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Zhang X, Noah JA, Singh R, McPartland JC, Hirsch J. Support vector machine prediction of individual Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores based on neural responses during live eye-to-eye contact. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3232. [PMID: 38332184 PMCID: PMC10853508 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53942-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Social difficulties during interactions with others are central to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Understanding the links between these social difficulties and their underlying neural processes is a primary aim focused on improved diagnosis and treatment. In keeping with this goal, we have developed a multivariate classification method based on neural data acquired by functional near infrared spectroscopy, fNIRS, during live eye-to-eye contact with adults who were either typically developed (TD) or individuals with ASD. The ASD diagnosis was based on the gold-standard Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) which also provides an index of symptom severity. Using a nested cross-validation method, a support vector machine (SVM) was trained to discriminate between ASD and TD groups based on the neural responses during eye-to-eye contact. ADOS scores were not applied in the classification training. To test the hypothesis that SVM identifies neural activity patterns related to one of the neural mechanisms underlying the behavioral symptoms of ASD, we determined the correlation coefficient between the SVM scores and the individual ADOS scores. Consistent with the hypothesis, the correlation between observed and predicted ADOS scores was 0.72 (p < 0.002). Findings suggest that multivariate classification methods combined with the live interaction paradigm of eye-to-eye contact provide a promising approach to link neural processes and social difficulties in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhang
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 902, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - J Adam Noah
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 902, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rahul Singh
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 902, New Haven, CT, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University New Haven, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - James C McPartland
- Yale Child Study Center, Nieson Irving Harris Building, 230 South Frontage Road, Floor G, Suite 100A, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
- Center for Brain and Mind Health, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Joy Hirsch
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 902, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University New Haven, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Center for Brain and Mind Health, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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