Structure-Function Connectomics Reveals Aberrant Developmental Trajectory Occurring at Preadolescence in the Autistic...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

• Brain connectomics, assessed via neuroimaging, reflects brain maturation and neural development.
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known to impact neurodevelopmental trajectories.
• The specific relationship between chronological age and brain connectome age in ASD development remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between chronological age (ChA) and brain connectome age (BCA) in individuals with ASD during development.
• To compare brain development trajectories in ASD with typically developing controls (TDCs).
• To understand the role of BCA in aberrant neurodevelopmental pathways in ASD.

Main Methods:

• Utilized neuroimaging data from 50 individuals with ASD and 47 age- and gender-matched TDCs (ages 5-18).
• Assessed both functional and structural connectomics using resting-state functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging.
• Estimated BCA from structure-function connectomics via linear support vector regression.

Main Results:

• Brain connectome age (BCA) closely matched chronological age (ChA) in TDCs.
• This age-estimation accuracy was not observed in individuals with ASD.
• ASD participants showed accelerated brain maturation in youth, transitioning to delayed development from preadolescence onwards.

Conclusions:

• Brain connectome age is a critical marker for understanding atypical developmental trajectories in ASD.
• Findings suggest distinct patterns of brain maturation and development in ASD.
• This research offers new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ASD.