Enguo Wang
Henan University, China
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J of Neur & Neur
The altered functional connectivity (FC) level and its temporal characteristics within certain cortical networks, such as the default mode network (DMN), could provide a possible explanatory framework for Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the current study, we hypothesized that the topographical organization along with its temporal dynamics of the autistic brain measured by temporal mean and variance of complex network measures, respectively, were significantly altered, which may further explain the autistic symptom severity in patients with ASD. To validate these hypotheses, the precise FCs between DMN regions at each time point were calculated using the restingstate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) project. Then, the minimal spanning tree (MST) technique was applied to construct a time-varying complex network of DMN. By analyzing the temporal mean and variance of MST parameters and their relationship with autistic symptom severity, we found that in persons with ASD, the information exchange eciencies between cortical regions within DMN were significantly lower and more volatile compared with those in typical developing participants. Moreover, these alterations within DMN were closely associated with the autistic symptom severity of the ASD group. keywords: autism spectrum disorder; default mode network; dynamic functional connectivity; minimal spanning tree; graph theory
Enguo Wang is Professor working in the Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China. His area of expertise is neurology, psychology, and human behavior. Enguo Wang has served as a peer-reviewed editor for several reputed journals and also published several research papers in the international journals.
