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Molecular Autism
Published in: Molecular Autism 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Developmental Disorder | Research

White matter alterations in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in relation to sensory profile

Authors: Haruhisa Ohta, Yuta Y. Aoki, Takashi Itahashi, Chieko Kanai, Junya Fujino, Motoaki Nakamura, Nobumasa Kato, Ryu-ichiro Hashimoto

Published in: Molecular Autism | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have high rates of co-occurrence and share atypical behavioral characteristics, including sensory symptoms. The present diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study was conducted to examine whether and how white matter alterations are observed in adult populations with developmental disorders (DD) and to determine how brain–sensory relationships are either shared between or distinct to ASD and ADHD.

Methods

We collected DTI data from adult population with DD (a primary diagnosis of ASD: n = 105, ADHD: n = 55) as well as age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) participants (n = 58). Voxel-wise fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity (RD) were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics. The severities of sensory symptoms were assessed using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP).

Results

Categorical analyses identified voxel clusters showing significant effects of DD on FA and RD in the posterior portion of the corpus callosum and its extension in the right hemisphere. Furthermore, regression analyses using the AASP scores revealed that slopes in relationships of FA or RD with the degree of sensory symptoms were parallel between the two DDs in large parts of the affected corpus callosum regions. A small but significant cluster did exist showing difference in association between an AASP subscale score and RD across ASD and ADHD.

Limitations

Wide age range of the participants may be oversimplified.

Conclusions

These results indicate that white matter alteration and their relationships to sensory symptoms are largely shared between ASD and ADHD, with localized abnormalities showing significant between-diagnosis differences within DD.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
White matter alterations in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in relation to sensory profile
Authors
Haruhisa Ohta
Yuta Y. Aoki
Takashi Itahashi
Chieko Kanai
Junya Fujino
Motoaki Nakamura
Nobumasa Kato
Ryu-ichiro Hashimoto
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Molecular Autism / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 2040-2392
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-020-00379-6

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