Gender differences in autism spectrum disorders: clinical application for diagnosis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15481
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Jung Minyoung 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 特命講師 (10774466)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 発達障害 / ADHD / 男女差

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical social communication and repetitive behaviors. In this study, we applied a multimodal approach to investigate brain structural connectivity, resting state activity, and surface area, as well as their associations with the core symptoms of ASD. We found that resting state brain activity and surface area in the lateral occipital cortex was negatively correlated with communication scores in boys with ASD. Our results suggest that decreased structural connectivity and resting-state brain activity in the occipital cortex may impair the integration of verbal and non-verbal communication cues in boys with ASD, thereby impacting their social development.

Free Research Field

脳科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で発見された自閉スペクトラム傾向のバイオマーカーを用いて複数の精神疾患や他の発達障害に応用することで、それぞれのバイオマーカーを探索することで、これまで症候だけに基づいていた障害の診断と分類を生物学的観点からも行うことができると考えられる。