Assessing Frontal Lobe Function on Verbal Fluency and Emotion Recall in Autism Spectrum Disorder by fNIRS.

This study applied the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate frontal activity in autism when performing verbal fluency test and emotion recall task. We recruited 32 autistic adults without intellectual disability and 30 typically-developing controls (TDC). Prefrontal hemodynamic changes were evaluated by fNIRS when the participants performed the verbal fluency test and emotion recall task. fNIRS signals in the prefrontal cortex were compared between autism and TDC. Compared to TDC, autistic adults showed comparable performance on the verbal fluency test but exhibited lower frontal activity on the vegetable category. In the verbal fluency test, left frontal activity in TDC significantly increased in the vegetable category (vs. fruit category). In the emotion recall task, left frontal activity increased significantly in TDC when recalling emotional (vs. neutral) events. This increase of left frontal activity on the more difficult works was not found in autism. Similarly, brain activities were related to test performance only in TDC but not in autism. In addition, more severe social deficits were associated with lower frontal activity when recalling emotional events, independent of autism diagnosis. Findings suggested reduced frontal activity in autism, as compared to TDC, when performing verbal fluency tests. The reduction of left frontal activation in verbal fluency test and emotion recall tasks might reflect on the social deficits of the individual. The fNIRS may potentially be applied in assessing frontal lobe function in autism and social deficits in general population. Trial registration number: NCT04010409.

Mothering and mother-child interactions in the unaffected siblings of autistic children.

AIM: To investigate parenting and mother-child interactions in unaffected siblings of autistic children. METHOD: This cross-sectional study enrolled 274 probands with a DSM-5 diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (87.4% male; mean [SD] age = 11 years 4 months [3 years 2 months]), their unaffected siblings (n = 274, 46.72% male; mean [SD] age = 11 years 3 months [3 years 4 months]), and 296 age-balanced and sex-balanced typically developing children (82.77% male; mean [SD] age = 11 years 3 months [2 years 8 months]). Maternal parenting styles and mother-child interactions were assessed using maternal reporting. RESULTS: Regardless of the child's age, maternal educational level, or presence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autistic children received more overprotective and controlling parental behaviour than unaffected children. Correlates for parenting, mother-child interactions, and behavioural problems in the home setting in children with ASD and typically developing children were autistic traits, maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms, and maternal autistic characteristics; those in unaffected siblings were age, autistic traits, maternal educational level, and maternal autistic characteristics. INTERPRETATION: The diagnosis of ASD in a child can significantly influence maternal parenting behaviours, mother-child interactions, and the child's behavioural problems in the home setting. Furthermore, maternal anxiety or depressive symptoms, along with autistic characteristics in both mother and child, might shape parenting practices and exacerbate behavioural difficulties in autistic children.

The mediators for the link between autism and real-world executive functions in adolescence and young adulthood.

LAY ABSTRACT: Childhood factors that predict real-world executive function in autism spectrum disorder during the transition into adulthood are largely unknown. This study aimed to identify the predictors for the behavioral and cognitive aspects of real-world executive function in late adolescent and young adult autistic populations. We followed up 289 autistic youth (mean age 11.6 years) and 203 non-autistic controls (10.7 years) to their ages of 16.9 and 15.8, respectively. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function scale was used to measure the real-world executive function at late adolescence and young adulthood at follow-up. Potential predictors such as autistic symptoms, inattention or hyperactivity symptoms, peer relationship, emotional symptoms, and parenting styles were assessed in childhood at first enrollment. The results showed that childhood inattention, withdrawn behaviors, social communication difficulties, and child-reported emotion and inattention/hyperactivity may predict real-world lower executive function in late adolescence and young adults with autism. When separating executive function into behavioral and cognitive aspects, we found that oppositional behaviors and peer problems were specific predictors for behavioral regulation and cognitive function, respectively. Our findings suggested that treating common predictors in childhood, such as inattention, may potentially improve real-world executive function in autism during the transition into adulthood.

Social Brain Activation and Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Electroencephalogram Study of Jigsaw Puzzle Solving.

