%0 Journal Article
%A Hong, Seok-Jun
%A Vos de Wael, Reinder
%A Bethlehem, Richard A. I.
%A Lariviere, Sara
%A Paquola, Casey
%A Valk, Sofie L.
%A Milham, Michael P.
%A Di Martino, Adriana
%A Margulies, Daniel S.
%A Smallwood, Jonathan
%A Bernhardt, Boris C.
%T Atypical functional connectome hierarchy in autism
%J Nature Communications
%V 10
%N 1
%@ 2041-1723
%C [London]
%I Nature Publishing Group UK
%M FZJ-2020-04612
%P 1022
%D 2019
%X One paradox of autism is the co-occurrence of deficits in sensory and higher-order socio-cognitive processing. Here, we examined whether these phenotypical patterns may relate to an overarching system-level imbalance-specifically a disruption in macroscale hierarchy affecting integration and segregation of unimodal and transmodal networks. Combining connectome gradient and stepwise connectivity analysis based on task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we demonstrated atypical connectivity transitions between sensory and higher-order default mode regions in a large cohort of individuals with autism relative to typically-developing controls. Further analyses indicated that reduced differentiation related to perturbed stepwise connectivity from sensory towards transmodal areas, as well as atypical long-range rich-club connectivity. Supervised pattern learning revealed that hierarchical features predicted deficits in social cognition and low-level behavioral symptoms, but not communication-related symptoms. Our findings provide new evidence for imbalances in network hierarchy in autism, which offers a parsimonious reference frame to consolidate its diverse features.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%$ pmid:30833582
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000460125400004
%R 10.1038/s41467-019-08944-1
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/888034