Broken or socially mistuned mirroring in ASD? An investigation via transcranial magnetic stimulation / Jellina PRINSEN in Autism Research, 15-6 (June 2022)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 15-6 (June 2022) . - p.1056-1067 Titre : Broken or socially mistuned mirroring in ASD? An investigation via transcranial magnetic stimulation Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1056-1067 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Adult  Autism Spectrum Disorder  Autistic Disorder  Brain  Hand/physiology  Humans  Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation  action observation  eye contact  mirror system Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience persistent difficulties during social interactions and communication. Previously, it has been suggested that deficits in the so-called "mirror system," active during both action execution and observation, may underlie these social difficulties. It is still a topic of debate however whether deficiencies in the simulation of others' actions (i.e., "broken" mirroring) forms a general feature of ASD, or whether these mostly reflect a lack of social attunement. The latter would suggest an overall intact mirror system, but an impaired modulation of mirror activity according to variable social contexts. In this study, 25 adults with ASD and 28 age- and IQ-matched control participants underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation during the observation of hand movements under variable conditions. Hand movements were presented via a live interaction partner, either without social context to assess basic motor mirroring or in combination with direct and averted gaze from the actor to assess socially modulated mirroring. Overall, no significant group differences were revealed, indicating no generally diminished mirror activity in ASD. Interestingly however, regression analyses revealed that, among ASD participants, higher symptom severity was associated with both reduced basic motor mirroring and aberrant socially modulated mirroring (i.e., no enhancement of mirror system activity upon observation of the interaction partner's direct vs. averted gaze). These findings further challenge the notion that mirror system dysfunctions constitute a principal feature of ASD, but demonstrate that variations in mirroring may be related to differential expressions of ASD symptom severity. LAY SUMMARY: Our findings show similar activity levels in brain regions responsible for action simulation and understanding in adults with autism, compared to adults without autism. However, the presence of more severe autism symptoms was linked to reduced activity in these regions. This suggests lower levels of brain activity during action understanding in some, but not all, persons with autism, which may contribute to the social difficulties these persons experience in daily life. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.2720 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=476 [article] Broken or socially mistuned mirroring in ASD? An investigation via transcranial magnetic stimulation [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur . - p.1056-1067. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 15-6 (June 2022) . - p.1056-1067 Mots-clés : Adult  Autism Spectrum Disorder  Autistic Disorder  Brain  Hand/physiology  Humans  Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation  action observation  eye contact  mirror system Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience persistent difficulties during social interactions and communication. Previously, it has been suggested that deficits in the so-called "mirror system," active during both action execution and observation, may underlie these social difficulties. It is still a topic of debate however whether deficiencies in the simulation of others' actions (i.e., "broken" mirroring) forms a general feature of ASD, or whether these mostly reflect a lack of social attunement. The latter would suggest an overall intact mirror system, but an impaired modulation of mirror activity according to variable social contexts. In this study, 25 adults with ASD and 28 age- and IQ-matched control participants underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation during the observation of hand movements under variable conditions. Hand movements were presented via a live interaction partner, either without social context to assess basic motor mirroring or in combination with direct and averted gaze from the actor to assess socially modulated mirroring. Overall, no significant group differences were revealed, indicating no generally diminished mirror activity in ASD. Interestingly however, regression analyses revealed that, among ASD participants, higher symptom severity was associated with both reduced basic motor mirroring and aberrant socially modulated mirroring (i.e., no enhancement of mirror system activity upon observation of the interaction partner's direct vs. averted gaze). These findings further challenge the notion that mirror system dysfunctions constitute a principal feature of ASD, but demonstrate that variations in mirroring may be related to differential expressions of ASD symptom severity. LAY SUMMARY: Our findings show similar activity levels in brain regions responsible for action simulation and understanding in adults with autism, compared to adults without autism. However, the presence of more severe autism symptoms was linked to reduced activity in these regions. This suggests lower levels of brain activity during action understanding in some, but not all, persons with autism, which may contribute to the social difficulties these persons experience in daily life. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.2720 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=476

