Fig. 2.

(A) Mean of response latency for each condition for both the ASP and healthy groups. Error bars represent SEM. (B) Mean of response latency (in milliseconds) for each condition as compared with sham stimulation for each subject with ASP. It appears that, with stimulation of the left hemisphere, the effects of rTMS are consistent across ASP patients (10 / 10 showed a reduced latency with rTMS of the left pars triangularis; 9 / 10 showed a lengthened latency with stimulation of the left pars opercularis). This contrasts with stimulation of the right hemisphere. In the ASP group, for right stimulation to the pars triangularis, when response latencies were calculated only for the participants who improved, they were faster by 239 ms (SD 116.7 ms) as compared with sham stimulation. When the same calculation was performed with the four participants who showed worsening, they were slower by 381.2 ms (SD 226.6 ms; stimulation to the left pars triangularis: faster by 156.0 ms; SD 85.6). As an exploratory investigation, Pearson correlations performed with latency changes (sham minus stimulation to right pars triangularis) and full IQ, verbal IQ, non-verbal IQ, Autism Spectrum Quotient, age, handedness indices and accuracy variables did not reach statistical significance (all P > 0.05). With regards to gender, the three women showed improvement with stimulation to the right pars triangularis. BA 45, Broadman area 45 (presumably pars triangularis); BA 44, Broadman area 44 (presumably pars opercularis).