Largely typical patterns of resting-state functional connectivity in high-functioning adults with autism

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging
• Autism Research

Background:

• A prominent theory suggests global brain connectivity abnormalities underlie autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• However, previous research often yielded weak, inconsistent, or incomplete findings regarding brain connectivity in ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whole-brain and regional functional connectivity patterns in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder using resting-state fMRI.
• To determine if global or regional brain connectivity differs between neurotypical adults and adults with ASD.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of resting-state blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) data.
• Application of multiple analytical approaches to assess whole-brain and regional connectivity.
• Careful control for confounding factors, such as head motion during scanning.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in overall patterns or strengths of resting-state functional connectivity were found between neurotypical adults and adults with ASD.
• Limited evidence for abnormal regional functional connectivity in ASD, primarily in frontal and temporal cortices, with generally lower connectivity observed.
• Head motion significantly impacts functional connectivity measures, necessitating stringent control.

Conclusions:

• The hypothesis of globally abnormal brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorder is not supported by this study's findings.
• Observed regional differences in frontal and temporal cortices warrant further investigation, considering potential confounding factors.
• Caution is advised when interpreting functional connectivity findings in ASD due to potential motion artifacts and the possibility of synaptic-level alterations not detected by BOLD-fMRI.