Can repeated intranasal oxytocin administration affect reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in autism? A randomized controlled trial / Matthijs MOERKERKE in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 64-11 (November 2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry > 64-11 (November 2023) . - p.1583-1595 Titre : Can repeated intranasal oxytocin administration affect reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in autism? A randomized controlled trial Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Matthijs MOERKERKE, Auteur ; Nicky DANIELS, Auteur ; Stephanie VAN DER DONCK, Auteur ; Laura TIBERMONT, Auteur ; Tiffany TANG, Auteur ; Edward DEBBAUT, Auteur ; Annelies BAMPS, Auteur ; Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Jean STEYAERT, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur ; Bart BOETS, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1583-1595 Langues : Anglais (eng) Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and interaction. Crucial for efficient social interaction is the ability to quickly and accurately extract information from a person's face. Frequency-tagging electroencephalography (EEG) is a novel tool to quantify face-processing sensitivity in a robust and implicit manner. In terms of intervention approaches, intranasal administration of oxytocin (OT) is increasingly considered as a potential pharmacological approach for improving socio-communicative difficulties in ASD, through enhancing social salience and/or reducing (social) stress and anxiety. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, mechanistic pharmaco-neuroimaging clinical trial, we implemented frequency-tagging EEG to conduct an exploratory investigation into the impact of repeated OT administration (4?weeks, 12?IU, twice daily) on neural sensitivity towards happy and fearful facial expressions in children with ASD (8-12?years old; OT: n=29; placebo: n=32). Neural effects were assessed at baseline, post-nasal spray (24?hr after the last nasal spray) and at a follow-up session, 4?weeks after the OT administration period. At baseline, neural assessments of children with ASD were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched cohort of neurotypical (NT) children (n=39). Results Children with ASD demonstrated reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces, as compared to NT children. Upon nasal spray administration, children with ASD displayed a significant increase in neural sensitivity at the post- and follow-up sessions, but only in the placebo group, likely reflecting an implicit learning effect. Strikingly, in the OT group, neural sensitivity remained unaffected from the baseline to the post-session, likely reflecting a dampening of an otherwise typically occurring implicit learning effect. Conclusions First, we validated the robustness of the frequency-tagging EEG approach to assess reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in children with ASD. Furthermore, in contrast to social salience effects observed after single-dose administrations, repeated OT administration dampened typically occurring learning effects in neural sensitivity. In line with OT's social anxiolytic account, these observations possibly reflect a predominant (social) stress regulatory effect towards emotionally evocative faces after repeated OT administration. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13850 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=512 [article] Can repeated intranasal oxytocin administration affect reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in autism? A randomized controlled trial [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Matthijs MOERKERKE, Auteur ; Nicky DANIELS, Auteur ; Stephanie VAN DER DONCK, Auteur ; Laura TIBERMONT, Auteur ; Tiffany TANG, Auteur ; Edward DEBBAUT, Auteur ; Annelies BAMPS, Auteur ; Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Jean STEYAERT, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur ; Bart BOETS, Auteur . - p.1583-1595. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry > 64-11 (November 2023) . - p.1583-1595 Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and interaction. Crucial for efficient social interaction is the ability to quickly and accurately extract information from a person's face. Frequency-tagging electroencephalography (EEG) is a novel tool to quantify face-processing sensitivity in a robust and implicit manner. In terms of intervention approaches, intranasal administration of oxytocin (OT) is increasingly considered as a potential pharmacological approach for improving socio-communicative difficulties in ASD, through enhancing social salience and/or reducing (social) stress and anxiety. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, mechanistic pharmaco-neuroimaging clinical trial, we implemented frequency-tagging EEG to conduct an exploratory investigation into the impact of repeated OT administration (4?weeks, 12?IU, twice daily) on neural sensitivity towards happy and fearful facial expressions in children with ASD (8-12?years old; OT: n=29; placebo: n=32). Neural effects were assessed at baseline, post-nasal spray (24?hr after the last nasal spray) and at a follow-up session, 4?weeks after the OT administration period. At baseline, neural assessments of children with ASD were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched cohort of neurotypical (NT) children (n=39). Results Children with ASD demonstrated reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces, as compared to NT children. Upon nasal spray administration, children with ASD displayed a significant increase in neural sensitivity at the post- and follow-up sessions, but only in the placebo group, likely reflecting an implicit learning effect. Strikingly, in the OT group, neural sensitivity remained unaffected from the baseline to the post-session, likely reflecting a dampening of an otherwise typically occurring implicit learning effect. Conclusions First, we validated the robustness of the frequency-tagging EEG approach to assess reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in children with ASD. Furthermore, in contrast to social salience effects observed after single-dose administrations, repeated OT administration dampened typically occurring learning effects in neural sensitivity. In line with OT's social anxiolytic account, these observations possibly reflect a predominant (social) stress regulatory effect towards emotionally evocative faces after repeated OT administration. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13850 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=512

Chronic oxytocin improves neural decoupling at rest in children with autism: an exploratory RCT / Matthijs MOERKERKE ; Nicky DANIELS ; Qianqian ZHANG ; Ricchiuti GRAZIA ; Jean STEYAERT ; Jellina PRINSEN ; Bart BOETS in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 65-10 (October 2024)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry > 65-10 (October 2024) . - p.1311-1326 Titre : Chronic oxytocin improves neural decoupling at rest in children with autism: an exploratory RCT Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Matthijs MOERKERKE, Auteur ; Nicky DANIELS, Auteur ; Qianqian ZHANG, Auteur ; Ricchiuti GRAZIA, Auteur ; Jean STEYAERT, Auteur ; Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Bart BOETS, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1311-1326 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Oxytocin  autism spectrum disorder  electroencephalography  heart rate variability  neural rhythms  alpha  theta  signal to noise Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Shifts in peak frequencies of oscillatory neural rhythms are put forward as a principal mechanism by which cross-frequency coupling/decoupling is implemented in the brain. During active neural processing, functional integration is facilitated through transitory formations of ?harmonic? cross-frequency couplings, whereas ?nonharmonic? decoupling among neural oscillatory rhythms is postulated to characterize the resting, default state of the brain, minimizing the occurrence of spurious, noisy, background couplings. Methods Within this exploratory, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed whether the transient occurrence of nonharmonic and harmonic relationships between peak-frequencies in the alpha (8?14?Hz) and theta (4?8?Hz) bands is impacted by intranasal administration of oxytocin, a neuromodulator implicated in improving homeostasis and reducing stress/anxiety. To do so, resting-state electroencephalography was acquired before and after 4?weeks of oxytocin administration (12?IU twice-daily) in children with autism spectrum disorder (8?12?years, n?=?33 oxytocin; n?=?34 placebo). At the baseline, neural assessments of children with autism were compared with those of a matched cohort of children without autism (n?=?40). Results Compared to nonautistic peers, autistic children displayed a lower incidence of nonharmonic alpha-theta cross-frequency decoupling, indicating a higher incidence of spurious ?noisy? coupling in their resting brain (p?=?.001). Dimensionally, increased neural coupling was associated with more social difficulties (p?=?.002) and lower activity of the parasympathetic ?rest & digest? branch of the autonomic nervous system (p?=?.018), indexed with high-frequency heart-rate-variability. Notably, after oxytocin administration, the transient formation of nonharmonic cross-frequency configurations was increased in the cohort of autistic children (p? En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13966 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=535 [article] Chronic oxytocin improves neural decoupling at rest in children with autism: an exploratory RCT [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Matthijs MOERKERKE, Auteur ; Nicky DANIELS, Auteur ; Qianqian ZHANG, Auteur ; Ricchiuti GRAZIA, Auteur ; Jean STEYAERT, Auteur ; Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Bart BOETS, Auteur . - p.1311-1326. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry > 65-10 (October 2024) . - p.1311-1326 Mots-clés : Oxytocin  autism spectrum disorder  electroencephalography  heart rate variability  neural rhythms  alpha  theta  signal to noise Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Shifts in peak frequencies of oscillatory neural rhythms are put forward as a principal mechanism by which cross-frequency coupling/decoupling is implemented in the brain. During active neural processing, functional integration is facilitated through transitory formations of ?harmonic? cross-frequency couplings, whereas ?nonharmonic? decoupling among neural oscillatory rhythms is postulated to characterize the resting, default state of the brain, minimizing the occurrence of spurious, noisy, background couplings. Methods Within this exploratory, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed whether the transient occurrence of nonharmonic and harmonic relationships between peak-frequencies in the alpha (8?14?Hz) and theta (4?8?Hz) bands is impacted by intranasal administration of oxytocin, a neuromodulator implicated in improving homeostasis and reducing stress/anxiety. To do so, resting-state electroencephalography was acquired before and after 4?weeks of oxytocin administration (12?IU twice-daily) in children with autism spectrum disorder (8?12?years, n?