The autism spectrum among transgender youth: default mode functional connectivity

Author:

Strang John F123,McClellan Lucy S3,Li Sufang4,Jack Allison E5,Wallace Gregory L6,McQuaid Goldie A5,Kenworthy Lauren23,Anthony Laura G7,Lai Meng-Chuan89,Pelphrey Kevin A10,Thalberg Alexandra E11,Nelson Eric E12,Phan Jenny M3,Sadikova Eleonora13,Fischbach Abigail L3,Thomas John14,Vaidya Chandan J4

Affiliation:

1. Gender and Autism Program, Children’s National Hospital , 15245 Shady Grove Road, Suite 350, Rockville, MD 20850 , USA

2. Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University School of Medicine , Washington, DC , USA

3. Division of Neuropsychology, Children’s National Hospital , Washington, DC , USA

4. Department of Psychology, Georgetown University , Washington, DC , USA

5. Department of Psychology, George Mason University , Fairfax, VA , USA

6. Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, George Washington University , Washington, DC , USA

7. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora, CO , USA

8. Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto, Ontario , Canada

9. Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto , Toronto, Ontario , Canada

10. Department of Neurology, University of Virginia Medical School , Charlottesville, VA , USA

11. Department of Biology, Georgetown University , Washington, DC , USA

12. Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital , Columbus, OH , USA

13. School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, VA , USA

14. Falls Church Counseling , VA , USA

Abstract

Abstract The common intersection of autism and transgender identities has been described in clinical and community contexts. This study investigates autism-related neurophenotypes among transgender youth. Forty-five transgender youth, evenly balanced across non-autistic, slightly subclinically autistic, and full-criteria autistic subgroupings, completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine functional connectivity. Results confirmed hypothesized default mode network (DMN) hub hyperconnectivity with visual and motor networks in autism, partially replicating previous studies comparing cisgender autistic and non-autistic adolescents. The slightly subclinically autistic group differed from both non-autistic and full-criteria autistic groups in DMN hub connectivity to ventral attention and sensorimotor networks, falling between non-autistic and full-criteria autistic groups. Autism traits showed a similar pattern to autism-related group analytics, and also related to hyperconnectivity between DMN hub and dorsal attention network. Internalizing, gender dysphoria, and gender minority-related stigma did not show connectivity differences. Connectivity differences within DMN followed previously reported patterns by designated sex at birth (i.e. female birth designation showing greater within-DMN connectivity). Overall, findings suggest behavioral diagnostics and autism traits in transgender youth correspond to observable differences in DMN hub connectivity. Further, this study reveals novel neurophenotypic characteristics associated with slightly subthreshold autism, highlighting the importance of research attention to this group.

Funder

National Institutes of Health

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience,Cognitive Neuroscience

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