Changes in the development of subcortical structures in autism spectrum disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Radiology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with altered subcortical brain structure volumes.
• Previous research often used cross-sectional designs and lacked precise segmentation of these structures.
• Developmental trajectories of subcortical volumes in ASD are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To longitudinally examine developmental changes in subcortical structure volumes in individuals with ASD.
• To quantify the relationship between subcortical volume development and clinical correlates in ASD.
• To confirm and expand upon previous cross-sectional findings using advanced imaging analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized volBrain, an automated tool for quantitative analysis of brain structures.
• Employed a longitudinal design with T1-weighted MRI scans at two time points.
• Recruited 19 individuals with ASD and 14 typically developing controls (TDC).

Main Results:

• Hippocampus volume increased in both ASD and TDC groups without significant differences.
• Left caudate and right thalamus volumes decreased in the ASD group, correlating with social scores.
• Right amygdala was larger in ASD at baseline but normalized by follow-up, showing age-dependent changes.

Conclusions:

• Longitudinal analysis confirms age-related subcortical volume abnormalities in ASD.
• Decreases in left caudate and right thalamus volumes are linked to social deficits in ASD.
• Dynamic changes in amygdala volume are observed from childhood to late adolescence in ASD.