Autism spectrum disorder requires early detection and treatment. Thus, we developed a method to obtain reliable neurophysiological biomarkers to assist in diagnosing autism. This method includes a simple but typical jigsaw puzzle that allows participants to play and interact with each other. While playing this game, brain signals of the participants were observed and analyzed. The patients with autism were found to have differences in the time range of some event-related potential, such as P300 and N400. Altered patterns of function connectivity were also found in delta frequency bands in the patients while interacting with other people. Working around patients' capabilities, the jigsaw puzzle game was designed as easy to complete; this caused fewer mismatch conditions. The result suggested that these patterns are promising neurophysiological biomarker to assist doctors in social cognitive assessment in autism.Clinical Relevance-This study demonstrated the possibility of using hyperscanning technique for social cognitive assessment of autism spectrum disorder.

Assessing emotional characteristics in Asian autistic adults without intellectual disability.

This study aimed to characterize the emotional features in Asian autistic adults without intellectual disability (n = 253) in comparison to non-autistic comparisons (n = 56) and schizophrenia (n = 56) by the Schutte's Emotion Intelligence Scale (SEIS). Among the autistic adults, 226 obtained results of both self-reported and mother-reported SEIS; 64 had repeated the SEIS within one month. We found low agreement between self-report and mother-report, particularly in autistic males. Overall, autistic adults showed difficulties in emotion perception and management that were differentiated from schizophrenia and were correlated with autistic features. Autistic adults may need more support and services in emotion perception and management.

Effectiveness, durability, and clinical correlates of the PEERS social skills intervention in young adults with autism spectrum disorder: the first evidence outside North America.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that social deficits among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are lifelong and impact many aspects of personal functioning, evidence-based programs for social skills training were not available until recently. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) has been shown to effectively improve social skills for adolescents on the spectrum across different social cultures. However, the effectiveness for young adults beyond North America has yet to be examined. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the PEERS intervention in Taiwanese young adults with ASD, and examine its durability and clinical correlates. METHODS: We recruited 82 cognitively-able young adults with ASD, randomized to the PEERS treatment or treatment-as-usual. RESULTS: Following treatment, significant improvement was found in aspects of social deficits, autism severity, social interaction anxiety, empathy, and social skills knowledge either by self-report or coach-report. Additionally, communicative behaviors rated by observers improved throughout the sessions, showing a trend toward more appropriate eye contact, gestures, facial expression during conversation, and appropriate maintenance of conversation and reciprocity. Most effects maintained at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. The improvement of social deficits was positively correlated with baseline severity, while gains in social skills knowledge were positively correlated with IQ. The improvement of social deficits, autism severity, and empathy were positively correlated with each other. CONCLUSION: Overall, the PEERS intervention appears to effectively improve social functioning in Taiwanese young adults with ASD. Improvement of social response and knowledge may be predicted by baseline severity and intelligence respectively.

Developmental Changes of Autistic Symptoms, ADHD Symptoms, and Attentional Performance in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study followed up ADHD/autistic symptoms and attentional performance in children/adolescents with ASD and typically developing ones (TD) over 5-7 years. The participants were stratified by age at baseline into child (< 12 years) and adolescent (12-19 years) groups. ADHD symptoms, especially hyperactivity, and attentional functions significantly improved during follow-up, more in children than in adolescents, in both ASD and TD. Significantly more omission errors and perseverations were noted in ASD than TD through the follow-up. Children with ASD had more improvement in reaction time while adolescents with ASD had less improvement in commission errors and detectability than TD. No correlation of attentional functions and ADHD symptoms in ASD implied different neural mechanisms of ADHD symptoms between ASD and ADHD.

