Brain structural correlates of autistic traits across the diagnostic divide: a grey matter and white matter microstructure study

Arunachalam Chandran, V., Pliatsikas, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7093-1773, Neufeld, J., O'Connell, G., Haffey, A., DeLuca, V. and Chakrabarti, B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6649-7895 (2021) Brain structural correlates of autistic traits across the diagnostic divide: a grey matter and white matter microstructure study. NeuroImage: Clinical, 32. 102897. ISSN 22131582 doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102897

Abstract/Summary

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a set of neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication as well as stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest. Autistic traits exist in a continuum across the general population, whilst the extreme end of this distribution is diagnosed as clinical ASD. While many studies have investigated brain structure in autism using a case-control design, few have used a dimensional approach. To add to this growing body of literature, we investigated the structural brain correlates of autistic traits in a mixed sample of adult participants (25 ASD and 66 neurotypicals; age: 18–60 years). We examined the relationship between regional brain volumes (using voxel-based morphometry and surface-based morphometry) and white matter microstructure properties (using Diffusion Tensor Imaging) and autistic traits (using Autism Spectrum Quotient). Our findings show grey matter differences in regions including the orbitofrontal cortex and lingual gyrus, and suggestive evidence for white matter microstructure differences in tracts including the superior longitudinal fasciculus being related to higher autistic traits. These grey matter and white matter microstructure findings from our study are consistent with previous reports and support the brain structural differences in ASD. These findings provide further support for shared aetiology for autistic traits across the diagnostic divide.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/101667
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary Research Centres (IDRCs) > Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics (CINN) Interdisciplinary centres and themes > ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) Research Network Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Research Centres (IDRCs) > Centre for Cognition Research (CCR) Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience
Publisher	Elsevier
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