Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterized by atypical sensory functioning in the visual, tactile, and auditory systems. Although less explored, olfactory changes have been reported in ASD patients. To explore these changes on a neural level, 18 adults with ASD and 18 healthy neurotypical controls were examined in a 2-phase study. Participants were first tested for odor threshold and odor identification. Then, (i) structural magnetic resonance (MR) images of the olfactory bulb were acquired, and (ii) a functional MR imaging olfaction study was conducted. ASD patients exhibited decreased function for odor thresholds and odor identification; this was accompanied by a relatively decreased activation in the piriform cortex. In conclusion, these findings suggest, that the known alterations in olfaction in ASD are rooted in the primary olfactory cortex.

中文翻译：

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自闭症谱系障碍的嗅觉受损与嗅觉皮层活动减少有关。

自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的特征在于视觉，触觉和听觉系统中的非典型感觉功能。尽管研究较少，但已报道ASD患者的嗅觉改变。为了在神经水平上探索这些变化，在一项2期研究中检查了18位成人自闭症患者和18位健康的神经典型对照。首先测试参与者的气味阈值和气味识别。然后，（i）获取嗅球的结构磁共振（MR）图像，并（ii）进行功能性MR成像嗅觉研究。ASD患者的气味阈值和气味识别功能下降；这伴随着梨状皮质的激活相对减少。总之，这些发现表明，