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White matter integrity in Asperger syndrome: a preliminary diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study in adults
Author(s) -
Bloemen Oswald J.N.,
Deeley Quinton,
Sundram Fred,
Daly Eileen M.,
Barker Gareth J.,
Jones Derek K.,
van Amelsvoort Therese A.M.J.,
Schmitz Nicole,
Robertson Dene,
Murphy Kieran C.,
Murphy Declan G.M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
autism research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.656
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1939-3806
pISSN - 1939-3792
DOI - 10.1002/aur.146
Subject(s) - white matter , asperger syndrome , fractional anisotropy , diffusion mri , corpus callosum , psychology , autism , internal capsule , autism spectrum disorder , neurodevelopmental disorder , magnetic resonance imaging , cingulum (brain) , borderline personality disorder , neuroscience , medicine , psychiatry , radiology
Background : Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Asperger syndrome and autism, is a highly genetic neurodevelopmental disorder. There is a consensus that ASD has a biological basis, and it has been proposed that it is a “connectivity” disorder. Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT‐MRI) allows measurement of the microstructural integrity of white matter (a proxy measure of “connectivity”). However, nobody has investigated the microstructural integrity of whole brain white matter in people with Asperger syndrome. Methods : We measured the fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) of white matter, using DT‐MRI, in 13 adults with Asperger syndrome and 13 controls. The groups did not differ significantly in overall intelligence and age. FA, MD and RD were assessed using whole brain voxel‐based techniques. Results : Adults with Asperger syndrome had a significantly lower FA than controls in 13 clusters. These were largely bilateral and included white matter in the internal capsule, frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes, cingulum and corpus callosum. Conclusions : Adults with Asperger syndrome have widespread significant differences from controls in white matter microstructural integrity.