White matter volume in the brainstem and inferior parietal lobule is related to motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder: A voxel‐based morphometry study

Abstract

Many studies have reported poor motor performance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the underlying brain mechanisms remain unclear. Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that abnormalities of the white matter (WM) are related to the features of ASD. In this study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigate which WM regions correlate with motor performance in children with ASD, and whether the WM volume in those brain regions differed between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children. The subjects included 19 children with ASD and 20 TD controls. Motor performance was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (M-ABC 2). Children with ASD showed poorer motor performance than did the controls. There was a significant positive correlation between the total test score on the M-ABC 2 and the volume of WM in the brainstem and WM adjacent to the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). In addition, compared with the TD controls, children with ASD had a decreased volume of WM in the brainstem and adjacent to the left intraparietal sulcus, which is close to the SMG. These findings suggest that structural changes in the WM in the brainstem and left inferior parietal lobule may contribute to poor motor performance in children with ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 981-992. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…In autistic children and adolescents, Travers et al (2015) indeed found reduced structural integrity of the long-ranging corticospinal tract of fibres which arise from motor cortex and travel to the brainstem; this related to poorer grip strength and finger tapping, and to autistic symptomatology. Hanaie et al (2016) also found correlations with poorer motor performance and reduced integrity in parts of the brainstem which connect to the somatosensory cortex through the thalamus, which connect the cerebellum to the brainstem, and the superior longitudinal fasciculus connecting the supramarginal gyrus and inferior parietal sulcus with frontal motor systems.…”

A systematic review of structural MRI biomarkers in autism spectrum disorder: A machine learning perspective

“…Additionally, reduced GMV was observed in the parietal lobe in 4 studies (Brun et al, 2009; Ecker et al, 2012, 2010b; Ni et al, 2018), and occipital lobe in 4 studies (Brun et al, 2009; Ecker et al, 2012; Ni et al, 2018; Sato et al, 2017). It is unclear if regional white matter volume (WMV) contribute to this overgrowth, with 4 studies reporting regional increases in WMV (Ecker et al, 2010b; Hoeft et al, 2011; Lai et al, 2015; Libero et al, 2016; Xiao et al, 2014), three studies reporting regional decreases in WMV (Hanaie et al, 2016; Lange et al, 2015; Zhou et al, 2014) and a further three studies finding no observable WMV differences (Lin et al, 2015; Ni et al, 2018; Radeloff et al, 2014). The most consistent findings implicating the regional WM show increased WMV in the insula (Hoeft et al, 2011; Lai et al, 2015; Xiao et al, 2014) and reduced WMV of the brain stem (Hanaie et al, 2016; Lundwall et al, 2017) as being associated with autism.…”

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“…Some of them have suggested a relationship between brainstem volume and clinical abnormalities. Hanaie et al (2016) detected a significantly smaller white matter (WM) volume in the brainstem of ASD children compared to TD controls which appears to be correlated with poor motor performance. Hanaie et al (2016) detected a significantly smaller white matter (WM) volume in the brainstem of ASD children compared to TD controls which appears to be correlated with poor motor performance.…”

“…In particular, a lower brainstem gray matter (GM) volume was reported in children with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) controls, and a positive correlation between brainstem GM volume and oral sensory sensitivity was observed (Jou et al, 2009). Hanaie et al (2016) detected a significantly smaller white matter (WM) volume in the brainstem of ASD children compared to TD controls which appears to be correlated with poor motor performance. In a recent study, an inverse correlation between aggressive behavior and brainstem volume was found in children with ASD (Lundwall et al, 2017).…”