Zhu Jun-Sa, Gong Qi, Zhao Mei-Ting, Jiao Yun
Nurturing Center of Jiangsu Province for State Laboratory of AI Imaging & Interventional Radiology (Southeast University), Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
Suzhou Joint Graduate School, Southeast University, Suzhou 215123, China.
Neuroscience. 2025 Jan 9;564:21-30. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.11.034. Epub 2024 Nov 15.
The default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive control network (CEN) form the well-known triple network, providing a framework for understanding various neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. However, the topology of this network remains unclear in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To gain a more profound understanding of ASD, we explored the topology of the triple network in ASD. Additionally, the striatum and thalamus are pivotal centres of information transmission within the brain, and the realization of various brain functions requires the coordination of cortical and subcortical structures. Therefore, we also investigated the topology of the cortico-subcortical network in ASD, which consists of the DMN, SN, CEN, striatum, and thalamus. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data on 208 ASD patients and 278 typically developing (TD) controls (8-18 years old) were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange database. We performed graph theory analysis on the triple network and the cortico-subcortical network. The results showed that the triple network's clustering coefficient, lambda, and network local efficiency values were significantly lower in ASD, and the nodal degree and efficiency of the medial prefrontal cortex also decreased. For the cortico-subcortical network, the sigma, clustering coefficient, gamma, and network local efficiency showed the same reduction, and the altered clustering coefficient negatively correlated with ASD manifestations. In addition, the interaction between the DMN and CEN was more robust in ASD patients. These findings enhance our understanding of ASD and suggest that subcortical structures should be more considered in future ASD related studies.
默认模式网络（DMN）、突显网络（SN）和中央执行控制网络（CEN）构成了著名的三重网络，为理解各种神经发育障碍和精神疾病提供了一个框架。然而，在自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）中，这个网络的拓扑结构仍不清楚。为了更深入地了解ASD，我们探究了ASD中三重网络的拓扑结构。此外，纹状体和丘脑是大脑内信息传递的关键中心，各种脑功能的实现需要皮质和皮质下结构的协调。因此，我们还研究了ASD中皮质-皮质下网络的拓扑结构，该网络由DMN、SN、CEN、纹状体和丘脑组成。从自闭症脑成像数据交换数据库中获取了208名ASD患者和278名典型发育（TD）对照（8至18岁）的静息态功能磁共振成像数据。我们对三重网络和皮质-皮质下网络进行了图论分析。结果表明，三重网络的聚类系数、λ值和网络局部效率值在ASD中显著降低，内侧前额叶皮质的节点度和效率也有所下降。对于皮质-皮质下网络，σ值、聚类系数、γ值和网络局部效率也呈现同样的降低，且聚类系数的改变与ASD表现呈负相关。此外，ASD患者中DMN和CEN之间的相互作用更强。这些发现增进了我们对ASD的理解，并表明在未来与ASD相关的研究中应更多地考虑皮质下结构。
