title: The first 1000 days of the autistic brain: a systematic review of diffusion imaging studies.
abstract: There is overwhelming evidence that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is related to altered brain connectivity. While these alterations are starting to be well characterized in subjects where the clinical picture is fully expressed, less is known on their earlier developmental course. In the present study we systematically reviewed current knowledge on structural connectivity in ASD infants and toddlers. We searched PubMed and Medline databases for all English language papers, published from year 2000, exploring structural connectivity in populations of infants and toddlers whose mean age was below 30 months. Of the 264 papers extracted, four were found to be eligible and were reviewed. Three of the four selected studies reported higher fractional anisotropy values in subjects with ASD compared to controls within commissural fibers, projections fibers, and association fibers, suggesting brain hyper-connectivity in the earliest phases of the disorder. Similar conclusions emerged from the other diffusion parameters assessed. These findings are reversed to what is generally found in studies exploring older patient groups and suggest a developmental course characterized by a shift toward hypo-connectivity starting at a time between two and four years of age.
authors: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa Pisa, Italy.
authors: Eugenia
authors: E
authors: Conti
authors: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Italy.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Calderoni
authors: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa Pisa, Italy.
authors: Viviana
authors: V
authors: Marchi
authors: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa Pisa, Italy.
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Muratori
authors: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa Pisa, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Cioni
authors: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Stella Maris Scientific Institute, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa Pisa, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Guzzetta
keywords: autism; diffusion MRI; hyperconnectivity; neurodevelopment; structural connectivity; toddlers