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Published on: April 22, 2015
Alterations of White Matter Connectivity in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Shi-Jun Li1, Yi Wang1, Long Qian1
1From the Departments of Medical Instruments (S.J.L.), Stomatology (Y.W.), Radiology (G.L., S.F.L., Y.L.W., X.L., L.M.), Pediatrics (L.P.Z., X.Q.C.), Rehabilitation Medicine (N.H.), Neurology (S.Y.Y., M.W.H.), Neurosurgery (S.L.G.), and Medical Information (L.Z.), Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28th Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China (L.Q.); Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (J.S.Z., K.L.); and Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China (H.T.W., J.X.Q.).
Insights
Preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show altered brain network connectivity. These differences in white matter networks may indicate potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and intervention in ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting social interaction and communication.
- Understanding the brain's structural connectivity is crucial for identifying developmental differences in ASD.
- Preschool age is a critical period for early intervention in ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the topological architecture of white matter connectivity networks in preschool-aged children with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) children.
- To identify potential neuroimaging biomarkers for ASD in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and T2-weighted imaging were performed on 21 preschool children with ASD and 21 TD children.
- Graph theoretical analysis was used to examine global and local network topology.
- Statistical analysis compared network parameters between the ASD and TD groups.
Main Results:
- Children with ASD exhibited a shortened characteristic path length and increased global efficiency and clustering coefficient compared to TD children.
- Nodal efficiency was significantly increased in the basal ganglia network, specifically in the left pallidum and right caudate nucleus.
- These findings indicate significant alterations in both global and local brain network topography in preschool children with ASD.
Conclusions:
- Altered brain network topography in preschool children with ASD suggests underlying abnormalities in brain development.
- The identified changes in structural connectivity within basal ganglia and paralimbic-limbic networks may serve as potential imaging biomarkers for ASD.
- These findings highlight the importance of neuroimaging in understanding and diagnosing ASD in early childhood.
Abstract:
Purpose To investigate the topologic architecture of white matter connectivity networks in preschool-aged children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) versus typical development (TD). Materials and Methods Forty-two participants were enrolled, including 21 preschool children with ASD (14 male children and seven female children; mean age, 4.56 years ± 0.97 [standard deviation]) and 21 children with TD (11 males and 10 females; mean age, 5.13 years ± 0.82). The diagnosis of ASD was determined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Global Assessment of Functioning scores (mean score, 8.00 ± 0.50). All participants underwent diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and T2-weighted imaging on a 3-T magnetic resonance system. A graph theoretical analysis was applied to investigate the topologic organization of the brain network including global and local topologic parameters. Statistical analysis was then performed for the comparison between the groups. Results Compared with the TD group, children with ASD demonstrated shortened characteristic path length (t1 = 0.536, t2 = 0.534, t3 = 0.523, t4 = 0.510, and t5 = 0.501; P < .05) and increased global efficiency (t1 = 0.499, t2 = 0.497, t3 = 0.486, t4 = 0.473, and t5 = 0.465; P < .05) and clustering coefficient (t1 = 0.673, t2 = 0.750, t3 = 0.757, t4 = 0.738, and t5 = 0.741; P < .05). Significant increases in nodal efficiency were mainly found in left pallidum (0.037 vs 0.032, respectively; P < .01) and right caudate nucleus (0.037 vs 0.032, respectively; P < .01) of the basal ganglia network. Conclusion Significantly altered patterns of global and local brain network topography may underlie the abnormal brain development in preschool children with ASD compared with those who have TD. The identification of altered structural connectivity in basal ganglia and paralimbic-limbic networks may point toward potential imaging biomarkers for preschool-age patients with ASD. © RSNA, 2018.
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