AI Article Synopsis

  • * Results showed that individuals with ASD have reduced axonal density and caliber, particularly in certain areas of the corpus callosum, which may affect brain connectivity.
  • * The findings indicate that these structural deficits in the corpus callosum could be linked to slower cognitive processing speeds in people with ASD, highlighting potential pathways for further research.

Article Abstract

Background: The corpus callosum is implicated in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, specific structural deficits and underlying mechanisms are yet to be well defined.

Methods: We employed diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) metrics to characterize white matter properties within five discrete segments of the corpus callosum in 17 typically developing (TD) adults and 16 age-matched participants with ASD without co-occurring intellectual disability (ID). The DKI metrics included axonal water fraction () and intra-axonal diffusivity (), which reflect axonal density and caliber, and extra-axonal radial (RD) and axial (AD) diffusivities, which reflect myelination and microstructural organization of the extracellular space. The relationships between DKI metrics and processing speed, a cognitive feature known to be impaired in ASD, were also examined.

Results: ASD group had significantly decreased callosal and ( = .01 and  = .045), particularly in the midbody, isthmus, and splenium. Regression analysis showed that variation in DKI metrics, primarily in the mid and posterior callosal regions explained up to 70.7% of the variance in processing speed scores for TD ( = .001) but not for ASD ( > .05).

Conclusion: Decreased DKI metrics suggested that ASD may be associated with axonal deficits such as reduced axonal caliber and density in the corpus callosum, especially in the mid and posterior callosal areas. These data suggest that impaired interhemispheric connectivity may contribute to decreased processing speed in ASD participants.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6293510PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13229-018-0245-1DOI Listing

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