Atypically diffuse functional connectivity between caudate nuclei and cerebral cortex in autism

Katherine C Turner,Leonard Frost,John R Mcilroy,Ralph-Axel Müller,David Linsenbardt

doi:10.1186/1744-9081-2-34

Katherine C Turner, Leonard Frost + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-9081-2-34

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Abstract

BackgroundAutism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting sociocommunicative behavior, but also sensorimotor skill learning, oculomotor control, and executive functioning. Some of these impairments may be related to abnormalities of the caudate nuclei, which have been reported for autism.MethodsOur sample was comprised of 8 high-functioning males with autism and 8 handedness, sex, and age-matched controls. Subjects underwent functional MRI scanning during performance on simple visuomotor coordination tasks. Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) effects were identified as interregional blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal cross-correlation, using the caudate nuclei as seed volumes.ResultsIn the control group, fcMRI effects were found in circuits with known participation of the caudate nuclei (associative, orbitofrontal, oculomotor, motor circuits). Although in the autism group fcMRI effects within these circuits were less pronounced or absent, autistic subjects showed diffusely increased connectivity mostly in pericentral regions, but also in brain areas outside expected anatomical circuits (such as visual cortex).ConclusionThese atypical connectivity patterns may be linked to developmental brain growth disturbances recently reported in autism and suggest inefficiently organized functional connectivity between caudate nuclei and cerebral cortex, potentially accounting for stereotypic behaviors and executive impairments.

Highlights

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting sociocommunicative behavior, and sensorimotor skill learning, oculomotor control, and executive functioning
For the right caudate seed volume, these group differences were not found and the autism group showed reduced Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) effects compared to the control group in occipito-temporal regions
Our study used fcMRI to examine functional neural networks incorporating the caudate nuclei and to determine whether the functional connectivity would be compromised in autistic individuals

Summary

Introduction

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting sociocommunicative behavior, and sensorimotor skill learning, oculomotor control, and executive functioning. Some of these impairments may be related to abnormalities of the caudate nuclei, which have been reported for autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting social, cognitive, linguistic and sensorimotor abilities. These qualitative deficits are pervasive and long lasting. Behavioral markers identifying deficits in sensorimotor processing and social skills are apparent as early as one year of age [2,3]. Sensorimotor deficits include fine motor apraxia [4,5,6], reduced postural control [7,8], and impaired imitation [9]. Individuals with autism have delays in language development [10], impaired (page number not for citation purposes)

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