Julia Prinz

Dr. Julia Prinz


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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18 July 2020 in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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JKJana A Kruppa
Jana A Kruppa
VRVanessa Reindl
Vanessa Reindl
CGChristian Gerloff
Christian Gerloff
EWEileen Oberwelland Weiss
Eileen Oberwelland Weiss
JPJulia Prinz
Julia Prinz
MSMartin Schulte-Rüther
Martin Schulte-Rüther
Brain-to-brain synchrony has been proposed as an important mechanism underlying social interaction. While first findings indicate that it may be modulated in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no study to date has investigated the influence of different interaction partners and task characteristics. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning, we assessed brain-to-brain synchrony in 41 male typically developing (TD) children (8–18 years; control sample), as well as 18 children with ASD and age-matched TD children (matched sample), while performing cooperative and competitive tasks with their parents and an adult stranger. Dyads were instructed either to respond jointly in response to a target (cooperation) or to respond faster than the other player (competition). Wavelet coherence was calculated for oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin brain signals. In the control sample, a widespread enhanced coherence was observed for parent–child competition, and a more localized coherence for parent–child cooperation in the frontopolar cortex. While behaviorally, children with ASD showed a lower motor synchrony than children in the TD group, no significant group differences were observed on the neural level. In order to identify biomarkers for typical and atypical social interactions in the long run, more research is needed to investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of reduced synchrony in ASD.