HSE Scientists Reveal How Disrupted Brain Connectivity Affects Cognitive and Social Behaviour in Children with Autism
An international team of scientists, including researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, has for the first time studied the connectivity between the brain's sensorimotor and cognitive control networks in children with autism. Using fMRI data, the researchers found that connections within the cognitive control network (responsible for attention and inhibitory control) are weakened, while connections between this network and the sensorimotor network (responsible for movement and sensory processing) are, by contrast, excessively strong. These features manifest as difficulties in social interaction and behavioural regulation in children. The study has been published in Brain Imaging and Behavior.
For a person to focus attention, move, perceive others, and regulate their own behaviour at the same time, the brain engages multiple functional networks. Each network is responsible for a specific function: attention, movement, perception, or behavioural regulation. As individuals mature, the internal connections within these networks strengthen, while the connections between different networks, by contrast, tend to weaken. This allows the brain to allocate responsibilities across its systems, so they can operate independently without interfering with one another. This process is known as network segregation.
However, in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), network segregation may be disrupted. Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental conditions that alter the way individuals perceive information, interact with others, and respond to the world around them. To understand how disruptions in brain networks relate to these changes, researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Seattle Children’s Research Institute studied, for the first time, the interaction between two key networks: the cognitive control network—responsible for attention, inhibitory control, and planning—and the sensorimotor network, which is involved in movement and sensory information processing.
The researchers analysed fMRI data from 121 children with ASD and 84 typically developing children, aged 5 to 14, and also administered four behavioural questionnaires to assess how the children interact with others, regulate their thoughts and actions, shift attention, and control their movements.
The study found that children with ASD have significantly weaker connections within the cognitive control network. The weaker the connections, the greater the difficulty the child experienced in regulating behaviour and shifting attention—findings that were also confirmed by the behavioural test results.
At the same time, the connections between the cognitive control network and the sensorimotor network were found to be excessively strong. This characteristic was associated with difficulties in social interaction and behaviour. However, neither stronger nor weaker connectivity affected the child’s ability to control their movements.
Alina Minnigulova
'In children with autism, the balance between autonomous functioning of networks and their interaction is disrupted. Rather than smooth internal coordination, excessive cross-activity occurs, hindering the brain’s ability to adapt when switching between external and internal signals,' explains Alina Minnigulova, Research Fellow at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain.
Importantly, these deviations are not only observable on fMRI but also correlate with specific manifestations of the disorder, such as communication difficulties, attention deficits, and problems with planning and task switching. These findings will advance our understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ASD and may, in the future, support faster diagnosis of these conditions.
See also:
Artificial Intelligence Transforms Employment in Russian Companies
Russian enterprises rank among the world’s top ten leaders in AI adoption. In 2023, nearly one-third of domestic companies reported using artificial intelligence. According to a new study by Larisa Smirnykh, Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, the impact of digitalisation on employment is uneven: while the introduction of AI in small and large enterprises led to a reduction in the number of employees, in medium-sized companies, on the contrary, it contributed to job growth. The article has been published in Voprosy Ekonomiki.
Lost Signal: How Solar Activity Silenced Earth's Radiation
Researchers from HSE University and the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences analysed seven years of data from the ERG (Arase) satellite and, for the first time, provided a detailed description of a new type of radio emission from near-Earth space—the hectometric continuum, first discovered in 2017. The researchers found that this radiation appears a few hours after sunset and disappears one to three hours after sunrise. It was most frequently observed during the summer months and less often in spring and autumn. However, by mid-2022, when the Sun entered a phase of increased activity, the radiation had completely vanished—though the scientists believe the signal may reappear in the future. The study has been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics.
Banking Crises Drive Biodiversity Loss
Economists from HSE University, MGIMO University, and Bocconi University have found that financial crises have a significant negative impact on biodiversity and the environment. This relationship appears to be bi-directional: as global biodiversity declines, the likelihood of new crises increases. The study examines the status of populations encompassing thousands of species worldwide over the past 50 years. The article has been published in Economics Letters, an international journal.
Scientists Discover That the Brain Responds to Others’ Actions as if They Were Its Own
When we watch someone move their finger, our brain doesn’t remain passive. Research conducted by scientists from HSE University and Lausanne University Hospital shows that observing movement activates the motor cortex as if we were performing the action ourselves—while simultaneously ‘silencing’ unnecessary muscles. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.
Russian Scientists Investigate Age-Related Differences in Brain Damage Volume Following Childhood Stroke
A team of Russian scientists and clinicians, including Sofya Kulikova from HSE University in Perm, compared the extent and characteristics of brain damage in children who experienced a stroke either within the first four weeks of life or before the age of two. The researchers found that the younger the child, the more extensive the brain damage—particularly in the frontal and parietal lobes, which are responsible for movement, language, and thinking. The study, published in Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology, provides insights into how age can influence the nature and extent of brain lesions and lays the groundwork for developing personalised rehabilitation programmes for children who experience a stroke early in life.
Scientists Test Asymmetry Between Matter and Antimatter
An international team, including scientists from HSE University, has collected and analysed data from dozens of experiments on charm mixing—the process in which an unstable charm meson oscillates between its particle and antiparticle states. These oscillations were observed only four times per thousand decays, fully consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model. This indicates that no signs of new physics have yet been detected in these processes, and if unknown particles do exist, they are likely too heavy to be observed with current equipment. The paper has been published in Physical Review D.
HSE Scientists Reveal What Drives Public Trust in Science
Researchers at HSE ISSEK have analysed the level of trust in scientific knowledge in Russian society and the factors shaping attitudes and perceptions. It was found that trust in science depends more on everyday experience, social expectations, and the perceived promises of science than on objective knowledge. The article has been published in Universe of Russia.
Institute for Robotics Systems Established at HSE University
As decided by the HSE University Academic Council, a new Institute for Robotics Systems will be established at HSE, and with a strong fundamental base. It will cooperate with relevant departments across the university and engage students and doctoral candidates in research and development (R&D). First Vice Rector of HSE University and Director of the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, Leonid Gokhberg, discussed the expected practical results and the framework for cooperation with an industrial partner.
Scientists Uncover Why Consumers Are Reluctant to Pay for Sugar-Free Products
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have investigated how 'sugar-free' labelling affects consumers’ willingness to pay for such products. It was found that the label has little impact on the products’ appeal due to a trade-off between sweetness and healthiness: on the one hand, the label can deter consumers by implying an inferior taste, while on the other, it signals potential health benefits. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
HSE Seeks New Ideas for AI Agents: Initiative Competition Launched
HSE University is inviting researchers and lecturers to present concepts for new digital products based on artificial intelligence. The best projects will receive expert and technological support. Applications are open until December 19, 2025.