Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (238)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Critchley, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by Murphy, D. G. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Critchley, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by Murphy, D. G. M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Brain, Vol. 123, No. 11, 2203-2212, November 2000
© 2000 Oxford University Press

The functional neuroanatomy of social behaviour

Changes in cerebral blood flow when people with autistic disorder process facial expressions

Hugo D. Critchley1, Eileen M. Daly1, Edward T. Bullmore2,4, Steven C. R. Williams2, Therese Van Amelsvoort1, Dene M. Robertson1, Andrea Rowe1, Mary Phillips1, Grainne McAlonan1, Patricia Howlin3 and Declan G. M. Murphy1

1 Departments of Psychological Medicine and 2 Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, 3 Department of Psychology, St George's Hospital Medical School, London and 4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK

Correspondence to: Declan G. M. Murphy, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK E-mail: sphadgm{at}iop.kcl.ac.uk

Although high-functioning individuals with autistic disorder (i.e. autism and Asperger syndrome) are of normal intelligence, they have life-long abnormalities in social communication and emotional behaviour. However, the biological basis of social difficulties in autism is poorly understood. Facial expressions help shape behaviour, and we investigated if high-functioning people with autistic disorder show neurobiological differences from controls when processing emotional facial expressions. We used functional MRI to investigate brain activity in nine adults with autistic disorder (mean age ± standard deviation 37 ± 7 years; IQ 102 ± 15) and nine controls (27 ± 7 years; IQ 116 ± 10) when explicitly (consciously) and implicitly (unconsciously) processing emotional facial expressions. Subjects with autistic disorder differed significantly from controls in the activity of cerebellar, mesolimbic and temporal lobe cortical regions of the brain when processing facial expressions. Notably, they did not activate a cortical `face area' when explicitly appraising expressions, or the left amygdala region and left cerebellum when implicitly processing emotional facial expressions. High-functioning people with autistic disorder have biological differences from controls when consciously and unconsciously processing facial emotions, and these differences are most likely to be neurodevelopmental in origin. This may account for some of the abnormalities in social behaviour associated with autism.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. PsychiatryHome page
N. M. Kleinhans, L. C. Johnson, T. Richards, R. Mahurin, J. Greenson, G. Dawson, and E. Aylward
Reduced Neural Habituation in the Amygdala and Social Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Am J Psychiatry, April 1, 2009; 166(4): 467 - 475.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
B. De Martino, N. A. Harrison, S. Knafo, G. Bird, and R. J. Dolan
Explaining Enhanced Logical Consistency during Decision Making in Autism
J. Neurosci., October 15, 2008; 28(42): 10746 - 10750.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Soc Cogn Affect NeurosciHome page
B. Wicker, P. Fonlupt, B. Hubert, C. Tardif, B. Gepner, and C. Deruelle
Abnormal cerebral effective connectivity during explicit emotional processing in adults with autism spectrum disorder
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci, June 1, 2008; 3(2): 135 - 143.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
N. M. Kleinhans, T. Richards, L. Sterling, K. C. Stegbauer, R. Mahurin, L. C. Johnson, J. Greenson, G. Dawson, and E. Aylward
Abnormal functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders during face processing
Brain, April 1, 2008; 131(4): 1000 - 1012.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cereb CortexHome page
H. Koshino, R. K. Kana, T. A. Keller, V. L. Cherkassky, N. J. Minshew, and M. A. Just
fMRI Investigation of Working Memory for Faces in Autism: Visual Coding and Underconnectivity with Frontal Areas
Cereb Cortex, February 1, 2008; 18(2): 289 - 300.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
J. J.S. Barton, R. L. Hefter, M. V. Cherkasova, and D. S. Manoach
Investigations of face expertise in the social developmental disorders
Neurology, August 28, 2007; 69(9): 860 - 870.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Soc Cogn Affect NeurosciHome page
K. A. Pelphrey, J. P. Morris, G. McCarthy, and K. S. LaBar
Perception of dynamic changes in facial affect and identity in autism
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci, June 1, 2007; 2(2): 140 - 149.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
A. T. Wang, S. S. Lee, M. Sigman, and M. Dapretto
