Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging reveals white matter microstructural alterations in adults with autism.
Christina Andica, Koji Kamagata, Eiji Kirino and 4 others
PMID 34193257WHAT IT FOUND
Brain scans showed lower nerve fiber density and higher fluid levels in adults with autism.
These changes appeared in tracts handling language and social skills, and were linked to communication difficulties, though the link did not survive strict statistical correction.
Key findings
01Adults with autism showed significantly lower neurite density and higher extracellular free-water in white matter tracts compared to typically developing adults.
02Lower neurite density in specific left-hemisphere tracts correlated with higher scores for communication difficulties, but this association did not remain significant after correcting for multiple comparisons.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small, which reduced the statistical power to confirm links between brain structure and specific symptoms. The wide age range of participants (19 to 53 years) increases variability, as brain structure changes with age. There was no histological confirmation of the brain tissue changes seen on the scans. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show how these brain changes develop or change over time.
Declared interests
The study was funded by JSPS KAKENHI and the Juntendo Research Branding Project.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the correlation between brain density and communication scores as a proven cause-and-effect link. The association disappeared after statistical correction for multiple comparisons, meaning it could be due to chance.