Autistic Brain Flashcards
What is the primary purpose of neuroscientific research on autism?
a) To diagnose autism in individuals
b) To understand overarching brain mechanisms underlying behaviour in autism
c) To cure autism through brain-focused interventions
d) To identify behavioural patterns unique to neurotypical individuals
b) To understand overarching brain mechanisms underlying behaviour in autism
Which brain region is associated with facial recognition and reduced activation in
autism?
a) Amygdala
b) Superior Temporal Sulcus
c) Fusiform Face Area
d) Prefrontal Cortex
c) Fusiform Face Area
What do EEG studies reveal about autistic individuals?
a) Enhanced connectivity between all brain regions
b) Higher levels of emotional processing
c) Reduced brain activity in all sensory areas
d) Atypical neural oscillations linked to attention and sensory integration
d) Atypical neural oscillations linked to attention and sensory integration
Which two lobes show divergent early development in the brains of autistic individuals?
a) Frontal and temporal lobes
b) Occipital and parietal lobes
c) Temporal and parietal lobes
d) Frontal and occipital lobes
a) Frontal and temporal lobes
What do studies suggest about synaptic pruning in autistic individuals?
a) Synaptic pruning is unrelated to cortical thickness in autism
b) Accelerated synaptic pruning results in uniformly thinner cortices
c) Excessive synaptic pruning leads to reduced cortical thickness in all brain regions
d) Delayed or reduced synaptic pruning contributes to increased cortical thickness early on
d) Delayed or reduced synaptic pruning contributes to increased cortical thickness early on
Why are females with autism often diagnosed later than males?
a) Females often exhibit more subtle behavioural traits and
compensatory mechanisms
b) Females lack genetic markers associated with autism
c) Females are less likely to experience sensory processing
differences
d) Autism is more common in males
a) Females often exhibit more subtle behavioural traits and compensatory mechanisms
What genetic mutations are associated with autism?
a) Genes involved with the immune function
b) Genes associated with hormonal regulation
c) Genes controlling motor function exclusively
d) Genes linked to synaptic function, such as SHANK3
d) Genes linked to synaptic function, such as SHANK3
What is one limitation of neuroscientific research on autism?
a) It provides diagnostic tools but no understanding of mechanisms
b) It focuses too much on genetic factors and not enough on behaviour
c) It cannot account for individual differences as it is based on group averages
d) It ignores environmental contributions to autism
c) It cannot account for individual differences as it is based on group averages
Which area of the brain is implicated in emotional processing and shows atypical activity in autism?
a) Amygdala
b) Fusiform Face Area
c) Cerebellum
d) Superior Temporal Sulcus
a) Amygdala
Which of the following is a core diagnostic criterion for Autism?
a) Impaired motor coordination
b) Restricted interests and repetitive behaviours
c) Delayed language development only
d) Cognitive delays across all domains
b) Restricted interests and repetitive behaviours
