Heterogeneity of dynamic synergetic configurations of salience network in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Atypical functional connectivity (FC) patterns have been identified in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), especially within salience network (SN) and between SN and default mode network (DMN) and central executive network (CEN). But whether the dynamic configuration of intra‐SN and inter‐SN (SN with DMN and CEN) FC in ASD is also heterogeneous remains unknown. Based on the resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 105 ASD and 102 typically‐developing controls (TC), we calculated the time‐varying FC of intra‐SN and inter‐SN (SN with DMN and CEN). Then, the joint recurrence features for the time‐varying FC were calculated to assess how the SN dynamically recruits different configurations of network segregation and integration in ASD, that is, synergies, from the dynamical systems perspective. We analyzed the differences in synergetic patterns between ASD subtypes obtained by k‐means clustering algorithm based on the synergy of SN and TC, and investigated the relationships between synergy of SN and severity of clinical symptoms of ASD for ASD subtypes. Two ASD subtypes were revealed, where the synergy of SN in ASD subtype 1 has lower stability and periodicity compared to the TC, and ASD subtype 2 exhibits the opposite alteration. Synergy of SN for ASD subtype 1 and 2 was found to predict the severity of communication impairments and restricted and repetitive behaviors in ASD, respectively. These results suggest the existence of subtypes with distinct patterns of the synergy of SN in ASD, and provide insight into the complex pathophysiological mechanism of clinical manifestations of ASD.