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Executive Function in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis of fMRI Studies

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Abstract

Abnormalities in executive function (EF) are clinical markers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the neural mechanisms underlying abnormal EF in ASD remain unclear. This meta-analysis investigated the construct, abnormalities, and age-related changes of EF in ASD. Thirty-three fMRI studies of inhibition, updating, and switching in individuals with high-functioning ASD were included (n = 1114; age range 7–57 years). The results revealed that the EF construct in ASD could be unitary (i.e., common EF) in children/adolescents, but unitary and diverse (i.e., common EF and inhibition) in adults. Abnormalities in this EF construct were found across development in individuals with ASD in comparison with typically developing individuals. Implications and recommendations are discussed for EF theory and for practice in ASD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education, College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, 1912 Speedway, Stop D5000, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Zheng Zhang & Peng Peng

  2. Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China

    Delong Zhang

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  1. Zheng Zhang
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  2. Peng Peng
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  3. Delong Zhang
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ZZ conceived of the study, participated in the coordination of the study, performed literature search, data extraction, coding, and statistical analysis, participated in the interpretation of the data, and drafted the manuscript; PP participated in the coordination of the study, contributed to the interpretation of the data, and helped draft the manuscript; DZ helped draft the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Zheng Zhang.

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All procedures in this meta-analysis were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Zhang, Z., Peng, P. & Zhang, D. Executive Function in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis of fMRI Studies. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 4022–4038 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04461-z

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