3D Computational Approach to Morphological Brain Abnormalities in Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an idiopathic neuro-developmental disorder that develops in early childhood. The prevalence is extreme as 1 in 54 children aged 8 years in the United States have an autism diagnosis. Early diagnosis is correlated with optimized patient outcome due to expeditious therapy [1]. Thus, research is needed to understand morphological brain abnormalities during development. Physicians lack a diagnostic model for ASD and rely on patients' behaviors, thus there remains a need for a computational human brain model from imaging sets to address morphological abnormalities in brains of ASD patients [2]. The model would provide the medical community with a prototype to aid in ASD diagnoses. The implications of this research are significant as it offers a novel diagnostic tool for an elusive disorder. A computational model offers a promise for enhanced early diagnosis and future research on treatment solutions.
[1] Maenner MJ, et al. “Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years Autism and Developmental Disability Monitoring Network, United States, 2016.” MMWR Surveill Summ, 69(SS-4), 2020
[2] Yoshihara, Y, et al. “Overlapping but Asymmetrical Relationships Between Schizophrenia and Autism Revealed by Brain Connectivity.” Schizophr Bull. 2020