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SFN Poster3x4 10 15 Final
SFN Poster3x4 10 15 Final
SFN Poster3x4 10 15 Final
Introduction Results
Autism is a developmental disorder Graph Analysis
known to affect brain structure and Using a graph approach, we found that within-network connectivity declined with
function, but how it affects function- age within the DAN, FPTC, and SELF networks. Neither age nor diagnostic group
al connectivity is not well understood. predicted overall change across all networks (age pcor = 0.254, group pcor = 0.873) (Fi-
There is evidence for long-range hy- gre 4).
poconnectivity and short-range hyper-
connectivity, but results are dependent Age predicted a decline in three networks: DAN, FPTC, and SELF (pcor = 0.003, pcor <
on motion, subject age, and method- 0.001, pcor = 0.002).
Figure 1: Default mode network (orange). Fox & Raichle (2007)
ological approach. There was no main effect of diagnostic group on functional connectivy in any net-
In this study we use two methodological approaches: graph-based functional connectivity (FC) and a work after correction for multiple comparisons; however, the effect on OTHER ap-
novel method called network kernel analysis, to analyze within- and between-network connectivity of proached significance (pcor = 0.056) (Figure 5).
large-scale intrinsic functional networks.
We used literature-defined coordinates to identify nodes in the default mode network (DMN), dorsal
attention network (DAN), frontal-parietal task control network (FPTC) and networks involved in emo-
tional processing (SELF and OTHER) [4]. We censored motion-tainted frames.
Figure 4: Age vs. mean connectivity Figure 5: Age vs. connectivity within the OTHER network
Our population consists of a cross-sectional sample (N=360) drawn from the Autism Brain Imaging
Data Exchange (ABIDE) repository, selected based on root mean squared mean absolute motion < 0.5 Network Kernel Analysis
mm, and individually matched for motion, full scale IQ, and age (7-35). We identified a well-fitting model across
all age groups and diagnostic groups.
Main Objectives These networks identified by NKA are
shown in Figure 8.
How are the intrinsic networks different in ASD subjects?
Network kernel analysis of the DMN
Are numerical measures of symptom severity correlated with intrinsic con- showed both increased (yellow) and de-
creased connectivity (blue) with age (Fig-
nectivity? ure 6). The top row of Figure 6 shows in-
creasing connectivity between the DMN
Methods and the hippocampus with age. The bot-
Data analyzed in this study were taken from the Autism Brain Imaging Database Exchange (ABIDE), a tom row shows attention-related areas
Figure 6: Changes in DMN connectivity with age
publicly available data set aggregating and openly sharing 1112 existing resting-state fMRI scans that decrease in connectivity with the
(rsfMRI) along with corresponding structural MRI and phenotypic information (539 ASD / 573 TD) [1]. DMN with age.
Figure 7 shows areas where there is Figure 8: Network kernels identified using NKA
We successfully download 1108 scans from ABIDE. Downloaded
Missing scans an interaction between DX status and
from ABIDE
We then excluded subjects with RMS mean absolute displace- (N=1108) N=12
age-related slope. Blue areas show where
ment > 0.5 mm (n=253), and another 53 due to artifacts. the ASD slope is lower.
We divided the remaining data set into eight age cohorts, and each Preprocessing Bad motion Correlation to the lingual gyrus with the Symptom Severity
N=253 DMN decreases with age in ASD sub-
age cohort into ASD and TD groups matched on motion, full scale We examined three symptom scores: ADOS social and communication, and the restrictive, reptitive, and
jects, whereas it increases with age in TD
IQ , and age. The creation of the cohort is detailed in Figure 2. stereotyped patterns of behavior subscore from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R-RRB).
Sample 1 Artifacts subjects.
To avoid oversampling from a specific age range, 116 subjects were (N=843) (N=53) Each subscore was independently evaluated with the two social networks: OTHER and SELF.
Correlation between the DMN and the
excluded in order to maintain similar group sizes. frontal pole decreases less in ASD than
Removed in TD with age. No score was significantly correlated with connectivity in either network.
ASD subjects had a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of Autistic Disor- Matching
to maintain
(age, FIQ,
der, Aspergers Disorder, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder mean abs)
group sizes