Default mode network abnormalities in children withautism spectrum disorder detected by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) in normal aging and in children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) and independent component analysis. Methods: Thirty-one healthy controls (HC) in four age groups (1-3, 4-8, 20-29, and 50-59 years) and 14 childhood ASD cases (1-8 years of age) were examined by rsfMRI echo-planar imaging on a clinical 3-T MRI scanner. Imaging of all children (1-8 years) was conducted under sedation, while adults were scanned in the awake state with eyes closed. Results: The regions of DMN functional connectivity in the bilateral inferior parietal lobule and posterior cingulate cortex were smaller in HC children than in HC adults, and smaller in the ASD group than in the HC children. Conclusion: It is possible to observe developmental and pathological changes in the DMN by rsfMRI. Reduced DMN functional connectivity in children may be a useful biomarker for ASD diagnosis.