Aki Hattori1, Koji Kamagata2, Eiji Kirino3,4, Christina Andica1, Shoji Tanaka5, Akifumi Hagiwara1,6, Shohei Fujita1,6, Tomoko Maekawa1,6, Ryusuke Irie1,6, Kanako K Kumamaru1, Michimasa Suzuki1, Akihiko Wada1, Masaaki Hori1, Shigeki Aoki1. 1. Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan. 2. Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan. kkamagat@juntendo.ac.jp. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1129, Nagaoka, Shizuoka, 410-2211, Japan. 5. Department of Information and Communication Sciences, Sophia University, 7-1, Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8554, Japan. 6. Department of Radiology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is related to impairment in various white matter (WM) pathways. Utility of the recently developed two-compartment model of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to analyse axial diffusivity of WM is restricted by several limitations. The present study aims to validate the utility of model-free DKI in the evaluation of WM alterations in ASD and analyse the potential relationship between DKI-evident WM alterations and personality scales. METHODS: Overall, 15 participants with ASD and 15 neurotypical (NT) controls were scanned on a 3 T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner, and scores for autism quotient (AQ), systemising quotient (SQ) and empathising quotient (EQ) were obtained for both groups. Multishell diffusion-weighted MR data were acquired using two b-values (1000 and 2000 s/mm2). Differences in mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK) and axial kurtosis (AK) between the groups were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Finally, the relationships between the kurtosis indices and personality quotients were examined. RESULTS: The ASD group demonstrated significantly lower AK in the body and splenium of corpus callosum than the NT group; however, no other significant differences were identified. Negative correlations were found between AK and AQ or SQ, predominantly in WM areas related to social-emotional processing such as uncinate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi. CONCLUSIONS: Model-free DKI and its indices may represent a novel, objective method for detecting the disease severity and WM alterations in patients with ASD.
PURPOSE:Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is related to impairment in various white matter (WM) pathways. Utility of the recently developed two-compartment model of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to analyse axial diffusivity of WM is restricted by several limitations. The present study aims to validate the utility of model-free DKI in the evaluation of WM alterations in ASD and analyse the potential relationship between DKI-evident WM alterations and personality scales. METHODS: Overall, 15 participants with ASD and 15 neurotypical (NT) controls were scanned on a 3 T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner, and scores for autism quotient (AQ), systemising quotient (SQ) and empathising quotient (EQ) were obtained for both groups. Multishell diffusion-weighted MR data were acquired using two b-values (1000 and 2000 s/mm2). Differences in mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK) and axial kurtosis (AK) between the groups were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Finally, the relationships between the kurtosis indices and personality quotients were examined. RESULTS: The ASD group demonstrated significantly lower AK in the body and splenium of corpus callosum than the NT group; however, no other significant differences were identified. Negative correlations were found between AK and AQ or SQ, predominantly in WM areas related to social-emotional processing such as uncinate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi. CONCLUSIONS: Model-free DKI and its indices may represent a novel, objective method for detecting the disease severity and WM alterations in patients with ASD.
Authors: Simon Baron-Cohen; Jennifer Richler; Dheraj Bisarya; Nhishanth Gurunathan; Sally Wheelwright Journal: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Date: 2003-02-28 Impact factor: 6.237
Authors: Marieke Langen; Alexander Leemans; Patrick Johnston; Christine Ecker; Eileen Daly; Clodagh M Murphy; Flavio Dell'acqua; Sarah Durston; Declan G M Murphy Journal: Cortex Date: 2011-05-30 Impact factor: 4.027
Authors: Toshikazu Ikuta; Keith M Shafritz; Joel Bregman; Bart D Peters; Patricia Gruner; Anil K Malhotra; Philip R Szeszko Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2013-11-11 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: Maria F Falangola; David N Guilfoyle; Ali Tabesh; Edward S Hui; Xingju Nie; Jens H Jensen; Scott V Gerum; Caixia Hu; John LaFrancois; Heather R Collins; Joseph A Helpern Journal: NMR Biomed Date: 2014-06-03 Impact factor: 4.044
Authors: Clare R Gibbard; Juejing Ren; Kiran K Seunarine; Jonathan D Clayden; David H Skuse; Chris A Clark Journal: Neuroimage Clin Date: 2013-08-02 Impact factor: 4.881