Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Children with ASD received a diagnosis based on expert clinical judgment according to DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria, and scores from Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) or the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).Children with ASD-related medical conditions (e.g., Fragile-X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis), and other neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, Tourette’s Syndrome) were excluded.

Typical Controls (TC)

Information of Children who came to the hospital for physical examination (non-neurological diseases) were prospectively collected, and their neurological and imaging evaluations were evaluated normal.

Typically developing children were screened and excluded if they or a first-degree relative had developmental, language, learning, neurological, psychiatric disorders, or psychiatric medication usage, or if the child met the clinical criteria for a childhood disorder on the Child Symptom Inventory-Fourth Edition or Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory.

Assessments and Procedures

Recruitment

See above.

Estimated IQ

We obtained estimates of intelligence (total, performance and verbal IQ) using the four subtests of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI).

Handedness

Handedness was measured based on self-report.

Medication Information

We did not collect information on the use of psychoactive medications at the time of scanning.

Additional Questionnaires/Interviews

Participants underwent a battery of behavioral assessments including (1) Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) (2) Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) (3) Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (4) Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) (5) Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS).

Exclusion Criteria Common to all Participants

Contraindications to MRI.