Cited by 296Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Reward circuitry function in autism spectrum disorders

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Dichter, Gabriel S., Felder, Jennifer N., Green, Steven R., Rittenberg, Alison M., Sasson, Noah J., Bodfish, James W.·2012·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

Abstract

Social interaction deficits and restricted repetitive behaviors and interests that characterize autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may both reflect aberrant functioning of brain reward circuits. However, no neuroimaging study to date has investigated the integrity of reward circuits using an incentive delay paradigm in individuals with ASDs. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess blood-oxygen level-dependent activation during reward anticipation and outcomes in 15 participants with an ASD and 16 matched control participants. Brain activation was assessed during anticipation of and in response to monetary incentives and object image incentives previously shown to be visually salient for individuals with ASDs (e.g., trains, electronics). Participants with ASDs showed decreased nucleus accumbens activation during monetary anticipation and outcomes, but not during object anticipation or outcomes. Group × reward-type-interaction tests revealed robust interaction effects in bilateral nucleus accumbens during reward anticipation and in ventromedial prefrontal cortex during reward outcomes, indicating differential responses contingent on reward type in these regions. Results suggest that ASDs are characterized by reward-circuitry hypoactivation in response to monetary incentives but not in response to autism-relevant object images. The clinical implications of the double dissociation of reward type and temporal phase in reward circuitry function in ASD are discussed.

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  • Dichter et al. found the ASD group showed decreased NAc activation during monetary-reward anticipation, but ventromedial prefrontal cortex hyperactivation when viewing the circumscribed interest reward outcome.

    “The ASD group showed decreased NAc activation during monetary-reward anticipation, but ventromedial prefrontal cortex hyperactivation when viewing the circumscribed interest reward outcome, suggesting that ASDs are characterized by reward-circuitry hypoactivation in response to monetary incentives but by hyperactivation during circumscribed interest reward outcomes.”
  • Four out of five published fMRI studies reported diminished VS activation in individuals with ASD compared with TDC when processing either social or monetary reward versus non-reward.

    “Four out of five published fMRI studies reported diminished VS activation in individuals with ASD compared with TDC when processing either social or monetary reward versus non-reward [30,60-62].”
  • One investigation found greater activation in the vmPFC in response to autism-specific objects of interest in individuals with ASD relative to typical control participants.

    “Lastly, one investigation found greater activation in the vmPFC in response to autism-specific objects of interest in individuals with ASD relative to typical control participants [60].”
  • In Dichter et al., adults with ASD showed decreased VS activation during periods of money anticipation and outcome, whereas VS activity was present for typical autism-specific objects of interest.

    “First, they tested brain responses to money and typical autism-specific objects of interest (for example, trains, cars, plastic bricks) and found decreased VS activation in ASD during periods of money anticipation and outcome, whereas VS activity was present for typical autism-specific objects of interest [60].”

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Authors
Dichter, G. S., Felder, J. N., Green, S. R., Rittenberg, A. M., Sasson, N. J., & Bodfish, J. W.
Affiliations
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Venue
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Published
2010-12-08
Volume
7
Issue
2
Pages
160-172
ISSN
  • 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
  • 1749-5024
OpenAlex
W2158697067
Cited by
296
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 20
FWCI
7.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
  • UNC Libraries
Funders
  • Dana Foundation
  • Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH073402, K23MH081285)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P30-HD03110, P30HD003110)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, reward systems, nucleus accumbens, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, financial incentives, reward anticipation, reward outcome, social interaction deficits, restricted and repetitive behaviors
MeSH terms
Adult, Behavior, Brain, Brain Mapping, Child, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Motivation, Nucleus Accumbens, Reward, Prefrontal Cortex, Neuroimaging

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