Using neuroscience as an outcome measure for behavioral interventions in Autism spectrum disorders (ASD): A review

Though medications have proven effective in improving associated symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), behavioral interventions remain the most effective method of improving core symptoms (e.g. social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviors) in this population. Although the cause remains unknown, research provides evidence that ASD is a neurologically based disorder, with differences in brain activity contributing to observed social difficulties. Given the above, along with recent publications underscoring the importance of utilizing neuroscience to measure changes associated with intervention in ASD, it is surprising that studies that measure neurological changes in response to behavioral interventions remain quite rare. Using systematic searches of the PsychINFO and MEDLINE databases, the current review summarizes the extant literature on neural changes in response to behavioral interventions in ASD, and compares the state of the literature in ASD with other disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. We conclude that research utilizing neuroscience to measure changes in response to behavioral interventions in ASD is lacking, and suggest that future research make integrating these two lines of research a priority.