Disrupted functional connectivity of the primary auditory cortex in autism

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been found to influence hearing and sensory integration, while brain functional connectivity in ASD has been repeatedly shown to be atypical. However, functional connectivity of the auditory cortex in ASD has not been well studied. In the current study, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data, provided by the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE), to examine functional connectivity of the primary auditory cortex in ASD. The study subjects included 68 individuals with ASD and 77 individuals without ASD. In the primary dataset, the ASD group showed lesser functional connectivity between the auditory cortex and four regions: the medial occipital cortex, primary motor cortex, insular cortex, and Wernicke's area. In the replication dataset (44 individuals with ASD and 39 individuals without ASD), reduced connectivity to the medial occipital cortex and primary motor cortex was replicated among these four regions, which have previously been shown to be influenced by ASD. Thus, the reduced functional connectivity to these indicated regions may partly explain deficient sensory integration associated with ASD.

Keywords: Anterior cingulate cortex; Autism; Functional connectivity; Primary auditory cortex; Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.