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Differences in regional brain structure in toddlers with autism are related to future language outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Kuaikuai Duan

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Lisa Eyler

    (University of California, San Diego
    Education, and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System)

  • Karen Pierce

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Michael V. Lombardo

    (Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia)

  • Michael Datko

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Donald J. Hagler

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Vani Taluja

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Javad Zahiri

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Kathleen Campbell

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Cynthia Carter Barnes

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Steven Arias

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Srinivasa Nalabolu

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Jaden Troxel

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Peng Ji

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Eric Courchesne

    (University of California, San Diego)

Abstract

Language and social symptoms improve with age in some autistic toddlers, but not in others, and such outcome differences are not clearly predictable from clinical scores alone. Here we aim to identify early-age brain alterations in autism that are prognostic of future language ability. Leveraging 372 longitudinal structural MRI scans from 166 autistic toddlers and 109 typical toddlers and controlling for brain size, we find that, compared to typical toddlers, autistic toddlers show differentially larger or thicker temporal and fusiform regions; smaller or thinner inferior frontal lobe and midline structures; larger callosal subregion volume; and smaller cerebellum. Most differences are replicated in an independent cohort of 75 toddlers. These brain alterations improve accuracy for predicting language outcome at 6-month follow-up beyond intake clinical and demographic variables. Temporal, fusiform, and inferior frontal alterations are related to autism symptom severity and cognitive impairments at early intake ages. Among autistic toddlers, brain alterations in social, language and face processing areas enhance the prediction of the child’s future language ability.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuaikuai Duan & Lisa Eyler & Karen Pierce & Michael V. Lombardo & Michael Datko & Donald J. Hagler & Vani Taluja & Javad Zahiri & Kathleen Campbell & Cynthia Carter Barnes & Steven Arias & Srinivasa N, 2024. "Differences in regional brain structure in toddlers with autism are related to future language outcomes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48952-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48952-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yaqiong Xiao & Teresa H. Wen & Lauren Kupis & Lisa T. Eyler & Disha Goel & Keith Vaux & Michael V. Lombardo & Nathan E. Lewis & Karen Pierce & Eric Courchesne, 2022. "Neural responses to affective speech, including motherese, map onto clinical and social eye tracking profiles in toddlers with ASD," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(3), pages 443-454, March.
    2. Michael J. Gandal & Jillian R. Haney & Brie Wamsley & Chloe X. Yap & Sepideh Parhami & Prashant S. Emani & Nathan Chang & George T. Chen & Gil D. Hoftman & Diego Alba & Gokul Ramaswami & Christopher L, 2022. "Broad transcriptomic dysregulation occurs across the cerebral cortex in ASD," Nature, Nature, vol. 611(7936), pages 532-539, November.
    3. Heather Cody Hazlett & Hongbin Gu & Brent C. Munsell & Sun Hyung Kim & Martin Styner & Jason J. Wolff & Jed T. Elison & Meghan R. Swanson & Hongtu Zhu & Kelly N. Botteron & D. Louis Collins & John N. , 2017. "Early brain development in infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder," Nature, Nature, vol. 542(7641), pages 348-351, February.
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