Local structural connectivity is associated with social cognition in autism spectrum disorder
Local structural connectivity is associated with social cognition in autism spectrum disorder
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在自闭症谱系障碍中，局部结构连通性与社会认知相关。
DOI：
10.1093/brain/awy275
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发表时间：
2018-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
14.5
通讯作者：
Houenou, Josselin
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
d'Albis, Marc-Antoine;Guevara, Pamela;Houenou, Josselin
目前的理论暗示自闭症谱系障碍的局部、短期过度连接，而不是远程连接不足，是基于异质性的结果，基于涉及功能连接性研究的有限数据，关于异质性的儿科人群和非特定的方法。在这项工作中，我们研究了一组患有高功能自闭症谱系障碍的男性同种人群的短距离结构连接，并使用了一种专门适用于评估U形短距离束的新方法，包括最近开发的基于脑束照相术的浅层白质纤维图谱。我们对58名男性(27名高功能自闭症谱系障碍患者和31名对照受试者)进行了扩散加权磁共振成像，并提取了63个短距离束的平均广义分数各向异性。神经心理学评定包括韦氏成人智力量表(WAIS-IV)、成人沟通量表、移情智商、社会反应量表和成人执行功能行为评定量表(Brief-A)。与自闭症谱系障碍的短程过度连接模型相反，我们发现自闭症谱系障碍患者在由13个短束组成的组成部分中的解剖连通性明显低于对照组。自闭症谱系障碍的社会意识、语言结构、语用技能和同理心等临床表现与颞叶和脑岛的特定短路不典型显著相关，强调了它们在社会功能障碍中的重要性。因此，与目前的模型相比，解剖连接性的短期下降可能是自闭症谱系障碍中社会缺陷的重要底物。
The current theory implying local, short-range overconnectivity in autism spectrum disorder, contrasting with long-range underconnectivity, is based on heterogeneous results, on limited data involving functional connectivity studies, on heterogeneous paediatric populations and non-specific methodologies. In this work, we studied short-distance structural connectivity in a homogeneous population of males with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and used a novel methodology specifically suited for assessing U-shaped short-distance tracts, including a recently developed tractography-based atlas of the superficial white matter fibres. We acquired diffusion-weighted MRI for 58 males (27 subjects with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and 31 control subjects) and extracted the mean generalized fractional anisotropy of 63 short-distance tracts. Neuropsychological evaluation included Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV (WAIS-IV), Communication Checklist-Adult, Empathy Quotient, Social Responsiveness Scale and Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A). In contradiction with the models of short-range overconnectivity in autism spectrum disorder, we found that patients with autism spectrum disorder had a significantly decreased anatomical connectivity in a component comprising 13 short tracts compared to controls. Specific short-tract atypicalities in temporal lobe and insula were significantly associated with clinical manifestations of autism spectrum disorder such as social awareness, language structure, pragmatic skills and empathy, emphasizing their importance in social dysfunction. Short-range decreased anatomical connectivity may thus be an important substrate of social deficits in autism spectrum disorder, in contrast with current models.