=?33 oxytocin; n?=?34 placebo). At the baseline, neural assessments of children with autism were compared with those of a matched cohort of children without autism (n?=?40). Results Compared to nonautistic peers, autistic children displayed a lower incidence of nonharmonic alpha-theta cross-frequency decoupling, indicating a higher incidence of spurious ?noisy? coupling in their resting brain (p?=?.001). Dimensionally, increased neural coupling was associated with more social difficulties (p?=?.002) and lower activity of the parasympathetic ?rest & digest? branch of the autonomic nervous system (p?=?.018), indexed with high-frequency heart-rate-variability. Notably, after oxytocin administration, the transient formation of nonharmonic cross-frequency configurations was increased in the cohort of autistic children (p? En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13966 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=535

Effects of multiple-dose intranasal oxytocin administration on social responsiveness in children with autism: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial / Matthijs MOERKERKE ; Jean STEYAERT ; Annelies BAMPS ; Edward DEBBAUT ; Jellina PRINSEN ; Tiffany TANG ; Stephanie VAN DER DONCK ; Bart BOETS ; Kaat ALAERTS in Molecular Autism, 14 (2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inMolecular Autism > 14 (2023) . - 16 p. Titre : Effects of multiple-dose intranasal oxytocin administration on social responsiveness in children with autism: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Matthijs MOERKERKE, Auteur ; Jean STEYAERT, Auteur ; Annelies BAMPS, Auteur ; Edward DEBBAUT, Auteur ; Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Tiffany TANG, Auteur ; Stephanie VAN DER DONCK, Auteur ; Bart BOETS, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur Article en page(s) : 16 p. Langues : Anglais (eng) Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : BACKGROUND: Intranasal administration of oxytocin is increasingly explored as a new approach to facilitate social development and reduce disability associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The efficacy of multiple-dose oxytocin administration in children with ASD is, however, not well established. METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with parallel design explored the effects of a 4-week intranasal oxytocin administration (12 IU, twice daily) on parent-rated social responsiveness (Social Responsiveness Scale: SRS-2) in pre-pubertal school-aged children (aged 8-12 years, 61 boys, 16 girls). Secondary outcomes included a questionnaire-based assessment of repetitive behaviors, anxiety, and attachment. Effects of oxytocin were assessed immediately after the administration period and at a follow-up, 4 weeks after the last administration. The double-blind phase was followed by a 4-week single-blind phase during which all participants received intranasal oxytocin. RESULTS: In the double-blind phase, both the oxytocin and placebo group displayed significant pre-to-post-improvements in social responsiveness and secondary questionnaires, but improvements were not specific to the intranasal oxytocin. Notably, in the single-blind phase, participants who were first allocated to intranasal placebo and later changed to intranasal oxytocin displayed a significant improvement in social responsiveness, over and above the placebo-induced improvements noted in the first phase. Participants receiving oxytocin in the first phase also showed a significant further improvement upon receiving a second course of oxytocin, but only at the 4-week follow-up. Further, exploratory moderator analyses indicated that children who received psychosocial trainings (3 or more sessions per month) along with oxytocin administration displayed a more pronounced improvement in social responsiveness. LIMITATIONS: Future studies using larger cohorts and more explicitly controlled concurrent psychosocial trainings are warranted to further explore the preliminary moderator effects, also including understudied populations within the autism spectrum, such as children with co-occurring intellectual disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Four weeks of oxytocin administration did not induce treatment-specific improvements in social responsiveness in school-aged children with ASD. Future studies are warranted to further explore the clinical efficacy of oxytocin administration paired with targeted psychosocial trainings that stimulate socio-communicative behaviors. Trial registration The trial was registered with the European Clinical Trial Registry (EudraCT 2018-000769-35) on June 7th, 2018 ( https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2018-000769-35/BE ). En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13229-023-00546-5 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=513 [article] Effects of multiple-dose intranasal oxytocin administration on social responsiveness in children with autism: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Matthijs MOERKERKE, Auteur ; Jean STEYAERT, Auteur ; Annelies BAMPS, Auteur ; Edward DEBBAUT, Auteur ; Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Tiffany TANG, Auteur ; Stephanie VAN DER DONCK, Auteur ; Bart BOETS, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur . - 16 p. