Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South Street, 5th Floor, Room 5251, Philadelphia, PA, 19146, USA.
Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
J Neurodev Disord. 2021 Jan 23;13(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s11689-020-09350-1.
Neuroimaging research on individuals who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has historically been limited primarily to those with age-appropriate cognitive and language performance. Children with limited abilities are frequently excluded from such neuroscience research given anticipated barriers like tolerating the loud sounds associated with magnetic resonance imaging and remaining still during data collection. To better understand brain function across the full range of ASD there is a need to (1) include individuals with limited cognitive and language performance in neuroimaging research (non-sedated, awake) and (2) improve data quality across the performance range. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and test the feasibility of a clinical/behavioral and technical protocol for obtaining magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. Participants were 38 children with ASD (8-12 years) meeting the study definition of minimally verbal/nonverbal language. MEG data were obtained during a passive pure-tone auditory task.
Based on stakeholder feedback, the MEG Protocol for Low-language/cognitive Ability Neuroimaging (MEG-PLAN) was developed, integrating clinical/behavioral and technical components to be implemented by an interdisciplinary team (clinicians, behavior specialists, scientists, and technologists). Using MEG-PLAN, a 74% success rate was achieved for acquiring MEG data, with a 71% success rate for evaluable and analyzable data. Exploratory analyses suggested nonverbal IQ and adaptive skills were related to reaching the point of acquirable data. No differences in group characteristics were observed between those with acquirable versus evaluable/analyzable data. Examination of data quality (evaluable trial count) was acceptable. Moreover, results were reproducible, with high intraclass correlation coefficients for pure-tone auditory latency.
Children who have ASD who are minimally verbal/nonverbal, and often have co-occurring cognitive impairments, can be effectively and comfortably supported to complete an electrophysiological exam that yields valid and reproducible results. MEG-PLAN is a protocol that can be disseminated and implemented across research teams and adapted across technologies and neurodevelopmental disorders to collect electrophysiology and neuroimaging data in previously understudied groups of individuals.
神经影像学研究主要集中在具有适当认知和语言表现的自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）个体上。由于磁共振成像相关的巨大噪音和数据采集时的静止要求等预期障碍，能力有限的儿童经常被排除在神经科学研究之外。为了更好地了解 ASD 个体的大脑功能，我们需要（1）将具有有限认知和语言能力的个体纳入神经影像学研究（非镇静、清醒状态），（2）改善整个表现范围内的数据质量。本研究旨在制定、实施并测试获取脑磁图（MEG）数据的临床/行为与技术方案的可行性。参与者为 38 名符合最小语言/非语言语言定义的 ASD 儿童（8-12 岁）。MEG 数据在被动纯音听觉任务期间获得。
基于利益相关者的反馈，制定了用于低语言/认知能力神经影像学的脑磁图方案（MEG-PLAN），该方案整合了临床/行为和技术组件，由跨学科团队（临床医生、行为专家、科学家和技术人员）实施。使用 MEG-PLAN，获得 MEG 数据的成功率为 74%，可评估和可分析数据的成功率为 71%。探索性分析表明，非言语智商和适应技能与获得数据有关。在可获得数据与可评估/可分析数据的组间特征上没有观察到差异。数据质量（可评估试验次数）的检查结果是可以接受的。此外，结果具有可重复性，纯音听觉潜伏期的组内相关系数很高。
具有最小语言/非语言能力且经常伴有认知障碍的 ASD 儿童可以有效地、舒适地完成电生理检查，该检查可产生有效且可重复的结果。MEG-PLAN 是一种方案，可在研究团队中传播和实施，并可适应各种技术和神经发育障碍，从而在以前研究较少的个体群体中收集电生理学和神经影像学数据。
