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White-matter relaxation time and myelin water fraction differences in young adults with autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2014

S. C. L. Deoni ,
J. R. Zinkstok ,
E. Daly ,
C. Ecker ,
S. C. R. Williams ,
D. G. M. Murphy  and
MRC AIMS Consortium
S. C. L. Deoni
Affiliation:
Advanced Baby Imaging Laboratory, School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
J. R. Zinkstok*
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
E. Daly
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
C. Ecker
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
S. C. R. Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
D. G. M. Murphy
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK The Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, King's College London, London, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr J. Zinkstok, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, P023, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. (Email: janneke.zinkstok@kcl.ac.uk)
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Abstract

Background

Increasing evidence suggests that autism is associated with abnormal white-matter (WM) anatomy and impaired brain ‘connectivity’. While myelin plays a critical role in synchronized brain communication, its aetiological role in autistic symptoms has only been indirectly addressed by WM volumetric, relaxometry and diffusion tensor imaging studies. A potentially more specific measure of myelin content, termed myelin water fraction (MWF), could provide improved sensitivity to myelin alteration in autism.

Method

We performed a cross-sectional imaging study that compared 14 individuals with autism and 14 age- and IQ-matched controls. T1 relaxation times (T1), T2 relaxation times (T2) and MWF values were compared between autistic subjects, diagnosed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R), with current symptoms assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and typical healthy controls. Correlations between T1, T2 and MWF values with clinical measures [ADI-R, ADOS, and the Autism Quotient (AQ)] were also assessed.

Results

Individuals with autism showed widespread WM T1 and MWF differences compared to typical controls. Within autistic individuals, worse current social interaction skill as measured by the ADOS was related to reduced MWF although not T1. No significant differences or correlations with symptoms were observed with respect to T2.

Conclusions

Autistic individuals have significantly lower global MWF and higher T1, suggesting widespread alteration in tissue microstructure and biochemistry. Areas of difference, including thalamic projections, cerebellum and cingulum, have previously been implicated in the disorder; however, this is the first study to specifically indicate myelin alteration in these regions.

Keywords

Autismbrain connectivitybrain developmenthuman brain imagingmyelinwhite matter
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , March 2015 , pp. 795 - 805
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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Footnotes

†

These authors served as joint first authors.

‡

Members of the MRC AIMS Consortium are given in the Appendix.

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