Journal
MOLECULAR AUTISM
Volume 9, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
BMC
DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0195-7
Keywords
Autism spectrum disorders; Reward; Motivation; Circumscribed interests; Restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Striatum; Caudate nucleus; Reward system
Categories
Funding
- National Institute of Mental Health [K23MH086111, R21MH092615, RC1MH088791]
- New Program Development Award through the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center - National Institute of Child and Human Development [P30HD026979]
- Philadelphia Foundation (Dr. Yerys' New Program Development Award)
- Pennsylvania Department of Health [4100042728, 4100047863]
- Pfizer
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation [6672]
- European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) [602407]
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Background: Neurobiological research in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has paid little attention on brain mechanisms that cause and maintain restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBIs). Evidence indicates an imbalance in the brain's reward system responsiveness to social and non-social stimuli may contribute to both social deficits and RRBIs. Thus, this study's central aim was to compare brain responsiveness to individual RRBI (i.e., circumscribed interests), with social rewards (i.e., social approval), in youth with ASD relative to typically developing controls (TDCs). Methods: We conducted a 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to investigate the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent effect of personalized circumscribed interest rewards versus social rewards in 39 youth with ASD relative to 22 TDC. To probe the reward system, we employed short video clips as reinforcement in an instrumental incentive delay task. This optimization increased the task's ecological validity compared to still pictures that are often used in this line of research. Results: Compared to TDCs, youth with ASD had stronger reward system responses for CIs mostly within the non-social realm (e.g., video games) than social rewards (e.g., approval). Additionally, this imbalance within the caudate nucleus' responsiveness was related to greater social impairment. Conclusions: The current data support the idea of reward system dysfunction that may contribute to enhanced motivation for RRBIs in ASD, accompanied by diminished motivation for social engagement. If a dysregulated reward system indeed supports the emergence and maintenance of social and non-social symptoms of ASD, then strategically targeting the reward system in future treatment endeavors may allow for more efficacious treatment practices that help improve outcomes for individuals with ASD and their families.
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