The role of mirroring and mentalizing networks in mediating action intentions in autism

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  • Libero, Lauren E
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235G, 1719 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021, USA
  • Maximo, Jose O
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235G, 1719 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021, USA
  • Deshpande, Hrishikesh D
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235F, 1719 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021, USA
  • Klinger, Laura
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine
    • Other Affiliation: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped CHildren (TEACCH) Autism Program
  • Klinger, Mark
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Department of Allied Health Sciences
  • Kana, Rajesh K
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235G, 1719 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021, USA
Abstract
  • Abstract Background The ability to interpret agents’ intent from their actions is a vital skill in successful social interaction. However, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been found to have difficulty in attributing intentions to others. The present study investigated the neural mechanisms of inferring intentions from actions in individuals with ASD. Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired from 21 high-functioning young adults with ASD and 22 typically developing (TD) control participants, while making judgments about the means (how an action is performed) and intention (why an action is performed) of a model’s actions. Results Across both groups of participants, the middle and superior temporal cortex, extending to temporoparietal junction, and posterior cingulate cortex, responded significantly to inferring the intent of an action, while inferior parietal lobule and occipital cortices were active for judgments about the means of an action. Participants with ASD had significantly reduced activation in calcarine sulcus and significantly increased activation in left inferior frontal gyrus, compared to TD peers, while attending to the intentions of actions. Also, ASD participants had weaker functional connectivity between frontal and posterior temporal regions while processing intentions. Conclusions These results suggest that processing actions and intentions may not be mutually exclusive, with reliance on mirroring and mentalizing mechanisms mediating action understanding. Overall, inferring information about others’ actions involves activation of the mirror neuron system and theory-of-mind regions, and this activation (and the synchrony between activated brain regions) appears altered in young adults with ASD.
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  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Rights holder
  • Lauren E Libero et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
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Journal title
  • Molecular Autism
Journal volume
  • 5
Journal issue
  • 1
Page start
  • 50
Language
  • English
Is the article or chapter peer-reviewed?
  • Yes
ISSN
  • 2040-2392
Bibliographic citation
  • Molecular Autism. 2014 Oct 14;5(1):50
Publisher
  • BioMed Central Ltd
Access right
  • Open Access
Date uploaded
  • August 26, 2015

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