Candelaria-Cook, F.T., Schendel, M.E., Flynn, L., Cerros, C., Hill, D.E. and Stephen, J.M. (2023), Disrupted dynamic functional network connectivity in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.15046
Background
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in harmful and long-lasting neurodevelopmental changes. Children with PAE or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have decreased white matter, impaired resting-state static functional connectivity, and decreased resting-state spectral power. The impact of PAE on resting-state dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) remains unknown.
Methods
Using eyes-closed and eyes-open Magnetoencephalography (MEG) resting-state data, global dFNC statistics and meta-states were examined in 89 children 6 to 16 years of age (51 typically developing controls ((TDC), 38 FASD). Source analyzed MEG data were used as input to group spatial independent component analysis to derive functional networks from which the dFNC was calculated.
Results
During eyes-closed, relative to TDC, participants with FASD spent a significantly longer time in state 2, a state typified by anticorrelation (i.e. decreased connectivity) within and between default mode network (DMN) and visual network (VN), and state 4, a state typified by stronger internetwork correlation. The FASD group exhibited increased dynamic fluidity and dynamic range (i.e. entered more states, changed from one meta-state to another more often, traveled greater distances). During eyes-open, TDC spent significantly more time in state 1, typified by positive intra and interdomain connectivity with modest correlation within frontal network (FN), while participants with FASD spent a larger fraction of time in state 2, typified by anticorrelation within and between DMN and VN and strong correlation within and between FN, attention network (ATN), and sensorimotor network (SN).
Conclusions
Our results indicate important resting-state dFNC differences exist in children with FASD. Participants with FASD exhibited increased dynamic fluidity and dynamic range and spent more time in states typified by anticorrelation within and between DMN and VN, and more time in a state typified by high internetwork connectivity. These network aberrations taken together would indicate prenatal alcohol exposure is having a global effect on resting-state connectivity.
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