Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns and functional connectivity (FC) in ASD, with no clear consensus on brain-behavio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The MIT Press
2019-02-01
|
| Series: | Network Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/netn_a_00067 |
| _version_ | 1818113245462921216 |
|---|---|
| author | Amanda K. Easson Zainab Fatima Anthony R. McIntosh |
| author_facet | Amanda K. Easson Zainab Fatima Anthony R. McIntosh |
| author_sort | Amanda K. Easson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns and functional connectivity (FC) in ASD, with no clear consensus on brain-behavior relationships or shared patterns of FC with typically developing controls. Here, we used a dimensional approach to characterize two distinct clusters of FC patterns across both ASD participants and controls using k-means clustering. Using multivariate statistical analyses, a categorical approach was taken to characterize differences in FC between subtypes and between diagnostic groups. One subtype was defined by increased FC within resting-state networks and decreased FC across networks compared with the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls, particularly within default mode, cingulo-opercular, sensorimotor, and occipital networks. There was no significant interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups. Finally, a dimensional analysis of FC patterns with behavioral measures of IQ, social responsiveness, and ASD severity showed unique brain-behavior relations in each subtype and a continuum of brain-behavior relations from ASD to controls within one subtype. These results demonstrate that distinct clusters of FC patterns exist across ASD and controls, and that FC subtypes can reveal unique information about brain-behavior relationships. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, with high variation in the types of severity of impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns of communication between brain regions, or functional connectivity (FC), in ASD. Here, we defined two distinct FC patterns and relationships between FC and behavior in a group of participants consisting of individuals with and without ASD. One subtype was defined by increased FC within distinct networks of brain regions and decreased FC between networks compared with the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls. The interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups was not significant. Dimensional analyses of FC patterns with behavioral measures revealed unique information about brain-behavior relations in each subtype. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T03:31:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af5f72e5935d4a578d5ced0e445393a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2472-1751 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T03:31:46Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | The MIT Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Network Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-af5f72e5935d4a578d5ced0e445393a22022-12-22T01:22:21ZengThe MIT PressNetwork Neuroscience2472-17512019-02-013234436210.1162/netn_a_00067netn_a_00067Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorderAmanda K. Easson0Zainab Fatima1Anthony R. McIntosh2Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Sherman Health Sciences Centre, York University, Toronto, ON, CanadaRotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, CanadaAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns and functional connectivity (FC) in ASD, with no clear consensus on brain-behavior relationships or shared patterns of FC with typically developing controls. Here, we used a dimensional approach to characterize two distinct clusters of FC patterns across both ASD participants and controls using k-means clustering. Using multivariate statistical analyses, a categorical approach was taken to characterize differences in FC between subtypes and between diagnostic groups. One subtype was defined by increased FC within resting-state networks and decreased FC across networks compared with the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls, particularly within default mode, cingulo-opercular, sensorimotor, and occipital networks. There was no significant interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups. Finally, a dimensional analysis of FC patterns with behavioral measures of IQ, social responsiveness, and ASD severity showed unique brain-behavior relations in each subtype and a continuum of brain-behavior relations from ASD to controls within one subtype. These results demonstrate that distinct clusters of FC patterns exist across ASD and controls, and that FC subtypes can reveal unique information about brain-behavior relationships. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, with high variation in the types of severity of impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns of communication between brain regions, or functional connectivity (FC), in ASD. Here, we defined two distinct FC patterns and relationships between FC and behavior in a group of participants consisting of individuals with and without ASD. One subtype was defined by increased FC within distinct networks of brain regions and decreased FC between networks compared with the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls. The interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups was not significant. Dimensional analyses of FC patterns with behavioral measures revealed unique information about brain-behavior relations in each subtype.https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/netn_a_00067Autism spectrum disorderFunctional connectivityClusteringBrain-behavior relationshipsMultivariate statisticsResting-state networks |
| spellingShingle | Amanda K. Easson Zainab Fatima Anthony R. McIntosh Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder Network Neuroscience Autism spectrum disorder Functional connectivity Clustering Brain-behavior relationships Multivariate statistics Resting-state networks |
| title | Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder |
| title_full | Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder |
| title_fullStr | Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder |
| title_short | Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder |
| title_sort | functional connectivity based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder |
| topic | Autism spectrum disorder Functional connectivity Clustering Brain-behavior relationships Multivariate statistics Resting-state networks |
| url | https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/netn_a_00067 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amandakeasson functionalconnectivitybasedsubtypesofindividualswithandwithoutautismspectrumdisorder AT zainabfatima functionalconnectivitybasedsubtypesofindividualswithandwithoutautismspectrumdisorder AT anthonyrmcintosh functionalconnectivitybasedsubtypesofindividualswithandwithoutautismspectrumdisorder |