Connectome-wide Mega-analysis Reveals Robust Patterns of Atypical Functional Connectivity in Autism.
Humans
Child, Preschool
Child
Adolescent
Young Adult
Adult
Middle Aged
Connectome
/ methods
Autistic Disorder
/ diagnostic imaging
Autism Spectrum Disorder
/ diagnostic imaging
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
/ methods
Neural Pathways
/ diagnostic imaging
Brain
/ diagnostic imaging
Brain Mapping
/ methods
Canonical correlation
Functional connectivity
Hyperconnectivity
Hypoconnectivity
Networks
Resting-state
Journal
Biological psychiatry
ISSN: 1873-2402
Titre abrégé: Biol Psychiatry
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0213264
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 07 2023
01 07 2023
Historique:
received:
06
06
2022
revised:
19
11
2022
accepted:
08
12
2022
medline:
16
6
2023
pubmed:
17
3
2023
entrez:
16
3
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Neuroimaging studies of functional connectivity (FC) in autism have been hampered by small sample sizes and inconsistent findings with regard to whether connectivity is increased or decreased in individuals with autism, whether these alterations affect focal systems or reflect a brain-wide pattern, and whether these are age and/or sex dependent. The study included resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and clinical data from the EU-AIMS LEAP (European Autism Interventions Longitudinal European Autism Project) and the ABIDE (Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange) 1 and 2 initiatives of 1824 (796 with autism) participants with an age range of 5-58 years. Between-group differences in FC were assessed, and associations between FC and clinical symptom ratings were investigated through canonical correlation analysis. Autism was associated with a brainwide pattern of hypo- and hyperconnectivity. Hypoconnectivity predominantly affected sensory and higher-order attentional networks and correlated with social impairments, restrictive and repetitive behavior, and sensory processing. Hyperconnectivity was observed primarily between the default mode network and the rest of the brain and between cortical and subcortical systems. This pattern was strongly associated with social impairments and sensory processing. Interactions between diagnosis and age or sex were not statistically significant. The FC alterations observed, which primarily involve hypoconnectivity of primary sensory and attention networks and hyperconnectivity of the default mode network and subcortex with the rest of the brain, do not appear to be age or sex dependent and correlate with clinical dimensions of social difficulties, restrictive and repetitive behaviors, and alterations in sensory processing. These findings suggest that the observed connectivity alterations are stable, trait-like features of autism that are related to the main symptom domains of the condition.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Neuroimaging studies of functional connectivity (FC) in autism have been hampered by small sample sizes and inconsistent findings with regard to whether connectivity is increased or decreased in individuals with autism, whether these alterations affect focal systems or reflect a brain-wide pattern, and whether these are age and/or sex dependent.
METHODS
The study included resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and clinical data from the EU-AIMS LEAP (European Autism Interventions Longitudinal European Autism Project) and the ABIDE (Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange) 1 and 2 initiatives of 1824 (796 with autism) participants with an age range of 5-58 years. Between-group differences in FC were assessed, and associations between FC and clinical symptom ratings were investigated through canonical correlation analysis.
RESULTS
Autism was associated with a brainwide pattern of hypo- and hyperconnectivity. Hypoconnectivity predominantly affected sensory and higher-order attentional networks and correlated with social impairments, restrictive and repetitive behavior, and sensory processing. Hyperconnectivity was observed primarily between the default mode network and the rest of the brain and between cortical and subcortical systems. This pattern was strongly associated with social impairments and sensory processing. Interactions between diagnosis and age or sex were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
The FC alterations observed, which primarily involve hypoconnectivity of primary sensory and attention networks and hyperconnectivity of the default mode network and subcortex with the rest of the brain, do not appear to be age or sex dependent and correlate with clinical dimensions of social difficulties, restrictive and repetitive behaviors, and alterations in sensory processing. These findings suggest that the observed connectivity alterations are stable, trait-like features of autism that are related to the main symptom domains of the condition.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36925414
pii: S0006-3223(22)01852-2
doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.12.018
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
29-39Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.