Brain Connectivity Signatures of Autism: Evidence from fMRI, fNIRS, EEG, and Beyond
A Special Issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425) belonging to the section "Developmental Neuroscience".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 March 2027 | Viewed by 423
Editors
Interests: infant eye tracking; visual attention in infancy; social attention development; early cognitive development; gaze processing; face and emotion perception; learning in naturalistic contexts; caregiver-infant interaction; neurodevelopmental trajectories; developmental methods and analytics
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Research on autism has increasingly turned to brain‑imaging technologies to understand how neural communication differs across development. Early work emphasized structural differences, but advances in fMRI, diffusion imaging, EEG connectivity, functional near‑infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and multimodal integration now reveal that autism involves widespread disruptions in functional and structural networks. These approaches have reshaped theories of autism, shifting attention toward large‑scale connectivity mechanisms that influence social cognition, sensory processing, and adaptive behavior. This Special Issue aims to consolidate cutting‑edge research that uses brain‑imaging methods to map altered connectivity patterns in autism. Its scope spans mechanistic studies, developmental trajectories, methodological innovations, and translational applications that bridge imaging findings with clinical outcomes and interventions. We particularly welcome papers that push the field forward, such as machine‑learning approaches to connectivity profiling, longitudinal and hyperscanning fNIRS studies of social interaction, multimodal imaging pipelines, and work linking neural networks to behavioral phenotypes. Submissions may include original research, systematic reviews, methodological papers, and perspectives that critically evaluate current models of brain connectivity in autism.
Dr. Angélina Vernetti
Prof. Dr. Lucina Uddin
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder
- brain connectivity
- functional near‑infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
- functional MRI (fMRI)
- multimodal neuroimaging
- network neuroscience
- neurodevelopment
- social cognition
- machine‑learning biomarkers
- developmental trajectories
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
