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- Title
Childhood autism in India: A case-control study using tract-based spatial statistics analysis.
- Authors
Assis, Zarina Abdul; Shankara Bagepally, Bhavani; Saini, Jitender; Srinath, Shoba; Bharath, Rose Dawn; Naidu, Purushotham R.; Gupta, Arun Kumar
- Abstract
Context: Autism is a serious behavioral disorder among young children that now occurs at epidemic rates in developing countries like India. We have used tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures to investigate the microstructure of primary neurocircuitry involved in autistic spectral disorders as compared to the typically developed children. Objective: To evaluate the various white matter tracts in Indian autistic children as compared to the controls using TBSS. Materials and Methods: Prospective, case-control, voxel-based, whole-brain DTI analysis using TBSS was performed. The study included 19 autistic children (mean age 8.7 years ± 3.84, 16 males and 3 females) and 34 controls (mean age 12.38 ± 3.76, all males). Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) values were used as outcome variables. Results: Compared to the control group, TB S S demonstrated multiple areas of markedly reduced FA involving multiple long white matter tracts, entire corpus callosum, bilateral posterior thalami, and bilateral optic tracts (OTs). Notably, there were no voxels where FA was significantly increased in the autism group. Increased RD was also noted in these regions, suggesting underlying myelination defect. The MD was elevated in many of the projections and association fibers and notably in the OTs. There were no significant changes in the AD in these regions, indicating no significant axonal injury. There was no significant correlation between the FA values and Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Conclusion: This is a first of a kind study evaluating DTI findings in autistic children in India. In our study, DTI has shown a significant fault with the underlying intricate brain wiring system in autism. OT abnormality is a novel finding and needs further research.
- Subjects
INDIA; ANALYSIS of covariance; AUTISM; AUTISM in children; BRAIN; LONGITUDINAL method; MAGNETIC resonance imaging; PROBABILITY theory; PSYCHOLOGICAL tests; CASE-control method; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; CHILDREN
- Publication
Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2015, Vol 57, Issue 3, p272
- ISSN
0019-5545
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.4103/0019-5545.166622