Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder whose late diagnosis is based on subjective tests. In seeking for earlier diagnosis, we aimed to find objective biomarkers via analysis of resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) images obtained from the Autism Brain Image Data Exchange (ABIDE) database. Thus, we estimated brain functional connectivity (FC) between pairs of regions as the statistical dependence between their neural-related blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signals. We compared FC of individuals with ASD and healthy controls, matched by age and intelligence quotient (IQ), and split into three age groups (50 children, 98 adolescents, and 32 adults), from a developmental perspective. After estimating the correlation, we observed hypoconnectivities in children and adolescents with ASD between regions belonging to the default mode network (DMN). Concretely, in children, FC decreased between the left middle temporal gyrus and right frontal pole (p = 0.0080), and between the left orbitofrontal cortex and right superior frontal gyrus (p = 0.0144). In adolescents, this decrease was observed between bilateral postcentral gyri (p = 0.0012), and between the right precuneus and right middle temporal gyrus (p = 0.0236). These results help to gain a better understanding of the involved regions on autism and its connection with the affected superior cognitive brain functions.
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that starts in childhood and lasts a lifetime
As the significant results were only found in full correlation, and not in partial correlation, it seems that there were indirect connections between regions
By means of the estimation of full correlation, significant hypoconnectivities in autistic children from the NYU center have been found in relation to children without autism from the same center (
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that starts in childhood and lasts a lifetime. ASD introduces three fundamental characteristics: qualitative disruption of relationships, alterations in the communication and speaking skills, and a lack of mental and behavioral flexibilities. This suggests that these deficits observed in patients with ASD are the result of a deficient executive function that includes problems in working memory, inhibition, mental flexibility, and planning [1]. The diagnosis is focused on observable symptoms and not on early signs. For this reason, it is subjective and late, since the symptoms usually appear from the age of three years old. It is of utmost importance to provide biomarkers to characterize the brain’s functional alterations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images of the Diagnostics 2019, 9, 32; doi:10.3390/diagnostics9010032 www.mdpi.com/journal/diagnostics
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