News Finding: Furthermore, the synchronization between such pairs of regions was lower in the autism group.
Paper Finding: A separate cluster for TD > ASD was found more ventral in MPFC, although this cluster did not survive multiple comparisons correction.
News Context: The children with ASD showed significantly reduced activation compared to the neurotypical children in the brain regions considered to be part of the ToM network, such as the medial frontal cortex and temporo-parietal junction. Furthermore, the synchronization between such pairs of regions was lower in the autism group. The results support Just's 2004 influential "Frontal-Posterior Underconnectivity Theory of Autism," which first discovered this lower synchronization.
Paper Context: Although our cluster of reduced activation in the ASD group in SFG/MPFC was found to be more superior and posterior, and not ventral, it lies very proximate to relatively superior areas in MPFC found in the HCP map. A separate cluster for TD > ASD was found more ventral in MPFC, although this cluster did not survive multiple comparisons correction. These findings of reduced activation in SFG/MPFC, TPJ, STS, and PCC are consistent with neuroimaging studies of ToM using these same animated stimuli in adults with ASD [ .