About the Authors

Mitsuru Kikuchi

mitsuru@zc4.so-net.ne.jp

Affiliations Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Higher Brain Functions & Autism Research, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Yuko Yoshimura

Affiliations Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Higher Brain Functions & Autism Research, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Kiyomi Shitamichi

Affiliation Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Sanae Ueno

Affiliation Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Hirotoshi Hiraishi

Affiliation Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Toshio Munesue

Affiliations Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Higher Brain Functions & Autism Research, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Tetsu Hirosawa

Affiliation Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Yasuki Ono

Affiliation Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Tsunehisa Tsubokawa

Affiliation Department of Anesthesiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Yoshihiro Inoue

Affiliation R & D Department, Medical Systems Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan

Manabu Oi

Affiliations Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Higher Brain Functions & Autism Research, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Yo Niida

Affiliation Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

Gerard B. Remijn

Affiliation International Education Center, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Tsutomu Takahashi

Affiliation Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan

Michio Suzuki

Affiliation Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan

Haruhiro Higashida

Affiliations Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Higher Brain Functions & Autism Research, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Yoshio Minabe

Affiliations Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, Higher Brain Functions & Autism Research, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Competing Interests

One of authors (Yoshihiro Inoue) is an employee of the Shimadzu Corporation which produces the near-infrared spectroscopy used in the present study. He never provided gifts of any kind (except information of previous researches). His contribution was management of the literature search. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: MK H. Higashida YM YI. Performed the experiments: SU KS YY H. Hiraishi. Analyzed the data: TH YY T. Tsubokawa H. Hiraishi GR SU KS. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: YO YY MO TM YN T. Takahashi MS. Wrote the paper: MK.