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Widespread Disrupted White Matter Microstructure in Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterised by impaired social communication and restricted repetitive behaviours. Researchers posit that these core features may be underpinned by disrupted structural connectivity. A tract based spatial statistical analysis of diffusion MRI data was performed to investigate white matter organisation (an indication of structural connectivity) in a well-defined cohort of 45 ASD and 45 age and IQ matched control participants. Aberrant structural connectivity characterised by reduced fractional anisotropy was observed in several fiber pathways in ASD relative to controls. Disrupted white matter organisation was associated with social deficits and restricted repetitive behaviours in ASD. Abnormal structural connectivity is apparent in ASD and may be linked to the core behavioural features of the disorder.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge all the participants and their families who took part in this research. We would also like to extend our thanks to Sojo Joseph and the Trinity Centre for High Performance Computing (TCHPC) for their continued assistance throughout this project. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC) who supported and funded this work. This work contributed to the PhD submitted by the first author.

Author Contributions

Recruitment of participants: JF, JMcG; Methodology: JF, JMcG; Data Analysis: JF, JMcG; Writing, reviewing and editing of manuscript: JF, J McG, LG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Jacqueline Fitzgerald, Louise Gallagher & Jane McGrath

  2. Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, 3.36b Lloyd Building, Dublin, Ireland

    Jacqueline Fitzgerald

  3. Linndara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Dublin, Ireland

    Louise Gallagher & Jane McGrath

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  1. Jacqueline Fitzgerald
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Correspondence to Jacqueline Fitzgerald.

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Fitzgerald, J., Gallagher, L. & McGrath, J. Widespread Disrupted White Matter Microstructure in Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 2664–2674 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2803-8

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