Abstract
Children with autism often have difficulties in imaginative play, Theory of Mind, and playing out different scenarios in their minds. Research shows that the root of these problems may be the voluntary imagination network that involves the lateral prefrontal cortex and its long frontoposterior connections to the temporal-parietal-occipital area. Previously disconnected visuospatial issues (stimulus overselectivity and tunnel vision) and language issues (lack of comprehension of spatial prepositions and complex recursive sentences) may be explained by the same voluntary imagination deficit. This review highlights the new insights into the mechanism of voluntary imagination, its difference from involuntary imagination, and its unusually strong critical period. Clearer developmental terminology and a better understanding of voluntary imagination have the potential to facilitate communication between therapists and parents, and improve therapy outcomes in children.
Highlights
Individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) usually manifest a range of deficits related to the voluntary imagination network
Difficulties in the integration of visual features into a global picture are called stimulus overselectivity, tunnel vision, or the lack of multi-cue responsivity [1,2,3,4]; the failure to comprehend spatial prepositions and complex recursive sentences is described as a language deficit; and the inability to interpret others’ beliefs and intentions is referred to as the Theory of Mind problem
Multiple neurological studies have shown abnormalities in frontoposterior connections of ASD individuals and a significant reduction in the volume of arcuate fasciculus has been hypothesized to be responsible for deficits in Theory of Mind, language, and executive function [8,9]
Summary
In a nonreversible sentence, e.g., “The boy writes a letter,” swapping the subject and the object results in a sentence with no real meaning: “A letter writes the boy.”) Similar to semantically-reversible sentences, comprehension of spatial prepositions (e.g., the pen is {under|in|on|over|beside|behind|in front of } the table), time prepositions (e.g., touch your nose {before|after} you touch your ear) and complex recursive sentences (e.g., a snake on the trail, to the left of the tall tree, that is behind the hill) requires a listener to synthesize several mental objects in2froof n11t of the mind’s eye using their LPFC [14]. I will argue that wider parent education on several critical issues will result in more effective therapy and better developmental trajectories for children with ASD These subjects are as follows: (1) the difference between voluntary and involuntary imagination, (2) the strong critical period for PFS acquisition, (3) the dissociation between vocabulary and PFS, and (4) the distinction between a routinized response and PFS ability
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