Background
Although several previous studies have been conducted, the neural basis of autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) is poorly understood. The objective of the present study was
to determine whether individuals with ASD have altered brain chemical metabolites
and whether such alterations are related to their autistic symptoms.
Methods
N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline/Cr ratios in the right medial temporal
lobe (MTL), medial prefrontal cortex, and cerebellar vermis were measured in 38 individuals
with ASD (mean age = 12.9 years), including 12 with autism, 15 with Asperger’s Disorder,
and 11 with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and
16 matched healthy control subjects (mean age = 11.5 years) with proton magnetic resonance
spectroscopy. Autistic symptoms were assessed by the Childhood Autistic Rating Scale-Tokyo
Version.
Results
There was a significant group difference for NAA/Cr ratio in the right MTL between
the autism, Asperger’s Disorder, PDD-NOS, and control groups (p < .001), and the autism group had a significantly lower NAA/Cr ratio compared with
the PDD-NOS (p < .001) and control (p < .001) groups. In the ASD group, there was a significant negative correlation between
NAA/Cr ratio in the right MTL and their Childhood Autistic Rating Scale-Tokyo Version
total scores (r = −.44, p = .01) and subscales of emotional response (r = −.38, p = .02) and listening response (r = −.54, p = .001).
Conclusions
The results of the present study suggest that subjects with ASD have abnormalities
of neural integrity in the amygdala-hippocampus region that are related to their severity
and social impairments.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 15, 2007
Accepted:
May 10,
2007
Received in revised form:
April 13,
2007
Received:
January 23,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
