White Matter Features Associated With Autistic Traits in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is among the most debilitating psychiatric disorders. Comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autistic traits may impair treatment response in OCD. To identify possible neurostructural deficits underlying autistic traits, we performed white matter tractography on diffusion tensor images (DTI) and assessed autistic trait severity using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) in 33 OCD patients. Correlations between AQ and the DTI parameters, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were examined in major white matter tracts that were suggested to be altered in previous OCD studies. We found a negative correlation between AQ and FA and positive correlations between AQ and MD, AD and RD in the left uncinate fasciculus using age, Beck Depression Inventory, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, intelligence quotient and medication as covariates. However, we could not detect the significant results between AQ and all DTI parameters when adding gender as a covariate. In addition, in the ASD comorbid group, FA in the left uncinate fasciculus was significantly lower than in the non-ASD comorbid group and MD and RD were significantly higher than in the non-ASD group. These results did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. In ASD, the socio-emotional dysfunction is suggested to be related to the alteration of white matter microstructure in uncinate fasciculus. Our results suggest that variations in white matter features of the left uncinate fasciculus might be partly explained by autistic traits encountered in OCD patients.

Computer Aided Autism Diagnosis Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging

“…Several studies [6,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20] have been carried out using DTI to investigate the presence of abnormalities in the WM in individuals with ASD. [6] used DTI to compare the structure of the white matter of individuals with ASD to that of typically developed (TD) subjects.…”

“…They identified many confounds in the literature that could have affected the conclusions and highlighted the conflicting results. In [20], correlations between autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) and DTI parameters (FA, MD, AD, RD) were examined in white matter tracts that were altered in previous studies for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients with ASD traits. Their results suggested that variations in WM features may be explained partially by autistic traits in OCD patients.…”

Behavioural and cognitive behavioural therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

“…As repetitive behaviours are a common feature of both OCD and ASD, researchers have suggested a possible association between the two disorders (Bejerot 2001;Ivarsson 2008;Kushi 2019;Leyfer 2006;Mack 2010;Martin 2020;Russell 2005;Stewart 2016). For example, they might share common underlying causes, so that they might occur together in the same person more o en than would be expected (Kuno 2018;Liu 2019). Someone with ASD who also meets the criteria for OCD may face additional burdens, leading to more difficulties in everyday functioning (Martin 2020).…”

The Prediction Analysis of Autistic and Schizotypal Traits in Attentional Networks

“…These are used for screening individuals with a high level of autistic and schizotypal traits. 28,29 The autistic traits measured by AQ that consisted of five dimensions: social skill, attention switching, attention to detail, communications, and imagination. 30 The schizotypal traits measured by SPQ included three dimensions: cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized.…”

“…The autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) and schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ) are the two most widely used psychometric self-report measures. These are used for screening individuals with a high level of autistic and schizotypal traits [ 28 , 29 ]. The autistic traits measured by AQ that consisted of five dimensions: social skill, attention switching, attention to detail, communications, and imagination [ 30 ].…”