Intrinsic neural timescales in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. A replication and direct comparison study

• Authors: Lavinia Carmen Uscătescu, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford, CT USA; Martin Kronbichler, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg; Sarah Said-Yurekli, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg; Lisa Kronbichler, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg; Vince Calhoun, Emory University; Silvia Corbera, Central Connecticut State University; Morris Bell, Yale University; Kevin Pelphrey, University of Virginia; Godfrey Pearlson, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford, CT USA; Michal Assaf, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford, CT USA
• Journal Title: SCHIZOPHRENIA
• Volume: Volume 9, Number 1
• Publisher: NATURE PORTFOLIO | 2023-03-30, Pages 18-18
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-023-00344-1
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Mental Health
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Psychiatry; BRAIN; REGISTRATION; ROBUST; OPTIMIZATION; INTEGRATION; DYNAMICS

Abstract

Intrinsic neural timescales (INT) reflect the duration for which brain areas store information. A posterior–anterior hierarchy of increasingly longer INT has been revealed in both typically developed individuals (TD), as well as persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SZ), though INT are, overall, shorter in both patient groups. In the present study, we aimed to replicate previously reported group differences by comparing INT of TD to ASD and SZ. We partially replicated the previously reported result, showing reduced INT in the left lateral occipital gyrus and the right post-central gyrus in SZ compared to TD. We also directly compared the INT of the two patient groups and found that these same two areas show significantly reduced INT in SZ compared to ASD. Previously reported correlations between INT and symptom severity were not replicated in the current project. Our findings serve to circumscribe the brain areas that can potentially play a determinant role in observed sensory peculiarities in ASD and SZ.