Reading Affect in the Face and Voice: Neural Correlates of Interpreting Communicative Intent in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Arch Gen Psychiatry, June 1, 2007; 64(6): 698 - 708.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cereb CortexHome page
M. A. Just, V. L. Cherkassky, T. A. Keller, R. K. Kana, and N. J. Minshew
Functional and Anatomical Cortical Underconnectivity in Autism: Evidence from an fMRI Study of an Executive Function Task and Corpus Callosum Morphometry
Cereb Cortex, April 1, 2007; 17(4): 951 - 961.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. PsychiatryHome page
L. A. Page, E. Daly, N. Schmitz, A. Simmons, F. Toal, Q. Deeley, F. Ambery, G. M. McAlonan, K. C. Murphy, and D. G. M. Murphy
In Vivo 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study of Amygdala-Hippocampal and Parietal Regions in Autism
Am J Psychiatry, December 1, 2006; 163(12): 2189 - 2192.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Soc Cogn Affect NeurosciHome page
H. Tager-Flusberg, D. P. Skwerer, and R. M. Joseph
Model syndromes for investigating social cognitive and affective neuroscience: a comparison of autism and Williams syndrome
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci, December 1, 2006; 1(3): 175 - 182.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Am Acad Psychiatry LawHome page
B. G. Haskins and J. A. Silva
Asperger's Disorder and Criminal Behavior: Forensic-Psychiatric Considerations
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, September 1, 2006; 34(3): 374 - 384.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 AutismHome page
M. T. Palermo, P. Pasqualetti, G. Barbati, F. Intelligente, and P. M. Rossini
Recognition of schematic facial displays of emotion in parents of children with autism
Autism, July 1, 2006; 10(4): 353 - 364.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
J. Munson, G. Dawson, R. Abbott, S. Faja, S. J. Webb, S. D. Friedman, D. Shaw, A. Artru, and S. R. Dager
Amygdalar Volume and Behavioral Development in Autism.
Arch Gen Psychiatry, June 1, 2006; 63(6): 686 - 693.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
A. T. Wang, S. S. Lee, M. Sigman, and M. Dapretto
Neural basis of irony comprehension in children with autism: the role of prosody and context
Brain, April 1, 2006; 129(4): 932 - 943.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Am Acad Psychiatry LawHome page
J. A. Silva and B. G. Haskins
[In Process Citation]
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, January 1, 2006; 34(1): 133 - 134.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
R. L. Hefter, D. S. Manoach, and J. J.S. Barton
Perception of facial expression and facial identity in subjects with social developmental disorders
Neurology, November 22, 2005; 65(10): 1620 - 1625.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
F. TOAL, D. G.M. MURPHY, and K. C. MURPHY
Autistic-spectrum disorders: lessons from neuroimaging
The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2005; 187(5): 395 - 397.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
A. Bertone, L. Mottron, P. Jelenic, and J. Faubert
Enhanced and diminished visuo-spatial information processing in autism depends on stimulus complexity
Brain, October 1, 2005; 128(10): 2430 - 2441.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
G. M. McAlonan, V. Cheung, C. Cheung, J. Suckling, G. Y. Lam, K. S. Tai, L. Yip, D. G. M. Murphy, and S. E. Chua
Mapping the brain in autism. A voxel-based MRI study of volumetric differences and intercorrelations in autism
Brain, February 1, 2005; 128(2): 268 - 276.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
K. Pierce, F. Haist, F. Sedaghat, and E. Courchesne
The brain response to personally familiar faces in autism: findings of fusiform activity and beyond
Brain, December 1, 2004; 127(12): 2703 - 2716.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Child NeurolHome page
M. R. Herbert
Neuroimaging in Disorders of Social and Emotional Functioning: What Is the Question?
J Child Neurol, October 1, 2004; 19(10): 772 - 784.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
C. H. Y. Fu, S. C. R. Williams, A. J. Cleare, M. J. Brammer, N. D. Walsh, J. Kim, C. M. Andrew, E. M. Pich, P. M. Williams, L. J. Reed, et al.
Attenuation of the Neural Response to Sad Faces in Major Depression by Antidepressant Treatment: A Prospective, Event-Related Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Arch Gen Psychiatry, September 1, 2004; 61(9): 877 - 889.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
M. L. Phillips
Facial processing deficits and social dysfunction: how are they related?
Brain, August 1, 2004; 127(8): 1691 - 1692.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
J. J. S. Barton, M. V. Cherkasova, R. Hefter, T. A. Cox, M. O'Connor, and D. S. Manoach
Are patients with social developmental disorders prosopagnosic? Perceptual heterogeneity in the Asperger and socio-emotional processing disorders
