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Updated: Jun 22, 2025
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
[Neurodevelopment and cerebral blood flow in children aged 2-6 years with autism spectrum disorder]
Jia-Bao Yin1, Gan-Yu Wang1, Gui-Qin Duan1
1Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Insights
Boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show lower fine motor and social development than girls. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) may serve as a biomarker for ASD severity.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Pediatric neurology
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research
Objectives:
To investigate the neurodevelopmental characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), analyze the correlation between neurodevelopmental indicators and cerebral blood flow (CBF), and explore the potential mechanisms of neurodevelopment in ASD children.
Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted on 145 children aged 2-6 years with newly-diagnosed ASD. Scores from the Gesell Developmental Diagnosis Scale and the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and CBF results were collected to compare gender differences in the development of children with ASD and analyze the correlation between CBF and neurodevelopmental indicators.
Results:
Fine motor and personal-social development quotient in boys with ASD were lower than those in girls with ASD (P<0.05). Gross motor development quotient in ASD children was negatively correlated with CBF in the left frontal lobe (r=-0.200, P=0.016), right frontal lobe (r=-0.279, P=0.001), left parietal lobe (r=-0.208, P=0.012), and right parietal lobe (r=-0.187, P=0.025). The total ABC score was positively correlated with CBF in the left amygdala (r=0.295, P<0.001).
Conclusions:
Early intervention training should pay attention to gender and developmental structural characteristics for precise intervention in ASD children. CBF has the potential to become a biological marker for assessing the severity of ASD.
