title: The Disrupted Connectivity Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Time for the Next Phase in Research.
abstract: During the past decade, the disrupted connectivity theory has generated considerable interest as a pathophysiological model for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This theory postulates that deficiencies in the way the brain coordinates and synchronizes activity amongst different regions may account for the clinical symptoms of ASD. This review critically examines the current structural and functional connectivity data in ASD and evaluates unresolved assumptions and gaps in knowledge that limit the interpretation of these data. Collectively, studies very often show group alterations in what are thought of as measures of cerebral connectivity, though the patterns of findings vary considerably. We argue that there are three principle needs in this research agenda. First, further basic research is needed to understand the links between measures commonly used (DTI, fMRI, EEG) and other (histological, computational) levels of analysis. Second, speculated causes of inconsistencies in the literature (age, clinical heterogeneity) demand studies that directly evaluate these interpretations. Finally, the field needs well-specified mechanistic models of altered cerebral communication in ASD whose predictions can be tested on multiple levels of analyses.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Roma A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vasa
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Stewart H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mostofsky
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University.
authors.forename: Joshua B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ewen
keywords: autism; disrupted connectivity; functional; future research; review; structural