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Cortical morphology in children with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder

Meghna Rajaprakash1, M Mallar Chakravarty2, Jason P Lerch3

  • 1Neurosciences and Mental Health Research Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Ontario, Canada ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Brain and Behavior
|March 22, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal alcohol exposure in alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) primarily impacts brain surface area, not thickness. These surface area reductions are most pronounced in the frontal, temporal, and occipital regions.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Prenatal alcohol exposure is linked to reduced cortical grey matter volume.
  • Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) is a common fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
  • Cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) as determinants of volume reduction in ARND are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether cortical thickness (CT) or surface area (SA) are the primary drivers of reduced cortical grey matter volume in children with ARND.
  • To differentiate the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on CT versus SA in ARND.

Main Methods:

  • T1-weighted MRI scans from 88 participants (36 ARND, 52 controls, aged 8-16) were analyzed using the CIVET pipeline.
  • Cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) were derived from inner white matter and pial surfaces.
  • General linear models, controlling for age, sex, and handedness, were used to compare groups.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in cortical thickness (CT) were found between ARND and control groups.
  • Global cortical volume reductions in ARND were associated with global surface area (SA) reductions.
  • Specific SA reductions were observed in bilateral frontal and temporal, and right occipital regions, including the right superior temporal gyrus.

Conclusions:

  • In ARND, prenatal alcohol exposure affects global surface area (SA) more significantly than cortical thickness (CT).
  • The right temporal lobe shows particular vulnerability to SA reductions due to prenatal alcohol exposure.
Abstract

Keywords:
ARNDMRIcortical thicknesssurface area

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