title: Characteristics of Brains in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Structure, Function and Connectivity across the Lifespan.
abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Over the past decade, neuroimaging studies have provided considerable insights underlying neurobiological mechanisms of ASD. In this review, we introduce recent findings from brain imaging studies to characterize the brains of ASD across the human lifespan. Results of structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies dealing with total brain volume, regional brain structure and cortical area are summarized. Using task-based functional MRI (fMRI), many studies have shown dysfunctional activation in critical areas of social communication and RRBs. We also describe several data to show abnormal connectivity in the ASD brains. Finally, we suggest the possible strategies to study ASD brains in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
authors.forename: Sungji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea. ; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
authors.forename: In-Jung
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea. ; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
authors.forename: Namwook
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine and Yonsei Autism Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea. ; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
authors.forename: Keun-Ah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Cheon
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Diffusion tensor image (DTI); Functional MRI (fMRI); Magnetic resonance image (MRI); Neuroimaging