Cao Wei, Zhu Huilin, Li Yan, Wang Yu, Bai Wuxia, Lao Uchong, Zhang Yingying, Ji Yan, He Sailing, Zou Xiaobing
Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou 510006, China.
Child Development & Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of SUN YAT-SEN University, No.2693, Kaichuang revenue, Lingnan Campuses, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Brain Sci. 2021 Jan 18;11(1):120. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11010120.
In the current study, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to collect resting-state signals from 77 males with autism spectrum disorders (ASD, age: 616.25) and 40 typically developing (TD) males (age: 616.58) in the theory-of-mind (ToM) network. The graph theory analysis was used to obtain the brain network properties in ToM network, and the multiple regression analysis demonstrated that males with ASD showed a comparable global network topology, and a similar age-related decrease in the medial prefrontal cortex area (mPFC) compared to TD individuals. Nevertheless, participants with ASD showed U-shaped trajectories of nodal metrics of right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and an age-related decrease in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), while trajectories of TD participants were opposite. The nodal metrics of the right TPJ was negatively associated with the social deficits of ASD, while the nodal metrics of the left MFG was negatively associated with the communication deficits of ASD. Current findings suggested a distinct developmental trajectory of the ToM network in males with ASD from childhood to adolescence.
在当前研究中，功能近红外光谱技术（fNIRS）被用于收集77名患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD，年龄：6至16.25岁）的男性和40名发育正常（TD）的男性（年龄：6至16.58岁）在心理理论（ToM）网络中的静息态信号。采用图论分析来获取ToM网络中的脑网络属性，多元回归分析表明，与TD个体相比，患有ASD的男性表现出相似的全局网络拓扑结构，以及内侧前额叶皮质区域（mPFC）中与年龄相关的类似下降。然而，患有ASD的参与者右侧颞顶联合区（TPJ）的节点指标呈现U形轨迹，左侧额中回（MFG）出现与年龄相关的下降，而TD参与者的轨迹则相反。右侧TPJ的节点指标与ASD的社交缺陷呈负相关，而左侧MFG的节点指标与ASD的沟通缺陷呈负相关。目前的研究结果表明，患有ASD的男性从儿童期到青春期，ToM网络具有独特的发育轨迹。
