Language-association cortex asymmetry in autism and specific language impairment
Language-association cortex asymmetry in autism and specific language impairment
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DOI：
10.1002/ana.20275
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发表时间：
2004-12-01
影响因子：
11.2
通讯作者：
Harris, GJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
De Fossé, L;Hodge, SM;Harris, GJ
语言缺陷是自闭症的核心缺陷之一。我们之前报道了自闭症男孩额叶语言皮质的不对称逆转。特殊语言障碍（SLI）和自闭症有相似的语言缺陷，可能有共同的遗传联系。这项研究在一个新的、独立的右撇子男孩样本中评估了额叶语言皮层的不对称性，包括一个新的自闭症男孩样本和一组患有特殊语言障碍的男孩样本。将自闭症男孩分为语言障碍组（ALI）和正常语言能力组（ALN）。研究对象（右撇子，年龄6.2-13.4岁）包括22名自闭症男孩（16名ALI和6名ALN）， 9名有特殊语言障碍病史或目前有特殊语言障碍的男孩和11名正常对照。MRI脑部扫描被分割成灰质和白质；然后将大脑皮层分割成每个半球48个以脑回为基础的分区。在下外侧额叶（布洛卡区）和后颞上皮层的语言相关区域，预测了体积不对称的组间差异。患有自闭症和特殊语言障碍的男孩额叶语言相关皮层的不对称性都有显著的逆转；两组语言障碍男孩的右侧较大，两组未语言障碍男孩的左侧较大，这加强了ALI和特殊语言障碍之间的表型联系。因此，我们重复了先前在独立自闭症样本中报道的额叶语言皮层反向不对称的观察结果，并在患有特殊语言障碍的男孩中观察到类似的逆转，进一步加强了特殊语言障碍和自闭症亚群之间的表型联系。与对照组相比，没有语言障碍的自闭症男孩也有类似的不对称性，这表明布洛卡区不对称逆转与语言障碍的关系比自闭症诊断的关系更大。
fLanguage deficits are among the core impairments of autism. We previously reported asymmetry reversal of frontal language cortex in boys with autism. Specific language impairment (SLI) and autism share similar language deficits and may share genetic links. This study evaluated asymmetry of frontal language cortex in a new, independent sample of right-handed boys, including a new sample of boys with autism and a group of boys with SLI. The boys with autism were divided into those with language impairment (ALI) and those with normal language ability (ALN). Subjects (right-handed, aged 6.2-13.4 years) included 22 boys with autism (16 ALI and 6 ALN), 9 boys with a history of or present SLI, and 11 normal controls. MRI brain scans were segmented into grey and white matter; then the cerebral cortex was parcellated into 48 gyral-based divisions per hemisphere. Group differences in volumetric asymmetry were predicted a priori in language-related regions in inferior lateral frontal (Broca's area) and posterior superior temporal cortex. Language impaired boys with autism and SLI both had significant reversal of asymmetry in frontal language-related cortex; larger on the right side in both groups of language impaired boys and larger on the left in both unimpaired language groups, strengthening a phenotypic link between ALI and SLI. Thus, we replicated the observation of reversed asymmetry in frontal language cortex reported previously in an independent autism sample, and observed similar reversal in boys with SLI, further strengthening a phenotypic link between SLI and a subgroup of autism. Linguistically unimpaired boys with autism had similar asymmetry compared with the control group, suggesting that Broca's area asymmetry reversal is related more to language impairment than specifically to autism diagnosis.