Promotion and implementation effectiveness of World Health Organization's Caregiver Skills Training program in Taiwan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Caregiver Skills Training for Families of Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities (CST) with support from Autism Speaks to address the resource gaps and worldwide needs for interventions for children with developmental disorders or delays, especially those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and their families. Evidence has indicated that parent-mediated interventions benefit both caregivers and children by strengthening caregivers' knowledge and confidence and children's social communication skills and behavioral regulation. The CST-Taiwan team began the prepilot field trial in 2017 and developed the project to serve families in various locations. This study (1) delineated the adaptations and promotion of CST-Taiwan; (2) determined the program's effectiveness in the promotional stage, in terms of caregiver and child outcomes, and (3) examined the maintenance of its effects. The materials, delivery, and facilitator training procedure of the original CST were adapted to Taiwan. The quantitative data indicated that CST-Taiwan is a promising program, it positively affected caregiver knowledge and confidence and reduced the severity of the children's autistic symptoms. The 3-month follow-up results suggested that the effects persisted. Thus, CST-Taiwan, and its promotional strategies are feasible and effective.

Validation of the Chinese Version of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

BACKGROUND: The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is an essential semi-structured diagnostic tool for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to validate the Chinese version of the ADI-R in Taiwan. METHODS: The Chinese version of the ADI-R was translated and back-translated by professional translators and was approved by the original authors. A group of child psychiatrists and psychologists corrected medical terminology for the final version. Then, a total of 74 participants with ASD (male, 59, 79.73%) and 33 control participants without ASD (male, 16, 48.48%) were recruited. All participants were between 3 years 4 months to 41 years old (mean: 14.63 ± 7.93 years). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to measure the factor structure. RESULTS: Cronbach's α showed good to excellent internal consistency (0.78-0.98) over the three core symptom domains of the Chinese version of the ADI-R. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed very high test-retest reliability (Pearson's correlation coefficients ranging from 0.95 to 0.99). EFA supported three categories of factors. For correct diagnosis of ASD, the Chinese version of the ADI-R had high sensitivity (97.30%), specificity (100%), positive predictive value (PPV) (100%), and negative predictive value (NPV) (94.29%). All domains also showed excellent area under the curves (0.991-1), sensitivity (94.59-98.65%), specificity (96.97-100%), Youden index (94.59-98.65%), PPV (97.78-100%), NPV (89.19-100%), positive likelihood ratio (32.55-33.00%) and negative likelihood ratio (0.00-0.05) after statistical examination. CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of the ADI-R is a reliable and valid diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of ASD in Clinical settings in Taiwan.

Psychopathologies mediate the link between autism spectrum disorder and bullying involvement: A follow-up study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at a high risk of involvement in school bully. The study investigated whether comorbid psychopathologies mediated the link between ASD and bullying involvement. METHODS: We assessed 353 youths (mean age, 11.8 ± 3.1 years), including 121 youths with ASD and 232 typically developing (TD) controls, using semi-structured diagnostic interviews on ASD and other psychiatric conditions. Follow-up assessments took place 2-5 years (37.6 ± 15 months) later. Meanwhile, their parents reported on the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents about bullying involvement statuses. We identified significant mediators by simple mediation models, followed by multiple mediation models to scrutinize the mediation effects of selected mediators. RESULTS: The results showed a sevenfold increased risk of bullying involvement among youths with ASD compared with TD controls at follow-up. In general, psychopathologies mediated the link between ASD and bullying involvement, even independent of age and sex. Specifically, we found mediating effects of social problems on victimization-only and aggressive behaviors on victimization-perpetration. CONCLUSION: Our findings strongly suggest the link between ASD and later bullying involvement is mediated by pre-existing comorbid psychiatric conditions, besides the direct effect of ASD on bullying victimization. Hence, early identification and intervention of these psychopathologies are highly suggested.

Game-based Social Interaction Platform for Cognitive Assessment of Autism using Eye Tracking.

The design goals of recently developed serious games are to improve attention, affective recognition, and social interactions among individuals with autism. However, most previous studies on serious games used behavioral questionnaires to evaluate their effectiveness. The cognitive assessment of individuals with autism after behavioral intervention or drug treatment has become important because it provides promising biomarkers to assess improvement after cognitive intervention. In this study, we developed a game-based social interaction platform incorporating an eye-tracking system for children and preadolescents with autism. Three modules (focusing on gaze following, facial emotion recognition, and social interaction skills) are included in the platform; participants with autism learn these according to their cognitive abilities. The eye-tracking results showed decreased fixation durations when autistic children looked at positive emotional expressions and focused on multiple targets. Prolonged saccade durations and shorter fixation times for social-related facial emotion expressions were also found in preadolescents and teenagers with autism. Our findings suggest that these atypical gaze patterns are reliable biomarkers for evaluating the social and cognitive functions of autistic individuals while playing serious games. The proposed platform's game-based modules and the findings regarding aberrant gaze patterns in autistic individuals demonstrate the possibility of evaluating cognitive functions and intervention effectiveness by using eye-tracking signals in a serious game or real-life environment.

