Background
Repetitive behavior is a core feature of autism and has been linked to differences
in striatum. In addition, the brain changes associated with autism appear to vary
with age. However, most studies investigating striatal differences in autism are cross-sectional,
limiting inferences on development. In this study, we set out to 1) investigate striatal
development in autism, using a longitudinal design; and 2) examine the relationship
between striatal development and repetitive behavior.
Methods
We acquired longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging scans from 86 individuals
(49 children with autism, 37 matched control subjects). Each individual was scanned
twice, with a mean scan interval time of 2.4 years. Mean age was 9.9 years at time
1 and 12.3 years at time 2. Striatal structures were traced manually with high reliability.
Multivariate analyses of variance were used to investigate differences in brain development
between diagnostic groups. To examine the relationship with behavior, correlations
between changes in brain volumes and clinical measures were calculated.
Results
Our results showed an increase in the growth rate of striatal structures for individuals
with autism compared with control subjects. The effect was specific to caudate nucleus,
where growth rate was doubled. Second, faster striatal growth was correlated with
more severe repetitive behavior (insistence on sameness) at the preschool age.
Conclusions
This longitudinal study of brain development in autism confirms the involvement of
striatum in repetitive behavior. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of brain
development in autism, as the severity of repetitive behavior was related to striatal
growth, rather than volume per se.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 03, 2013
Accepted:
August 15,
2013
Received in revised form:
August 14,
2013
Received:
February 26,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