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Molecular Autism > 14 (2023) . - 16 p. Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : BACKGROUND: Intranasal administration of oxytocin is increasingly explored as a new approach to facilitate social development and reduce disability associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The efficacy of multiple-dose oxytocin administration in children with ASD is, however, not well established. METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with parallel design explored the effects of a 4-week intranasal oxytocin administration (12 IU, twice daily) on parent-rated social responsiveness (Social Responsiveness Scale: SRS-2) in pre-pubertal school-aged children (aged 8-12 years, 61 boys, 16 girls). Secondary outcomes included a questionnaire-based assessment of repetitive behaviors, anxiety, and attachment. Effects of oxytocin were assessed immediately after the administration period and at a follow-up, 4 weeks after the last administration. The double-blind phase was followed by a 4-week single-blind phase during which all participants received intranasal oxytocin. RESULTS: In the double-blind phase, both the oxytocin and placebo group displayed significant pre-to-post-improvements in social responsiveness and secondary questionnaires, but improvements were not specific to the intranasal oxytocin. Notably, in the single-blind phase, participants who were first allocated to intranasal placebo and later changed to intranasal oxytocin displayed a significant improvement in social responsiveness, over and above the placebo-induced improvements noted in the first phase. Participants receiving oxytocin in the first phase also showed a significant further improvement upon receiving a second course of oxytocin, but only at the 4-week follow-up. Further, exploratory moderator analyses indicated that children who received psychosocial trainings (3 or more sessions per month) along with oxytocin administration displayed a more pronounced improvement in social responsiveness. LIMITATIONS: Future studies using larger cohorts and more explicitly controlled concurrent psychosocial trainings are warranted to further explore the preliminary moderator effects, also including understudied populations within the autism spectrum, such as children with co-occurring intellectual disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Four weeks of oxytocin administration did not induce treatment-specific improvements in social responsiveness in school-aged children with ASD. Future studies are warranted to further explore the clinical efficacy of oxytocin administration paired with targeted psychosocial trainings that stimulate socio-communicative behaviors. Trial registration The trial was registered with the European Clinical Trial Registry (EudraCT 2018-000769-35) on June 7th, 2018 ( https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2018-000769-35/BE ). En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13229-023-00546-5 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=513

Endogenous and exogenous oxytocin modulate interpersonal motor resonance in autism: A context-dependent and person-specific approach / Jellina PRINSEN in Autism, 29-8 (August 2025)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 29-8 (August 2025) . - p.2123-2136 Titre : Endogenous and exogenous oxytocin modulate interpersonal motor resonance in autism: A context-dependent and person-specific approach Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.2123-2136 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : action observation  autism spectrum disorder  mirror system  motor simulation  oxytocin  transcranial magnetic stimulation Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Understanding and interpreting non-verbal actions are critical components of social cognition, which are often challenging for autistic individuals. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known to modulate social behavior and enhance the salience of social stimuli, is being explored as a therapeutic option for improving social mirroring. However, its effects are mediated by context- and person-dependent factors. This study examines the impact of a single intranasal dose of oxytocin (24 IU) on interpersonal motor resonance in young adult men with and without autism. Neurophysiological assessments of corticomotor excitability were performed using transcranial magnetic stimulation while participants observed real-time hand movements displayed by an experimenter demonstrating varying social intent (i.e. showing direct vs averted gaze). While no overall effect of oxytocin on interpersonal motor resonance was observed across groups, person-specific factors significantly influenced outcomes. In the autism group, individuals with higher endogenous oxytocin levels exhibited greater motor resonance during action observation. Autistic individuals with heightened social difficulties or avoidant attachment styles showed enhanced motor resonance following oxytocin administration. These findings highlight the nuanced role of both endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in shaping neurophysiological motor resonance and emphasize the importance of individual variability in assessing oxytocin?s therapeutic potential for addressing social challenges in autism.Lay abstract This study explores how oxytocin, a hormone that influences social behaviors, affects the ability to interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, particularly in autistic adults. Understanding others' actions and intentions, often guided by observing body language and eye contact, is a critical part of social interaction. Autistic individuals frequently face challenges in these areas. Using a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique, the study measured participants' brain responses as they observed real-time hand movements paired with the interaction partner?s direct eye contact or averted gaze. Participants included young autistic and non-autistic adult men who received a placebo and a single dose of oxytocin via nasal spray. Results showed no overall differences between the two groups in their brain responses to these movements. However, in the autism group, several factors significantly influenced the effects of oxytocin. Participants with higher natural oxytocin levels or those who reported greater social challenges showed stronger responses after oxytocin administration, particularly when observing hand movements combined with direct gaze. These findings suggest that oxytocin may enhance social understanding in autistic individuals, especially for those experiencing greater difficulties. This highlights the potential of personalized approaches when considering oxytocin as a therapeutic option to improve social interactions. En ligne : https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/13623613251335730 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=564 [article] Endogenous and exogenous oxytocin modulate interpersonal motor resonance in autism: A context-dependent and person-specific approach [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Jellina PRINSEN, Auteur ; Kaat ALAERTS, Auteur . - p.2123-2136. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 29-8 (August 2025) . - p.2123-2136 Mots-clés : action observation  autism spectrum disorder  mirror system  motor simulation  oxytocin  transcranial magnetic stimulation Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Understanding and interpreting non-verbal actions are critical components of social cognition, which are often challenging for autistic individuals. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known to modulate social behavior and enhance the salience of social stimuli, is being explored as a therapeutic option for improving social mirroring. However, its effects are mediated by context- and person-dependent factors. This study examines the impact of a single intranasal dose of oxytocin (24 IU) on interpersonal motor resonance in young adult men with and without autism. Neurophysiological assessments of corticomotor excitability were performed using transcranial magnetic stimulation while participants observed real-time hand movements displayed by an experimenter demonstrating varying social intent (i.e. showing direct vs averted gaze). While no overall effect of oxytocin on interpersonal motor resonance was observed across groups, person-specific factors significantly influenced outcomes. In the autism group, individuals with higher endogenous oxytocin levels exhibited greater motor resonance during action observation. Autistic individuals with heightened social difficulties or avoidant attachment styles showed enhanced motor resonance following oxytocin administration. These findings highlight the nuanced role of both endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in shaping neurophysiological motor resonance and emphasize the importance of individual variability in assessing oxytocin?s therapeutic potential for addressing social challenges in autism.Lay abstract This study explores how oxytocin, a hormone that influences social behaviors, affects the ability to interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, particularly in autistic adults. Understanding others' actions and intentions, often guided by observing body language and eye contact, is a critical part of social interaction. Autistic individuals frequently face challenges in these areas. Using a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique, the study measured participants' brain responses as they observed real-time hand movements paired with the interaction partner?s direct eye contact or averted gaze. Participants included young autistic and non-autistic adult men who received a placebo and a single dose of oxytocin via nasal spray. Results showed no overall differences between the two groups in their brain responses to these movements. However, in the autism group, several factors significantly influenced the effects of oxytocin. Participants with higher natural oxytocin levels or those who reported greater social challenges showed stronger responses after oxytocin administration, particularly when observing hand movements combined with direct gaze. These findings suggest that oxytocin may enhance social understanding in autistic individuals, especially for those experiencing greater difficulties. This highlights the potential of personalized approaches when considering oxytocin as a therapeutic option to improve social interactions. En ligne : https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/13623613251335730 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=564

Impact of chronic intranasal oxytocin administration on face expression processing in autistic children: a randomized controlled trial using fMRI / Nicky DANIELS ; Stephanie VAN DER DONCK ; Tiffany TANG ; Jellina PRINSEN ; Elahe' YARGHOLI ; Jean STEYAERT ; Kaat ALAERTS ; Bart BOETS in Molecular Autism, 15 (2024)  

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