A translational exploration of the effects of WNT2 variants on altered cortical structures in autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that cortical anatomy may be aytpical in autism spectrum disorder. The wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 2 (WNT2), a candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder, may regulate cortical development. However, it is unclear whether WNT2 variants are associated with altered cortical thickness in autism spectrum disorder. METHODS: In a sample of 118 people with autism spectrum disorder and 122 typically developing controls, we investigated cortical thickness using FreeSurfer software. We then examined the main effects of the WNT2 variants and the interactions of group × SNP and age × SNP for each hemisphere and brain region that was altered in people with autism spectrum disorder. RESULTS: Compared to neurotypical controls, people with autism spectrum disorder showed reduced mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres and 9 cortical regions after false discovery rate correction, including the right cingulate gyrus, the orbital gyrus, the insula, the inferior frontal gyrus (orbital part and triangular part), the lateral occipitotemporal gyrus, the posterior transverse collateral sulcus, the lateral sulcus and the superior temporal sulcus. In the full sample, 2 SNPs of WNT2 (rs6950765 and rs2896218) showed age × SNP interactions for the mean cortical thickness of both hemispheres, the middle-posterior cingulate cortex and the superior temporal cortex. LIMITATIONS: We examined the genetic effect for each hemisphere and the 9 regions that were altered in autism spectrum disorder. The age effect we found in this cross-sectional study needs to be examined in longitudinal studies. CONCLUSION: Based on neuroimaging and genetic data, our findings suggest that WNT2 variants might be associated with altered cortical thickness in autism spectrum disorder. Whether and how these WNT2 variants might involve cortical thinning requires further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT01582256. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: National Institutes of Health no. NCT00494754.

Executive functions in youths with autism spectrum disorder and their unaffected siblings.

BACKGROUND: Executive dysfunction is one of the main cognitive theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite evidence of deficits in executive functions in individuals with ASD, little is known about executive dysfunctions as candidate cognitive endophenotypes for ASD. In this study, we investigated executive functions in youths with ASD, their unaffected siblings and typically developing controls (TDC). METHODS: We recruited 240 youths with a clinical diagnosis of ASD (aged 6-18 years), 147 unaffected siblings of ASD youths, and 240 TDC youths. TDC youths were recruited based on the age and sex distribution of the ASD youths. Participants were assessed using the verbal Digit Span test and four executive function tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, including Intra-dimensional/Extra-dimensional Shift (I/ED), Spatial Span (SSP), Spatial Working Memory (SWM), and Stocking of Cambridge (SoC). RESULTS: ASD youths, relative to TDC, performed significantly worse in executive function tasks assessing verbal working memory (forward and backward digit span), set-shifting (I/ED), visuospatial working memory (SSP, SWM), and planning/problem solving (SoC). Furthermore, unaffected siblings, relative to TDC, performed worse in forward and backward digit recalls and made more errors in SWM. These results were independent of the effects of age, sex, IQ, and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support impaired executive functions in youths with ASD. However, unaffected siblings were mostly unimpaired except in the areas of verbal and spatial working memory, which may be potential cognitive endophenotypes for ASD.

