Premium
Reduced tract integrity of the model for social communication is a neural substrate of social communication deficits in autism spectrum disorder
Author(s) -
Lo YuChun,
Chen YuJen,
Hsu YungChin,
Tseng WenYih Isaac,
Gau Susan ShurFen
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12641
Subject(s) - autism spectrum disorder , psychology , neural substrate , superior longitudinal fasciculus , autism , social communication , developmental psychology , social relation , audiology , white matter , clinical psychology , fractional anisotropy , psychiatry , magnetic resonance imaging , social psychology , medicine , cognition , radiology
Background Autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with social communication deficits as one of the core symptoms. Recently, a five‐level model for the social communication has been proposed in which white matter tracts corresponding to each level of the model are identified. Given that the model for social communication subserves social language functions, we hypothesized that the tract integrity of the model for social communication may be reduced in ASD , and the reduction may be related to social communication deficits. Methods Sixty‐two right‐handed boys with ASD and 55 typically developing ( TD ) boys received clinical evaluations, intelligence tests, the Social Communication Questionnaire ( SCQ ), and MRI scans. Generalized fractional anisotropy ( GFA ) was measured by diffusion spectrum imaging to indicate the microstructural integrity of the tracts for each level of the social communication model. Group difference in the tract integrity and its relationship with the SCQ subscales of social communication and social interaction were investigated. Results We found that the GFA values of the superior longitudinal fasciculus III ( SLF III, level 1) and the frontal aslant tracts ( FAT , level 2) were decreased in ASD compared to TD . Moreover, the GFA values of the SLF III and the FAT were associated with the social interaction subscale in ASD . Conclusions The tract integrity of the model for social communication is reduced in ASD , and the reduction is associated with impaired social interaction. Our results support that reduced tract integrity of the model for social communication might be a neural substrate of social communication deficits in ASD .