Figure 2

Functional connectivity differences between controls and ASD. (a) BASELINE: In the control group there was greater connectivity (an inverse correlation) between a prefrontal seed region and posterior regions compared to ASD (red). (b) The seed region (mPFC) is shown in black. (Also indicated is a restricted region of connectivity between mPFC and the brain stem/cerebellum (blue) in ASD at baseline). (c) RILUZOLE: Riluzole increased connectivity (an inverse correlation) between the prefrontal seed and posterior cortices in ASD only. Blue: riluzole<placebo (P<0.05, cluster-corrected). Light blue: voxels in which the within-subjects effect of riluzole vs. placebo is negative in ASD (P<0.05, cluster-corrected). (d) Change in functional connectivity elicited by Riluzole is significantly different between groups (t₍₂₆₎=0.394, P<0.005). (e) Riluzole did not alter the functional connectivity of the prefrontal lobe in controls but ‘restored’ functional connectivity in the ASD group to control levels post riluzole (connectivity × group Interaction, two-way repeated measures ANOVA; F_{(1, 26)}=9.696, P<0.005).