Sex Differences in Functional Gradients and Dynamic Functional Connectivity in Preschool-Aged Children With ASD.

This brain imaging study looked at 54 young children with autism (ages 2-6) and found important differences between boys and girls. Boys with autism showed more widespread brain network changes across attention, emotion, and thinking areas, while girls mainly showed changes in brain networks related to self-focused thinking. This research helps explain why autism is more common in boys and suggests that boys and girls with autism may have different brain patterns.

This neuroimaging study examined brain network organization in 54 preschool children with ASD (40 boys, 14 girls) compared to 44 typically developing children aged 2-6 years. Using functional gradient analysis and dynamic connectivity measures, researchers identified distinct sex differences in brain network abnormalities. Boys with ASD showed more extensive gradient abnormalities across multiple networks including dorsal attention, limbic, ventral attention, and default mode networks, while girls primarily showed abnormalities in the default mode network. Boys also demonstrated enhanced dynamic functional connectivity in one brain state.

These findings highlight the neurobiological heterogeneity between males and females with ASD and may help explain the higher prevalence in males.

Findings suggest need for sex-specific approaches in ASD assessment and intervention. The distinct neural patterns between boys and girls may require different therapeutic strategies and highlight importance of considering sex differences in clinical practice and research design.

Small sample size, particularly for girls with ASD (n=14). Cross-sectional design prevents understanding of developmental trajectories. Study type not specified in metadata, limiting methodological evaluation.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is significantly higher in males than in females; although the underlying etiology remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the multi-scale reorganization of brain networks in preschool-aged boys with ASD and their impact on clinical symptoms. A total of 54 children with ASD (40 boys and 14 girls) and 44 typically developing (TD) children (28 boys and 16 girls), aged between 2 and 6 years, were recruited for this study. Functional gradient analysis and dynamic functional connectivity were used to examine differences in the hierarchical organization of brain functional networks between preschool-aged boys and girls with ASD compared to their corresponding typically developing peers.

Subsequently, multiple machine learning models were applied to evaluate the classification performance of the identified abnormal features in distinguishing ASD from TD. The results showed that the ASD group exhibited functional gradient abnormalities in multiple brain networks: (1) In boys with ASD, primary gradient abnormalities were identified in the dorsal attention network, limbic network, ventral attention network, and default mode network (DMN), whereas in girls with ASD, primary gradient abnormalities were only found in the DMN; (2) Secondary gradient abnormalities in boys with ASD were found in the sensorimotor network (SMN), ventral attention network, and DMN, while in girls with ASD, secondary gradient abnormalities were restricted to the DMN and SMN; (3) Third gradient abnormalities in boys with ASD were observed only in the visual network, whereas in girls with ASD, abnormalities were present in the limbic network, SMN, and visual network; (4) Enhanced dynamic functional connectivity was detected in boys with ASD only in state 1. Preschool-aged boys and girls with ASD exhibit significant sex differences in functional gradients and dynamic functional connectivity, underscoring the complexity and heterogeneity of ASD. These findings provide a novel theoretical framework for understanding the neuroimaging mechanisms underlying ASD.