A Longitudinal Follow-up Imaging Study on Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The significance of this project is the first longitudinal study to investigate the changes of neurocognitive functions of children and adolescents with ASD and to identify the potential neuroimaging endophenotype (biomarkers) for ASD in Asian with advanced imaging technique (Tract-based automatic analysis, TBAA; multi-echo resting-state fMRI in addition to single-echo resting-state fMRI). The success of this project will fill the gap of our understanding of longitudinal changes of brain function by neuropsychological and imaging approaches of ASD in Han Chinese in Taiwan, and is anticipated to facilitate the progress of translational research in ASD.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Detailed Description

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common severe, clinically and genetically heterogeneous childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder. Due to its high prevalence, typical autistic symptoms, and severe lifelong impairment without effective prevention and treatment, the developmental change of brain functions in individuals with this study has been recognized as one of the key topics of ASD. The goal of this project is to prospectively investigate the stability and changes of brain functions assessed by neuropsychological tests and neuroimages in a cohort of children and adolescents with ASD who had the first assessment 3-5 years ago.

Specific Aims: To investigate the stability and changes of neuropsychological and structural and functional connectivity among children and adolescents with ASD as compared to age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) controls; and to identify predictors for these neurocognitive changes across a 3-5 follow-up period.

The investigators will prospectively follow up 70 ASDs and 70 TDs for reassessments of clinical symptoms, neuropsychological functions, and structural and functional brain connectivity. The assessments include ASD symptoms (ASD only: Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale; all: Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Social Communication Questionnaires (SCQ), Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)), other psychiatric disorders (The Chinese version of the Kiddie Schedule of Schizophrenia and Affective Disorder Scale-Epidemiologic version, K-SADS-E), neuropsychological functions (Conner's Continuous Performance Test) and MRI assessments (T1 and T2 templates, Diffusion Spectrum Imaging, resting-state fMRI).

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 140

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taipei, Taiwan
    • National Taiwan Univeristy Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years to 20 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

70 ASDs, aged 12-20, from the cohort of ASD established by previous imaging studies supported by National Science Council(NSC),Taiwan (now Ministry of Science and Technology, MOST), who consented to this follow-up study at their first assessments in 2010-2014 and 70 age-, and sex-matched TD.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

ASD group:

• have a clinical diagnosis of autistic disorder or Asperger disorder defined by the DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria, made by board-certificated child psychiatrists and who were clinically diagnosed with ASD confirmed by the ADI-R 3-5 years ago
• ages range from 12 to 20 (i.e., 7-17 years old at the first assessment)
• both parents are Han Chinese
• have complete clinical and behavioral data at the 1st assessment
• participants and their parents consented to participate in this longitudinal study 3-5 years ago for complete assessments at follow-up.

TD group:

• ages range from 12 to 20
• both parents are Han Chinese

Exclusion Criteria:

• comorbidity with DSM-IV-TR or DSM-5 diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, other psychotic disorder, organic psychosis, schizotypal personality disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, severe anxiety disorders or substance use
• comorbidity with neurological or systemic disorders
• having a first degree relative who may have ASD based on family history method assessment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
TD group; Typically developing controls without lifetime ASD or a family history of ASD
ASD group; Subjects have a clinical diagnosis of autistic disorder or Asperger disorder defined by the DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Structural neuroimaging	Using diffusing spectrum imaging (DSI) to assess the structural connectivity in brain circuitries	2 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neuropsychological functions	Conner's Continuous Performance Test (CCPT) is used to assess the sustained attention, cognitive controls, and vigilance	0.5 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 10, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 20, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): March 25, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 2, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 1, 2021
• Last Verified: September 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: neuropsychological function; neuroimage; developmental changes
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201602058RIN