvement across 2 years, compared to controls. Regression analyses showed that prior estimates of behavior regulation difficulties at time 1 uniquely predicted later emotional (i.e., symptoms of anxiety/depression) and behavioral (i.e., oppositionality/aggressiveness) problems in children with ASD 2 years later. Furthermore, an improvement of metacognitive skills predicted a reduction of social difficulties over 2 years in ASD. These results imply that EF may be a potential target of intervention for preventing and reducing co-morbid psychopathology and promoting social competence in youth with ASD. Furthermore, the findings that EF related to behavior is more critical for later emotional and behavioral functioning, whereas EF related to cognition is more critical for social functioning, indicates that it may be beneficial to tailor treatment. Future studies investigating the effectiveness of EF-based interventions in improving the cognitive, psychological and social outcomes in ASD are of high priority.

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Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is impossible to detect using standard neuroradiological assessment such as structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Injury does however disrupt the dynamic repertoire of neural activity indexed by neural oscillations. In particular, beta oscillations are reliable predictors of cognitive, perceptual and motor system functioning, as well as correlate highly with underlying myelin architecture and brain connectivity - all factors particularly susceptible to dysregulation after mTBI. Methods: We measured local and large-scale neural circuit function using MEG (magnetoencephalography) with a data-driven model fit approach using the Fitting Oscillations & One-Over F algorithm, in a group of young adult males with mTBI and a matched healthy control group. We quantified band-limited regional power and functional connectivity between brain regions. Results: We found reduced regional power and deficits in functional connectivity across brain areas, which pointed to the well-characterized thalamocortical dysconnectivity associated with mTBI. Furthermore, our results suggested beta functional connectivity data reached the best mTBI classification performance when compared with regional power and symptom severity (measured using SCAT2, or Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 2). Conclusions: The current study revealed the relevance of beta oscillations as a window into neurophysiological dysfunction in mTBI, and also highlights the reliability of neural synchrony biomarkers in disorder classification.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate poor social functioning, which may be related to atypical emotional face processing. Altered functional connectivity among brain regions, particularly involving limbic structures may be implicated. The current magnetoencephalography (MEG) study investigated whole-brain functional connectivity of eight a priori identified brain regions during the implicit presentation of happy and angry faces in 20 7 to 10-year-old children with ASD and 22 typically developing controls. Findings revealed a network of increased alpha-band phase synchronization during the first 400 ms of happy face processing in children with ASD compared to controls. This network of increased alpha-band phase synchronization involved the left fusiform gyrus, right insula, and frontal regions critical for emotional face processing. In addition, greater connectivity strength of the left fusiform gyrus (maximal 85 to 208 ms) and right insula (maximal 73 to 270 ms) following happy face presentation in children with ASD compared to typically developing controls was found. These findings reflect altered neuronal communication in children with ASD only to happy faces during implicit emotional face processing.