title: Default mode network abnormalities in children with autism spectrum disorder detected by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) in normal aging and in children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) and independent component analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one healthy controls (HC) in four age groups (1-3, 4-8, 20-29, and 50-59 years) and 14 childhood ASD cases (1-8 years of age) were examined by rsfMRI echo-planar imaging on a clinical 3-T MRI scanner. Imaging of all children (1-8 years) was conducted under sedation, while adults were scanned in the awake state with eyes closed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The regions of DMN functional connectivity in the bilateral inferior parietal lobule and posterior cingulate cortex were smaller in HC children than in HC adults, and smaller in the ASD group than in the HC children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to observe developmental and pathological changes in the DMN by rsfMRI. Reduced DMN functional connectivity in children may be a useful biomarker for ASD diagnosis. J. Med. Invest. 63: 204-208, August, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Funakoshi
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwanaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*