{"title":"因果网络分析揭示了与自闭症谱系障碍儿童严重程度相关的关键大脑区域。","authors":"Xiaofen Sun, Haibo Wang, Jingbo Deng, Shitong Cheng, Xiaocheng Wang, Chenghui Fu, Ling Li, Yuefu Zhan, Jianqiang Chen","doi":"10.1002/aur.70098","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>This study aims to investigate the relationship between gray matter (GM) changes and severity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined 113 ASD children aged 2–8 years (17 mild cases, 56 moderate cases, and 40 severe cases), as well as 110 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare GM density (GMD) changes between ASD and HC groups. Additionally, structural covariance network analysis quantified the cross-regional synchronous changes in GM among ASD children, and causal analysis described the pattern of changes in the GM network related to symptom severity in ASD children. The results indicated that ASD children exhibiting mild symptoms have an enlarged parahippocampal gyrus, and as the severity of ASD increases, the range of GMD changes expands (<i>p</i> < 0.05, FDR correction). Granger causality (GC) analysis revealed that the parahippocampal gyrus may function as a central hub within ASD-related directional networks, exerting causal effects on other brain regions (<i>p</i> < 0.05). These findings were validated by external datasets. Our results provide preliminary insights into the role of the parahippocampal gyrus in ASD and promote the application of dimensional models.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 9","pages":"1746-1763"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Causal Network Analysis Reveals Key Brain Regions Associated With Severity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder\",\"authors\":\"Xiaofen Sun, Haibo Wang, Jingbo Deng, Shitong Cheng, Xiaocheng Wang, Chenghui Fu, Ling Li, Yuefu Zhan, Jianqiang Chen\",\"doi\":\"10.1002/aur.70098\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div>\\n \\n <p>This study aims to investigate the relationship between gray matter (GM) changes and severity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined 113 ASD children aged 2–8 years (17 mild cases, 56 moderate cases, and 40 severe cases), as well as 110 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare GM density (GMD) changes between ASD and HC groups. Additionally, structural covariance network analysis quantified the cross-regional synchronous changes in GM among ASD children, and causal analysis described the pattern of changes in the GM network related to symptom severity in ASD children. The results indicated that ASD children exhibiting mild symptoms have an enlarged parahippocampal gyrus, and as the severity of ASD increases, the range of GMD changes expands (<i>p</i> < 0.05, FDR correction). Granger causality (GC) analysis revealed that the parahippocampal gyrus may function as a central hub within ASD-related directional networks, exerting causal effects on other brain regions (<i>p</i> < 0.05). These findings were validated by external datasets. Our results provide preliminary insights into the role of the parahippocampal gyrus in ASD and promote the application of dimensional models.</p>\\n </div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":131,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Autism Research\",\"volume\":\"18 9\",\"pages\":\"1746-1763\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":5.6000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-08-01\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Autism Research\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.70098\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Autism Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.70098","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Causal Network Analysis Reveals Key Brain Regions Associated With Severity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
This study aims to investigate the relationship between gray matter (GM) changes and severity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined 113 ASD children aged 2–8 years (17 mild cases, 56 moderate cases, and 40 severe cases), as well as 110 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare GM density (GMD) changes between ASD and HC groups. Additionally, structural covariance network analysis quantified the cross-regional synchronous changes in GM among ASD children, and causal analysis described the pattern of changes in the GM network related to symptom severity in ASD children. The results indicated that ASD children exhibiting mild symptoms have an enlarged parahippocampal gyrus, and as the severity of ASD increases, the range of GMD changes expands (p < 0.05, FDR correction). Granger causality (GC) analysis revealed that the parahippocampal gyrus may function as a central hub within ASD-related directional networks, exerting causal effects on other brain regions (p < 0.05). These findings were validated by external datasets. Our results provide preliminary insights into the role of the parahippocampal gyrus in ASD and promote the application of dimensional models.
期刊介绍:
AUTISM RESEARCH will cover the developmental disorders known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (or autism spectrum disorders – ASDs). The Journal focuses on basic genetic, neurobiological and psychological mechanisms and how these influence developmental processes in ASDs.