Brain development
How Brain Connections to the Striatum Develop in Autism
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
While typical individuals show decreasing brain connectivity to the striatum as they mature, individuals with autism show atypical increases in these connections over time.
Key findings
While both groups showed a general decrease in cortico-striatal connectivity as they aged, participants with autism displayed atypical developmental pathways. Specifically, as typically developing individuals grew older, their striatal connectivity to the cerebellum and temporal regions decreased, whereas individuals with autism showed increases in these same pathways over age. These findings suggest atypical developmental reorganization in circuits associated with social and cognitive processing.
Methodology
The researchers scanned Forty-two participants with autism and 48 typically developing controls who were between the ages of 8 and 36. They utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure spontaneous neural activity. By analyzing 12 regions of interest within the striatum, they evaluated functional connections to other brain areas.
Limitations
Because this study is cross-sectional rather than longitudinal, it cannot definitively prove how an individual's brain connectivity changes over time. Additionally, the researchers did not find a direct correlation between these atypical connectivity patterns and clinical measures of autism severity. Finally, due to differences in head sizes, the fMRI scans did not capture the entire cerebellum, meaning potential connectivity differences in its lower areas remain unexamined.
How this study connects
Role on claims
Each row is a claim on a concept or method page where this paper supports, challenges, or qualifies the statement. Roles are hand-checked — not a model guess.
Developmental trajectories of striatal connectivity show contrasting patterns between neurotypical individuals and those with autism, with the latter showing atypical age-related increases in connectivity to temporal and cerebellar regions.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
Resting-state functional connectivity undergoes dynamic developmental changes, with typical maturation involving a decrease in connections between the striatum and regions like the cerebellum and temporal lobe, while individuals with autism show atypical increases in these same pathways over age.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
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