Radiological Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, KSA.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2022 Aug 26;101(34):e30059. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000030059.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs during early childhood. The change from being normal across several contexts to displaying the behavioral phenotype of ASD occurs in infants and toddlers with autism. Findings provided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based research owing to the developmental phase, including potential pathways underlying the pathogenesis of the condition and the potential for signs and symptomatic risk prediction. The present study focuses on the characteristic features of magnetic resonance imaging autistic brain, how these changes are correlated to autism signs and symptoms and the implications of MRI as a potential tool for the early diagnosis of ASD. PRISMA style was used to conduct this review. Research articles related to the key concepts of this review, which is looking at MRI brain changes in autistic patients, were revised and incorporated with what is known with the pathophysiology of brain regions in relation to signs and symptoms of autism. Studies on brain MRI of autism were revied for major brain features and regions such as brain volume, cortex and hippocampus. This review reveals that brain changes seen in MRI are highly correlated with the signs and symptoms of autism. There are numerous distinct features noted in an autistic brain using MRI. Based on these findings, various developmental brain paths and autistic behavior culminate in a typical diagnosis, and it is possible that addressing these trajectories would improve the accuracy in which children are detected and provide the necessary treatment.
自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）是一种神经发育障碍，发生在儿童早期。自闭症婴儿和幼儿会从在多个环境中表现正常转变为表现出自闭症的行为表型。磁共振成像（MRI）为研究提供了依据，这些研究基于发育阶段，包括疾病发病机制的潜在途径以及出现迹象和症状风险预测的可能性。本研究侧重于磁共振成像自闭症大脑的特征，这些变化如何与自闭症的迹象和症状相关，以及 MRI 作为 ASD 早期诊断的潜在工具的意义。使用 PRISMA 风格进行了本次综述。与本综述的关键概念相关的研究文章，即观察自闭症患者的大脑磁共振成像变化，经过修订并纳入了与大脑区域与自闭症迹象和症状相关的病理生理学的已知内容。对自闭症患者的大脑 MRI 进行了研究，以了解大脑体积、皮层和海马体等主要大脑特征和区域的变化。本综述表明，MRI 中观察到的大脑变化与自闭症的迹象和症状高度相关。使用 MRI 可以观察到自闭症大脑的许多独特特征。基于这些发现，各种发育中的大脑路径和自闭症行为最终导致典型的诊断，并且有可能解决这些轨迹会提高儿童被发现的准确性，并提供必要的治疗。
