New findings in children with autism

Nghiên cứu của UNIGE góp phần mở ra cơ hội mới trong chẩn đoán sớm và can thiệp hiệu quả hơn cho trẻ em mắc hội chứng ASD. (Nguồn: SciTechDaily)

UNIGE's research contributes to opening up new opportunities for earlier diagnosis and more effective intervention for children with ASD. (Source: SciTechDaily)

According to the research team, a brain circuit involved in the ability to redirect attention was disrupted, affecting how children receive and respond to social cues. The study's findings were published in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry.

From infancy, humans rely on social interaction to develop life skills and cognitive abilities. However, in autistic children, attention to social cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, and voice is often significantly diminished during the first year of life. This negatively impacts learning through social interaction, which is fundamental to intellectual development.

To understand the underlying biological mechanisms of this phenomenon, the research team at UNIGE conducted parallel experiments on humans and animals. In a mouse model carrying the Shank3 gene mutation – a common cause of autism in humans – the scientists observed a significant decline in orientation abilities, reflecting, to some extent, poor interaction in autistic children.

Further analysis revealed a disruption in the connection between two brain regions: the superior colliculus and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). This lack of synchronization in neural activity between these two areas causes a delay in attention redirection, affecting the ability to engage in and maintain social interactions.

To verify this hypothesis in children, the research team developed a non-anesthesia MRI protocol for children aged two to five years. This allowed them to obtain high-quality brain images in over 90% of the participating children. The results showed changes in brain circuitry in children similar to the mouse model. In particular, the level of connectivity in this brain circuitry could predict a child's cognitive development in the following year.

Although there is currently no method to directly intervene in this brain circuit, the discovery helps guide behavioral interventions. An intensive treatment program implemented in Geneva, lasting 20 hours per week for two years, showed positive results: Children improved their IQ by an average of 20 points, and 75% were able to attend school normally.

UNIGE's research makes a significant contribution to understanding the neurological mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder, while also opening up new opportunities for early diagnosis and effective intervention for children with this syndrome.