MRI Brain (Volumetry, fMRI & MRS) in Autism

Sponsor
Assiut University (Other)
Overall Status
Not yet recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT05758220
Collaborator
(none)
25
26

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

To reach a feasible method for diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) outcome measures:
  1. Primary (main):

Measurement of various brain structures, including the total brain volume, the volumes of specific brain regions (such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and cerebellum), and the thickness of the cortex.

Detection of other concurrent lesions, e.g. tuberous sclerosis

  1. Secondary (subsidiary):

levels of various neurotransmitters, such as glutamate and GABA, and other metabolites, such as N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), in specific regions of the brain Assessing neural activity and connectivity in the brain in the resting state

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Device: MRI

Detailed Description

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous disorder (or collection of related disorders) of multifactorial etiology, and with a great range in severity of symptoms. ASD affects approximately 1 in 166 children and is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls. Core features of individuals with autism include 1) impairment in reciprocal social interactions; 2) verbal and nonverbal communication deficits; 3) repetitive and ritualized behaviors; and 4) a narrow range of interests. Approximately 30% of individuals with ASD manifest some degree of mental retardation.

Magnetic-resonance (MR) examination allows researchers and clinicians to noninvasively examine brain anatomy in vivo. Structural MR examination is widely used to investigate brain morphology because of its high contrast sensitivity and spatial resolution, and because it entails no radiation exposure; the last feature is particularly important for children and adolescents.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has proven to be a useful tool to investigate aberrant neurobiological function in ASDs because of its excellent contrast properties, spatial resolution, and temporal resolution. fMRI uses specialized pulse sequences to localize metabolic correlates of neural activity linked to relevant neurocognitive processes

Investigating brain network activity during the resting state has emerged as a new method that eliminates the caveats of task-based fMRI studies

The fMRI signal is measured during the resting state and the data is analyzed based on a connectivity approach between subdivisions. To date, brain network activity during the resting state has been investigated in subjects with ASD and typical development in numerous studies. Overall, intrinsic connectivity between subdivisions of the brain is altered in patients with ASD compared to controls.

MRS's finding is that gamma oscillations are reduced in ASD patients. Gamma oscillations are generated by GABAergic neurons and are involved in sensory binding and higher cognitive functions.

Study Design

Study Type:
Observational [Patient Registry]
Anticipated Enrollment :
25 participants
Observational Model:
Cohort
Time Perspective:
Prospective
Official Title:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Anticipated Study Start Date :
Apr 1, 2023
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
Apr 30, 2025
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
May 30, 2025

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

  1. Structural MRI brain volumetry [Baseline]

    Measurement of various brain structures, including the total brain volume, the volumes of specific brain regions (such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and the cerebellum), and the thickness of the cortex.

Secondary Outcome Measures

  1. resting functional MRI & MR spectroscopy [Baseline]

    levels of various neurotransmitters, such as glutamate and GABA, and other metabolites, such as N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), in specific regions of the brain Assessing neural activity and connectivity in the brain in the resting state

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:
3 Years to 12 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Yes
Inclusion Criteria:
  • Children clinically diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

  • Males and Females.

  • Children with an IQ of more than 70%

Exclusion Criteria:
  • Severe forms of ASD.

  • Children with IQ less than 70%.

  • Children with claustrophobia.

Contacts and Locations

Locations

No locations specified.

Sponsors and Collaborators

  • Assiut University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Mohamed ab AbdelTawab, MD, Assiut University

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.
Responsible Party:
Mohamed AbuDeif Sayed, Radio-Diagnosis & Interventional Radiology Specialist, Assiut University
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT05758220
Other Study ID Numbers:
  • MRI Brain in Autism
First Posted:
Mar 7, 2023
Last Update Posted:
Mar 14, 2023
Last Verified:
Mar 1, 2023
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
No
Keywords provided by Mohamed AbuDeif Sayed, Radio-Diagnosis & Interventional Radiology Specialist, Assiut University
Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Mar 14, 2023