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Updated: Jun 12, 2025
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Brain Cortical Volume and Thickness Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder Aged 2-4 Years: a Structural MRI
Yuan Yao1,2, Ling-Ling Guo3, Jun-Qi Gao1,2
1Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China.
Insights
Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show widespread brain abnormalities, particularly in frontal and parietal regions. These brain differences may indicate altered developmental trajectories in toddlers with ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
- Early identification and understanding of brain characteristics in toddlers with ASD are crucial for intervention.
- Brain morphological differences may underlie behavioral and developmental variations in young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain morphological characteristics in 2-to-4-year-olds with ASD.
- To compare brain structures between children with ASD, developmental delay (DD), and typically developing (TD) children.
- To explore the association between brain morphology and clinical behaviors in children with ASD.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 43 toddlers with ASD, 44 with DD, and 18 TD children (aged 2-4 years).
- Conducted whole-brain high-resolution MRI and clinical assessments for all participants.
- Analyzed brain structural data using Surface-Based Morphometry (FreeSurfer) and linear mixed-effects models.
Main Results:
- ASD group showed increased cortical thickness and volume in frontal and parietal regions compared to TD.
- ASD group had increased posterior frontal lobe and middle-posterior cingulate cortical volume versus DD.
- In ASD+DD, superior frontal sulcus thickness correlated with lower adaptive behavior; nucleus accumbens volume and superior frontal/precentral sulcus thickness linked to decreased language.
Conclusions:
- Widespread brain abnormalities, including altered cortical volume and thickness in frontal and parietal lobes, are present in young children with ASD.
- These morphological brain differences may serve as indicators of altered brain development in toddlers with ASD.
- Findings highlight the importance of neuroimaging in understanding early brain development in ASD.
Purpose:
To examine the brain morphological characteristics of 2-to-4-year-olds with ASD, including cortical and subcortical regions, and to investigate their associations with clinical behaviors.
Methods:
A total of 43 toddlers with ASD aged 2-4 years, 44 age- and gender- matched toddlers with developmental delay (DD) and 18 typically developing (TD) children were recruited. All participants underwent whole-brain high-resolution MRI and clinical assessments. Brain structural data were analyzed using Surface-Based Morphometry with FreeSurfer. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to identify differences in brain regions between groups and to explore their links with clinical behaviors.
Results:
Compared to TD group, ASD group demonstrated increased cortical thickness and volume, particularly within the frontal and parietal brain regions (FDR, p < 0.05). When compared to DD, ASD group exhibited a distinction in the increased cortical volume within the posterior frontal lobe and middle-post cingulate (FDR, p < 0.05). DD children had increased cortical thickness and cortical volume in the superior parietal gyrus compared to TD (FDR, p < 0.05). In the ASD + DD group, increased cortical thickness of the superior frontal sulcus was correlated with lower adaptive behavior, while reduced nucleus accumbens volume and increased cortical thickness of the superior frontal sulcus and precentral sulcus were associated with decreased language development (FDR, p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Our study found widespread brain abnormalities in young children with ASD, notably altered cortical volume and thickness in frontal and parietal lobes. These findings may serve as important indicators of altered brain development trajectories in this population.
