Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in School‐Aged Autistic Children

Vasconcelos, Marcio Moacyr; Brito, Alexandre dos Santos; Domingues, Romeu Côrtes; Cruz, Luiz Celso Hygino da; Gasparetto, Emerson L.; Werner, Jairo; Gonçalves, João Pedro Sevalho

doi:10.1111/j.1552-6569.2007.00200.x

Cited by 36 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Thus, 24 studies were included into the database. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 From the database, one study was excluded from the meta-analysis because they did not report raw data regarding the metabolite measure 28 and one study was excluded because it did not provide sufficient data to calculate the standardized mean difference 36 (Figure 1). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age-related change in brain metabolite abnormalities in autism: a meta-analysis of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies

2012

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Abnormal trajectory of brain development has been suggested by previous structural magnetic resonance imaging and head circumference findings in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs); however, the neurochemical backgrounds remain unclear. To elucidate neurochemical processes underlying aberrant brain growth in ASD, we conducted a comprehensive literature search and a meta-analysis of 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) studies in ASD. From the 22 articles identified as satisfying the criteria, means and s.d. of measure of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine, choline-containing compounds, myo-Inositol and glutamate+glutamine in frontal, temporal, parietal, amygdala-hippocampus complex, thalamus and cerebellum were extracted. Random effect model analyses showed significantly lower NAA levels in all the examined brain regions but cerebellum in ASD children compared with typically developed children (n=1295 at the maximum in frontal, P<0.05 Bonferroni-corrected), although there was no significant difference in metabolite levels in adulthood. Meta-regression analysis further revealed that the effect size of lower frontal NAA levels linearly declined with older mean age in ASD (n=844, P<0.05 Bonferroni-corrected). The significance of all frontal NAA findings was preserved after considering between-study heterogeneities (P<0.05 Bonferroni-corrected). This first meta-analysis of 1H-MRS studies in ASD demonstrated robust developmental changes in the degree of abnormality in NAA levels, especially in frontal lobes of ASD. Previously reported larger-than-normal brain size in ASD children and the coincident lower-than-normal NAA levels suggest that early transient brain expansion in ASD is mainly caused by an increase in non-neuron tissues, such as glial cell proliferation.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age-related change in brain metabolite abnormalities in autism: a meta-analysis of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies

2012

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“…Reduced mI levels may be associated with abnormal developmental processes via abnormal astrocyte density or altered neuronal growth [72], as shown in children with ASD [72, 73]. However, earlier findings are inconsistent [35, 72]. The trend for alterations in the Cre signals might be associated with brain-region-specific altered energy metabolism [22].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glutathione metabolism in the prefrontal brain of adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: an MRS study

et al. 2017

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BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by difficulties in social communication, unusually restricted, repetitive behavior and interests, and specific abnormalities in language and perception. The precise etiology of ASD is still unknown and probably heterogeneous. In a subgroup of patients, toxic environmental exposure might lead to an imbalance between oxidative stress and anti-oxidant systems. Previous serum and postmortem studies measuring levels of glutathione (GSH), the main cellular free radical scavenger in the brain, have supported the hypothesis that this compound might play a role in the pathophysiology of autism.MethodsUsing the method of single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we analyzed the GSH signal in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of 24 ASD patients with normal or above average IQs and 18 matched control subjects. We hypothesized that we would find decreased GSH concentrations in both regions.ResultsWe did not find overall group differences in neurometabolites including GSH, neither in the dorsal ACC (Wilks’ lambda test; p = 0.429) nor in the DLPFC (p = 0.288). In the dACC, we found a trend for decreased GSH signals in ASD patients (p = 0.076).ConclusionsWe were unable to confirm our working hypothesis regarding decreased GSH concentrations in the ASD group. Further studies combining MRS, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid measurements of GSH metabolism including other regions of interest or even whole brain spectroscopy are needed.

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“…However, studies have also reported increased choline levels in ASD children in different brain regions, e.g. caudate, anterior cingulate cortex, and hippocampus-amygdala complex [131, 146, 148]. Even though the findings are contradictory, they revealed a similar phenomenon, that ASD children have neural maturation different from typically-developing children.…”

Section: Structural Mrimentioning

confidence: 99%

Candidate Biomarkers in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of MRI Studies

Karnath

2017

Neurosci. Bull.

105

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Searching for effective biomarkers is one of the most challenging tasks in the research field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a non-invasive and powerful tool for investigating changes in the structure, function, maturation, connectivity, and metabolism of the brain of children with ASD. Here, we review the more recent MRI studies in young children with ASD, aiming to provide candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of childhood ASD. The review covers structural imaging methods, diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state functional MRI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Future advances in neuroimaging techniques, as well as cross-disciplinary studies and large-scale collaborations will be needed for an integrated approach linking neuroimaging, genetics, and phenotypic data to allow the discovery of new, effective biomarkers.

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Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in School‐Aged Autistic Children

Cited by 36 publications

References 19 publications

Age-related change in brain metabolite abnormalities in autism: a meta-analysis of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies

Age-related change in brain metabolite abnormalities in autism: a meta-analysis of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies

Glutathione metabolism in the prefrontal brain of adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: an MRS study

Candidate Biomarkers in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of MRI Studies

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