Biomarkers of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder:quantitative analysis of whole-brain tissue component volumes,intelligence scores,ADOS-CSS,and ages of first-word production and walking onset  

作　　者：Xiang Zhou Wu-Sheng Lin Feng-Yun Zou Shuang-Shuang Zhong Ya-Yin Deng Xiao-Wen Luo Li-Shan Shen Shi-Huan Wang Ruo-Mi Guo 

机构地区：[1]Department of Radiology,The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University,No.600 Tianhe Road,Guangzhou,510630,China [2]Department of Child Development and Behavior Center,The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University,No.600 Tianhe Road,Guangzhou,510630,China

出　　处：《World Journal of Pediatrics》2024年第10期1059-1069,共11页世界儿科杂志（英文版）

基　　金：supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81801757);Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(Nos.2022A1515010369 and 2023A1515010256);Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project(No.202201020421).

摘　　要：Background Preschooling is a critical time for intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD);thus,we analyzed brain tissue component volumes(BTCVs)and clinical indicators in preschool children with ASD to identify new biomarkers for early screening.Methods Eighty preschool children(3–6 years)with ASD were retrospectively included.The whole-brain myelin content(MyC),white matter(WM),gray matter(GM),cerebrospinal fluid(CSF),and non-WM/GM/MyC/CSF brain component volumes were obtained using synthetic magnetic resonance imaging(SyMRI).Clinical data,such as intelligence scores,autism diagnostic observation schedule-calibrated severity scores,age at first production of single words(AFSW),age at first production of phrases(AFP),and age at walking onset(AWO),were also collected.The correlation between the BTCV and clinical data was evaluated,and the effect of BTCVs on clinical data was assessed by a regression model.Results WM and GM volumes were positively correlated with intelligence scores(both P<0.001),but WM and GM did not affect intelligence scores(P=0.116,P=0.290).AWO was positively correlated with AFSW and AFP(both P<0.001).The multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that MyC,AFSW,AFP,and AWO were significantly different(P=0.005,P<0.001,P<0.001).Conclusions This study revealed positive correlations between WM and GM volumes and intelligence scores.Whole-brain MyC affected AFSW,AFP,and AWO in preschool children with ASD.Noninvasive quantification of BTCVs via SyMRI revealed a new visualizable and quantifiable biomarker(abnormal MyC)for early ASD screening in preschool children.

关 键 词：Autism spectrum disorder Gray matter-Magnetic resonance imaging Myelin White matter 

分 类 号：R749.94[医药卫生—神经病学与精神病学]