Decreased Functional and Structural Connectivity Is Associated with Core Symptom Improvement in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder after Mini-Basketball Training Program

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Decreased Functional and Structural Connectivity Is Associated with Core Symptom Improvement in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder after Mini-Basketball Training Program
Language: English
Authors: Dongyue Zhou, Zhimei Liu, Guanyu Gong, Yunge Zhang, Lin Lin, Kelong Cai, Huashuai Xu, Fengyu Cong, Huanjie Li (ORCID 0000-0002-1056-1579), Aiguo Chen
Source: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2024 54(12):4515-4528.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Exercise, Intervention, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Autism Spectrum Disorders, Team Sports, Children, Brain Hemisphere Functions, Program Effectiveness, Preadolescents
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06160-x
ISSN: 0162-3257
1573-3432
Abstract: Exercise intervention has been proven helpful to ameliorate core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we carried out a 12-week mini-basketball training program (MBTP) on ASD children and examined the changes of brain functional and structural networks before and after exercise intervention. We applied individual-based method to construct functional network and structural morphological network, and investigated their alterations following MBTP as well as their associations with the change in core symptom. Structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI data were obtained from 58 ASD children aged 3-12 years (experiment group: n = 32, control group: n = 26). ASD children who received MBTP intervention showed several distinguishable alternations compared to the control without special intervention. These included decreased functional connectivity within the sensorimotor network (SM) and between SM and the salience network, decreased morphological connectivity strength in a cortical-cortical network centered on the left inferior temporal gyrus, and a subcortical--cortical network centered on the left caudate. Particularly, the aforementioned functional and structural changes induced by MBTP were associated with core symptoms of ASD. Our findings suggested that MBTP intervention could be an effective approach to improve core symptoms in ASD children, decrease connectivity in both structure and function networks, and may drive the brain change towards normal-like neuroanatomy.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1447762
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:Exercise intervention has been proven helpful to ameliorate core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we carried out a 12-week mini-basketball training program (MBTP) on ASD children and examined the changes of brain functional and structural networks before and after exercise intervention. We applied individual-based method to construct functional network and structural morphological network, and investigated their alterations following MBTP as well as their associations with the change in core symptom. Structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI data were obtained from 58 ASD children aged 3-12 years (experiment group: n = 32, control group: n = 26). ASD children who received MBTP intervention showed several distinguishable alternations compared to the control without special intervention. These included decreased functional connectivity within the sensorimotor network (SM) and between SM and the salience network, decreased morphological connectivity strength in a cortical-cortical network centered on the left inferior temporal gyrus, and a subcortical--cortical network centered on the left caudate. Particularly, the aforementioned functional and structural changes induced by MBTP were associated with core symptoms of ASD. Our findings suggested that MBTP intervention could be an effective approach to improve core symptoms in ASD children, decrease connectivity in both structure and function networks, and may drive the brain change towards normal-like neuroanatomy.
ISSN:0162-3257
1573-3432
DOI:10.1007/s10803-023-06160-x