Understanding depression in autism: the role of subjective perception and anterior cingulate cortex volume

作者：Yu Hao, Sarah Banker, Jadyn Trayvick, Sarah Barkley, Arabella W. Peters, Abigaël Thinakaran, Christopher McLaughlin, Xiaosi Gu, Daniela Schiller, Jennifer H. Foss‐Feig · 发表于：Molecular Autism · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s13229-025-00638-4 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Autism Spectrum Disorder Research、Behavioral and Psychological Studies、Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of depression is elevated in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to the general population, yet the reasons for this disparity remain unclear. While social deficits central to ASD may contribute to depression, it is uncertain whether social interaction behavior themselves or individuals' introspection about their social behaviors are more impactful. Although the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is frequently implicated in ASD, depression, and social functioning, it is unknown if it explains differences between ASD adults with and without co-occurring depression. METHODS: The present study contrasted observed vs. subjective perception of autism symptoms and social interaction assessed with both standardized measures and a lab task, in 65 sex-balanced (52.24% male) autistic young adults. We also quantified ACC and amygdala volume with 7-Tesla structural neuroimaging to examine correlations with self-reported depression and social functioning. RESULTS: We found that ASD individuals with self-reported depression exhibited differences in subjective evaluations including heightened self-awareness of ASD symptoms, lower subjective satisfaction with social relations, and less perceived affiliation during the social interaction task, yet no differences in corresponding observed measures, compared to those without depression. Larger ACC volume was related to depression, greater self-awareness of ASD symptoms, and worse subjective satisfact...