Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have higher rates of overweight and obesity (OWOB) compared with typically developing (TD) children. Brain functional connectivity differences have been shown in both ASD and OWOB. However, only one study to date has examined ASD and OWOB concurrently, so little is known regarding the neural mechanisms associated with the higher prevalence of OWOB and its behavioral impacts in ASD. We investigated co‐activation patterns (CAPs) of brain regions identified by independent component analysis in 129 children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years of age (n = 68 ASD). We examined the interaction between body mass index (BMI) and diagnosis in predicting dynamic brain metrics (dwell time, DT; frequency of occurrence, and transitions between states) as well as dimensional brain‐behavior relationships. The relationship between BMI and brain dynamics was moderated by diagnosis (ASD, TD), particularly among the frequency of CAP 4, characterized by co‐activation of lateral frontoparietal, temporal, and frontal networks. This pattern was negatively associated with parent‐reported inhibition skills. Children with ASD had shorter CAP 1, characterized by co‐activation of the subcortical, temporal, sensorimotor, and frontal networks, and CAP 4 DTs compared with TD children. CAP 1 DT was negatively associated with cognitive flexibility, inhibition, social functioning, and BMI. Cognitive flexibility moderated the relationship between BMI and brain dynamics in the visual network. Our findings provide novel evidence of neural mechanisms associated with OWOB in children with ASD. Further, poorer cognitive flexibility may result in increased vulnerability for children with ASD and co‐occurring OWOB.

中文翻译：

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自闭症青年的脑动力学改变模式与体重指数相关

自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童与正常发育（TD）的儿童相比，超重和肥胖（OWOB）的发生率更高。在ASD和OWOB中都已经显示出大脑功能连接性的差异。然而，迄今为止只有一项研究同时检查了ASD和OWOB，因此与OWOB较高患病率及其在ASD中的行为影响有关的神经机制知之甚少。我们调查共激活模式由独立成分分析在129米6之间的儿童和青少年以及18岁的鉴定脑区（CAPS）（ñ = 68 ASD）。我们检查了体重指数（BMI）与诊断之间的相互作用，以预测动态大脑指标（停留时间，DT，发生频率以及状态之间的转换）以及大脑与行为之间的关系。BMI和脑动力学之间的关系通过诊断（ASD，TD）得以缓解，尤其是在CAP 4频率中，其特征是外侧额叶，颞叶和额叶网络被共同激活。这种模式与父母报告的抑制能力呈负相关。与TD儿童相比，ASD儿童的CAP 1较短，其特征是皮层下，颞叶，感觉运动和额叶网络以及CAP 4 DTs共同激活。CAP 1 DT与认知灵活性，抑制，社交功能和BMI呈负相关。认知灵活性缓解了视觉网络中BMI与大脑动力学之间的关系。我们的发现为ASD儿童与OWOB相关的神经机制提供了新的证据。此外，较差的认知灵活性可能会导致ASD和同时发生的OWOB儿童的脆弱性增加。