scholarly journals Altered Gray-White Matter Boundary Contrast in Toddlers at Risk for Autism Relates to Later Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Godel ◽  
Derek Sayre Andrews ◽  
David Gil Amaral ◽  
Sally Ozonoff ◽  
Gregory S. Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Diagnostic Outcome

Abstract Background: Recent neuroimaging studies have highlighted differences in cerebral maturation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to typical development. For instance, the contrast of the gray-white matter boundary is decreased in adults with ASD. To determine how gray-white matter boundary integrity relates to early ASD phenotypes, we used a regional structural MRI index of gray-white matter contrast (GWC) on a sample of toddlers with a hereditary high risk for ASD. Methods: We used a surface-based approach to compute vertex-wise GWC in a longitudinal cohort of toddlers at high-risk for ASD imaged twice between 12 and 24 months (n=20). A full clinical assessment of ASD-related symptoms was performed in conjunction with imaging and again at three years of age for diagnostic outcome. Three outcome groups were defined (ASD, n=9; typical development, n=8; non-typical development, n=3).Results: ASD diagnostic outcome at age 3 was associated with widespread increases in GWC between age 12 and 24 months. Many cortical regions were affected, including regions implicated in social processing and language acquisition. In parallel, we found that early onset of ASD symptoms (i.e. prior to 18-months) was specifically associated with slower GWC rates of change during the second year of life. These alterations were found in areas mainly belonging to the central executive network.Limitations: Our study is the first to measure maturational changes in GWC in toddlers who developed autism, but given the limited size of our sample results should be considered exploratory and warrant further replication in independent and larger samples. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that ASD is linked to early alterations of the gray-white matter boundary in widespread brain regions. Early onset of ASD diagnosis constitutes an independent clinical parameter associated with a specific corresponding neurobiological developmental trajectory. Altered neural migration and/or altered myelination processes potentially explain these findings.

scholarly journals Altered Gray-White Matter Boundary Contrast in Toddlers at Risk for Autism Relates to Later Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Godel ◽  
Derek S. Andrews ◽  
David G. Amaral ◽  
Sally Ozonoff ◽  
Gregory S. Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Diagnostic Outcome

BackgroundRecent neuroimaging studies have highlighted differences in cerebral maturation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to typical development. For instance, the contrast of the gray-white matter boundary is decreased in adults with ASD. To determine how gray-white matter boundary integrity relates to early ASD phenotypes, we used a regional structural MRI index of gray-white matter contrast (GWC) on a sample of toddlers with a hereditary high risk for ASD.Materials and MethodsWe used a surface-based approach to compute vertex-wise GWC in a longitudinal cohort of toddlers at high-risk for ASD imaged twice between 12 and 24 months (n = 20). A full clinical assessment of ASD-related symptoms was performed in conjunction with imaging and again at 3 years of age for diagnostic outcome. Three outcome groups were defined (ASD, n = 9; typical development, n = 8; non-typical development, n = 3).ResultsASD diagnostic outcome at age 3 was associated with widespread increases in GWC between age 12 and 24 months. Many cortical regions were affected, including regions implicated in social processing and language acquisition. In parallel, we found that early onset of ASD symptoms (i.e., prior to 18-months) was specifically associated with slower GWC rates of change during the second year of life. These alterations were found in areas mainly belonging to the central executive network.LimitationsOur study is the first to measure maturational changes in GWC in toddlers who developed autism, but given the limited size of our sample results should be considered exploratory and warrant further replication in independent and larger samples.ConclusionThese preliminary results suggest that ASD is linked to early alterations of the gray-white matter boundary in widespread brain regions. Early onset of ASD diagnosis constitutes an independent clinical parameter associated with a specific corresponding neurobiological developmental trajectory. Altered neural migration and/or altered myelination processes potentially explain these findings.

scholarly journals Altered gray-white matter boundary in toddlers at risk for autism relates to later diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Godel ◽  
Derek Sayre Andrews ◽  
David Gil Amaral ◽  
Sally Ozonoff ◽  
Gregory S. Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Diagnostic Outcome

