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Editorial: Mapping the Miswired Connectome in Autism Spectrum Disorder
1Nanning Normal University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|January 12, 2020
Summary
Investigating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) brain connectivity is advancing with resting-state functional MRI (rfMRI) and open data initiatives. Large-scale studies reveal network functional impairments, but the precise wiring of these connections in ASD requires further exploration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Psychiatric Neuroscience
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research faces challenges due to small sample sizes and evolving methodologies.
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI) has advanced pediatric neuroimaging by quantifying functional connectivity (FC) from spontaneous brain activity.
- Open pediatric neuroimaging science (OPENS) initiatives, like the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE), facilitate large-scale data sharing for ASD studies.
Discussion:
- Big data studies using OPENS and rfMRI have identified functional impairments in sensory and cognitive brain networks in ASD.
- These findings suggest potential disruptions in how different brain networks interact.
- Further research is needed to determine if these observed functional impairments stem from a fundamentally miswired brain connectome in ASD.
Key Insights:
- rfMRI enables robust quantification of brain functional connectivity in pediatric neuroimaging.
- Large-scale, harmonized datasets through OPENS are crucial for advancing ASD research.
- ASD is characterized by functional impairments in key sensory and cognitive brain networks.
Outlook:
- Future research should focus on elucidating the precise nature of network miswiring in the ASD connectome.
- Integrating multi-modal neuroimaging data may provide a more comprehensive understanding of ASD brain alterations.
- Continued development and application of advanced analytical techniques are essential for unraveling complex brain-behavior relationships in ASD.
