Habenula alterations in resting state functional connectivity among autistic individuals.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The reward-based theoretical framework of autism suggests that altered reward circuitry contributes to core symptoms. Recent prior research has revealed autism-related structural alterations in the habenula, a small epithalamic structure associated with motivation and emotion; however, potential alterations in functional connectivity (FC) remain unexplored.

Methods

Anatomical and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were accessed for 1,584 participants (N=705 autism; mean age: 16.26 ± 8.15 years) in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE). To investigate habenula alterations, we conducted a whole-brain resting state FC analysis, followed by regression analyses to explore age and brain-behavior interactions.

Results

Acros

SUBMITTER: Hampson CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12132253 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature