Objective

Converging evidence indicates that brain abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) involve atypical network connectivity. Given the central role of social deficits in the ASD phenotype, this investigation examined functional connectivity of the amygdala—a brain structure critically involved in processing of social information—in children and adolescents with ASDs, as well as age-dependent changes and links with clinical symptoms.

Method

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 55 participants with ASDs and 50 typically developing (TD) controls, aged 7 to 17 years, were included. Groups were matched for age, gender, IQ, and head motion. Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) analysis was applied to examine intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of the amygdala, including cross-sectional tests of age-related changes.

Results

Direct between-group comparisons revealed reduced functional connectivity between bilateral amygdalae and left inferior occipital cortex, accompanied by greater connectivity between right amygdala and right sensorimotor cortex in the ASD group. This atypical pattern of amygdala connectivity was associated with decreased symptom severity and better overall functioning, as specifically seen in an ASD subgroup with the most atypical amygdala iFC but the least impaired social functioning. Age-related strengthening of amygdala−prefrontal connectivity, as observed in the TD group, was not detected in children with ASDs.

Conclusion

Findings support aberrant network sculpting in ASDs, specifically atypical integration between amygdala and primary sensorimotor circuits. Paradoxical links between atypical iFC and behavioral measures suggest that abnormal amygdala functional connections may be compensatory in some individuals with ASDs.

中文翻译：

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自闭症儿童症状严重程度降低与杏仁核的非典型功能连通性

客观的

越来越多的证据表明，自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）中的大脑异常涉及非典型的网络连通性。鉴于社会缺陷在ASD表型中的核心作用，本研究调查了ASD儿童和青少年中杏仁核的功能连接性（一种参与社会信息处理的关键大脑结构），以及年龄依赖性变化和与临床的联系症状。

方法

包括来自55位年龄在7至17岁的ASD和50位典型发育（TD）对照的参与者的静止状态功能磁共振成像（rs-fMRI）数据。根据年龄，性别，智商和头部运动对各组进行匹配。功能连接性MRI（fcMRI）分析用于检查杏仁核的内在功能连接性（iFC），包括与年龄相关的变化的横断面测试。

结果

直接的组间比较显示，双侧扁桃体和左枕下皮质之间的功能连通性降低，而ASD组的右扁桃体和右感觉运动皮层之间的连通性更高。杏仁核连接的这种非典型模式与症状严重程度降低和整体功能更好相关，如在具有非典型杏仁核iFC但社交功能受损最少的ASD亚组中特别看到的。如在TD组中观察到的，与年龄相关的杏仁核-前额叶连接性的增强在ASD患儿中未发现。

结论

研究结果支持ASD中异常的网络雕刻，特别是杏仁核和主要感觉运动电路之间的非典型集成。非典型iFC与行为量度之间的自相矛盾的联系表明，在某些患有ASD的个体中，杏仁核功能异常连接可能是补偿性的。