Abstract Background: Recent neuroimaging studies have highlighted differences in cerebral maturation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to typical development. For instance, the sharpness of the gray-white matter boundary is decreased in adults with ASD. To determine how the gray-white matter boundary integrity relates to early ASD phenotypes, we used a regional structural MRI index called the gray-white matter contrast (GWC) on a sample of toddlers with a hereditary high risk for ASD. Methods: We used a surface-based approach to compute vertex-wise GWC in a longitudinal cohort of toddlers at high-risk for ASD imaged twice between 12 and 24 months (n=20). A full clinical assessment of ASD-related symptoms was performed in conjunction with imaging and again at three years of age for diagnostic outcome. Three outcome groups were defined (ASD, n=9; typical development, n=8; non-typical development, n=3).Results: ASD diagnostic outcome at age 3 was associated with widespread increases in GWC between age 12 and 24 months. Many cortical regions were affected, including regions implicated in social processing and language acquisition. In parallel, we found that early onset of ASD symptoms (i.e. prior to 18-months) was specifically associated with slower GWC rates of change during the second year of life. These alterations were found in areas mainly belonging to the central executive network.Limitations: Our study is the first to measure maturational changes in GWC in toddlers who developed autism, but the limited size of our sample warrants further replication in independent and larger samples. Conclusion: These results suggest that ASD is linked to early alterations of the gray-white matter boundary in widespread areas. Early onset of symptoms constitutes an independent clinical parameter associated with a specific corresponding neurobiological developmental trajectory. Altered neural migration and/or altered myelination processes potentially explain these findings.

scholarly journals Altered gray-white matter boundary in toddlers at risk for autism relates to later diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Godel ◽  
Derek Sayre Andrews ◽  
David Gil Amaral ◽  
Sally Ozonoff ◽  
Gregory S. Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Diagnostic Outcome

Abstract Background: Recent neuroimaging studies have highlighted differences in cerebral maturation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to typical development. For instance, the sharpness of the gray-white matter boundary is decreased in adults with ASD. To determine how the gray-white matter boundary integrity relates to early ASD phenotypes, we used a regional structural MRI index called the gray-white matter contrast (GWC) on a sample of toddlers with a hereditary high risk for ASD. Methods: We used a surface-based approach to compute vertex-wise GWC in a longitudinal cohort of toddlers at high-risk for ASD imaged twice between 12 and 24 months (n=20). A full clinical assessment of ASD-related symptoms was performed in conjunction with imaging and again at three years of age for diagnostic outcome. Three outcome groups were defined (ASD, n=9; typical development, n=8; non-typical development, n=3).Results: ASD diagnostic outcome at age 3 was associated with widespread increases in GWC between age 12 and 24 months. Many cortical regions were affected, including regions implicated in social processing and language acquisition. In parallel, we found that early onset of ASD symptoms (i.e. prior to 18-months) was specifically associated with slower GWC rates of change during the second year of life. These alterations were found in areas mainly belonging to the central executive network.Limitations: Our study is the first to measure maturational changes in GWC in toddlers who developed autism, but the limited size of our sample characterizes its exploratory nature and warrants further replication in independent and larger samples. Conclusion: These results suggest that ASD is linked to early alterations of the gray-white matter boundary in widespread areas. Early onset of symptoms constitutes an independent clinical parameter associated with a specific corresponding neurobiological developmental trajectory. Altered neural migration and/or altered myelination processes potentially explain these findings.

scholarly journals Identification of infants at high‐risk for autism spectrum disorder using multiparameter multiscale white matter connectivity networks

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 4880-4896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Jin ◽  
Chong‐Yaw Wee ◽  
Feng Shi ◽  
Kim‐Han Thung ◽  
Dong Ni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter Connectivity

scholarly journals Longitudinal Changes in Cortical Thickness in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Association with Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2024
Author(s):  
Valentina Bieneck ◽  
Anke Bletsch ◽  
Caroline Mann ◽  
Tim Schäfer ◽  
Hanna Seelemeyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Autism Symptoms

