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Xu S, Li M, Yang C, Fang X, Ye M, Wei L, Liu J, Li B, Gan Y, Yang B, Huang W, Li P, Meng X, Wu Y, Jiang G. Altered Functional Connectivity in Children With Low-Function Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:806. [PMID: 31427923 PMCID: PMC6688725 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have shown that autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may be associated with abnormalities in brain structures and functions at rest as well as during cognitive tasks. However, it remains unclear if functional connectivity (FC) of all brain neural networks is also changed in these subjects. In this study, we acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging scans from 93 children with ASD and 79 matched healthy subjects. Group independent component analysis was executed for all of the participants to estimate FC. One-sample t-tests were then performed to obtain the networks for each group. Group differences in the different brain networks were tested using two-sample t-tests. Finally, relationships between abnormal FC and clinical variables were investigated with Pearson’s correlation analysis. The results from one-sample t-tests revealed nine networks with similar spatial patterns in these two groups. When compared with the controls, children with ASD showed increased connectivity in the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) within the occipital pole network. Children with ASD also showed decreased connectivity in the left gyrus rectus, left middle occipital gyrus, right angular gyrus, right MFG and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), orbital part within the lateral visual network (LVN), the left IFG, right precuneus, and right angular gyrus within the left frontoparietal (cognition) network. Furthermore, the mean FC values within the LVN showed significant positive correlations with total score of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Our findings indicate that abnormal FC extensively exists within some networks in children with ASD. This abnormal FC may constitute a biomarker of ASD. Our results are an important contribution to the study of neuropathophysiological mechanisms in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoujun Xu
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunlan Yang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiangling Fang
- Department of Children Healthcare, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Miaoting Ye
- Department of Children Healthcare, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lei Wei
- Network Center, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Network Center, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Baojuan Li
- Network Center, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yungen Gan
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Binrang Yang
- Department of Children Healthcare, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenxian Huang
- Department of Children Healthcare, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xianlei Meng
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunfan Wu
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guihua Jiang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
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