Cinnamon S Bloss1, Eric Courchesne2. 1. Ms. Bloss is with San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, and Dr. Courchesne is with the Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego and Children's Hospital Research Center. Electronic address: cinnamon@ucsd.edu. 2. Ms. Bloss is with San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, and Dr. Courchesne is with the Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego and Children's Hospital Research Center.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that young girls and boys with autism exhibit different profiles of neuroanatomical abnormality relative to each other and relative to typically developing children. METHOD: Structural magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure gray and white matter volumes (whole cerebrum, cerebral lobes, and cerebellum) and total brain volume in nine girls (ages 2.29-5.16) and 27 boys (ages 1.96-5.33) with autism and 14 girls (ages 2.17-5.71) and 13 boys (ages 1.72-5.50) with typical development. Structure size and the relationship between size and age were examined. Diagnostic and cognitive outcome data were obtained after the children reached 4 to 5 years of age. RESULTS: Girls with autism exhibited nearly every size-related abnormality exhibited by boys with autism. Furthermore, additional sites of abnormality were observed in girls, including enlargement in temporal white and gray matter volumes and reduction in cerebellar gray matter volume. Significant correlations were observed between age and white matter volumes (e.g., cerebral white matter rs = 0.950) for the girls with autism, whereas no significant age-structure size relationships were observed for the boys with autism. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest sex differences in etiological factors and the biological time course of the disorder.
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that young girls and boys with autism exhibit different profiles of neuroanatomical abnormality relative to each other and relative to typically developing children. METHOD: Structural magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure gray and white matter volumes (whole cerebrum, cerebral lobes, and cerebellum) and total brain volume in nine girls (ages 2.29-5.16) and 27 boys (ages 1.96-5.33) with autism and 14 girls (ages 2.17-5.71) and 13 boys (ages 1.72-5.50) with typical development. Structure size and the relationship between size and age were examined. Diagnostic and cognitive outcome data were obtained after the children reached 4 to 5 years of age. RESULTS:Girls with autism exhibited nearly every size-related abnormality exhibited by boys with autism. Furthermore, additional sites of abnormality were observed in girls, including enlargement in temporal white and gray matter volumes and reduction in cerebellar gray matter volume. Significant correlations were observed between age and white matter volumes (e.g., cerebral white matter rs = 0.950) for the girls with autism, whereas no significant age-structure size relationships were observed for the boys with autism. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest sex differences in etiological factors and the biological time course of the disorder.
Authors: Brittany G Travers; Nagesh Adluru; Chad Ennis; Do P M Tromp; Dan Destiche; Sam Doran; Erin D Bigler; Nicholas Lange; Janet E Lainhart; Andrew L Alexander Journal: Autism Res Date: 2012-07-11 Impact factor: 5.216
Authors: Cynthia M Schumann; Cinnamon S Bloss; Cynthia Carter Barnes; Graham M Wideman; Ruth A Carper; Natacha Akshoomoff; Karen Pierce; Donald Hagler; Nicholas Schork; Catherine Lord; Eric Courchesne Journal: J Neurosci Date: 2010-03-24 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: Gregory L Wallace; Ian W Eisenberg; Briana Robustelli; Nathan Dankner; Lauren Kenworthy; Jay N Giedd; Alex Martin Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2015-03-17 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: Kimberly A Aldinger; Jillene Kogan; Virginia Kimonis; Bridget Fernandez; Denise Horn; Eva Klopocki; Brian Chung; Annick Toutain; Rosanna Weksberg; Kathleen J Millen; A James Barkovich; William B Dobyns Journal: Am J Med Genet A Date: 2012-12-07 Impact factor: 2.802