Developmental Disruptions of the Dorsal Striatum in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social and communication deficits as well as patterns of restricted, repetitive behavior. Abnormal brain development has long been postulated to underlie ASD, but longitudinal studies aimed at understanding the developmental course of the disorder have been limited. More recently, abnormal development of the striatum in ASD has become an area of interest in research, partially due to overlap of striatal functions and deficit areas in ASD, as well as the critical role of the striatum in early development, when ASD is first detected. Focusing on the dorsal striatum and the associated symptom domain of restricted, repetitive behavior, we review the current literature on dorsal striatal abnormalities in ASD, including studies on functional connectivity, morphometry, and cellular and molecular substrates. We highlight that observed striatal abnormalities in ASD are often dynamic across development, displaying disrupted developmental trajectories. Important findings include an abnormal trajectory of increasing corticostriatal functional connectivity with age and increased striatal growth during childhood in ASD. We end by discussing striatal findings from animal models of ASD. In sum, the studies reviewed here demonstrate a key role for developmental disruptions of the dorsal striatum in the pathogenesis of ASD. Directing attention toward these findings will improve our understanding of ASD and of how associated deficits may be better addressed.