Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is marked by atypical trajectory of brain maturation, yet the developmental abnormalities in brain function remain unclear. The current study examined the effect of age on amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in ASD and typical controls (TC) using a cross-sectional design. We classified all the participants into three age cohorts: child (<11 years, 18ASD/20TC), adolescent (11-18 years, 28ASD/26TC) and adult (≥18 years, 18ASD/18TC). Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to ascertain main effects and interaction effects on whole brain ALFF maps. Results exhibited significant main effect of diagnosis in ASD with decreased ALFF in the right precuneus and left middle occipital gyrus during all developmental stages. Significant diagnosis-by-age interaction was observed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) with ALFF lowered in autistic children but highered in autistic adolescents and adults. Specifically, remarkable quadratic change of ALFF with increasing age in mPFC presented in TC group was absent in ASD. Additionally, abnormal ALFF values in diagnosis-related brain regions predicted the social deficits in ASD. Our findings indicated aberrant developmental patterns of spontaneous brain activity associated with social deficits in ASD and highlight the crucial role of the default mode network in the development of disease.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5216408 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep39822 | DOI Listing |
JMIR Res Protoc
January 2025
Graduate Program of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition emerging in early childhood, characterized by core features such as sociocommunicative deficits and repetitive, rigid behaviors, interests, and activities. In addition to these, disruptive behaviors (DB), including aggression, self-injury, and severe tantrums, are frequently observed in pediatric patients with ASD. The atypical antipsychotics risperidone and aripiprazole, currently the only Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for severe DB in patients with ASD, often encounter therapeutic failure or intolerance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Behav Neurosci
January 2025
Economic, Psychological and Communication Sciences Department, Niccolò Cusano University, Rome, Italy.
This mini-review examines the available papers about virtual reality (VR) as a tool for the diagnosis or therapy of neurodevelopmental disorders, focusing on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). Through a search on literature, we selected 62 studies published between 1998 and 2024. After exclusion criteria, our synoptic table includes 32 studies on ADHD (17 were on diagnostic evaluation and 15 were on therapeutic interventions), 2 on pure ASD, and 2 on pure SLD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Dev Disabil
October 2024
Department of Media Sciences, Anna University, Chennai, India.
The paper advocates for the necessity of inclusive media literacy education (MLE) and equal opportunities for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is in alignment with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) 2008 and the Sustainable Development Goal 4 Quality Education (SDG, 2030). It underscores the commitment to 'leaving no one behind', a core tenet of the SDGs, by focusing on developing digital empathy and inclusive MLE for young adults with ASD in the digital age. The study aims to empower young adults with ASD in Chennai, India, with media literacy and digital empathy through a one-day hands-on workshop and to assess the impact of this educational intervention on their understanding and application of media literacy in their daily lives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Cell Neurosci
January 2025
Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social deficits and restricted behaviors, with developmental defects in GABAergic circuits proposed as a key underlying etiology. Here, we introduce the V-Y assay, a novel space preference test in which one arm of the Y-maze is initially hidden and later revealed as a novel space. Using an ASD mouse model with haploinsufficiency, which exhibits ASD-like social impairments that can be either exacerbated or ameliorated by GABAergic circuit manipulations, we observed impaired novel space preference and exploratory behavior in the V-Y assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Pediatr
January 2025
Division of Pediatric Neurology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by mutations in the or genes, leading to dysregulation of the mTOR pathway and multisystemic manifestations. Epilepsy is a common neurologic feature of TSC, frequently accompanied by neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Understanding the relationship between epilepsy severity, TSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND), and cognitive outcomes is crucial for optimizing patient care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!