Frontoparietal Network in Executive Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Higher cognitive functions in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are characterized by impairments in executive functions (EF). While some research attributes this to an overreliance of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), others demonstrate poor recruitment of the PFC in individuals with ASD. In order to assess the emerging consensus across neuroimaging studies of EF in ASD, the current study used a coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis of 16 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, resulting in a meta-analysis of data from 739 participants (356 ASD, 383 typically developing [TD] individuals) ranging from 7 to 52 years of age. Within-group analysis of EF tasks revealed that both TD and ASD participants had significant activity in PFC regions. Analysis of group differences indicated greater activation in ASD, relative to TD participants, in the right middle frontal gyrus and the anterior cingulate cortex, and lesser activation in the bilateral middle frontal, left inferior frontal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, and precuneus. Although both ASD and TD participants showed similar PFC activation, there was differential recruitment of wider network of EF regions such as the IPL in ASD participants. The under-recruitment of parietal regions may be due to poor connectivity of the frontoparietal networks with other regions during EF tasks or a restricted executive network in ASD participants which is limited primarily to the PFC. These results support the executive dysfunction hypothesis of ASD and suggests that poor frontoparietal recruitment may underlie some of the EF difficulties individuals with ASD experience.

Atypical Neural Responses of Cognitive Flexibility in Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…The frontal lobe shows the most sustained development of any brain region (Sousa et al, 2018), which plays a vital role in executive functions involved in planning, monitoring, attention, and cognitive flexibility (D'Cruz et al, 2016;Sallet et al, 2020). Most previous neuroimaging studies of cognitive flexibility in ASD have reported atypical frontal activity (Schmitz et al, 2006;Shafritz et al, 2008;Doesburg et al, 2013;D'Cruz et al, 2016;Yeung et al, 2016;Lukito et al, 2020;May and Kana, 2020). We found that the atypical N2 responses in the parents of children with ASD were mainly in the frontal lobe.…”

Flattened Structural Network Changes and Association of Hyperconnectivity With Symptom Severity in 2–7-Year-Old Children With Autism

“…The frontoparietal network, also known as the central executive network, is involved in highly adaptive cognitive control processes and is critical to the completion of executive functions ( Cole et al, 2014 ). A meta-analysis of fMRI studies on executive functions in ASD aged 7–52 years revealed that abnormal functional connectivity in the frontoparietal network may underline some executive dysfunctions such as rigidity, preservation, and repeated behaviors, which are commonly seen in ASD ( May and Kana, 2020 ). Lastly, identified regions and connections from the sensorimotor network in Figures 4B , 5B are likely due to the motor abnormality in ASD.…”

Bilingualism, Executive Function, and the Brain: Implications for Autism

“…The Executive Dysfunction model of ASD proposes a domain-general deficit in executive functions that widely affects ASD symptoms (Hill, 2004;Pennington & Ozonoff, 1996). The model originally implied a relationship between cognitive inflexibility and preservation in ASD, however, to date research has found a wider influence of executive function in ASD symptomatology, including mental health, disability, social cognition, and quality of life (May & Kana, 2020). A recent meta-analysis across many brain imaging studies of executive functions in individuals with ASD found different patterns of frontoparietal activation during executive function tasks (May & Kana, 2020).…”

“…The model originally implied a relationship between cognitive inflexibility and preservation in ASD, however, to date research has found a wider influence of executive function in ASD symptomatology, including mental health, disability, social cognition, and quality of life (May & Kana, 2020). A recent meta-analysis across many brain imaging studies of executive functions in individuals with ASD found different patterns of frontoparietal activation during executive function tasks (May & Kana, 2020). The findings highlight neurobiological variations in executive function network recruitment which may contribute to the development of Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/nol/article-pdf/doi/10.1162/nol_a_00057/1964987/nol_a_00057.pdf by guest on 11 October 2021 an executive dysfunction profile ASD.…”