Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Background: The functional mechanism behind autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not clear, but it is related to a brain connectivity disorder. Previous studies have found that functional brain connectivity of ASD is linked to both increased connections and weakened connections, and the inconsistencies...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bin Qin, Longlun Wang, Yun Zhang, Jinhua Cai, Jie Chen, Tingyu Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00278/full
_version_ 1819077973712568320
author Bin Qin
Longlun Wang
Yun Zhang
Jinhua Cai
Jie Chen
Tingyu Li
author_facet Bin Qin
Longlun Wang
Yun Zhang
Jinhua Cai
Jie Chen
Tingyu Li
author_sort Bin Qin
collection DOAJ
description Background: The functional mechanism behind autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not clear, but it is related to a brain connectivity disorder. Previous studies have found that functional brain connectivity of ASD is linked to both increased connections and weakened connections, and the inconsistencies in functional brain connectivity may be related to age. The functional connectivity in adolescents and adults with ASD is generally less than in age-matched controls; functional connectivity in younger children with the disorder appears to be higher. As the basis of the functional network, the structural network is less studied. This study intends to further study the pathogenesis of ASD by analyzing the white matter network of ASD preschool children.Materials and Methods: In this study, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was used to scan preschool children (aged 2–6 years, 39 children with ASD, 19 children as controls), and graph theory was used for analysis.Result: Enhanced topological network efficiency was found in the preschool children with ASD. A higher nodal efficiency was found in the left precuneus, thalamus, and bilateral superior parietal cortex, and the nodal efficiency of the left precuneus was positively associated with the severity of ASD.Conclusion: Our research shows the white matter network efficiency of preschoolers with ASD. It supports the theory of excessive early brain growth in ASD, and it shows left brain lateralization. It opens the way for new research perspectives of children with ASD.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T19:05:43Z
format Article
id doaj.art-95cea7089a584aaf83baf4b43af4caf7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-0640
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T19:05:43Z
publishDate 2018-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-95cea7089a584aaf83baf4b43af4caf72022-12-21T18:53:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402018-06-01910.3389/fpsyt.2018.00278365939Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging StudyBin Qin0Longlun Wang1Yun Zhang2Jinhua Cai3Jie Chen4Tingyu Li5Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaChildren Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, ChinaChildren Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, ChinaBackground: The functional mechanism behind autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not clear, but it is related to a brain connectivity disorder. Previous studies have found that functional brain connectivity of ASD is linked to both increased connections and weakened connections, and the inconsistencies in functional brain connectivity may be related to age. The functional connectivity in adolescents and adults with ASD is generally less than in age-matched controls; functional connectivity in younger children with the disorder appears to be higher. As the basis of the functional network, the structural network is less studied. This study intends to further study the pathogenesis of ASD by analyzing the white matter network of ASD preschool children.Materials and Methods: In this study, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was used to scan preschool children (aged 2–6 years, 39 children with ASD, 19 children as controls), and graph theory was used for analysis.Result: Enhanced topological network efficiency was found in the preschool children with ASD. A higher nodal efficiency was found in the left precuneus, thalamus, and bilateral superior parietal cortex, and the nodal efficiency of the left precuneus was positively associated with the severity of ASD.Conclusion: Our research shows the white matter network efficiency of preschoolers with ASD. It supports the theory of excessive early brain growth in ASD, and it shows left brain lateralization. It opens the way for new research perspectives of children with ASD.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00278/fullautism spectrum disorder (ASD)DTIgraph theorynetwork efficiencypreschool children
spellingShingle Bin Qin
Longlun Wang
Yun Zhang
Jinhua Cai
Jie Chen
Tingyu Li
Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Frontiers in Psychiatry
autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
DTI
graph theory
network efficiency
preschool children
title Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
title_full Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
title_fullStr Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
title_full_unstemmed Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
title_short Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
title_sort enhanced topological network efficiency in preschool autism spectrum disorder a diffusion tensor imaging study
topic autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
DTI
graph theory
network efficiency
preschool children
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00278/full
work_keys_str_mv AT binqin enhancedtopologicalnetworkefficiencyinpreschoolautismspectrumdisorderadiffusiontensorimagingstudy
AT longlunwang enhancedtopologicalnetworkefficiencyinpreschoolautismspectrumdisorderadiffusiontensorimagingstudy
AT yunzhang enhancedtopologicalnetworkefficiencyinpreschoolautismspectrumdisorderadiffusiontensorimagingstudy
AT jinhuacai enhancedtopologicalnetworkefficiencyinpreschoolautismspectrumdisorderadiffusiontensorimagingstudy
AT jiechen enhancedtopologicalnetworkefficiencyinpreschoolautismspectrumdisorderadiffusiontensorimagingstudy
AT tingyuli enhancedtopologicalnetworkefficiencyinpreschoolautismspectrumdisorderadiffusiontensorimagingstudy