title: Functional Connectivity of the Caudal Anterior Cingulate Cortex Is Decreased in Autism.
abstract: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is frequently reported to have functionally distinct sub-regions that play key roles in different intrinsic networks. However, the contribution of the ACC, which is connected to several cortical areas and the limbic system, to autism is not clearly understood, although it may be involved in dysfunctions across several distinct but related functional domains. By comparing resting-state fMRI data from persons with autism and healthy controls, we sought to identify the abnormalities in the functional connectivity (FC) of ACC sub-regions in autism. The analyses found autism-related reductions in FC between the left caudal ACC and the right rolandic operculum, insula, postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and the middle temporal gyrus. The FC (z-scores) between the left caudal ACC and the right insula was negatively correlated with the Stereotyped Behaviors and Restricted Interests scores of the autism group. These findings suggest that the caudal ACC is recruited selectively in the pathomechanism of autism.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, PR China.|Department of Child Psychiatry, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310013, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuanyue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, PR China.
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, PR China.
authors.forename: Xilong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, PR China.
authors.forename: Suhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuerong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult