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Gray matter abnormalities in pediatric autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis with signed differential mapping

Jieke Liu1, Li Yao1, Wenjing Zhang1

  • 1Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, #37 Guoxue xiang, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|February 25, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Gray matter volume increases in brain regions like the angular gyrus are linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. These changes, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, may indicate core pathophysiology in early ASD development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with complex brain alterations.
  • Gray matter abnormalities in pediatric ASD are inconsistently reported, necessitating further investigation.
  • Understanding these changes is crucial for identifying early pathophysiological markers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically identify and map gray matter abnormalities in pediatric individuals with ASD using meta-analysis.
  • To explore the influence of clinical and demographic factors on these gray matter changes.
  • To elucidate the potential core pathophysiology of ASD in early developmental stages.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic literature search identified voxel-based morphometry studies in pediatric ASD.
  • Effect-size signed differential mapping was employed for quantitative estimation of regional gray matter abnormalities.
  • Meta-regression analysis examined associations between gray matter changes and factors like age, gender, IQ, and symptom severity.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric ASD individuals exhibited significant gray matter increases in the right angular gyrus, left superior/middle frontal gyrus, left precuneus, left inferior occipital gyrus, and right inferior temporal gyrus.
  • These regions largely overlap with the default mode network.
  • Gray matter decreases were observed in the left cerebellum and left postcentral gyrus.
  • Higher repetitive behavior scores (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised) correlated with increased gray matter volume in the right angular gyrus.

Conclusions:

  • Increased gray matter volume, particularly in the angular gyrus and prefrontal cortex, may represent a core pathophysiological feature in the early stages of ASD.
  • These findings highlight the importance of structural brain changes in understanding ASD development.
  • The study provides valuable insights into the neurobiology of pediatric ASD.

Keywords:
Autism spectrum disorderGray matterMeta-analysisPediatricsSigned differential mappingStructural MRI

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