Paper Info
Title
Altered cerebellar feedback projections in Asperger syndrome.
Abstract
It has been proposed that the biological basis of autism spectrum disorder includes cerebellar ‘disconnection’. However, direct in vivo evidence in support of this is lacking. Here, the microstructural integrity of cerebellar white matter in adults with Asperger syndrome was studied using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance tractography. Fifteen adults with Asperger syndrome and 16 age–IQ–gender-matched healthy controls underwent diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. For each subject, tract-specific measurements of mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were made within the inferior, middle, superior cerebellar peduncles and short intracerebellar fibres. No group differences were observed in mean diffusivity. However, people with Asperger syndrome had significantly lower fractional anisotropy in the short intracerebellar fibres (p<0.001) and right superior cerebellar (output) peduncle (p<0.001) compared to controls; but no difference in the input tracts. Severity of social impairment, as measured by the Autistic Diagnostic Interview, was negatively correlated with diffusion anisotropy in the fibres of the left superior cerebellar peduncle. These findings suggest a vulnerability of specific cerebellar neural pathways in people with Asperger syndrome. The localised abnormalities in the main cerebellar outflow pathway may prevent the cerebral cortex from receiving those cerebellar feedback inputs necessary for a successful adaptive social behaviour.
Year
DOI
Venue
2008
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.03.041
NeuroImage
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Asperger,Cerebellum,White matter,Diffusion tensor,Tractography,Autism
Journal
41
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
4
1053-8119
14
PageRank 
References 
Authors
1.07
7
9
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Marco Catani129029.97
Derek K. Jones265548.55
Eileen Daly3272.94
Nitzia Embiricos4141.07
Quinton Deeley5242.31
Luca Pugliese6303.72
Sarah Curran7141.07
Dene Robertson8272.94
Declan G M Murphy9785.50