Central Executive and Default Mode Networks: An Appraisal of Executive Function and Social Skill Brain-Behavior Correlates in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Resource Type
- Original Paper
- Authors
- Blume, Jessica; Dhanasekara, Chathurika S.; Kahathuduwa, Chanaka N.; Mastergeorge, Ann M.
- Source
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. :1-15
- Subject
- Autism
Executive function
Social skills
Diffusion tensor imaging
Probabilistic tractography
Central executive network
Default mode network
PROBTRACKX
BEDPOSTX
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0162-3257
1573-3432
Atypical connectivity patterns have been observed for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), particularly across the triple-network model. The current study investigated brain-behavior relationships in the context of social skills and executive function profiles for ASD youth. We calculated connectivity measures from diffusion tensor imaging using Bayesian estimation and probabilistic tractography. We replicated prior structural equation modeling of behavioral measures with total default mode network (DMN) connectivity to include comparisons with central executive network (CEN) connectivity and CEN-DMN connectivity. Increased within-CEN connectivity was related to metacognitive strengths. Our findings indicate behavior regulation difficulties in youth with ASD may be attributable to impaired connectivity between the CEN and DMN and social skill difficulties may be exacerbated by impaired within-DMN connectivity.