Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD
IntroductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder, characterized by language and social deficits that begin to appear in the first years of life. Research in preschool children with ASD has consistently reported increased global brain volume and abnormal cortical pattern...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1144993/full |
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| author | Jing Xin Kaiyu Huang Aiwen Yi Ziyu Feng Heng Liu Xiaoqing Liu Lili Liang Qingshan Huang Yaqiong Xiao |
| author_facet | Jing Xin Kaiyu Huang Aiwen Yi Ziyu Feng Heng Liu Xiaoqing Liu Lili Liang Qingshan Huang Yaqiong Xiao |
| author_sort | Jing Xin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder, characterized by language and social deficits that begin to appear in the first years of life. Research in preschool children with ASD has consistently reported increased global brain volume and abnormal cortical patterns, and the brain structure abnormalities have also been found to be clinically and behaviorally relevant. However, little is known regarding the associations between brain structure abnormalities and early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD.MethodsIn this study, we collected magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a cohort of Chinese preschool children with and without ASD (24 ASD/20 non-ASD) aged 12–52 months, explored group differences in brain gray matter (GM) volume, and examined associations between regional GM volume and early language and social abilities in these two groups, separately.ResultsWe observed significantly greater global GM volume in children with ASD as compared to those without ASD, but there were no regional GM volume differences between these two groups. For children without ASD, GM volume in bilateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum was significantly correlated with language scores; GM volume in bilateral prefrontal cortex was significantly correlated with social scores. No significant correlations were found in children with ASD.DiscussionOur data demonstrate correlations of regional GM volume with early language and social abilities in preschool children without ASD, and the absence of these associations appear to underlie language and social deficits in children with ASD. These findings provide novel evidence for the neuroanatomical basis associated with language and social abilities in preschool children with and without ASD, which promotes a better understanding of early deficits in language and social functions in ASD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:25:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47eae900c1604c66af083f96bb51fd04 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:25:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-47eae900c1604c66af083f96bb51fd042023-05-04T04:33:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-05-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.11449931144993Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASDJing Xin0Kaiyu Huang1Aiwen Yi2Ziyu Feng3Heng Liu4Xiaoqing Liu5Lili Liang6Qingshan Huang7Yaqiong Xiao8Foshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, ChinaCenter for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, ChinaFoshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, ChinaFoshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, ChinaFoshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, ChinaFoshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, ChinaCenter for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, ChinaIntroductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder, characterized by language and social deficits that begin to appear in the first years of life. Research in preschool children with ASD has consistently reported increased global brain volume and abnormal cortical patterns, and the brain structure abnormalities have also been found to be clinically and behaviorally relevant. However, little is known regarding the associations between brain structure abnormalities and early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD.MethodsIn this study, we collected magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a cohort of Chinese preschool children with and without ASD (24 ASD/20 non-ASD) aged 12–52 months, explored group differences in brain gray matter (GM) volume, and examined associations between regional GM volume and early language and social abilities in these two groups, separately.ResultsWe observed significantly greater global GM volume in children with ASD as compared to those without ASD, but there were no regional GM volume differences between these two groups. For children without ASD, GM volume in bilateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum was significantly correlated with language scores; GM volume in bilateral prefrontal cortex was significantly correlated with social scores. No significant correlations were found in children with ASD.DiscussionOur data demonstrate correlations of regional GM volume with early language and social abilities in preschool children without ASD, and the absence of these associations appear to underlie language and social deficits in children with ASD. These findings provide novel evidence for the neuroanatomical basis associated with language and social abilities in preschool children with and without ASD, which promotes a better understanding of early deficits in language and social functions in ASD.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1144993/fullautism spectrum disorderpreschool childrenbrain-behavior correlationlanguage and social abilitiesprefrontal cortexcerebellum |
| spellingShingle | Jing Xin Kaiyu Huang Aiwen Yi Ziyu Feng Heng Liu Xiaoqing Liu Lili Liang Qingshan Huang Yaqiong Xiao Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD Frontiers in Psychiatry autism spectrum disorder preschool children brain-behavior correlation language and social abilities prefrontal cortex cerebellum |
| title | Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD |
| title_full | Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD |
| title_fullStr | Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD |
| title_short | Absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with ASD |
| title_sort | absence of associations with prefrontal cortex and cerebellum may link to early language and social deficits in preschool children with asd |
| topic | autism spectrum disorder preschool children brain-behavior correlation language and social abilities prefrontal cortex cerebellum |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1144993/full |
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