The cerebellum is linked to theory of mind alterations in autism. A direct clinical and MRI comparison between individuals with autism and cerebellar neurodegenerative pathologies.
Silvia Clausi, Giusy Olivito, Libera Siciliano and 4 others
PMID 34374492WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with autism and adults with cerebellar degeneration performed similarly on theory-of-mind tests, but both scored lower than healthy controls.
Both groups showed reduced right cerebellar Crus II volume, but volume did not correlate with scores.
Key findings
01The autism and cerebellar groups did not differ significantly on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test or on faux pas total and cognitive scores.
02Both groups scored lower than healthy participants on emotion reading and faux pas cognitive scores.
03The two groups shared reduced gray matter in the right Crus II, but gray matter volume did not correlate with theory-of-mind scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The cerebellar group included many different diagnoses. The autism group was small and included only adults with no language or intellectual impairment. The autism and cerebellar groups differed in age, and age was adjusted in the comparisons. The study did not find a significant link between brain volume and theory-of-mind scores. Some participants were excluded from MRI because of claustrophobia or movement.
Declared interests
The authors declared no commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that right cerebellar Crus II volume causes theory-of-mind difficulty in autism. The study did not test treatment, and gray matter volume did not correlate with theory-of-mind scores.