Small fiber pathology in autism and clinical implications.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate small fiber innervation of the skin and its relationships with clinicometry of autism and peripheral afferents for contact heat-evoked potential (CHEP) and psychophysical measures of thermal thresholds. METHODS: We recruited 32 men with autism (26.5 ± 5.9 years) and conducted small fiber assessments of skin biopsy with quantifying intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) density, CHEP, quantitative sensory testing, and large fiber physiology of nerve conduction studies. Results were compared with age-matched controls and analyzed with clinical measures of autism. RESULTS: Patients with autism showed a lower IENF density than controls (5.53 ± 2.09 vs 11.13 ± 3.49 fibers/mm, p < 0.0001). The IENF density was reduced in 17 (53.1%) men with autism classified as skin denervation group. On psychophysics, 9 (28%) men with autism had elevated thermal thresholds, and the warm threshold of the big toe was negatively correlated with IENF density (p = 0.0073), indicating functional impairments of small fiber sensory nerves. IENF density was negatively correlated with CHEP amplitude in autism (p = 0.003), in contrast to the pattern of positive correlation in controls, indicating different processing of nociceptive afferent in autism. Clinically, IENF density was related to distinct tactile symptom patterns in the skin denervation vs normal innervation group, respectively. Furthermore, IENF density was associated with autistic symptoms measured by the Autism Spectrum Quotient in a U-shaped model (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: These observations indicated that a substantial portion of individuals with autism had small fiber pathology, which was associated with tactile and autistic symptoms, providing structural and physiologic evidence for the involvement of peripheral sensory nerves in autism.

Postural Control and Interceptive Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence shows common motor deficits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that can relate to impaired planning and control processes of the sensorimotor system. Catching is a fundamental motor skill that requires coordination between vision, posture, and arm movements. Although postural control and ball catching have been shown to be impaired in children with ASD, previous studies have not investigated how these components are integrated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the sensorimotor control of arm movements and postural adjustments during ball catching in children with and without ASD. DESIGN: This study employed a cross-sectional design. METHODS: Fifteen children with ASD (mean [SD] age = 8.8 [1.2] years; 12 boys) and 15 age- and sex-matched typically developing children participated in this study. Children were asked to catch a ball rolling down a ramp in 6 test conditions in which visual inputs and ramp direction were manipulated to provide different sensory conditions and postural demands. RESULTS: Compared with their typically developing peers, children with ASD had increased difficulties catching balls, especially those from lateral directions. They less often used visual information to plan for catching motion, demonstrated fewer and delayed anticipatory postural adjustments, and exhibited increased corrective control. LIMITATIONS: The sample excluded children with intellectual disability and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders that might reduce the generalizability to the whole ASD population. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that motor difficulties present in children with ASD can result from compromised sensorimotor integration in planning and control of movements.

Maternal and Family Processes in Different Subgroups of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

We compared the maternal reports on mothering and family processes between 160 youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 160 age and gender-matched typically developing (TD) youth stratified by personal characteristics from Taiwan. The ASD groups consisted of 51 'typical autism' (TA), 52 'high-functioning autism' (HFA), and 57 'Asperger syndrome (AS).' Maternal reports showed that youth with ASD obtained less affection and more protection from the mother, and had less active mother-child interactions and more behavioral problems at home. Their mothers perceived less family support when compared to mothers of TD youth. Moreover, both TA and AS groups had more maternal protection and less maternal perceived family support, whereas HFA and co-occurring ADHD were only associated with more behavioral problems at home. The maternal and family process may vary across different ASD subgroups.

Prenatal and perinatal risk factors and the clinical implications on autism spectrum disorder.

Prenatal and perinatal factors may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. However, little is known about whether unaffected siblings of probands with autism spectrum disorder also share the phenomenon and whether the prenatal/perinatal factors are related to the clinical severity of autistic symptoms. We compared the frequency of prenatal and perinatal factors among 323 probands with autism spectrum disorder (mean age ± standard deviation, 10.7 ± 3.5 years; males, 91.0%), 257 unaffected siblings (11.7 ± 4.5; 42.8%), and 1504 typically developing controls (8.9 ± 1.6 years; 53.1%); and investigated their effects on the severity of autistic symptoms. We found that probands with autism spectrum disorder and their unaffected siblings had more prenatal/perinatal events than typically developing controls with higher numbers of prenatal/perinatal factors in probands than in unaffected siblings. The prenatal/perinatal events were associated with greater stereotyped behaviors, social-emotional problems, socio-communication deficits, and overall severity. We also found that six prenatal/perinatal factors (i.e. preeclampsia, polyhydramnios, oligoamnios, placenta previa, umbilical cord knot, and gestational diabetes) were associated with the severity of autistic symptoms, particularly stereotyped behaviors and socio-communication deficits. Our findings suggest that prenatal and perinatal factors may potentially moderate the clinical expression of autism spectrum disorder. The underlying mechanism warrants further research.

