Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism
Impairments in social communication (SC) represent one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While previous studies have demonstrated that exercise intervention improves SC in children with ASD, there is currently no neuroscientific evidence supporting its benefits. Therefore, we e...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/11/803 |
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| author | Kelong Cai Qian Yu Fabian Herold Zhimei Liu Jingui Wang Lina Zhu Xuan Xiong Aiguo Chen Patrick Müller Arthur F. Kramer Notger G. Müller Liye Zou |
| author_facet | Kelong Cai Qian Yu Fabian Herold Zhimei Liu Jingui Wang Lina Zhu Xuan Xiong Aiguo Chen Patrick Müller Arthur F. Kramer Notger G. Müller Liye Zou |
| author_sort | Kelong Cai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Impairments in social communication (SC) represent one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While previous studies have demonstrated that exercise intervention improves SC in children with ASD, there is currently no neuroscientific evidence supporting its benefits. Therefore, we evaluated the outcomes of a long-term exercise intervention on SC and white matter integrity (WMI) in children with ASD, and further explored the neural mechanism of exercise intervention on SC in these children. Twenty-nine children aged 3–6 years with ASD were assigned to either exercise group (<i>n</i> = 15) or control group (<i>n</i> = 14). The exercise group received a scheduled mini-basketball training program (5 sessions per week, forty minutes per session) for 12 consecutive weeks, while the control group was instructed to maintain their daily activities. Groups were assessed before and after intervention on SC and WMI. SC scores were lower in the exercise group post-intervention. Compared with the control group, WMI of the exercise group showed higher fractional anisotropy in the body of corpus callosum, fornix, right cerebral peduncle, left posterior limb of internal capsule, right retrolenticular part of internal capsule, left anterior corona radiate and left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus; lower mean diffusivity in the left anterior corona radiate and the bilateral corticospinal tract. Furthermore, increased WMI was associated with lower scores on a measure of social cognition in the overall sample. This study is the first to provide evidence that exercise intervention improves SC and white matter integrity in children with autism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:11:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-86ce398340e3490b85ab6cc230e2bad6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:11:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-86ce398340e3490b85ab6cc230e2bad62023-11-20T19:19:21ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252020-10-01101180310.3390/brainsci10110803Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with AutismKelong Cai0Qian Yu1Fabian Herold2Zhimei Liu3Jingui Wang4Lina Zhu5Xuan Xiong6Aiguo Chen7Patrick Müller8Arthur F. Kramer9Notger G. Müller10Liye Zou11College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, ChinaExercise and Mental Health Laboratory, Institute of Mental Health, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaResearch Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, GermanyCollege of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, ChinaCollege of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, ChinaSchool of Physical Education and Sports Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaCollege of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, ChinaCollege of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, ChinaResearch Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, GermanyCenter for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USAResearch Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, GermanyExercise and Mental Health Laboratory, Institute of Mental Health, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaImpairments in social communication (SC) represent one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While previous studies have demonstrated that exercise intervention improves SC in children with ASD, there is currently no neuroscientific evidence supporting its benefits. Therefore, we evaluated the outcomes of a long-term exercise intervention on SC and white matter integrity (WMI) in children with ASD, and further explored the neural mechanism of exercise intervention on SC in these children. Twenty-nine children aged 3–6 years with ASD were assigned to either exercise group (<i>n</i> = 15) or control group (<i>n</i> = 14). The exercise group received a scheduled mini-basketball training program (5 sessions per week, forty minutes per session) for 12 consecutive weeks, while the control group was instructed to maintain their daily activities. Groups were assessed before and after intervention on SC and WMI. SC scores were lower in the exercise group post-intervention. Compared with the control group, WMI of the exercise group showed higher fractional anisotropy in the body of corpus callosum, fornix, right cerebral peduncle, left posterior limb of internal capsule, right retrolenticular part of internal capsule, left anterior corona radiate and left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus; lower mean diffusivity in the left anterior corona radiate and the bilateral corticospinal tract. Furthermore, increased WMI was associated with lower scores on a measure of social cognition in the overall sample. This study is the first to provide evidence that exercise intervention improves SC and white matter integrity in children with autism.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/11/803exercise interventionautism spectrum disorderssocial communicationwhite matter integritydiffusion tensor imaging |
| spellingShingle | Kelong Cai Qian Yu Fabian Herold Zhimei Liu Jingui Wang Lina Zhu Xuan Xiong Aiguo Chen Patrick Müller Arthur F. Kramer Notger G. Müller Liye Zou Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism Brain Sciences exercise intervention autism spectrum disorders social communication white matter integrity diffusion tensor imaging |
| title | Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism |
| title_full | Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism |
| title_fullStr | Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism |
| title_short | Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism |
| title_sort | mini basketball training program improves social communication and white matter integrity in children with autism |
| topic | exercise intervention autism spectrum disorders social communication white matter integrity diffusion tensor imaging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/11/803 |
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