Topology of Individual-Level Gray Matter Morphological Networks in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
10.3969/j.issn.1005-5185.2025.08.004
- VernacularTitle:自闭症谱系障碍儿童个体水平灰质形态脑网络拓扑学研究
- Author:
Guanghui LIAO
1
;
Baolin WU
;
Xudong SHEN
Author Information
1. 恩施市中心医院放射影像科,湖北 恩施 445000
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Autism spectrum disorder;
Graph theory;
Brain networks;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
Small-world property
- From:
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging
2025;33(8):816-821
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Purpose To investigate the patterns of change in the topological organization of individual level gray matter morphological networks in children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD).Materials and Methods The clinical and high-resolution T1 structural image data of 52 ASD children and 69 typical developing children from Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange public database were selected.The individual gray matter structural networks were constructed by calculating the similarities of regional gray matter morphology.The global and local topological metrics of individual gray matter networks were analyzed using a graph theory method and compared between the two groups.Partial correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between topological metrics showing significant between group differences and clinical characteristics in the ASD group.Results The verbal IQ was significantly lower in the ASD group compared with the typical developing group(t=-3.151,P=0.002),and no significant differences were found in full scale IQ and performance IQ between the two groups(P>0.05).Compared with the typical developing group,the ASD group showed significantly higher global efficiency(P=0.014),lower clustering coefficient(P=0.044)and characteristic path length(P=0.020)of gray matter structural networks.In the ASD group,abnormal nodal centralities were found in multiple brain regions(P<0.05,false discovery rate corrected),including the bilateral dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus,bilateral precuneus,bilateral caudate nucleus,right superior temporal gyrus,left middle temporal gyrus and bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus.No significant associations were found between the abnormal network topological metrics and IQ scores in the ASD group(r=0.069-0.187,all P>0.05).Conclusion Altered topological organization of individualized gray matter morphological networks is found in children with ASD,as characterized by decreased local segregation and increased global integration of networks.The areas with abnormal nodal centralities in children with ASD are mainly located at the brain regions involved in emotional processing,social and high-order cognitive functions.
