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A structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of adults with Asperger's syndrome
NemoImage
11, Number
5, 2000, Part 2 of 2 Parts 1 D Eal@
DISORDERS
- NEUROLOGY
A Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study of Adults With Asperger’s Syndrome M.A. Howard*,
P.E. CowelI& J. Boucherf,
P. BroksS, A. Maye&,
N. Roberts*
*Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre (MARIARC), University of Liverpool, UK tDepartment of Psychology, University of Warwick, UK SDepartment of Clinical Neurology, University of Shefield, UK SDepartment of Human Communication Sciences, University of Shefield, UK The advent of investigative neuroimaging techniques (e.g. PETSPECT, and MRI) have enabled understanding of the underlying brain bases of developmental disorders such as Autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Numerous electrophysiological, anatomical, and pathological studies (see [ 1, 2] for a review) have attempted to classify morphological differences in Autistic disorder, leading to a focus in three key areas, the medial temporal lobe, fronto-striatal area, and cerebellum. By using structural MRI in concert with stereological volume techniques, we have investigated regional brain volumes of the medial temporal lobe, and their relationship to brain and head size in adults with Asperger’s syndrome. In accordance with expertise within this laboratory [3], and reports from other autism research laboratories [4], we have subdivided the medial temporal lobe into three regions of interest; i) hippocampus, ii) parahippocampal cortices, and iii) amygdala. Method Ten male subjects (mean age 23.5, range 15%40.3), and ten healthy controls matched for age (mean 24.2, range 15.7-43), sex, and verbal IQ, underwent structural MRI of the brain. A high resolution volume scan was acquired using the 3D-SPGR sequence available on a 1.5T SIGNA whole body imaging system (GE, Milwaukee, USA). A T2-weighted multi-slice sequence was additionally acquired for estimation of intra-cranial volumes. MR images were subsequently transferred to ANALYZE software (Mayo Foundation, Minnesota, USA), where unbiased estimates of the volume of the left and right amygdalae, hippocampi and parahippocampal gyri (PHG), caudate nucleus, temporal lobe, whole hemisphere and intra-cranial volume (1CV)were obtained using the Cavalieri method of modern design stereology.
Correlations between ICV and whole brain volume differed as a function of diagnosis, with the correlation being significantly higher in the Patient group (Pearson’s r=0.483 controls, r=0.96 patients, df =8, Fisher’s Z =2.79, p
Courchesne, E. (1997) Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 7, 269-278. Happe, F., Frith, U. (1996) Brain, Vol.119, 4, 1377-1400. Mackay C.E., Roberts, N., Mayes, A.R., Downes, J.J., Foster, J.K., Mann, D. (1998) Behavioural Neurology, 11, 1, 3-20. Waterhouse, L., Modahl, C., Fein, D. (1996) Psychological Review, 103, 457-489. AbelI, F., KWIIS, M., Ashburner, J., Passingham, R., Friston, K., Frackowiak, R., Happe, F., Frith, C., Frith, U. (1999) NeuroReport, 10, 1647-1651. 7. Reiss, A.L., Lee, J., Freund, L. (1994) Neurology, 44, 1317-1324.
S126
11, Number
5, 2000, Part 2 of 2 Parts 1 D Eal@
DISORDERS
- NEUROLOGY
A Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study of Adults With Asperger’s Syndrome M.A. Howard*,
P.E. CowelI& J. Boucherf,
P. BroksS, A. Maye&,
N. Roberts*
*Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre (MARIARC), University of Liverpool, UK tDepartment of Psychology, University of Warwick, UK SDepartment of Clinical Neurology, University of Shefield, UK SDepartment of Human Communication Sciences, University of Shefield, UK The advent of investigative neuroimaging techniques (e.g. PETSPECT, and MRI) have enabled understanding of the underlying brain bases of developmental disorders such as Autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Numerous electrophysiological, anatomical, and pathological studies (see [ 1, 2] for a review) have attempted to classify morphological differences in Autistic disorder, leading to a focus in three key areas, the medial temporal lobe, fronto-striatal area, and cerebellum. By using structural MRI in concert with stereological volume techniques, we have investigated regional brain volumes of the medial temporal lobe, and their relationship to brain and head size in adults with Asperger’s syndrome. In accordance with expertise within this laboratory [3], and reports from other autism research laboratories [4], we have subdivided the medial temporal lobe into three regions of interest; i) hippocampus, ii) parahippocampal cortices, and iii) amygdala. Method Ten male subjects (mean age 23.5, range 15%40.3), and ten healthy controls matched for age (mean 24.2, range 15.7-43), sex, and verbal IQ, underwent structural MRI of the brain. A high resolution volume scan was acquired using the 3D-SPGR sequence available on a 1.5T SIGNA whole body imaging system (GE, Milwaukee, USA). A T2-weighted multi-slice sequence was additionally acquired for estimation of intra-cranial volumes. MR images were subsequently transferred to ANALYZE software (Mayo Foundation, Minnesota, USA), where unbiased estimates of the volume of the left and right amygdalae, hippocampi and parahippocampal gyri (PHG), caudate nucleus, temporal lobe, whole hemisphere and intra-cranial volume (1CV)were obtained using the Cavalieri method of modern design stereology.
Correlations between ICV and whole brain volume differed as a function of diagnosis, with the correlation being significantly higher in the Patient group (Pearson’s r=0.483 controls, r=0.96 patients, df =8, Fisher’s Z =2.79, p
Courchesne, E. (1997) Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 7, 269-278. Happe, F., Frith, U. (1996) Brain, Vol.119, 4, 1377-1400. Mackay C.E., Roberts, N., Mayes, A.R., Downes, J.J., Foster, J.K., Mann, D. (1998) Behavioural Neurology, 11, 1, 3-20. Waterhouse, L., Modahl, C., Fein, D. (1996) Psychological Review, 103, 457-489. AbelI, F., KWIIS, M., Ashburner, J., Passingham, R., Friston, K., Frackowiak, R., Happe, F., Frith, C., Frith, U. (1999) NeuroReport, 10, 1647-1651. 7. Reiss, A.L., Lee, J., Freund, L. (1994) Neurology, 44, 1317-1324.
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