Brain, August 1, 2004; 127(8): 1706 - 1716.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurol. Neurosurg. PsychiatryHome page
S Baron-Cohen
The cognitive neuroscience of autism
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, July 1, 2004; 75(7): 945 - 948.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosi.Home page
R. DeLong
Autism and Familial Major Mood Disorder: Are They Related?
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, May 1, 2004; 16(2): 199 - 213.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 History of the Human SciencesHome page
J. M. Watson
From Interpretation to Identification: a History of Facial Images in the Sciences of Emotion
History of the Human Sciences, February 1, 2004; 17(1): 29 - 51.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
D. Hubl, S. Bolte, S. Feineis-Matthews, H. Lanfermann, A. Federspiel, W. Strik, F. Poustka, and T. Dierks
Functional imbalance of visual pathways indicates alternative face processing strategies in autism
Neurology, November 11, 2003; 61(9): 1232 - 1237.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. PsychiatryHome page
N. Boddaert, P. Belin, N. Chabane, J.-B. Poline, C. Barthelemy, M.-C. Mouren-Simeoni, F. Brunelle, Y. Samson, and M. Zilbovicius
Perception of Complex Sounds: Abnormal Pattern of Cortical Activation in Autism
Am J Psychiatry, November 1, 2003; 160(11): 2057 - 2060.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. PsychiatryHome page
R.-A. Muller, N. Kleinhans, N. Kemmotsu, K. Pierce, and E. Courchesne
Abnormal Variability and Distribution of Functional Maps in Autism: An fMRI Study of Visuomotor Learning
Am J Psychiatry, October 1, 2003; 160(10): 1847 - 1862.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cereb CortexHome page
J. G. Levitt, R. E. Blanton, S. Smalley, P.M. Thompson, D. Guthrie, J. T. McCracken, T. Sadoun, L. Heinichen, and A. W. Toga
Cortical Sulcal Maps in Autism
Cereb Cortex, July 1, 2003; 13(7): 728 - 735.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Behav Cogn Neurosci RevHome page
J. N. Wood
Social Cognition and the Prefrontal Cortex
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev, June 1, 2003; 2(2): 97 - 114.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
M. Kano, S. Fukudo, J. Gyoba, M. Kamachi, M. Tagawa, H. Mochizuki, M. Itoh, M. Hongo, and K. Yanai
Specific brain processing of facial expressions in people with alexithymia: an H215O-PET study
Brain, June 1, 2003; 126(6): 1474 - 1484.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br Med BullHome page
H. Critchley
Emotion and its disorders: Imaging in clinical neuroscience
Br. Med. Bull., March 1, 2003; 65(1): 35 - 47.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosi.Home page
Y. Suzuki, H. D. Critchley, A. Rowe, P. Howlin, and D. G.M. Murphy
Impaired Olfactory Identification in Asperger's Syndrome
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, February 1, 2003; 15(1): 105 - 107.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BMJHome page
P. Szatmari
The causes of autism spectrum disorders
BMJ, January 25, 2003; 326(7382): 173 - 174.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Behav Cogn Neurosci RevHome page
L. A. Femia and M. E. Hasselmo
Is autism partly a consolidation disorder?
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev, December 1, 2002; 1(4): 251 - 263.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
G. M. McAlonan, E. Daly, V. Kumari, H. D. Critchley, T. v. Amelsvoort, J. Suckling, A. Simmons, T. Sigmundsson, K. Greenwood, A. Russell, et al.
Brain anatomy and sensorimotor gating in Asperger's syndrome
Brain, July 1, 2002; 125(7): 1594 - 1606.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Behav Cogn Neurosci RevHome page
R. Adolphs
Recognizing emotion from facial expressions: psychological and neurological mechanisms.
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev, March 1, 2002; 1(1): 21 - 62.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
J. N. Ferguson, J. M. Aldag, T. R. Insel, and L. J. Young
Oxytocin in the Medial Amygdala is Essential for Social Recognition in the Mouse
J. Neurosci., October 15, 2001; 21(20): 8278 - 8285.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BrainHome page
K. Pierce, R.-A. Muller, J. Ambrose, G. Allen, and E. Courchesne
Face processing occurs outside the fusiform `face area' in autism: evidence from functional MRI
Brain, October 1, 2001; 124(10): 2059 - 2073.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NeuroscientistHome page
Disease Mechanisms in Neuroscience
Neuroscientist, June 1, 2001; 7(3): 190 - 191.
[PDF]

Home page
 JWatch PsychiatryHome page
The Functional Neuroanatomy of Social Behavior
Journal Watch Psychiatry, April 25, 2001; 2001(425): 15 - 15.
[Full Text]

Home page
 JWatch NeurologyHome page
The Functional Neuroanatomy of Social Behavior
Journal Watch Neurology, January 31, 2001; 2001(131): 5 - 5.
[Full Text]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.