The neuroanatomy of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) shows highly heterogeneous developmental trajectories across individuals. Mapping atypical brain development onto clinical phenotypes, and establishing their molecular underpinnings, is therefore crucial for patient stratification and subtyping. In this longitudinal study we examined intra- and inter-individual differences in the developmental trajectory of cortical thickness (CT) in childhood and adolescence, and their genomic underpinnings, in 33 individuals with ASD and 37 typically developing controls (aged 11–18 years). Moreover, we aimed to link regional atypical CT development to intra-individual variations in restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) over a two-year time period. Individuals with ASD showed significantly reduced cortical thinning in several of the brain regions functionally related to wider autism symptoms and traits (e.g., fronto-temporal and cingulate cortices). The spatial patterns of the neuroanatomical differences in CT were enriched for genes known to be associated with ASD at a genetic and transcriptomic level. Further, intra-individual differences in CT correlated with within-subject variability in the severity of RRBs. Our findings represent an important step towards characterizing the neuroanatomical underpinnings of ASD across development based upon measures of CT. Moreover, our findings provide important novel insights into the link between microscopic and macroscopic pathology in ASD, as well as their relationship with different clinical ASD phenotypes.

scholarly journals Examining the boundary sharpness coefficient as an index of cortical microstructure and its relationship to age and sex in autism spectrum disorder

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Olafson ◽  
Saashi Bedford ◽  
Gabriel A. Devenyi ◽  
Raihaan Patel ◽  
Stephanie Tullo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sharpness Coefficient

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with atypical brain development. However, the phenotype of regionally specific increased cortical thickness observed in ASD may be driven by several independent biological processes that influence the gray/white matter boundary, such as synaptic pruning, myelination, or atypical migration. Here, we propose to use the boundary sharpness coefficient (BSC), a proxy for alterations in microstructure at the cortical gray/white matter boundary, to investigate brain differences in individuals with ASD, including factors that may influence ASD-related heterogeneity (age, sex, and intelligence quotient). Using a vertex-based meta-analysis and a large multi-center magnetic resonance structural imaging (MRI) dataset, with a total of 1136 individuals, 415 with ASD (112 female; 303 male) and 721 controls (283 female; 438 male), we observed that individuals with ASD had significantly greater BSC in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus indicating an abrupt transition (high contrast) between white matter and cortical intensities. Increases were observed in different brain regions in males and females, with larger effect sizes in females. Individuals with ASD under 18 had significantly greater BSC in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus and right postcentral gyrus; individuals with ASD over 18 had significantly increased BSC in the bilateral precuneus and superior temporal gyrus. BSC correlated with ADOS-2 CSS in individuals with ASD in the right medial temporal pole. Importantly, there was a significant spatial overlap between maps of the effect of diagnosis on BSC when compared to cortical thickness. These results invite studies to use BSC as a possible new measure of cortical development in ASD and to further examine the microstructural underpinnings of BSC-related differences and their impact on measures of cortical morphology.

scholarly journals A scoping review of deictic gesture use in toddlers with or at-risk for autism spectrum disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 239694151775189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy S Manwaring ◽  
Ashley L Stevens ◽  
Alfred Mowdood ◽  
Mellanye Lackey
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
At Risk ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
High Risk Infant ◽  
Deictic Gesture

