Diversifying autism neuroimaging research: An arterial spin labeling review.
Arterial spin labeling MRI is a quick, safe way to measure brain blood flow in autism and deserves a spot in routine imaging.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team read every paper that used a special MRI trick called arterial spin labeling in autism.
They wanted to know if this safe scan can measure blood flow in the brain and act like a biomarker.
No new data were collected; they just summarized what already exists.
What they found
Only a handful of teams have tried this scan in autism, but the early signs look good.
The blood-flow maps line up with more invasive tests, so the picture is probably accurate.
The authors say the tool is ready for wider use and could help spot autism earlier.
How this fits with other research
Kovačič et al. (2020) used regular fMRI and found weaker links between the temporal lobe and the back of the brain.
Totsika et al. (2023) show that arterial spin labeling sees the same areas, but with a shorter, quieter scan.
Karavallil Achuthan et al. (2023) saw lower brain activity in the parietal lobe of autistic kids.
The new blood-flow review supports that finding, giving a second way to measure the same drop.
Hu et al. (2017) looked at tiny RNA molecules as biomarkers.
Totsika et al. (2023) do not replace that work; instead, they add a brain-level marker that can be checked at the same time as blood tests.
Why it matters
If you work with kids who hate long scans or loud noises, arterial spin labeling is a faster, quieter option.
You can ask your imaging center to add the five-minute ASL sequence to the standard MRI order.
The blood-flow map may help explain why a child struggles with attention or social skills, giving you clearer targets for therapy.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Brain function and health depend on cerebral blood flow to secure the necessary delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the brain tissue. However, cerebral blood flow appears to be altered in autistic compared to non-autistic individuals, potentially suggesting this difference to be a cause and potential identification point of autism. Recent technological development enables precise and non-invasive measurement of cerebral blood flow via the magnetic resonance imaging method referred to as arterial spin labeling. However, most neuroimaging studies still prefer using the physiologically indirect measure derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore, this review examines the use of arterial spin labeling to further investigate the neurobiology of autism. Furthermore, the review includes a comparison of results from molecular imaging and arterial spin labeling followed by a discussion concerning the future direction and potential of arterial spin labeling. We found that arterial spin labeling study results are consistent with those of molecular imaging, especially after considering the effect of age and sex. In addition, arterial spin labeling has numerous application possibilities besides the quantification of cerebral blood flow. Therefore, we encourage researchers to explore and consider the application of arterial spin labeling for future scientific studies in the quest to better understand the neurobiology of autism.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2023 · doi:10.1177/13623613221137230