| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Total Authors: 4
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| Affiliation: | [1] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Math Computat & Cognit, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Math & Stat, Dept Comp Sci, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
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| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY & NEUROSCIENCE; v. 41, n. 2, p. 124-132, MAR 2016. |
| Web of Science Citations: | 4 |
| Abstract | |
Background Several neuroimaging studies support the model of abnormal development of brain connectivity in patients with autism-spectrum disorders (ASD). In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis of reduced functional network segregation in autistic patients compared with controls. Methods Functional MRI data from children acquired under a resting-state protocol (Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange {[}ABIDE]) were submitted to both fuzzy spectral clustering (FSC) with entropy analysis and graph modularity analysis. Results We included data from 814 children in our analysis. We identified 5 regions of interest comprising the motor, temporal and occipito-temporal cortices with increased entropy (p < 0.05) in the clustering structure (i.e., more segregation in the controls). Moreover, we noticed a statistically reduced modularity (p < 0.001) in the autistic patients compared with the controls. Significantly reduced eigenvector centrality values (p < 0.05) in the patients were observed in the same regions that were identified in the FSC analysis. Limitations There is considerable heterogeneity in the fMRI acquisition protocols among the sites that contributed to the ABIDE data set (e.g., scanner type, pulse sequence, duration of scan and resting-state protocol). Moreover, the sites differed in many variables related to sample characterization (e.g., age, IQ and ASD diagnostic criteria). Therefore, we cannot rule out the possibility that additional differences in functional network organization would be found in a more homogeneous data sample of individuals with ASD. Conclusion Our results suggest that the organization of the whole-brain functional network in patients with ASD is different from that observed in controls, which implies a reduced modularity of the brain functional networks involved in sensorimotor, social, affective and cognitive processing. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 14/09576-5 - Development of computational-statistical methods to construct, model and analyze biological networks associated with human diseases |
| Grantee: | André Fujita |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |
| FAPESP's process: | 11/50761-2 - Models and methods of e-Science for life and agricultural sciences |
| Grantee: | Roberto Marcondes Cesar Junior |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Projects - Thematic Grants |