Abstract：
The purpose of this study was to assess the functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) brain scans of adolescents diagnosed with ASD and a neurotypical control group. The Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) consortium was utilized to acquire data from the University of Michigan (145 subjects) and data from the New York University (183 subjects). The posterior cingulate cortex showed reduced connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex for the ASD group compared to the control group. These two brain regions have previously both been linked to ASD symptomology. Specifically, the posterior cingulate cortex has been associated with behavioral control and executive functions, which appear to be responsible for the repetitive and restricted behaviors (RRB) in ASD. Our findings support previous data indicating a neurobiological basis of the disorder, and the specific functional connectivity changes involving the posterior cingulate cortex and anterior cingulate cortex may be a potential neurobiological biomarker for the observed RRBs in ASD.
摘要：
这项研究的目的是评估自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）后扣带皮质的功能连通性。我们使用了诊断为ASD的青少年和神经典型对照组的静息状态功能磁共振成像（rsfMRI）脑部扫描。自闭症脑成像数据交换（ABIDE）联盟用于从密歇根大学（145名受试者）和纽约大学（183名受试者）获取数据。与对照组相比，ASD组的后扣带回皮质与前扣带回皮质的连通性降低。这两个大脑区域以前都与ASD症状学有关。具体来说,后扣带皮质与行为控制和执行功能有关，这似乎是ASD中重复和受限行为(RRB)的原因。我们的研究结果支持以前的数据表明该疾病的神经生物学基础，涉及后扣带皮质和前扣带皮质的特定功能连接变化可能是ASD中观察到的RRB的潜在神经生物学生物标志物。
