Region-specific associations between gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor binding and cortical thickness in high-functioning autistic adults.
David James, Vicky T Lam, Booil Jo and 1 others
PMID 35261207WHAT IT FOUND
Gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor binding and cortical thickness are linked differently in the frontal, occipital, and parietal lobes.
This pattern did not differ between autistic and typically developing adults, except in the left postcentral gyrus of males.
Key findings
01The relationship between cortical thickness and GABA A receptor binding potential differed by brain lobe but did not differ between autistic and typically developing groups.
02In an exploratory analysis of the left postcentral gyrus, the link between cortical thickness and GABA A receptor binding differed between autistic and typically developing males, but not females.
03Cortical thickness in the left postcentral gyrus was negatively correlated with autism trait scores in autistic males, but this relationship was not seen in autistic females.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Small sample size, especially for sex-specific comparisons. Fewer female participants than male participants. Age was not well matched between autistic males and females (average difference of 9 years). Autism trait scores (AQ) were not matched between sexes. Many autistic participants were taking psychotropic medications, including SSRIs, which may influence cortical thickness. The study is cross-sectional and cannot determine causality or developmental trajectories.
Declared interests
Funded by N.I.H. and non-U.S. government sources. No specific commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the sex-specific finding in the left postcentral gyrus as a confirmed biological marker for autism. The study was underpowered for these comparisons, the finding was exploratory and did not survive multiple comparison corrections, and the authors explicitly state it requires replication.