Early fetal MRI findings linked to autism risk, new study suggests
Researchers at King’s College London have identified signals in fetal brain MRI scans that may indicate an elevated risk for autism spectrum disorder ASD. The findings appear in a study published in Nature Communications, a journal within the Nature family of publications, and highlight a potential path toward earlier recognition of ASD indicators long before typical clinical diagnosis.
The research focuses on a condition called isolated fetal ventriculomegaly, a brain anomaly characterized by an unusual buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles. Ventriculomegaly occurs when there is an imbalance in how cerebrospinal fluid is produced, absorbed, or drained away, leading to larger than usual ventricles. When this finding occurs without other developmental issues, it is termed isolated ventriculomegaly. The study emphasizes that the ventricles themselves show increased volume, while surrounding brain structures appear normal in the context of this specific condition.
The study followed two groups of children. One group included 24 healthy participants, while the other comprised 10 children who exhibited the ventriculomegaly anomaly. Researchers conducted a series of assessments beyond fetal MRI, focusing on cognitive and social development. These assessments occurred at two critical stages: around age two, a period when early signs of autism may first emerge, and again during primary school years to observe longer term developmental trajectories.
Across the data, the researchers observed that about 40 percent of boys with ventriculomegaly met criteria associated with ASD. In preschool years, this group showed notable delays in speech development, challenges with sustained attention, difficulties following social norms, and memory concerns. These patterns align with well-established ASD profiles seen in early childhood and may reflect underlying neural pathways influenced by the ventriculomegaly finding.
The results of this analysis point toward the possibility of predicting ASD risk at an earlier stage than is currently common. If these associations are confirmed in further work, clinicians could gain a valuable tool for monitoring infants identified with ventriculomegaly and offering targeted early interventions. Such approaches could potentially improve developmental outcomes by addressing communication, social interaction, and cognitive skills at a crucial stage of growth. Future research will continue to explore how early brain development deviations relate to autism-related outcomes, seeking to clarify mechanisms and strengthen predictive value beyond isolated ventricular changes alone. Source: Nature Communications.