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Published on: August 5, 2017
Disrupted dynamic functional network connectivity in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Felicha T Candelaria-Cook1, Megan E Schendel1, Lucinda Flynn1
1The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Insights
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) show altered brain connectivity patterns. Prenatal alcohol exposure impacts dynamic functional network connectivity, affecting brain states and fluidity in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) leads to neurodevelopmental deficits.
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is associated with reduced white matter volume and impaired static functional connectivity.
- The effects of PAE on dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of PAE on resting-state dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) in children.
- To compare dFNC patterns between children with FASD and typically developing controls (TDC).
Main Methods:
- Magnetoencephalography (MEG) resting-state data were collected from 89 children (51 TDC, 38 FASD) aged 6-16 years.
- Eyes-closed and eyes-open conditions were used to analyze dFNC statistics and meta-states.
- Group spatial independent component analysis was applied to source-analyzed MEG data to derive functional networks for dFNC calculation.
Main Results:
- Children with FASD exhibited greater dynamic fluidity and dynamic range compared to TDC.
- During eyes-closed, the FASD group spent more time in states characterized by anticorrelation within/between default mode network (DMN) and visual network (VN), and states with increased internetwork correlation.
- During eyes-open, TDC favored a state with positive connectivity, while the FASD group spent more time in a state with anticorrelation within/between DMN and VN and strong correlation within other networks.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences in resting-state dFNC exist between children with FASD and TDC.
- PAE is associated with altered brain network dynamics, including increased fluidity and altered connectivity states.
- These findings suggest a global impact of PAE on resting-state functional connectivity in the developing brain.
Background:
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in harmful and long-lasting neurodevelopmental changes. Children with PAE or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have decreased white matter volume and resting-state spectral power compared to typically developing controls (TDC) and impaired resting-state static functional connectivity. The impact of PAE on resting-state dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) is unknown.
Methods:
Using eyes-closed and eyes-open magnetoencephalography (MEG) resting-state data, global dFNC statistics and meta-states were examined in 89 children aged 6-16 years (51 TDC, 38 with FASD). Source analyzed MEG data were used as input to group spatial independent component analysis to derive functional networks from which the dFNC was calculated.
Results:
During eyes-closed, relative to TDC, participants with FASD spent a significantly longer time in state 2, typified by anticorrelation (i.e., decreased connectivity) within and between default mode network (DMN) and visual network (VN), and state 4, typified by stronger internetwork correlation. The FASD group exhibited greater dynamic fluidity and dynamic range (i.e., entered more states, changed from one meta-state to another more often, and traveled greater distances) than TDC. During eyes-open, TDC spent significantly more time in state 1, typified by positive intra- and interdomain connectivity with modest correlation within the frontal network (FN), while participants with FASD spent a larger fraction of time in state 2, typified by anticorrelation within and between DMN and VN and strong correlation within and between FN, attention network, and sensorimotor network.
Conclusions:
There are important resting-state dFNC differences between children with FASD and TDC. Participants with FASD exhibited greater dynamic fluidity and dynamic range and spent more time in states typified by anticorrelation within and between DMN and VN, and more time in a state typified by high internetwork connectivity. Taken together, these network aberrations indicate that prenatal alcohol exposure has a global effect on resting-state connectivity.
