Specific EEG resting state biomarkers in FXS and ASD

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions that often have a substantial impact on daily functioning and quality of life. FXS is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability (ID) and the most common monogenetic cause of ASD. Previous literature has shown that electrophysiological activity measured by electroencephalogram (EEG) during resting state is perturbated in FXS and ASD. However, whether electrophysiological profiles of participants with FXS and ASD are similar remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare EEG alterations found in these two clinical populations presenting varying degrees of cognitive and behavioral impairments.

Resting state EEG signal complexity, alpha peak frequency (APF) and power spectral density (PSD) were compared between 47 participants with FXS (aged between 5-20), 49 participants with ASD (aged between 6-17), and 52 neurotypical (NT) controls with a similar age distribution using MANCOVAs with age as covariate when appropriate. MANCOVAs controlling for age, when appropriate, and nonverbal intelligence quotient (NVIQ) score were subsequently performed to determine the impact of cognitive functioning on EEG alterations.

Our results showed that FXS participants manifested decreased signal complexity and APF compared to ASD participants and NT controls, as well as altered power in the theta, alpha and low gamma frequency bands. ASD participants showed exaggerated beta power compared to FXS participants and NT controls, as well as enhanced low and high gamma power compared to NT controls. However, ASD participants did not manifest altered signal complexity or APF. Furthermore, when controlling for NVIQ, results of decreased complexity in higher scales and lower APF in FXS participants compared to NT controls and ASD participants were not replicated.

These findings suggest that signal complexity and APF might reflect cognitive functioning, while altered power in the low gamma frequency band might be associated with neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly FXS and ASD.