The neurobiology of autism has been shown to involve alterations in cortical morphology and gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA ) receptor density. We hypothesized that GABAA receptor binding potential (GABAA R BPND ) would correlate with cortical thickness, but their correlations would differ between autistic adults and typically developing (TD) controls. We studied 50 adults (23 autism, 27 TD, mean age of 27 years) using magnetic resonance imaging to measure cortical thickness, and [18 F]flumazenil positron emission tomography imaging to measure GABAA R BPND . We determined the correlations between cortical thickness and GABAA R BPND by cortical lobe, region-of-interest, and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We also explored potential sex differences in the relationship between cortical thickness and autism characteristics, as measured by autism spectrum quotient (AQ) scores. Comparing autism and TD groups, no significant differences were found in cortical thickness or GABAA R BPND . In both autism and TD groups, a negative relationship between cortical thickness and GABAA R BPND was observed in the frontal and occipital cortices, but no relationship was found in the temporal or limbic cortices. A positive correlation was seen in the parietal cortex that was only significant for the autism group. Interestingly, in an exploratory analysis, we found sex differences in the relationships between cortical thickness and GABAA R BPND , and cortical thickness and AQ scores in the left postcentral gyrus. LAY SUMMARY: The thickness of the brain cortex and the density of the receptors associated with inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA have been hypothesized to underlie the neurobiology of autism. In this study, we found that these biomarkers correlate positively in the parietal cortex, but negatively in the frontal and occipital cortical regions of the brain. Furthermore, we collected preliminary evidence that the correlations between cortical thickness and GABA receptor density are sexdependent in a brain region where sensory inputs are registered.
The neurobiology of autism has been shown to involve alterations in cortical morphology and gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA ) receptor density. We hypothesized that GABAA receptor binding potential (GABAA R BPND ) would correlate with cortical thickness, but their correlations would differ between autistic adults and typically developing (TD) controls. We studied 50 adults (23 autism, 27 TD, mean age of 27 years) using magnetic resonance imaging to measure cortical thickness, and [18 F]flumazenil positron emission tomography imaging to measure GABAA R BPND . We determined the correlations between cortical thickness and GABAA R BPND by cortical lobe, region-of-interest, and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We also explored potential sex differences in the relationship between cortical thickness and autism characteristics, as measured by autism spectrum quotient (AQ) scores. Comparing autism and TD groups, no significant differences were found in cortical thickness or GABAA R BPND . In both autism and TD groups, a negative relationship between cortical thickness and GABAA R BPND was observed in the frontal and occipital cortices, but no relationship was found in the temporal or limbic cortices. A positive correlation was seen in the parietal cortex that was only significant for the autism group. Interestingly, in an exploratory analysis, we found sex differences in the relationships between cortical thickness and GABAA R BPND , and cortical thickness and AQ scores in the left postcentral gyrus. LAY SUMMARY: The thickness of the brain cortex and the density of the receptors associated with inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA have been hypothesized to underlie the neurobiology of autism. In this study, we found that these biomarkers correlate positively in the parietal cortex, but negatively in the frontal and occipital cortical regions of the brain. Furthermore, we collected preliminary evidence that the correlations between cortical thickness and GABA receptor density are sexdependent in a brain region where sensory inputs are registered.
Authors: Christian K Tamnes; Ylva Ostby; Anders M Fjell; Lars T Westlye; Paulina Due-Tønnessen; Kristine B Walhovd Journal: Cereb Cortex Date: 2009-06-11 Impact factor: 5.357
Authors: Saashi A Bedford; Min Tae M Park; Gabriel A Devenyi; Stephanie Tullo; Jurgen Germann; Raihaan Patel; Evdokia Anagnostou; Simon Baron-Cohen; Edward T Bullmore; Lindsay R Chura; Michael C Craig; Christine Ecker; Dorothea L Floris; Rosemary J Holt; Rhoshel Lenroot; Jason P Lerch; Michael V Lombardo; Declan G M Murphy; Armin Raznahan; Amber N V Ruigrok; Elizabeth Smith; Michael D Spencer; John Suckling; Margot J Taylor; Audrey Thurm; Meng-Chuan Lai; M Mallar Chakravarty Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2019-04-26 Impact factor: 15.992
Authors: Giovanni Lucignani; Andrea Panzacchi; Laura Bosio; Rosa Maria Moresco; Laura Ravasi; Isabella Coppa; Giuseppe Chiumello; Kirk Frey; Robert Koeppe; Ferruccio Fazio Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2004-05 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Madhavi Pandya; Thulani H Palpagama; Clinton Turner; Henry J Waldvogel; Richard L Faull; Andrea Kwakowsky Journal: Biol Sex Differ Date: 2019-01-14 Impact factor: 5.027