Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder
Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe neurodevelopmental condition. Its incidence is on the rise worldwide, and in severe cases, it can lead to disability. While emerging evidence implicates cerebrovascular dysfunction in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental impairments...
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2025-07-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Medical Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02815-w |
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| author | Xueyan Liu Zhexuan Yang Yu Lu Shifang Tan Kaiyu Wang Changhao Wang Ning Wang Zhanqi Feng Houjiang Wei Meiying Cheng Xin Zhao |
| author_facet | Xueyan Liu Zhexuan Yang Yu Lu Shifang Tan Kaiyu Wang Changhao Wang Ning Wang Zhanqi Feng Houjiang Wei Meiying Cheng Xin Zhao |
| author_sort | Xueyan Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe neurodevelopmental condition. Its incidence is on the rise worldwide, and in severe cases, it can lead to disability. While emerging evidence implicates cerebrovascular dysfunction in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental impairments associated with ASD, systematic characterization of cerebral hemodynamic variations across clinically stratified severity subgroups, particularly among mild–moderate and severe ASD presentations and typically developing (TD) children, remains a critical unmet research need. Methods This cross-sectional neuroimaging study enrolled 121 children aged 2 to 4 years: 16 with severe autism (Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score > 36), 60 with mild–moderate autism (CARS score between 30 and 36), and 45 TD children. CBF measurements were obtained from nine regions of interest (ROI) in both hemispheres: temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, putamen, thalamus, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, hippocampus, and amygdala. Intergroup comparisons of CBF values were performed among the three groups. Particular emphasis was placed on analyzing the correlation between thalamic CBF values and serum zinc levels in autistic children. Results Children with severe autism exhibited significantly lower CBF in the temporal lobe, putamen, thalamus, and hippocampus compared to TD children (p < 0.05). Within the autism cohort, severe cases demonstrated further CBF reductions in the putamen and thalamus compared to mild–moderate cases (p < 0.05). Similarly, children with mild–moderate autism showed reduced CBF in the temporal lobe, putamen, thalamus, and hippocampus compared to TD children (p < 0.05). Notably, a significant difference in CBF was observed between the left and right thalamus in both mild–moderate and severe autism groups, with lower blood flow in the left thalamus (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between thalamic CBF values and serum zinc levels in the autism group. Conclusions Children with severe autism show significantly reduced CBF in critical brain regions. Thus, 3D-pCASL may enable the precise stratification of ASD severity in children and provide an imaging foundation for subsequent therapeutic evaluation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-df31feacb8a345e9b856be33146ac2be |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2047-783X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Medical Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-df31feacb8a345e9b856be33146ac2be2025-08-20T04:01:25ZengBMCEuropean Journal of Medical Research2047-783X2025-07-013011910.1186/s40001-025-02815-wInvestigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorderXueyan Liu0Zhexuan Yang1Yu Lu2Shifang Tan3Kaiyu Wang4Changhao Wang5Ning Wang6Zhanqi Feng7Houjiang Wei8Meiying Cheng9Xin Zhao10Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityMR Research China, GE HealthcareDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityAbstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe neurodevelopmental condition. Its incidence is on the rise worldwide, and in severe cases, it can lead to disability. While emerging evidence implicates cerebrovascular dysfunction in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental impairments associated with ASD, systematic characterization of cerebral hemodynamic variations across clinically stratified severity subgroups, particularly among mild–moderate and severe ASD presentations and typically developing (TD) children, remains a critical unmet research need. Methods This cross-sectional neuroimaging study enrolled 121 children aged 2 to 4 years: 16 with severe autism (Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score > 36), 60 with mild–moderate autism (CARS score between 30 and 36), and 45 TD children. CBF measurements were obtained from nine regions of interest (ROI) in both hemispheres: temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, putamen, thalamus, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, hippocampus, and amygdala. Intergroup comparisons of CBF values were performed among the three groups. Particular emphasis was placed on analyzing the correlation between thalamic CBF values and serum zinc levels in autistic children. Results Children with severe autism exhibited significantly lower CBF in the temporal lobe, putamen, thalamus, and hippocampus compared to TD children (p < 0.05). Within the autism cohort, severe cases demonstrated further CBF reductions in the putamen and thalamus compared to mild–moderate cases (p < 0.05). Similarly, children with mild–moderate autism showed reduced CBF in the temporal lobe, putamen, thalamus, and hippocampus compared to TD children (p < 0.05). Notably, a significant difference in CBF was observed between the left and right thalamus in both mild–moderate and severe autism groups, with lower blood flow in the left thalamus (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between thalamic CBF values and serum zinc levels in the autism group. Conclusions Children with severe autism show significantly reduced CBF in critical brain regions. Thus, 3D-pCASL may enable the precise stratification of ASD severity in children and provide an imaging foundation for subsequent therapeutic evaluation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02815-wCerebral blood flowASDZinc3D-pCASLNeurophysiology |
| spellingShingle | Xueyan Liu Zhexuan Yang Yu Lu Shifang Tan Kaiyu Wang Changhao Wang Ning Wang Zhanqi Feng Houjiang Wei Meiying Cheng Xin Zhao Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder European Journal of Medical Research Cerebral blood flow ASD Zinc 3D-pCASL Neurophysiology |
| title | Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_full | Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_fullStr | Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_short | Investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2–4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_sort | investigating cerebral blood flow dysregulation and serum zinc correlation in 2 4 year old children with autism spectrum disorder |
| topic | Cerebral blood flow ASD Zinc 3D-pCASL Neurophysiology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02815-w |
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