TY - JOUR
T1 - Alterations in white matter microstructure and regional volume are related to motor functions in boys with autism spectrum disorder
AU - Lin, Chia Wei
AU - Lin, Hsiang Yuan
AU - Lo, Yu Chun
AU - Chen, Yu Jen
AU - Hsu, Yung Chin
AU - Chen, Yi Lung
AU - Tseng, Wen Yih Isaac
AU - Gau, Susan Shur Fen
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology ( NSC99-2627-B-002-015 , NSC100-2627-B-002-014 , NSC101-2627-B-002-002 , NSC 101-2314-B-002-136-MY3 ), Taiwan, and the National Health Research Institute ( NHRI-EX104-10404PI , NHRI-EX105-10404PI ), Taiwan. The authors have declared no competing or potential conflicts of interest in relation to this article.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (NSC99-2627-B-002-015, NSC100-2627-B-002-014, NSC101-2627-B-002-002, NSC 101-2314-B-002-136-MY3), Taiwan, and the National Health Research Institute (NHRI-EX104-10404PI, NHRI-EX105-10404PI), Taiwan. The authors have declared no competing or potential conflicts of interest in relation to this article.
PY - 2019/3/2
Y1 - 2019/3/2
N2 - Background: Altered inter-regional structural connectivity related to higher cognitive functions has been commonly reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, whether these alterations similarly involve cortico-cerebellar motor circuitries remains largely elusive. Methods: Using a cross-modality approach accounting for in-scanner motion levels, we investigated white matter (WM) properties in motor circuits of 55 boys with ASD (aged 8–18 years) and 68 age-matched typically developing boys. Regional WM volumes in the primary motor, supplementary motor, somatosensory, and cerebellar areas were investigated using voxel-based morphometry. Diffusion spectrum imaging tractography was used to estimate WM integrity of the corticospinal, cortico-ponto-cerebellar (including fronto-ponto-cerebellar and parieto-ponto-cerebellar), and dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical tracts. The reaction time test in the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery was used to assess motor performances. Results: Boys with ASD had shorter movement time, increased WM volumes in the left somatosensory area, but decreased generalized fractional anisotropy value in the left parieto-ponto-cerebellar tract, compared to controls. A positive correlation between movement time and microstructural properties of the left parieto-ponto-cerebellar tract was found in boys with ASD. Conclusions: As the first study to demonstrate altered WM properties in the left somatosensory area, and its descending pathway connecting to the cerebellum in ASD, current results may highlight a potential new target of interventions for motor performance in ASD.
AB - Background: Altered inter-regional structural connectivity related to higher cognitive functions has been commonly reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, whether these alterations similarly involve cortico-cerebellar motor circuitries remains largely elusive. Methods: Using a cross-modality approach accounting for in-scanner motion levels, we investigated white matter (WM) properties in motor circuits of 55 boys with ASD (aged 8–18 years) and 68 age-matched typically developing boys. Regional WM volumes in the primary motor, supplementary motor, somatosensory, and cerebellar areas were investigated using voxel-based morphometry. Diffusion spectrum imaging tractography was used to estimate WM integrity of the corticospinal, cortico-ponto-cerebellar (including fronto-ponto-cerebellar and parieto-ponto-cerebellar), and dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical tracts. The reaction time test in the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery was used to assess motor performances. Results: Boys with ASD had shorter movement time, increased WM volumes in the left somatosensory area, but decreased generalized fractional anisotropy value in the left parieto-ponto-cerebellar tract, compared to controls. A positive correlation between movement time and microstructural properties of the left parieto-ponto-cerebellar tract was found in boys with ASD. Conclusions: As the first study to demonstrate altered WM properties in the left somatosensory area, and its descending pathway connecting to the cerebellum in ASD, current results may highlight a potential new target of interventions for motor performance in ASD.
KW - Autism spectrum disorder
KW - Diffusion spectrum imaging
KW - Motor, white matter
KW - Voxel-based morphometry
KW - Autism spectrum disorder
KW - Diffusion spectrum imaging
KW - Motor, white matter
KW - Voxel-based morphometry
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.11.008
DO - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.11.008
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85056806915
SN - 0278-5846
VL - 90
SP - 76
EP - 83
JO - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
JF - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
ER -