Familial risk for ASD alters connectivity in developing brain

越来越多的数据表明，自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)是一种神经发育综合征 以注意力、沟通和社会互动不足为特征，代表着一种障碍 连通性，其中环境可能与基因组相互作用。最近的研究解决了这两个问题 自闭症人群从学龄前到青年的微结构和功能连接性 并显示与年龄相比，ASD受试者的连接性增加和减少。 配对的对照组。额区、颞区和顶区受影响最大，纵向研究 表明ASD改变了发育中大脑中神经网络的轨迹，但涉及到的系统和 这些变化的时机才刚刚开始探索。 最近高分辨率成像的爆炸性增长现在使整个开发 人胎脑在妊娠期间的一系列关键发育里程碑的功能水平上可及，所有 对母子无创、安全。我们的首要目标是识别早期磁共振成像生物标记物。 ASD的高家族风险对人类胎儿大脑动态功能发育的影响。我们的 战略是使用高级静态和纵向回归和增长曲线分析来确定应力- 妊娠晚期及相关特异性ASD患者复杂MRI信号的相关变化 风险相关的胎脑改变为新生儿的早期神经行为体征。这些发现将为特定的 未来神经保护策略的目标和时机，推进临床实践，改善神经行为 结果。

Converging data suggest that autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by deficits in attention, communication and social interaction, represents a disorder of connectivity, in which the environment may interact with the genome. Recent studies address both microstructural and functional connectivity in ASD populations ranging from preschool through young adulthood and demonstrate both increases and reductions in connectivity in ASD subjects compared to age- matched controls. The frontal, temporal and parietal regions are most affected, and longitudinal studies suggest that ASD alters the trajectory of neural networks in the developing brain, but the systems involved and the timing of these changes are just beginning to be explored. The recent explosive growth in high-resolution imaging now makes the entirety of the developing human fetal brain accessible at the functional level at serial key developmental milestones during gestation, all non-invasively and safe to mother and fetus. Our overarching goal is to identify early MR imaging biomarkers of the impact of high familial risk for ASD on the dynamic functional development of the human fetal brain. Our strategy is to employ advanced static and longitudinal regression and growth curve analyses to identify stress- related changes in sophisticated MRI signals across the 3rd trimester of gestation and associate specific ASD risk-related fetal brain changes to early neurobehavioral signs in neonates. These findings will inform specific targets and timing of future neuroprotective strategies, advance clinical practices, and improve neurobehavioral outcomes.