AI-Powered Research

1. Positive diagnosis of one of the autism-spectrum disorders other than PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified) - i.e. Autism or Asperger syndrome, based on the DSM-IV and in addition standardized diagnostic instruments were administered: the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI-R, Lord, Rutter, & Le Couteur, 1994) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS, Lord et al., 1989). - for patient group only.
2. IQ greater than 70 (in the average range or above).
3. Age and sex match to patient group - for the healthy-volunteer group only.
4. Normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
5. Good health.
6. Age over 18.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Diagnosis of PDD-NOS
2. Irremovable ferrous objects in or around the body (e.g. pacemaker, stents, splinters)
3. History of closed head injury
4. History of epilepsy
5. Claustrophobia
6. Pregnancy

Study & Design

Study Type: Observational invasive

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>We are primarily interested in estimates of cortical inhibition and the<br /><br>perceptual correlates of this cortical inhibition. Cortical inhibition will be<br /><br>estimated from the difference in BOLD signal activation (measured with fMRI),<br /><br>difference in amplitude of C1 visual evoked potential (measured with EEG) and<br /><br>difference in amplitude of gamma-power (measured with EEG) in response to<br /><br>homogeneous and inhomogeneous displays. Therefore, fMRI and EEG will be<br /><br>recorded while the subjects passively observe homogeneous and inhomogeneous<br /><br>displays appear on the screen. Perceptual correlates of cortical inhibition<br /><br>will be measured as the difference in inverse efficacy between conditions in<br /><br>which the context (surround) interfered with perception and conditions in which<br /><br>it does not. </p><br>

Secondary Outcome Measures