Response Inhibition in Autistic Adults: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study in Virtual Reality

Feb 1, 2026·
Anna Vorreuther
,
Nektaria Tagalidou
Dr. Katharina Lingelbach
Dr. Katharina Lingelbach
,
Armin Hubert
,
Laura Bareiß
,
Tanja Nittel
,
Marc Ristau
,
Mathias Vukelić
Abstract
We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure prefrontal responses as 22 autistic and 10 non-autistic adults performed a visuospatial go/no-go task in virtual reality. Both groups responded more slowly and made fewer errors during no-go blocks, with no significant behavioural differences between groups. A significant increase in oxygenated haemoglobin in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during no-go blocks was observed in the non-autistic group only. The study shows how immersive tasks and fNIRS can be combined to examine response inhibition.
Type
Publication
Brain and Behavior, 16(2), e71249
Brain surface maps and a plot of oxygenated haemoglobin responses during go and no-go blocks.
Figure 4. Prefrontal haemodynamic responses in the go/no-go task. From Vorreuther et al. (2026), CC BY.
Dr. Katharina Lingelbach
Authors
Dr. Katharina Lingelbach
Junior Professor of Neuroergonomics