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Structural, Functional, and Molecular Imaging of Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder associated with both genetic and environmental risks. Neuroimaging approaches have been widely employed to parse the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ASD, and provide critical insights into the anatomical, functional, and neurochemical changes. We reviewed recent advances in neuroimaging studies that focused on ASD by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), or single-positron emission tomography (SPECT). Longitudinal structural MRI has delineated an abnormal developmental trajectory of ASD that is associated with cascading neurobiological processes, and functional MRI has pointed to disrupted functional neural networks. Meanwhile, PET and SPECT imaging have revealed that metabolic and neurotransmitter abnormalities may contribute to shaping the aberrant neural circuits of ASD. Future large-scale, multi-center, multimodal investigations are essential to elucidate the neurophysiological underpinnings of ASD, and facilitate the development of novel diagnostic biomarkers and better-targeted therapy.

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Acknowledgements

This review was supported by grants from the National Key Research and the Development Program of China (2016YFA0100900) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81761148029, 81725009, 81425015, and 81900255).

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  1. Xiaoyi Li and Kai Zhang have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Xiaoyi Li, Xiao He, Jinyun Zhou, Chentao Jin, Yuanxue Gao, Mei Tian & Hong Zhang

  2. Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Xiaoyi Li, Xiao He, Jinyun Zhou, Chentao Jin, Yuanxue Gao, Mei Tian & Hong Zhang

  3. Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Hong Zhang

  4. Laboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan

    Kai Zhang

  5. Department of Surgical Oncology, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Lesang Shen

  6. Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Xiaoyi Li, Xiao He, Jinyun Zhou, Chentao Jin, Yuanxue Gao, Mei Tian & Hong Zhang

  7. The College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Hong Zhang

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Li, X., Zhang, K., He, X. et al. Structural, Functional, and Molecular Imaging of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci. Bull. 37, 1051–1071 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-021-00673-0

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