Diffusion Tensor Imaging Correlates of Saccadic Reaction Time in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The negative correlation for prosaccade SRT and cerebellum demonstrated that individuals with slower reaction times had lower FA values relative to their faster responding counterparts, a finding that implicates cerebellar dysfunction as a significant contributor to deficits in oculomotor control. The higher FA in the corpus callosum and ILF corresponding to longer reaction times for both pro- and antisaccade was opposite to what was expected, but nonetheless implies that altered brain structure in these regions underlies deficits in oculomotor control.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Recent Neuroimaging Findings

“…Caudate volume has also been shown to predict neurobehavioral disruption [28]. DTI studies are linking the alcohol-induced white matter microstructural changes to specific deficits, most recently oculomotor control [34]. Furthermore, recent evidence demonstrates that the developmental trajectory of both cerebral cortex volume and white matter microstructure is altered [37, 38].…”

“…Green et al [34] described relationships between white matter microstructure and reaction time during prosaccades (eye movement towards a peripheral stimulus) and antisaccades (eye movement away from a peripheral stimulus) in children with FASD. Lower FA in the cerebellum was related to slower reaction times during prosaccades.…”

Radiological studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in humans and animal models: An updated comprehensive review

“…These structures control eye blink conditioning and saccadic eye movement, two paradigms that can be used as indicators for cognitive function [79;88]. The correlation between lower FA in the left cerebellum and increased saccadic reaction time [87]; and consistent correlation between lower FA in the cerebellar peduncles and poorer performance in eyeblink conditioning [79;80] suggest impaired neural transmission in these white matter tracts. In the infants with PAE, neurobehavioral scores exhibited a positive correlation with FA and a negative correlation with MD of the right inferior cerebellar peduncle [85].…”

Altered Neural Oscillations During Multisensory Integration in Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

“…Furthermore, the pattern was reversed such that gamma power was reduced in FASD relative to HC for RA/LS whereas the opposite was true for LA/RS condition. Lateralized effects have been reported in FASD (Stephen et al 2013 and Green et al 2013) implicating right hemisphere, but other results are mixed suggesting these results may be specific to particular brain functions. Interestingly, multisensory integration appears to have right hemisphere dominance in healthy controls (Vercillo and Gori 2015).…”