Brain Networks and Social Skills in Teens with Autism or Early Psychosis

In adolescence, the brain’s default mode, central executive, and salience networks are thought to work together for social understanding. When these networks do not connect properly, people may find it hard to read others’ feelings or intentions. Researchers compared teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), those with early‑onset psychosis (EOP), and healthy peers to see how these networks differ.

Study Design

• Participants: 24 teens with ASD, 25 with EOP, and 26 typical controls
• Age: ~16 years old (age‑ and gender‑matched across groups)
• Method: Whole‑brain connectivity mapping to assess how strongly each network linked to others

Key Findings

• ASD participants exhibited less salience connectivity and varied DMN disruptions compared to the EOP group.
• EOP teens showed stronger DMN and CEN connections but maintained normal salience links.

Linking Brain Patterns to Social Function

• EOP: Stronger DMN connectivity correlated with poorer social cognition scores.
• ASD: Weaker salience connectivity was associated with worse social performance.

These associations suggest that different brain misalignments underlie similar social challenges across disorders.

Implications

• Commonalities: Both ASD and EOP share abnormalities in DMN and CEN connectivity, indicating shared mechanisms for social cognition problems.
• Specificity: Salience network differences point to disorder‑specific pathways.
• Critical Period: Adolescence appears to be a pivotal time when these network changes are most evident, highlighting the importance of early intervention.

This study underscores how distinct and overlapping brain network abnormalities contribute to social difficulties in ASD and early‑onset psychosis, offering insights for targeted therapeutic strategies.