School dysfunction in youth with autistic spectrum disorder in Taiwan: The effect of subtype and ADHD.

School dysfunction is observed in youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the factors moderating their school dysfunction have not been well explored. This study investigated school functions in youths with ASD in Taiwan, stratified by personal characteristics including demographics, ASD subtypes, intelligence profiles, and the presence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We recruited 160 youths (aged 6-18 years, 87.5% boys) with a clinical diagnosis of ASD and 160 age and gender-matched typically developing (TD) youths. Their parents received a semi-structured psychiatric interview for their ASD and ADHD diagnoses and reported their school functions. Youths with ASD were further grouped into low-functioning autism (LFA, ASD with intellectual disability and developmental language delay, n = 44), high-functioning autism (HFA, ASD with no intellectual disability, n = 55) and Asperger's syndrome (AS, ASD with neither language delay nor intellectual disability, n = 61). Compared to TD, ASD had worse school functions in the domains of academic performance, attitude toward schoolwork, social interaction, and behavioral problems except for no academic differences from TD in HFA and ASD without ADHD. Subgroup analysis revealed that HFA and AS had better academic performance but showed worse attitude toward school than LFA. Comorbidity of ADHD negatively impacted all domains of school functions. Besides autistic and ADHD symptoms, oppositional symptoms, lower intelligence, older age, and female gender in youths also predicted school dysfunction. Although youths with ASD have school dysfunction in several domains, this study specifically addresses the role of intelligence and comorbid ADHD on their school dysfunction. Autism Res 2018, 11: 857-869. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Impaired school functions varied in ASD youths with different characteristics. Youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encounter varying levels and domains of impaired performance at schools, such as lower academic performance, negative attitude toward school work, fewer reciprocal friendships, and more behavioral problems. Our results indicate that ASD youths without intellectual disability had better academic performance, but worse attitude toward school than those with intellectual disability. Co-occurrence with ADHD is associated with school dysfunction. In summary, intelligence and comorbid ADHD influences several domains of school functions.

Neural correlates of impaired self-regulation in male youths with autism spectrum disorder: A voxel-based morphometry study.

Although recent studies revealed impaired self-regulation (dysregulation) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), neural correlates of dysregulation and its impacts on autistic neuroanatomy remain unclear. Voxel-based morphometry was applied on structural MRI images in 81 ASD and 61 typically developing (TD) boys aged 7-17years. Dysregulation was defined by the sum of T-scores of Attention, Aggression, and Anxiety/Depression subscales in the Child Behavior Checklist>180. There were 53 and 28 boys in the ASD+Dysregulation and ASD-Dysregulation groups, respectively. First, we compared regional gray matter (GM) volume for ASD and TD. Second, we investigated regional GM volumetric differences among the ASD+Dysregulation, ASD-Dysregulation and TD groups. Lastly, shared and distinct neurostructural correlates of dysregulation were investigated in the ASD and TD groups. The ASD-TD difference on neuroanatomy no longer existed after controlling the dysregulation severity. ASD+Dysregulation had larger regional GM volumes in the right fusiform gyrus, and smaller GM volumes in the anterior prefrontal cortex than ASD-Dysregulation and TD, respectively. ASD+Dysregulation had smaller GM volumes in the left lateral occipital/superior parietal cortex than TD boys. No GM difference was identified between ASD-Dysregulation and TD. ASD and TD had a shared association between GM volumes in the orbitofrontal cortex and dysregulation levels. Our findings suggest that atypical neuroanatomy associated with ASD might partially reflect a disproportionate level of impaired self-regulation. Categorical and dimensional considerations of dysregulation should be implemented in future ASD studies.