Autism spectrum disorder is still not associated with a single cause because of the wide variety of symptoms and how serious they can be. However, a recent study by University of Virginia researchers suggests a promising new approach to finding answers, one that could lead to advances in the study of other neurological conditions.Different approaches to autism research focus on observing and comprehending the disorder by studying its behavioral effects. Techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are used to map the brain’s responses to stimuli and activity. However, there has been limited research on the underlying causes of these responses.
Nevertheless, scientists at UVA’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences have made progress in understanding the physiological distinctions in brain structures between autistic and non-autistic individuals. They have achieved this by utilizing Diffusion MRI, a method that measures molecular diffusion in biological tissue.The UVA team has employed a method to analyze the movement of water in the brain and its interaction with cellular membranes. This method has enabled the team to create mathematical models of brain microstructures, which have helped in identifying variations in the brain structure of individuals with autism compared to those without the condition. Benjamin Newman, a postdoctoral researcher at UVA’s Department of Psychology and a recent graduate of UVA School of Medicine’s neuroscience graduate program, mentioned that the differences in brain structures had not been well understood until now. The findings of this new approach focus on the neuronal differences that play a role in those structural variations. This paper was published this month in PLOS: One.The cause of autism spectrum disorder was studied by Newman and his team, who used the work of Nobel Prize winners Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley as a basis. They applied these concepts to explore the differences in conductivity of neurons in individuals with autism compared to those without, using the most recent neuroimaging data and computational methods. This unique approach calculated the conductivity of neural axons and their ability to transmit information through the brain. The study also provided evidence that these microstructural differences are significant.The study found a direct correlation between participants’ scores on the Social Communication Questionnaire, which is commonly used to diagnose autism. “We observed that the diameter of the microstructural components in the brains of autistic individuals is different, which can result in slower conductivity of electricity,” explained Newman. “This structural difference affects how the brain functions.” According to John Darrell Van Horn, a co-author and professor at UVA, autism is often interpreted based on atypical behavioral patterns, but this study aims to provide a deeper understanding.
According to Van Horn, understanding these behaviors can be subjective and depends on the observer. He believes that better physiological metrics are needed to have a clearer understanding of the origin of these behaviors. This research is the first to apply this type of metric in a clinical population, and it provides new insights into the origins of ASD.
Van Horn also mentioned that previous work has been done using functional magnetic resonance imaging to study blood oxygen related signal changes in autistic individuals, but he believes that this research goes a step further.”It’s not just about whether there is a specific difference in cognitive functional activation; it’s about understanding how the brain processes information through these dynamic networks,” explained Van Horn. “Our research has successfully demonstrated that there is a unique difference in individuals diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder compared to typically developing control subjects.”
Newman, Van Horn, Druzgal, and Pelphrey are all part of the National Institute of Health’s Autism Center of Excellence (ACE) at the UVA School of Medicine.An initiative is being supported to conduct large-scale studies on ASD involving multiple disciplines and institutions to determine the causes and potential treatments of the disorder.
Pelphrey, a neuroscientist and leading expert on brain development, is the principal investigator of the ACE project. He stated that the main goal of the project is to pioneer a precision medicine approach to autism.
“This study establishes a basis for a biological target to measure treatment response and helps us identify potential paths for future treatments,” he explained.
Van Horn also noted that the study could have implications for thThe study focuses on examining, diagnosing, and treating various neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Van Horn expressed excitement about a new tool for measuring neuron properties and the potential for detecting different aspects using it. The journal reference for the study is Benjamin T. Newman, Zachary Jacokes, Siva Venkadesh, Sara J. Webb, Natalia M. Kleinhans, James C. McPartland, T. Jason Druzgal, Kevin A. Pelphrey, John Darrell Van Horn.Autism spectrum disorder is addressed in this PLOS ONE article, published in 2024, which can be accessed with the DOI link 10.1371/journal.pone.0301964.