Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Demonstrate Regionally Specific Altered Resting-State Phase-Amplitude Coupling

• Published in: Brain connectivity Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 425 - 436
• Main Authors: Port, Russell G, Dipiero, Marissa A, Ku, Matthew, Liu, Song, Blaskey, Lisa, Kuschner, Emily S, Edgar, J Christopher, Roberts, Timothy P L, Berman, Jeffrey I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.06.2019; Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
• Subjects: Alpha Rhythm - physiology; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnostic imaging; Autism Spectrum Disorder - physiopathology; Autistic children; Brain; Brain - physiology; Brain Mapping - methods; Child; Children; Children & youth; Electrophysiological Phenomena - physiology; Female; Gamma Rhythm - physiology; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetoencephalography - methods; Male; Neural Pathways - physiology; Neurobiology; Original; Rest - physiology; United States > US; Pennsylvania; resting state; PAC; autism spectrum disorder; MEG; gamma; alpha
• ISSN: 2158-0014; 2158-0022
• DOI: 10.1089/brain.2018.0653

Studies suggest that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit altered electrophysiological alpha to gamma phase-amplitude coupling (PAC). Preliminary reports with small samples report conflicting findings regarding the directionality of the alpha to gamma PAC alterations in ASD. The present study examined resting-state activity throughout the brain in a relatively large sample of 119 children with ASD and 47 typically developing children. Children with ASD demonstrated regionally specific abnormalities in alpha to low-gamma PAC, with increased alpha to low-gamma PAC for a central midline source and decreased PAC at lateral sources. Group differences in local gamma-band power did not account for the regional group differences in alpha to low-gamma PAC. Moreover, local alpha power did not significantly modulate alpha to low-gamma PAC estimates. Finally, PAC estimates were correlated with Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) indicating clinical relevance of the PAC metric. In conclusion, alpha to low-gamma PAC alterations in ASD demonstrate a heterogeneous spatial profile consistent with previous studies and were related to symptom severity.