Universidad Nacional De Colombia

Facultad de Medicina

Departamento de imágenes diagnósticas

Strategies for quantication of brain

changes in Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD)

Javier Andrés Almeida Moreno

Nelson Fernando Velasco Toledo M.Sc

Advisor
Eduardo Romero Castro M.Sc, Ph.D

August 28, 2015

 Outline
1

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
2

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?
3

The Autism Spectrum Disorders(ASD) are a group of neurological

disorders characterized by problems in:

Verbal and nonverbal communication

Socialization
Repetitive and stereotyped patters

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Prevalence
4

Around The World

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Prevalence
4

Around The World

I Every year 1 Child among
160 is diagnosed with ASD.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Prevalence
4

Around The World

I Every year 1 Child among
160 is diagnosed with ASD.
I This neuropathology
affects more boys than
girls, at a ratio of 3-4:1.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Prevalence
5

Colombia
Colombia has not official ASD
statistics.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Diagnosis
6

Diagnosis

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Diagnosis
6

Diagnosis
I The ASD diagnosis remains strictly clinical.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Diagnosis
6

Diagnosis
I The ASD diagnosis remains strictly clinical.
I The diagnosis is made using neuropsychological tests and
structured interviews with the parenthood.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 ASD Diagnosis
7

however...

1 Posada M. Et.Al. Investigacion epidemiologica en el autismo: una visión

integradora. Revista de Neurología,2005.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD
 ASD Diagnosis
7

however...

Diagnosis is not accurate,

specificity and sensibility are
not 100%.1

1 Posada M. Et.Al. Investigacion epidemiologica en el autismo: una visión

integradora. Revista de Neurología,2005.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD
 Evidence
8

The ASD brains increase in size during first years. Specially in:

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Evidence
8

The ASD brains increase in size during first years. Specially in:
I Basal Ganglia

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Evidence
8

The ASD brains increase in size during first years. Specially in:
I Basal Ganglia
I Cerebral Cortex.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Evidence
8

The ASD brains increase in size during first years. Specially in:
I Basal Ganglia
I Cerebral Cortex.
I Corpus Callosum

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Evidence
8

The ASD brains increase in size during first years. Specially in:
I Basal Ganglia
I Cerebral Cortex.
I Corpus Callosum
I Amygdala

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Evidence
8

The ASD brains increase in size during first years. Specially in:
I Basal Ganglia
I Cerebral Cortex.
I Corpus Callosum
I Amygdala
I Cerebellum

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
9

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Motivation
Why?
10

Use the neuroimaging to diagnosis neuropsychological alterations,

however this not easy task...

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
11

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Problem
Problem Definition 12

The anatomopathological correlation in ASD is difficult because of

both the disorder variability and the anatomical brain changes during
the first five years.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
13

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Question
Research Question 14

How to quantify structural brain changes and associate

them to the described ASD clinic alterations?

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
15

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Objetives
Main Objetive
16

Main Objetive
To quantify brain changes and associate them with ASD
anatomopathological alterations.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
17

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Proposed Methodology
Advantage
18

Autism Brain Imaging Data

Exchange

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Proposed Methodology
Advantage
18

Autism Brain Imaging Data

Exchange
I 539 RMN individuals with
ASD

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Proposed Methodology
Advantage
18

Autism Brain Imaging Data

Exchange
I 539 RMN individuals with
ASD
I 573 RMN controls.

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Proposed Methodology
Advantage
18

Autism Brain Imaging Data

Exchange
I 539 RMN individuals with
ASD
I 573 RMN controls.
I Phenotypic information

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Proposed Methodology
Advantage
18

Autism Brain Imaging Data

Exchange
I 539 RMN individuals with
ASD
I 573 RMN controls.
I Phenotypic information
I Diagnosis in the Spectrum

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Proposed Methodology
Strategy
19

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Outline
20

General Concepts
What are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Master Thesis Proposal

Motivation
Problem Definition
Research Question
Objetives
Proposed Methodology

Current Work

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

 Current Work
Writing a master’s thesis...
21

Almeida, Velasco, Romero | Determination Of Structural Changes Brain In ASD

That’s All! Thank you very much