Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Differences in White Matter Microstructure Among Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder
Meisan Brown-Lum1,2, Sara Izadi-Najafabadi1,2, Tim F Oberlander2,3,4
1Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Insights
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) exhibit distinct white matter differences in motor pathways. These findings suggest potential disruptions in axonal development, offering new insights into this neurodevelopmental disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Radiology
Background:
- Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a motor impairment affecting daily activities, with unknown causes and developmental trajectories.
- Understanding DCD's origins is crucial for effective interventions to improve motor function in affected children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and characterize white matter microstructural differences in children with and without DCD using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 62 children (8-12 years old), comparing 31 with DCD and 30 without.
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to measure white matter microstructure via fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusivity parameters.
- Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were employed for voxelwise analysis, comparing DTI metrics between the two groups, controlling for age and attention.
Main Results:
- Children with DCD showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity in motor and sensorimotor pathways, including the corticospinal tract and cerebellar pathways.
- Specific regions like the posterior thalamic radiation also exhibited altered axial diffusivity in children with DCD.
- No significant differences in mean diffusivity or radial diffusivity were observed between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Children with DCD present with significant white matter differences in key motor and sensorimotor pathways compared to neurotypical peers.
- The observed diffusion parameter patterns suggest potential disruptions in axonal development, contributing to the neurodevelopmental aspects of DCD.
Importance:
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a motor impairment that significantly interferes with activities of daily living. Little is known about the cause of DCD and how it develops, making it difficult to understand why children with DCD struggle in learning motor skills and to determine the best intervention to optimize function.
Objective:
To characterize white matter differences using diffusion tensor imaging in children with and without DCD.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
This cross-sectional study collected diffusion tensor imaging data at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from September 2014 to January 2017. Using a sample of convenience, children with DCD and children without DCD aged 8 to 12 years underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Data analysis was conducted from January 2017 to January 2020.
Main Outcomes And Measures:
The main outcome measures were diffusion parameters, including fractional anisotropy and mean, axial, and radial diffusivity, which are thought to provide an indirect measure of white matter microstructure. Tract-based spatial statistics, a voxelwise statistical analysis of diffusion parameters, were conducted using a 2-group comparison design matrix with age and attention as covariates.
Results:
Thirty children without DCD (mean [SD] age, 9.9 [1.4] years; 21 [70%] boys) and 31 children with DCD (mean [SD] age, 10.1 [1.2] years; 26 [84%] boys) were included in the study. Compared with children without DCD, children with DCD were characterized by significantly lower fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity in regions of white matter pathways associated with motor and sensorimotor processing, including the corticospinal tract (fractional anisotropy: mean [SD], 0.54 [0.03] vs 0.51 [0.03]; P < .001; axial diffusivity: mean [SD], 0.13 [0.98] vs 0.12 [0.46]; P = .01), posterior thalamic radiation at the retrolenticular part of the internal capsule (axial diffusivity: mean [SD], 0.14 [0.57] vs 0.14 [0.44]; P = .01), and cerebellar pathways (eg, superior cerebellar peduncle, fractional anisotropy: mean [SD], 0.49 [0.05] vs 0.46 [0.03]; P = .03; axial diffusivity: mean [SD], 0.14 [0.66] vs 0.14 [0.63]; P = .009). There were no significant differences in mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity between children with and without DCD.
Conclusions And Relevance:
These findings suggest that children with DCD show significant brain differences in motor and sensorimotor white matter pathways compared with children without DCD. The pattern of diffusion parameters in children with DCD suggests that axonal development may be disrupted in this neurodevelopmental disorder.
More Related Videos
09:01A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
Published on: May 7, 2014
09:33Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.