The development of cognitive control in children with autism spectrum disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder: A longitudinal fMRI study

Abstract

Repetitive behavior is a core symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and has been associated with impairments in cognitive control. However, it is unclear how cognitive control and associated neural circuitry relate to the development of repetitive behavior in children with these disorders. In a multicenter, longitudinal study (TACTICS; Translational Adolescent and Childhood Therapeutic Interventions in Compulsive Syndromes), the development of cognitive control was assessed during late childhood using a longitudinal fMRI design with a modified stop-signal task in children with ASD or OCD, and typically developing (TD) children (baseline: N = 95 (8-12 y), follow-up: N = 53 (10-14 y), average interval: 1.48 y (sd: 0.36, range: 0.98-2.52 y). Stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) decreased over development, regardless of diagnosis. Repetitive behavior in children with ASD and OCD was not associated with performance on the stop-signal task. There were no whole-brain between-group differences in brain activity, but ROI-analyses showed increases in activity in right precentral gyrus over development for children with OCD. In sum, even though subtle differences were observed in the development of brain activity in children with OCD, overall the findings suggest that the development of cognitive control, as assessed by the stop signal task, is similar to typical in children with ASD and OCD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Cognitive control; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Repetitive behavior; fMRI.

Fig. 1

Stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) scores at baseline and follow-up for the three diagnostic groups. Black dashed line represents average slopes. SSRT decreased over development for all children, regardless of diagnosis. Abbreviations: ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder; OCD = Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; TD = typically developing; ms = milliseconds; T1 = timepoint 1/baseline; T2 = timepoint 2/follow-up.

Fig. 2

Activity in right precentral gyrus at baseline and follow-up during the fMRI stop-signal task. Lines represent average slopes. Activity increased with development for children with OCD during failed stopping. Note: the red dot in brain marks the right precentral gyrus area. Abbreviations: ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder; OCD = Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; TD = typically developing; ms = milliseconds; T1 = timepoint 1/baseline; T2 = timepoint 2/follow-up.