58683
document
MEG premotor abnormalities in children with Asperger 's syndrome : determinants of social behavior ? Children with Asperger 's syndrome show deficits in social functioning while their intellectual and language development is intact suggesting a specific dysfunction in mechanisms mediating social cognition . An action observation/execution matching system might be one such mechanism . Recent studies indeed showed that electrophysiological modulation of the " Mu-rhythm " in the 10-12Hz range is weaker when individuals with Asperger 's syndrome observe actions performed by others compared to controls . However , electrophysiological studies typically fall short in revealing the neural generators of this activity . To fill this gap we assessed magnetoencephalographic Mu-modulations in Asperger 's and typically developed children , while observing grasping movements . Mu-power increased at frontal and central sensors during movement observation . This modulation was stronger in typical than in Asperger children . Source localization revealed stronger sources in premotor cortex , the intraparietal lobule ( IPL ) and the mid-occipito-temporal gyrus ( MOTG ) and weaker sources in prefrontal cortex in typical participants compared to Asperger . Activity in premotor regions , IPL and MOTG correlated positively with social competence , whereas prefrontal Mu-sources correlated negatively with social competence . No correlation with intellectual ability was found at any of these sites . These findings localize abnormal Mu-activity in the brain of Asperger children providing evidence which associates motor-system abnormalities with social-function deficits .
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Intervention_Educational
observing grasping movements
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Outcome_Physical
MEG premotor abnormalities
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Outcome_Mental
social behavior
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Outcome_Mental
social functioning
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Outcome_Physical
social cognition
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Outcome_Physical
electrophysiological modulation of the " Mu-rhythm
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Outcome_Physical
magnetoencephalographic Mu-modulations
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Outcome_Physical
grasping movements
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Outcome_Physical
Mu-power
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Outcome_Other
Activity in premotor regions , IPL and MOTG
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Outcome_Mental
social competence
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Outcome_Mental
social competence
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Outcome_Mental
intellectual ability
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Outcome_Mental
social-function deficits