Age-related unstable transient states and imbalanced activation proportion of brain networks in people with autism spectrum disorder: A resting-state fMRI study using coactivation pattern analyses

This article reveals the age-related atypical transient brain functions in autistic people. The default mode network dominates major states during rest, while the executive control network and salience network dominates minor states. Major states have more a stable coactivation patterns and higher proportion than minor states. The spatial stability would increase with age in healthy controls but not in autistic people. Meanwhile, autistic people spend less time on major states but more time on minor states. In addition, the unstable transient states and imbalanced activation proportion of brain networks are correlated with the social deficits. Although this work is limited by that single scanning data of only involving male participants with normal intelligence, it provides new transient aspect for atypical brain function in autistic people.