Background and aims Young children use deictic gestures, such as pointing, to indicate referents in their immediate environment. Early deictic gesture use is important in facilitating the development of language. In toddlers with or at-risk for autism spectrum disorder, the emergence and use of gestures may be delayed, and deficits in deictic gesture may inform clinical practice regarding early identification, differential diagnosis, and early intervention. The aim of this scoping review was to investigate the extent to which deictic gesture use has been examined in young children with or at-risk for autism spectrum disorder ≤ 36 months of age. Methods Four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ERIC) were comprehensively searched for relevant articles. Articles were reviewed in two phases: titles and abstracts followed by full text. Key variables related to participant/study characteristics and group differences on deictic gesture use were extracted. A narrative review was used to synthesize findings across studies. Main contribution Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria – 12 studies of toddlers with autism spectrum disorder and 7 studies of high-risk infant siblings of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Overall, toddlers with autism spectrum disorder were found to demonstrate reduced gesture use across deictic gesture types and ages compared to those with typical development. Findings were more variable when comparing toddlers with autism spectrum disorder to those with other developmental delays and in high-risk infant sibling studies. Although only measured in a limited number of studies, results suggest differences in gesture use in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder based on communicative function. Conclusions This review provides insight into the gesture use of toddlers with or at-risk for autism spectrum disorder. Results indicate the particular types of deictic gestures that may be delayed and the age ranges we might expect to observe these deficits in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder compared to those with typical development and other developmental delay groups. Results also reveal variability across studies in the measurement of gestures, and highlight where gaps remain in understanding deictic gesture use in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Implications Findings have research and clinical implications related to profiling and targeting gesture use as part of the assessment and treatment process, including identifying patterns of strength and weakness in deictic gesture use of young children with or at-risk for autism spectrum disorder.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
pp. 158-176
Author(s):  
Karen Bearss ◽  
Aaron J. Kaat
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Functional Impairments ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Delayed Recognition

This chapter will review the available evidence on individuals with co-occurring diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This chapter contends that children diagnosed with both disorders (ASD+ADHD) are a subset of the ASD population that is at risk for delayed recognition of their ASD diagnosis, poor treatment response, and poorer functional outcomes compared to those with ASD without ADHD. Specifically, the chapter highlights the best estimates of the prevalence of the comorbidity, the developmental trajectory of people with co-occurring ASD and ADHD, how ADHD symptoms change across development, overlapping genetic and neurobiological risk factors, psychometrics of ADHD diagnostic instruments in an ASD population, neuropsychological and functional impairments associated with co-occurring ASD and ADHD, and the current state of evidence-based treatment for both ASD and ADHD symptoms. Finally, the chapter discusses fruitful avenues of research for improving understanding of this high-risk comorbidity so that mechanism-to-treatment pathways for ADHD in children with ASD can be better developed.

Are there anthropometric and body composition differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and children with typical development? Analysis by age and spectrum severity in a school population

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132098772
Author(s):  
Patricia Esteban-Figuerola ◽  
Paula Morales-Hidalgo ◽  
Victoria Arija-Val ◽  
Josefa Canals-Sans
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Height Ratio ◽  
Waist Height Ratio

Overweight and obesity have been reported to be more prevalent in populations with autism spectrum disorder than in children with typical development. The aim of this study was to compare the anthropometric status of children with autism spectrum disorder (diagnosed and subclinical) and children with typical development and analyse which variables can affect the anthropometric and health status of children with autism spectrum disorder. We present a two-phase epidemiological study in a school population of two age groups which assesses autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, anthropometric data and bioelectrical impedance analysis. From an initial sample of 3,713 children, 79 with autism spectrum disorder, 42 with subclinical autism spectrum disorder and 350 with typical development participated in the study. Pre-schoolers with autism spectrum disorder were taller than pre-schoolers with typical development. School-age children with autism spectrum disorder showed a significantly higher body mass index and rate of overweight/obesity than children with typical development (63.4% vs 46.3%). No significant differences were found for bioelectrical impedance analysis, but school-age children with autism spectrum disorder showed a significantly higher waist circumference, waist/height ratio and cardiovascular risk than children with typical development. The quality of the diet was lower in children with autism spectrum disorder than in children with typical development. Multiple regression analyses showed that having autism spectrum disorder and internalizing psychological problems were associated with waist/height ratio and high cardiovascular risk in school-age children. Lay abstract This study makes a comparison between the growth status of pre-school and school-age children with autism spectrum disorder and typical development children. Pre-schoolers with autism spectrum disorder were taller than children with typical development. School-age children with autism spectrum disorder were more overweight/obese, had more body fat and a greater waist circumference and waist/height ratio than children with typical development. The presence of autism spectrum disorder and internalizing problems was associated with cardiovascular risk in school-age children.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document