Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
12:21
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Using a self-organizing map algorithm to detect age-related changes in functional connectivity during rest in autism
Jillian Lee Wiggins1, Scott J Peltier, Samantha Ashinoff
1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. leejilli@umich.edu
Brain Research
|November 5, 2010
Summary
Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show weaker functional connectivity in the default network compared to controls. This study used a novel data-driven method to reveal different developmental trajectories in ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Resting-state functional connectivity is crucial for brain function, with stronger connectivity observed in adults than children.
- The default network, active during rest, shows posterior-anterior connectivity, which is often weaker in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Previous studies on ASD connectivity relied on control-based analysis regions, potentially biasing results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate functional connectivity differences in the default network between adolescents with ASD and controls using an individualized, data-driven approach.
- To examine age-related changes in default network connectivity within both ASD and control groups.
- To validate the utility of self-organizing maps (SOM) for analyzing brain connectivity in clinical populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans from 39 adolescents with ASD and 41 controls.
- Employed a self-organizing maps (SOM) algorithm to identify individualized resting-state brain clusters for connectivity analysis.
- Calculated functional connectivity between the posterior hub of the default network and the right superior frontal gyrus.
Main Results:
- Adolescents with ASD exhibited significantly weaker connectivity between the default network's posterior hub and the right superior frontal gyrus compared to controls.
- Control participants demonstrated greater age-related increases in functional connectivity than the ASD group.
- The SOM analysis confirmed previous findings and highlighted differences in connectivity patterns.
Conclusions:
- Self-organizing maps (SOM) provide a valuable, individualized method for assessing functional connectivity in clinical populations like ASD.
- Adolescents with ASD display altered developmental trajectories in default network connectivity compared to neurotypical peers.
- These findings contribute to understanding the neural underpinnings of ASD and its developmental course.
